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To install mods on a RimWorld Together server, every player must subscribe to and enable Harmony and RimWorld Together in Steam Workshop, while the host downloads the matching Windows or Linux server release, extracts it to a writable folder, and starts the server executable. Gameplay mods are then assigned as required, optional, or forbidden through the server tools or ModConfig.json.
The reliable order is: prepare clients, install the server outside protected folders, launch it once, agree on a complete mod list, configure enforcement, and create a save only after that list is settled. macOS is not supported by the official server documentation.
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What you need before installing anything
RimWorld Together is a multiplayer mod and a separate server program. The game clients run RimWorld with the mod enabled; the dedicated server runs the server release downloaded from the project’s GitHub releases. These are related but different installations, so installing the Workshop item alone does not create a server.
- A Steam copy of RimWorld for each player.
- Harmony and RimWorld Together subscribed to in Steam Workshop on every player’s account.
- A host computer running Windows or Linux. The official wiki does not support macOS for the server.
- A writable folder for the extracted server files.
- A planned list of gameplay mods before the first world is generated.
- Firewall and router access if people outside the host’s local network must connect.
Keep the RimWorld Together version on every client compatible with the server release. A client with a different version, a missing required mod, or a forbidden mod enabled can be rejected when joining.
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Install the required client mods
Subscribe in Steam Workshop
On each player’s Steam account, subscribe to Harmony and RimWorld Together in Steam Workshop. Let Steam finish downloading them, then start RimWorld. If the game was already open while the subscription was added, restart it so the mod list refreshes.
Enable the mods in RimWorld
Open RimWorld’s mod-management screen and enable Harmony and RimWorld Together. Harmony must load as required by the mod’s dependency rules; do not remove it merely because the multiplayer mod appears in the list. Have every player perform this step before attempting to join.
Keep client versions aligned
Use a compatible RimWorld Together build on all clients. When the server operator updates the server archive, have players update the Workshop version before connecting. If one person is rejected immediately, compare the RimWorld Together version first, then compare the required and forbidden mod lists.
Download and place the dedicated server
Choose the operating-system archive
Download the current server archive from the RimWorld Together GitHub releases page. Select the Windows archive for a Windows host or the Linux archive for a Linux host. Do not mix files from different releases or assume that a client Workshop download is a substitute for the dedicated server archive.
Extract to a writable directory
Create a dedicated folder and extract the archive into it. A location in the user’s home directory, a data volume, or another folder where the server account has write access is appropriate. Avoid Program Files and other privileged locations that require administrator permission. The server needs to create saves, data, and configuration files; a protected directory can prevent the first run from completing or cause later settings to disappear.
Keeping the server in its own directory also makes backups and upgrades safer. You can copy the whole directory, including the generated configuration and saves, without confusing it with a general game installation.
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Grant execute permission on Linux
Linux may extract the binary without the executable bit. From the directory containing the server file, grant permission before launching it. The official example is:
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chmod 755 filenameReplace filename with the actual server binary name. If Linux reports that the file cannot be executed, check this permission before changing anything else.
Launch the server for the first time
- Open the extracted server directory.
- Run the Windows executable, or run the Linux binary after applying the execute permission.
- Leave the process running and watch its console output for startup errors.
- Allow the initial startup to finish. It creates the working directories and exposes the server’s console commands.
- Stop the process cleanly when you need to edit configuration, then start it again after saving valid files.
The first launch is intentionally useful even before players connect: it confirms that the host can write to the directory and creates the files that later steps use. If no data or configuration appears, fix the folder permissions or move the installation before troubleshooting mods.
Connect a client and expose the server
Joining from the game
Start RimWorld with RimWorld Together enabled and use the in-game server browser or the server’s address. The first connection is a good time to verify that the client can reach the process before adding a large gameplay mod list.
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The server-browser configuration includes an enable switch and a public endpoint. A public listing works only when that endpoint is reachable from outside the host’s network. Enabling the switch alone cannot overcome a blocked firewall, missing port forwarding, or an address that is valid only inside the home network.
Network details vary by router and hosting environment, so there is no single forwarding recipe that applies to every installation. Check the host firewall, router forwarding, and the address supplied to players as separate items. Players who can connect locally but not remotely usually have a network-exposure problem rather than a mod problem.
Automatic Workshop downloads
The server browser may be configured to expose a public endpoint and can automatically download Steam mods for joining players. Treat that as a convenience, not as a replacement for agreeing on the server’s policy: clients still need a compatible RimWorld Together installation, and enforced mods still have to satisfy the server.
Install and classify gameplay mods
Subscribe before configuring
Have the players subscribe to the selected gameplay mods in Steam Workshop first. Then configure the server through its in-game administrator tooling or the server’s ModConfig.json. A Workshop subscription makes a mod available to a client; the server policy determines whether that mod is required, optional, or forbidden.
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Required or enforced mods
A required mod must be present and enabled on a joining client. RimWorld Together can block a client that does not satisfy this list. Use the required category for any mod whose definitions must be identical for everyone, especially mods that change world generation, factions, biomes, or world events.
Optional mods
Optional status allows a mod only where the server’s compatibility rules consider it safe. Cosmetic or otherwise non-world-changing additions may fit here, but optional does not mean universally harmless. If a mod alters simulation data, map generation, factions, events, or saved-game definitions, treat it as a candidate for the required list instead.
Forbidden mods
A forbidden mod is disallowed by the server. Use this category to prevent clients from loading modifications that conflict with the planned world, provide an unwanted advantage, or are known to destabilize the session. A player who has a forbidden item enabled can be prevented from joining until it is disabled.
| Policy | Client expectation | Appropriate use | Joining outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Required/enforced | Subscribe to and enable the listed Workshop item. | World generation, factions, biomes, events, and other shared definitions. | A client missing the item can be blocked. |
| Optional | Use only when the server’s compatibility rules allow it. | Cosmetic or otherwise safe additions that do not alter shared state. | Availability depends on the server’s rules. |
| Forbidden | Do not enable the listed item. | Conflicting, disallowed, or unwanted modifications. | A client using it can be prevented from joining. |
Enter package IDs and DLC IDs correctly
ModConfig.json is the key file for the required, optional, forbidden, and package-ID settings. Package identifiers for Workshop mods and downloadable content are handled alongside one another and must be entered in the order expected by the configuration format. Keep the file valid JSON: unmatched braces, smart quotes, trailing commas, or an incorrect identifier can make the server reject the configuration.
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Plan the first world and save
Agree on the complete list first
The first player to join can be responsible for the initial world and mod setup. Decide the intended mod list with the group before anyone creates the world. If one player generates a world with a partial list, adding world-defining mods later can create compatibility problems for the save and for other clients.
Create a new save for major changes
The hosting guidance recommends starting a new save before adding mods, and the wiki recommends creating the world with the planned mod list. This is especially important for mods that define terrain, factions, biomes, world events, or other data written into the world at generation time. Do not treat an existing save as a safe test bed for a major list change.
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Back up before changing enforcement
Back up the save and configuration before changing the enforced list. Include the save files and ModConfig.json in the backup so you can restore both the world and the policy that created it. A rollback is much easier when those two pieces come from the same point in time.
Use ModConfig.json without breaking the server
- Stop the server cleanly before editing the file.
- Copy the existing configuration to a dated backup.
- Write the required, optional, forbidden, and package-ID values using the exact identifiers expected by RimWorld Together.
- Check JSON syntax, including braces, commas, quotation marks, and array structure.
- Start the server and inspect the console for configuration errors.
- Test with one client before inviting the whole group.
Change one logical group at a time rather than replacing a long working list and several gameplay systems simultaneously. If the server fails after an edit, stop it, restore the previous valid file, and start again before investigating individual mods.
Self-hosting versus managed hosting
You can keep the dedicated server on a home PC or use a managed game-server provider. The gameplay and mod-policy steps remain the same; the difference is who operates the machine, storage, and network connection.
| Consideration | Self-hosted server | Managed hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Uptime | The host computer and internet connection must remain available whenever players want to play. | The provider keeps the service online according to its plan and operational limits. |
| Operating-system access | You control the Windows or Linux files, process, permissions, and updates. | You may receive a control panel or limited file access instead of full operating-system access. |
| Backups | You choose when to copy saves and configuration and where to store them. | Backup frequency, retention, restoration, and extra charges depend on the provider. |
| Mod and configuration editing | You can edit ModConfig.json and the server directory directly. |
Editing may be through a panel, file manager, support request, or a restricted container volume. |
| Network exposure | You must handle firewall rules, port forwarding, and the public endpoint. | The provider normally supplies the public network endpoint, but you must verify how it maps to the server browser. |
| Cost | There is no separate server rental, but the host uses electricity, bandwidth, and an existing computer. | A recurring fee is typical; the exact price and included resources vary by provider and location. |
| Support | You diagnose permissions, crashes, updates, and router behavior yourself. | Support may help with the platform, while mod compatibility and save recovery can remain your responsibility. |
A managed service is most useful when the group needs the server online without leaving a home PC running. Before choosing one, verify current compatibility with RimWorld Together, backup controls, access to mod and configuration files, pricing, and the provider’s program terms.
Run RimWorld Together in Docker
The project publishes an official container image and an example deployment that uses a persistent data directory. Docker can make the server easier to reproduce and move between machines, but it does not remove the need for a writable data location, a compatible mod list, or network exposure.
Use persistent storage
Map the container’s data directory to persistent storage so saves, configuration, and generated files survive a container replacement. Without persistence, rebuilding or recreating the container can discard the files that define the world and mod policy.
Keep configuration outside the image
Store ModConfig.json and saves in the persistent location rather than treating them as disposable container layers. Back up that location before changing enforced mods or updating the image.
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Expose the required network endpoint
Make the server’s listening port reachable to the players who need it, and configure the server-browser public endpoint accordingly. A container can be running normally while the host firewall, router, or container networking prevents outside clients from discovering it.
Update deliberately
When updating the container image or RimWorld Together version, stop the old instance cleanly, preserve the data directory, and confirm that every client will use a compatible version. Test the restored instance with one player before opening it to the full group.
Troubleshooting common installation failures
The server will not create files
Move the installation out of Program Files or another protected directory. Confirm that the account running the process can write to the server folder. A successful launch should be able to create working directories, saves, and configuration files.
Linux says the executable cannot run
Grant execute permission to the binary with the documented chmod 755 filename command, then launch it again from the server directory. If the permission is correct, verify that you downloaded the Linux archive rather than the Windows one.
A client is rejected for mod reasons
- Compare the RimWorld Together version on the client and server.
- Check that every required Workshop item is subscribed to and enabled.
- Remove or disable every forbidden item.
- Compare the package IDs and DLC entries in
ModConfig.json. - Restart RimWorld after changing Workshop subscriptions so its mod list is refreshed.
The world becomes unstable after a mod change
Stop making additional changes and restore the backup of the save and configuration. If the change affects world generation, factions, biomes, events, or other shared definitions, create a new save with the complete planned list instead of continuing to modify the old world.
Players cannot discover the server
Check the server-browser enable setting and confirm that the configured public endpoint is reachable from outside the host network. Then check the host firewall and router port forwarding. The endpoint requirement is documented, but the exact router steps depend on the network equipment and hosting environment.
The first player sees an unexpected setup
Review who joined first and which mod list was active when the world was created. The first joining player may be responsible for initial world and mod setup, so restore the intended configuration and generate a new save if the world was created with the wrong list.
A repeatable operating checklist
- All players subscribe to and enable Harmony and RimWorld Together.
- The host downloads the Windows or Linux server release that matches the intended version.
- The archive is extracted to a writable, non-privileged directory.
- Linux hosts grant execute permission to the server binary.
- The server is launched once to create its working files.
- The group agrees on the complete gameplay-mod list.
- Workshop subscriptions are completed before server policy is edited.
- Required, optional, and forbidden categories are assigned in the administrator tools or
ModConfig.json. - Package IDs and DLC IDs are entered in valid JSON and the expected order.
- The save and configuration are backed up before enforcement changes.
- The world is generated with the planned list, preferably as a new save for major changes.
- The server-browser endpoint, firewall, and port forwarding are tested by a remote player.
- One client connects successfully before the full group joins.
Bottom line
Install the client mods through Steam Workshop, install the dedicated Windows or Linux server in a writable folder, and configure gameplay mods centrally. Enforce world-affecting mods, keep cosmetic additions optional only when compatibility rules allow them, forbid conflicts, and create the first world only after the list is final. Backups, a persistent data directory, and a reachable public endpoint are the safeguards that make later updates recoverable rather than destructive.
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