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To add Steam Workshop mods to an Unturned dedicated server, copy each item’s numeric Workshop ID into the server’s WorkshopDownloadConfig.json, save the file while the server is stopped, and restart the server. Keep the map and other startup options in Commands.dat. During startup, Unturned should process the Workshop download list; players who join can then download the configured content automatically.
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What you need before changing the server
Prepare these items before editing anything:
- Access to the dedicated server’s files, either directly or through your host’s file manager.
- The server’s profile folder, commonly under a path such as
Servers/YourServer/. - The Steam Workshop page for every mod you want to install.
- The exact Workshop ID for each item.
- A maintenance window in which the server can remain stopped while you edit and restart it.
Make a backup of WorkshopDownloadConfig.json and Commands.dat before changing them. A backup lets you restore the previous configuration if a malformed JSON file or an incompatible mod prevents a clean startup.
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Unturned does not use the mod’s display name in the download list. It uses the number in the item’s Steam Workshop URL. For example, a URL ending in sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1753134636 has the ID 1753134636.
Copy an ID
- Open the mod’s Workshop item page.
- Look at the address bar and locate the digits after
id=. - Copy only the digits. Do not copy
id=, the question mark, the rest of the URL, or the item’s title. - Repeat the process for every mod you intend to load.
Check the item page’s own instructions for required companion items. Modded items have their own IDs, which are different from base-game item IDs. Workshop maps can also have map-specific item requirements, so use the map author’s documentation when it lists additional IDs.
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Put the IDs in WorkshopDownloadConfig.json
With the server stopped, open WorkshopDownloadConfig.json in the server profile folder. The official Unturned 3.x server documentation identifies this file as the place where Steam Workshop downloads for the server are configured.
Enter the IDs in the File_IDs array
Find the File_IDs array. Add one Workshop ID per line, separating entries with commas. A minimal configuration looks like this:
{
"File_IDs": [
1753134636,
1234567890
]
}The second number above is an example placeholder for another real Workshop ID; replace it with an ID you copied from an actual item. Do not leave a placeholder in a production configuration.
If your file already contains other keys, keep them unless you have a specific reason to change them. A template commonly includes:
File_IDs, the list of Workshop items to download.Query_Cache_Max_Age_Seconds, which controls how long Workshop query results may be cached.Max_Query_Retries, which controls retry behavior for Workshop queries.Use_Cached_Downloads, which controls whether available cached downloads can be reused.Should_Monitor_Updates, which controls update monitoring behavior.
Those additional settings are part of the file template, but the essential change for adding a mod is the File_IDs list. Preserve the value types and spelling already used by your generated file. JSON is strict: property names and string values require double quotes, array entries need commas between them, and a trailing comma after the final entry makes the file invalid.
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Validate the JSON before restarting
Check the edited file for these common mistakes:
- A missing comma between two IDs.
- A comma after the final ID.
- Accidentally pasting the full Workshop URL instead of its numeric ID.
- Putting the IDs outside the square brackets.
- Using smart quotation marks copied from a formatted document.
- Saving the file under a second extension such as
WorkshopDownloadConfig.json.txt.
If your editor has a JSON validation feature, use it before starting the server. Otherwise, compare the punctuation with the original template and keep a backup of the last known-good file.
Keep map and startup settings in Commands.dat
WorkshopDownloadConfig.json is for Workshop download entries. Map selection and other server startup commands belong in Commands.dat. Do not move the mod IDs into that file.
Set a Workshop map
When a Workshop item is a map, put the map’s name in the Map setting in Commands.dat. The Workshop file list handles the download, while Commands.dat tells the server which map to load. A typical map command is written in this form:
Map YourWorkshopMapNameUse the exact map name and syntax supplied by the map’s documentation. The name may not be identical to the Workshop item’s title. If a map requires additional Workshop content, add every required ID to File_IDs as well.
Do not add unverified keys from older guides
Some third-party instructions tell administrators to add "Workshop": true to WorkshopDownloadConfig.json, or to put a WorkshopDownloadIDs command in Commands.dat. The current official guidance and the standard configuration template do not establish either entry as required. Use the documented File_IDs array instead, and avoid adding extra keys simply because an older tutorial shows them.
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Restart the server and verify the download
- Save both configuration files.
- Start the server normally.
- Watch the startup console or log output for the Workshop download stage.
- Wait for the server to finish loading before testing a connection.
- Join with a client that does not already have the content cached, if possible, and confirm that the required Workshop items are downloaded.
The server should process the configured Workshop IDs during startup. Unturned’s server documentation says players joining a server automatically download the configured mods. A successful download message is stronger evidence than simply seeing the IDs in the file, so keep the startup output available while diagnosing a problem.
Always restart after changing the list. Editing the file while the process is running does not reliably apply the new configuration to the current session.
Adding several mods at once
Place all required IDs in the same File_IDs array. Keep one entry per line so the list is easy to audit:
{
"File_IDs": [
1753134636,
2468024680,
1357913579
]
}Use real IDs in the finished file and retain the commas between entries. If one item has required child items, follow the parent item’s Workshop instructions and include those child IDs unless the item specifically documents another supported arrangement.
About Ignore_Children_File_IDs
Some configuration guides describe an Ignore_Children_File_IDs array for skipping required child items. That behavior is not confirmed by the official documentation referenced here. Do not populate it merely to shorten a download list. If a mod author explicitly tells you to use it, verify that the setting matches the version of the server template you are running and understand that omitting a required child can leave the mod incomplete.
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Workshop maps and ordinary mods behave differently
A normal content mod generally needs only its Workshop ID in File_IDs. A Workshop map needs two pieces of configuration:
- The map item’s Workshop ID in
WorkshopDownloadConfig.json, so the server can obtain the files. - The map’s documented name in the
Mapcommand inCommands.dat, so the server selects it at launch.
Using the ID as the map name, using the Workshop title when the map documentation specifies a different internal name, or forgetting the Map command can result in the server downloading the item but loading another map or failing to find the requested map. Treat the Workshop page and its map documentation as the authority for the exact name.
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Updating, replacing, or removing a mod
Allowing an existing mod to update
Leave the item’s ID in File_IDs and restart the server when you want it to check the Workshop item again. The configuration template includes update-related settings such as Should_Monitor_Updates, but the exact update timing depends on the server’s configuration and the Workshop item. Watch startup output after an author publishes an update, and test the server before opening it to players if the mod changes gameplay or saved data.
Removing a mod
- Stop the server.
- Remove only the unwanted ID from the
File_IDsarray. - Fix the commas so the JSON remains valid.
- Save the file and restart.
- Check the startup output and test a clean client connection.
Removing an ID prevents the server from requesting that Workshop item in future starts. It does not guarantee that every previously downloaded file disappears from disk. Do not manually delete cached content until you know whether another mod or map still depends on it and you have a backup.
Replacing a mod with a different item
Stop the server, remove the old numeric ID, add the new one, and check the replacement’s instructions for dependencies. A replacement can use different item IDs, map names, configuration commands, or saved-data expectations even when it appears to provide the same feature.
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Troubleshoot a mod that does not load
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| The server starts without downloading anything | The ID is in the wrong file, the array is malformed, or the server was not restarted. | Confirm the ID is under File_IDs in WorkshopDownloadConfig.json, validate the JSON, stop the server, and start it again. |
| The console reports a configuration or JSON error | A missing comma, extra comma, mismatched quote, or incorrect file extension. | Restore the backup, re-enter the IDs one at a time, and make sure the filename ends exactly in .json. |
| The server downloads a map but loads a different map | The Workshop ID is present, but the Map command is missing or uses the wrong internal name. |
Set the documented map name in Commands.dat; do not use the numeric ID as a substitute unless the map’s own instructions explicitly say to. |
| A player is missing content after joining | The item did not finish downloading, a required child item is absent, or the client is using stale or incomplete files. | Review the server’s Workshop startup messages, compare the configured IDs with the mod author’s dependency list, and have the player reconnect after the server completes its download stage. |
| The mod appears in the file but has no effect | The Workshop item may require an additional server command, a map-specific setup, or a particular game version. | Read the item’s installation notes, verify that the correct ID was copied, and distinguish a downloaded asset from a mod that needs an activation command. |
| An update breaks the server | The Workshop author changed the item, or the update is incompatible with the current map, other mods, or saved data. | Stop the server, preserve logs and a save backup, review the item’s update notes, and remove or replace the mod only after checking its dependencies. |
Hosting panels and file managers
A hosting control panel may display the server profile through a file manager rather than a local folder. The underlying arrangement is the same: locate the instance’s WorkshopDownloadConfig.json, edit File_IDs, and keep map selection in Commands.dat. Panel labels can differ, and some providers expose generated configuration fields instead of the raw JSON file.
If a panel regenerates the file when you restart, use its documented Workshop-mod field or disable regeneration before making a manual edit. Do not create a second configuration file with a similar name; Unturned will not necessarily read the duplicate. After saving through a panel, reopen the file and confirm that your IDs are still present, then inspect the startup log.
Operational checks before letting players in
- Every entry in
File_IDsis a numeric ID copied from the intended Workshop URL. - The JSON file parses without an error and contains no accidental placeholder text.
- The server was fully stopped before editing and restarted afterward.
- Startup output shows the Workshop download stage completing or clearly reports a failure.
- Workshop maps have both their download ID and the correct
Mapvalue inCommands.dat. - Required child items and map-specific dependencies have been checked against the author’s instructions.
- A backup of the previous configuration and the server save exists before testing major mod changes.
- A test connection confirms that a client can obtain the configured content before you announce the server to a larger group.
What is and is not established by the current documentation
The reliable, documented path is the File_IDs array in WorkshopDownloadConfig.json, with map selection remaining in Commands.dat. The numeric ID comes from the end of the Workshop URL, multiple IDs are separated by commas, and a restart is required for the server to process the edited list.
Advice involving a Workshop Boolean, a WorkshopDownloadIDs command, manual copying into a Bundles/Workshop/Content directory, or unconfirmed child-item controls should not be treated as a required modern installation procedure. Such instructions may describe an older workflow, a host-specific wrapper, or an option that is not present in the standard template. When instructions conflict, compare them with the server’s generated configuration and the current Unturned documentation, then verify the result in startup output.
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