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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Install Factorio mods from the in-game Mods screen or the official Mod Portal, place the downloaded ZIP packages in the dedicated server’s mods directory, and start the save with the headless server. Every player must use the same Factorio version and the same mod versions. When clients join, Factorio can download and enable the server’s exact mod set through Sync mods with server.
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The reliable order is: choose a mod set, resolve dependencies, install it on the server, start the save, let clients synchronize, and only then troubleshoot networking or gameplay issues. The sections below cover both a file-managed dedicated server and the in-game synchronization workflow.
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What you need before installing mods
A modded multiplayer session has three separate pieces that must agree: the Factorio build, the enabled mod list, and each mod’s version. A client with a different build or a different mod version is not compatible with the server’s session, even if the mod has the same name.
Server access and a save
For a dedicated server, you need access to the Factorio installation and its instance data, including the mods and saves directories. The server normally starts from an existing save. If you are starting from scratch, create a save first, then launch that file with the headless server.
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A supported mod source
Use the in-game Mods section or the official Factorio Mod Portal. These are the supported download paths. Keep each downloaded package as the original ZIP; Factorio reads the metadata inside the package and expects the package structure to remain intact.
Credentials for headless downloads
A headless instance can synchronize or download mods itself, but downloads that require authentication need service credentials in player-data.json. If the server cannot authenticate, download the packages through a logged-in game installation and copy them to the server instead.
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Write down the intended mods before changing a live save. Check each mod’s required dependencies, optional dependencies, and declared incompatibilities. Required dependencies must be present; optional dependencies add functionality but are not necessary for the mod to load. Two mods that declare an incompatibility cannot be enabled together.
Install mods with Factorio’s in-game Mod Portal
The in-game workflow is the simplest way to assemble a mod set because Factorio can obtain required dependencies and later synchronize the exact set to joining clients.
- Open Factorio and select Mods.
- Search for the mod you want and install it. The in-game Mod Portal automatically downloads required dependencies declared by that mod.
- Review the enabled list for optional dependencies and incompatibilities. Enable an optional dependency only when you want the additional features and the two mods are compatible.
- Apply the changes and restart Factorio if prompted. Mod changes generally require a restart before a save can be loaded.
- Load the target save and verify that the mod appears enabled and that no dependency or incompatibility error is reported.
This procedure prepares one Factorio installation. A dedicated server still needs access to the same packages, either by copying them into its mod directory or by using a synchronization option when the server starts.
Copy mod ZIP files to a dedicated server
Use the server instance’s mods directory
For a server managed through files, copy every required mod ZIP into that server instance’s mods directory. Copy dependencies as well as the mods you selected. Preserve the original ZIP filenames and package contents; do not unpack a mod into a randomly named folder or edit its internal files.
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If the server already has a mod collection, compare the existing files with the collection you intend to run. Leaving an old version beside a new version can make it unclear which package is being loaded and can produce a mismatch for clients. Stop the server before replacing packages so that no save is being written while the collection changes.
Isolate different modpacks with --mod-directory
When several saves need different collections, give each server process its own mod directory. The command-line option --mod-directory PATH selects the directory used by that instance. Separate directories prevent a change made for one save from silently changing another save’s required environment.
The following example starts a save with an isolated collection and a specific server-settings file:
./bin/x64/factorio
--start-server ./saves/my-save.zip
--mod-directory ./mods
--server-settings ./data/server-settings.jsonThe paths are examples. Replace them with the locations used by your installation, and confirm the option names against the installed build with factorio --help because command-line interfaces can evolve.
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Check the server log after copying
Start or restart the server and inspect its log before inviting players. A missing ZIP, malformed package, missing required dependency, declared incompatibility, or startup-setting mismatch should be corrected while the server is empty. Fix the package or configuration, restart, and check the log again until the save loads without a mod error.
Start a modded headless server
Headless mode runs the server without initializing graphics. The server loads a save and waits for multiplayer connections. It can pause automatically when no players are connected unless the no-auto-pause setting is changed in the server settings.
Create a new save, then start it
The official command pattern creates a save and starts it:
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./bin/x64/factorio --create ./saves/my-save.zip
./bin/x64/factorio --start-server ./saves/my-save.zip--create writes a new save at the supplied path. --start-server SAVE launches multiplayer from that save. If the save already exists, omit the creation step and start the existing file.
Start the latest save automatically
For an instance that should open the newest available save, use --start-server-load-latest. You can load a server settings file at the same time:
./bin/x64/factorio --start-server-load-latest
--server-settings ./data/server-settings.jsonKeep the save location, mod directory, and settings file together in your deployment notes so a restart uses the same inputs as the previous session.
Use --sync-mods when the save is authoritative
The command-line option --sync-mods FILE synchronizes the server’s mods with a save. This is useful when the save stores the collection you want the server to run. If the operation must download packages and the server is headless, the required service credentials must be available in player-data.json.
Do not assume synchronization can repair every error. It still needs a reachable Mod Portal, valid credentials when downloads are required, and a compatible Factorio build. If downloads fail, obtain the exact ZIP packages through a logged-in installation and place them in the selected mod directory.
Linux installation considerations
For Linux, the official guide describes extracting the full or headless package under /opt/factorio, creating a separate factorio operating-system user, and assigning the installation and data ownership to that user. The exact filesystem layout is up to the host, but running the process as a dedicated account limits accidental access to unrelated files and makes ownership problems easier to diagnose.
Let players synchronize the server’s mod set
Once the server is running, players should join through Factorio’s multiplayer browser. If their installation does not already match, Factorio offers Sync mods with server. Accepting that prompt downloads and enables the exact mod versions used by the server and can synchronize startup settings.
Normal join procedure
- Update the client to the same Factorio build used by the server.
- Open the multiplayer browser and select the server.
- When Sync mods with server appears, accept it.
- Allow Factorio to download and enable the listed mods, then restart if requested.
- Join again after synchronization completes.
When the prompt reports a difference, do not manually substitute a newer or older package unless you are deliberately changing the server’s collection. The server’s list is the source of truth for that session.
Synchronize from a save
Factorio also provides synchronization from the Load game menu. Selecting Sync mods with save normally chooses the latest available mod versions. Hold CTRL while clicking Sync mods with save to select the exact versions stored with the save instead. Use the exact-version choice when reopening an older save or when reproducibility matters.
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What synchronization does not replace
Synchronization does not make different Factorio builds compatible, and it does not bypass a package that cannot be downloaded or authenticated. It also does not resolve a mod set that contains a declared incompatibility. Those conditions must be corrected at the source before clients can join.
Keep the server, save, and clients aligned
The multiplayer documentation states: All game instances need the installation of exactly the same game-versions and mods.
Treat that as an operational rule rather than a suggestion. Record the Factorio build, every enabled mod and version, and the startup settings for each active save.
Maintain a deployment record
| Item | Record | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Factorio build | Exact version shown by the server and clients | A mod list cannot compensate for a game-version mismatch. |
| Mod identity | Name and version of every enabled package | Clients must obtain the same packages, not merely similarly named mods. |
| Dependencies | Required and optional dependencies that are enabled | Missing required packages stop loading; optional packages change features. |
| Startup settings | Values applied to the save and server | Synchronization can include startup settings, so record the intended values. |
| Save file | Path and backup date | Exact-version synchronization is especially important when returning to an older save. |
| Mod directory | Path selected for the server instance | Separate paths prevent unrelated modpacks from being mixed. |
Use a controlled update window
Do not update one side while a multiplayer session is active. Stop the server, back up the save, change the Factorio build or mod collection, start the server, and let every client synchronize before reconnecting. If you need to preserve the old environment, keep its save and mod directory together and create a separate instance for the updated collection.
Handle an old save deliberately
A save may depend on versions that are no longer the newest in the Mod Portal. Use the save synchronization option with CTRL to select the exact versions stored with that save rather than automatically selecting the latest versions. Test the save after loading before allowing a public session.
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Configure internet multiplayer networking
Factorio multiplayer uses UDP and defaults to port 34197. The port can be changed in configuration, but whichever value you choose must be consistent across the server, router, and firewall.
For a server behind a router
- Forward the chosen UDP port from the public router to the machine running Factorio.
- Allow inbound UDP traffic on the host firewall.
- Check that antivirus or endpoint-security software is not blocking the server process.
- Give players the correct public address and port when the server is not discoverable through the multiplayer browser.
A correct mod installation cannot overcome a blocked UDP path. Confirm that the process is listening on the intended port before changing mod files again.
For a private or local network
Port forwarding is generally relevant only when players connect across the internet. On a local network, clients still need the server’s reachable address and the host firewall must allow the Factorio process, but an internet-facing router rule may not be necessary.
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Use this order so that a simple version mismatch is not mistaken for a network or package problem.
- Confirm the server and client Factorio versions match exactly.
- Compare enabled mod names and versions. Accept the server synchronization prompt or synchronize from the save.
- Check every required dependency and every declared incompatibility.
- Confirm that the server is listening on the intended UDP port and that router forwarding targets the correct host.
- Check host firewall and antivirus rules for UDP traffic.
- Review the server log for a missing ZIP, malformed package, dependency error, or startup-setting mismatch.
“Mods are different” or the client is rejected
First compare the Factorio build. If it matches, compare both the enabled names and the versions. Join through the multiplayer browser and accept Sync mods with server; this is safer than hunting for individual ZIP files. If the client was synchronized from a save and received newer packages, repeat the operation while holding CTRL to select the exact versions stored with the save.
A mod will not load
Read the server log for the mod’s package name and the first reported error. Verify that the ZIP exists in the selected mods directory, that it was not renamed internally or unpacked incorrectly, and that all required dependencies are present. If another enabled mod is listed as incompatible, remove one of the conflicting packages or choose a compatible collection.
The server starts but no one can connect
Check networking only after the version and mod checks pass. Confirm the configured UDP port, router forwarding, host firewall, and antivirus rules. A default configuration normally uses UDP 34197; if you changed it, players must use the changed value.
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Verify that the server has the credentials required in player-data.json and that the process can reach the Mod Portal. If authentication or downloading still fails, use a logged-in Factorio installation to obtain the exact ZIP packages, copy them into the server’s selected mod directory, and restart.
The wrong mod collection loads
Check whether the process is using a different working directory or a different --mod-directory PATH than expected. Explicitly set the option in the launch command and verify the files in that directory. Separate directories for separate saves prevent this problem from recurring.
Self-hosted server or managed hosting?
The mod procedure differs mainly in who controls the filesystem, process, and network. The same compatibility rule applies in either case: the server and every client need matching game and mod versions.
| Decision area | Self-hosted dedicated server | Managed hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Control | Direct access to files, launch commands, logs, and save backups. | A provider-managed panel or deployment workflow controls much of the server. |
| Maintenance | You perform updates, backups, process supervision, and recovery. | Automation may handle some maintenance, but the available controls depend on the provider. |
| Mod workflow | Copy ZIP files, choose --mod-directory, or use --sync-mods. |
The panel may offer one-click or automatic synchronization; verify that it supports the versions your save requires. |
| Networking | You configure UDP forwarding and firewall rules. | The provider supplies a public endpoint, while you still need to configure the game and mod collection correctly. |
| Cost and performance | Uses your hardware, bandwidth, electricity, and administration time. | Charges a recurring hosting fee in exchange for managed infrastructure and convenience. |
Choose self-hosting when you need filesystem and command-line control or already have suitable hardware. Choose managed infrastructure when reducing server administration is more important than direct control. In both cases, keep your own record of the Factorio build, mod versions, save, and startup settings.
Pre-launch checklist
- Factorio is installed at the intended version on the server and clients.
- Every selected mod is from the official Mod Portal or the in-game Mods section.
- Required dependencies are present; optional dependencies are intentional.
- No enabled pair declares an incompatibility.
- Mod ZIP files are intact and stored in the server’s selected
modsdirectory. - The launch command points to the intended save, settings file, and, when needed,
--mod-directory. - The server log shows a clean mod load.
- Clients have been told to accept Sync mods with server, or to use exact save synchronization with CTRL when reopening an older save.
- The chosen UDP port is forwarded and allowed through host security software when internet players are connecting.
Final operating rule
Keep the server’s mod collection as the single source of truth. Install complete dependency sets, start the intended save with the correct directory and settings, and let clients synchronize the exact versions before they join. When something fails, check game and mod versions first, then dependencies, then UDP connectivity and logs.
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