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If mods are missing on a Satisfactory dedicated server, manage the server and every PC client with Satisfactory Mod Manager (SMM), confirm that each mod supports dedicated servers, and match the same profile and game version. Add a remote server through Other → Manage Servers, or point the manager at the server’s real installation directory. Mods that run on both sides must be installed on the server and on every connecting client. Update or disable mods after game updates; if SMM cannot remove them, delete the installation’s Mods folder and rebuild the profile.
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What “missing mods” usually means
A missing-mod message is normally a compatibility or installation mismatch, not proof that the mod has vanished from the download service. The server may be loading a different directory than the one you edited, the mod may not support dedicated servers, or the client and server may have different profiles or versions.
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This guide applies to modded Satisfactory dedicated servers. Dedicated-server modding requires a supported Windows or Linux server installation and a PC client. Console clients and console servers do not support this mod workflow, so a console player cannot join a modded dedicated server through these tools.
Check the prerequisites before changing files
- Use a PC copy of Satisfactory for each player who must load mods.
- Use a Windows or Linux dedicated-server installation that can run the same game branch and version as the clients.
- Install SMM version 3.0.0 or newer, or use ficsit-cli when a terminal-based workflow is more appropriate.
- For a remote server, obtain filesystem or SFTP access. A game-server control panel alone may not expose the directory where mods are installed.
- Stop the dedicated server before replacing or deleting its mod files.
- Record the intended mod list and profile before troubleshooting so you can restore a known-good set.
Install and manage mods with Satisfactory Mod Manager
SMM is the lowest-friction option because it downloads the mod files, dependencies, and Satisfactory Mod Loader (SML) together. It can manage a local dedicated-server installation or a remote installation when the administrator has network filesystem or SFTP access.
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Manage a local dedicated server
- Install SMM on the computer that can access the dedicated-server files.
- Open the server installation in SMM rather than assuming the game’s client directory is selected.
- Select the profile containing the mods you want the server to run.
- Install or update the required mods and allow SMM to resolve dependencies.
- Apply the profile, then start the dedicated server and review its log for loading errors.
- Install the same intended profile on each PC client before connecting.
A common mistake is opening SMM against the normal game client while the dedicated server uses a separate directory. The client can appear correctly modded even though the server is still vanilla. Always verify the installation selected by the manager.
Add a remote server
- Open SMM and choose Other → Manage Servers.
- Add the server connection details requested by SMM, including the remote access method and credentials.
- Choose the server in the game-version or installation dropdown. Select the entry that corresponds to the actual dedicated-server build, not a similarly named client installation.
- Choose the profile to deploy and let SMM copy the loader, mods, and dependencies to the remote installation.
- Restart the server, then connect with a client that has the matching profile.
Remote management only works if the account can read and write the server’s installation through a network filesystem or SFTP connection. If SMM can connect but cannot install files, ask the administrator or host for the correct directory and write permissions.
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Confirm that every mod supports dedicated servers
Single-player success does not establish dedicated-server compatibility. Open the mod’s page on ficsit.app and inspect the Latest Version section. When a compatibility table includes a Server column, a checkmark for the relevant server type indicates that the mod supports dedicated servers.
Check the exact server type and game version you are running. A mod can support one server target while failing on another, and support can change after a game update. If the page has no dedicated-server indication, do not assume that the mod will work remotely; test with a version explicitly marked for your server type or remove it from the dedicated profile.
Put each mod on the correct side
The multiplayer rule is to assume a mod is both-sided unless its mod page or the dedicated-server compatibility grid explicitly says otherwise. Both-sided means the server and every participating client need the mod. A server-side mod belongs on the server only, while a client-side mod belongs on each player’s client.
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| Mod classification | Install on dedicated server | Install on PC clients | How to verify |
|---|---|---|---|
| Both-sided | Yes | Yes, on every client | Use the mod page or compatibility grid; this is the default assumption. |
| Server-side | Yes | No, unless the mod author says otherwise | Look for an explicit server-side designation. |
| Client-side | No | Yes, on clients that need the feature | Look for an explicit client-side designation. |
If a client reports that a required mod is missing, compare the server’s loaded list with the client profile rather than reinstalling random files. Installing a client-only visual or interface mod on the server can also prevent startup, so classification matters in both directions.
Align game versions, mod versions, and profiles
Use one authoritative profile
Create one profile that represents the server’s intended mod set. In SMM, export the profile or use the copy-mods-list feature, then give that list to every player. This prevents small differences such as one player retaining an obsolete dependency or missing a newly added library.
Update after a game update
After Satisfactory updates, update the mods before attempting other fixes. Official support guidance recommends updating or disabling installed mods first whenever a modded game develops problems. Update the server and clients from the same profile, and remove obsolete versions before reinstalling replacements.
Check the selected branch and installation
The dedicated server and client must use compatible game versions. In SMM, verify the game-version or installation selection for the server. If the server was recently moved, cloned, or reinstalled, its directory may still contain an older profile even though the control panel reports a current game version.
Diagnose the most common symptoms
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The client joins a vanilla server but not the modded server. | The client lacks a required both-sided mod, or the server is using a different profile. | Export the server profile, install it on the client, and confirm that both sides use compatible versions. |
| SMM shows mods installed, but the server starts without them. | SMM is pointed at the client directory or another server installation. | Recheck the selected installation and enter the real dedicated-server path. |
| A mod works in single-player but fails on the server. | The mod does not support the dedicated-server type or current game version. | Check the mod page’s Latest Version table and Server column; remove the mod if no checkmark applies. |
| Only one player receives a missing-mod error. | That client’s profile differs from the server or other players’ profiles. | Use the exported profile or copy-mods-list feature instead of manually comparing names. |
| The server fails after a game update. | An installed mod or dependency is outdated. | Update all mods, then disable them temporarily if the server still fails. |
| SMM can connect remotely but cannot install or update files. | The account lacks filesystem or SFTP write access, or the host restricts the server directory. | Request the correct path and permissions from the host or administrator. |
| Disabling mods in SMM has no effect. | Stale files remain in the game installation’s Mods folder. | Stop the game, remove the Mods folder manually, then reinstall or re-enable the desired profile. |
Verify the actual server path
When SMM is managing the wrong installation, the interface can look healthy while the running server remains unchanged. Determine the directory used by the dedicated-server process and compare it with the path configured in your manager.
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Windows example
A local installation might be stored at D:SatisfactoryDS. In SMM or ficsit-cli, select that directory as the dedicated-server installation. Do not select the ordinary game client directory simply because it is easier to browse to.
Linux example
A typical Linux installation might be /opt/SatisfactoryDedicatedServer. The account running the management command must be able to read and write this directory, including its mod files and dependencies.
Remote example
For a remote server, confirm the path after connecting through SFTP or a network filesystem. Hosts sometimes expose a home directory, staging directory, and game directory separately. Uploading a correct mod to the staging directory will not affect the running server.
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ficsit-cli provides a terminal workflow for administrators who operate directly on the server or prefer scripts and shell access. It can manage a remote installation when the administrator has network filesystem or SFTP access, just like SMM.
| Aspect | Satisfactory Mod Manager | ficsit-cli |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | Graphical interface | Terminal command-line interface |
| Typical location | Administrator’s computer, managing a local or remote installation | Often run on the server, or from an administrator computer with filesystem or SFTP access |
| Path selection | Choose the installation through the manager’s server controls | Use Installations → New Installation and enter the real server directory |
| Remote access requirement | Network filesystem or SFTP access | Network filesystem or SFTP access |
| Best fit | Players and administrators who want guided profile and dependency management | Administrators comfortable with shell commands, automation, or direct server maintenance |
Register the correct installation in ficsit-cli
- Open ficsit-cli on the computer or server that has access to the files.
- Select Installations → New Installation.
- Enter the actual dedicated-server directory, such as
D:SatisfactoryDSon Windows or/opt/SatisfactoryDedicatedServeron Linux. - Choose the intended game installation and profile.
- Install or update the mods, then restart the dedicated server.
- Use the same mod list on every PC client that joins.
If the command succeeds but the server behavior does not change, inspect the path first. A successful file operation against the wrong directory produces the same symptom as a failed installation.
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Cleanly disable mods and rebuild the profile
Use cleanup when an update leaves stale files, when a dependency cannot be removed, or when SMM reports that mods are disabled but the game still loads them.
- Stop the dedicated server and close the game and SMM.
- Keep a copy of your save files and the profile list outside the game installation.
- Open SMM and turn off all mods for the affected installation.
- Start the game or server once to confirm whether the problem is resolved.
- If disabling did not work, manually delete that installation’s
Modsfolder. Deleting SMM by itself does not uninstall the mod files. - Reinstall SMM or reconnect the installation, then enable one known-compatible mod at a time.
- Restart after each small change so the mod causing the failure is identifiable.
Do not copy an old Mods folder back wholesale after cleanup. Rebuild it from the current profile so obsolete versions and dependencies are not silently restored.
Deal with third-party host restrictions
Some hosting services restrict file transfer, SFTP, or access to the directory where the dedicated server runs. Those restrictions can make a correctly configured SMM profile appear ineffective because the files never reach the live installation.
- Ask whether the host provides SFTP or a file manager with write access to the dedicated-server directory.
- Confirm which game branch and version the host’s server build uses.
- Verify that the host allows modded dedicated servers rather than only vanilla instances.
- Ask how to restart the server after uploading or updating mods.
- Confirm whether the panel’s displayed path is the live path or only a container or staging path.
If the host cannot provide the necessary access or does not support the required server build, changing client files will not solve the problem. Move the installation to an environment where the administrator can manage the server filesystem.
A reliable recovery sequence
When several things are wrong at once, use this order to avoid chasing symptoms:
- Confirm that all players are on PC and that the server is a supported Windows or Linux dedicated installation.
- Stop the server and identify its real installation directory.
- Connect SMM through Other → Manage Servers, or register the directory in ficsit-cli through Installations → New Installation.
- Check every mod’s dedicated-server support in its Latest Version section and Server column.
- Classify each mod as both-sided, server-side, or client-side.
- Build one authoritative profile and export it or copy its mods list to every player.
- Update mods and dependencies to versions compatible with the server’s game version.
- Restart the server and test with one client before inviting the entire group.
- If the server still loads incorrectly, disable all mods and remove the Mods folder, then rebuild the profile one mod at a time.
- If remote deployment still fails, resolve SFTP, filesystem, path, or host-policy restrictions before making further profile changes.
What to record when asking for help
A precise report gets a faster diagnosis. Include the dedicated server’s operating system, game branch and version, the path selected in SMM or ficsit-cli, the profile or mods list, which mods are marked as dedicated-server compatible, and whether the failure occurs before startup or only when a client connects. State whether the server is local or hosted and whether you have SFTP or filesystem access. Avoid saying only that the mods are “gone”; identify whether the server is vanilla, refusing a connection, or reporting a particular missing mod.
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