For a dedicated Project Zomboid server, start in the server data directory, not in the game’s Steam installation folder. On Windows, the profile directory is %USERPROFILE%ZomboidServer. On Linux, it is ~/Zomboid/Server/. Open the active server profile, such as servertest.ini, to configure mods. Steam Workshop files are stored separately under <SteamLibrary>/steamapps/workshop/content/108600/<WorkshopID>/, while manually copied mods belong under <user profile>/Zomboid/mods/<ModFolder>/.
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The important distinction is between the folder containing server settings and the folders containing mod files. In the profile INI, WorkshopItems= takes numeric Workshop item IDs; Mods= takes the mod IDs declared in each mod’s mod.info. Editing the wrong profile or confusing those two identifiers is the usual reason a server appears not to load a mod.
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The three locations people call the “server mods folder”
Project Zomboid uses more than one directory, depending on whether you mean server configuration, downloaded Workshop content, or a manually installed mod. Use the path that matches the task you are performing.
| Purpose | Windows path | Linux path | What belongs there |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dedicated-server profiles and INI files | %USERPROFILE%ZomboidServer |
~/Zomboid/Server/ |
Active server profiles such as servertest.ini, including the WorkshopItems= and Mods= settings. |
| Steam Workshop cache | <SteamLibrary>/steamapps/workshop/content/108600/<WorkshopID>/ |
Downloaded Workshop content. A Workshop-ID folder may contain a mods directory and one or more mod folders. |
|
| Manual or local mods | <user profile>/Zomboid/mods/<ModFolder>/ |
Mod files copied manually rather than obtained through Steam Workshop. | |
| Author development or upload workspace | Zomboid/Workshop/<Project>/Contents/mods/ |
A common authoring and upload path, not the normal dedicated-server profile directory. | |
108600 is Project Zomboid’s Steam application ID. The numeric directory beneath it identifies an individual Workshop item; it is not the same identifier as the mod ID used by the server’s Mods= entry.
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Where the dedicated server configuration lives
The server profile is the first place to check when you need to enable or disable a mod. Project Zomboid stores profiles below the user account that runs the server:
- Windows:
%USERPROFILE%ZomboidServer - Linux:
~/Zomboid/Server/
The filename depends on the profile created or selected at startup. A new installation often creates servertest.ini, but a named server can use another filename, such as myserver.ini. The profile name is significant: changing an unused INI has no effect on the server that is actually running.
Generate the profile before editing it
- Start the dedicated server once with the account and launch method you intend to use.
- Allow startup to finish far enough for the server to create its profile files.
- Stop the server cleanly. Do not edit an INI while the process is writing it.
- Open the corresponding file in the
Zomboid/Serverdirectory and confirm that its name matches the profile selected by your startup command or hosting panel. - Make a backup copy before changing mod settings.
If several INI files are present, use the one tied to the profile name shown when the server starts. Do not assume that servertest.ini is active simply because it exists.
How Workshop mods are represented in the INI
Steam-enabled servers can obtain subscribed Workshop content through the server profile. Two settings work together:
WorkshopItems=expects the numeric Steam Workshop item IDs.Mods=expects the exact mod IDs declared by the mod in itsmod.infofile.
These values identify different layers of the same content. A Workshop item can contain a mods directory and may include more than one mod folder. The Workshop item ID tells the server which subscribed download to obtain; the mod ID tells the game which contained mod definition to activate.
Set the two fields without mixing identifiers
- Open the active profile INI in
Zomboid/Server. - For each Workshop download, enter its numeric item ID in
WorkshopItems=, using the profile’s existing INI format for multiple entries. - Inspect the downloaded mod folder and open its
mod.infofile. - Copy the ID declared there into
Mods=, preserving capitalization and punctuation exactly. - Save the file, restart the server, and examine the startup log for Workshop download or mod-loading errors.
Putting a Workshop number into Mods=, or putting a mod’s internal ID into WorkshopItems=, will not reliably activate the content. When a Workshop item contains multiple mod definitions, each required mod ID must be accounted for in the profile.
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Steam normally caches Project Zomboid Workshop subscriptions at:
<SteamLibrary>/steamapps/workshop/content/108600/<WorkshopID>/
The exact SteamLibrary location depends on the library selected for the server account. Under the Project Zomboid app-ID directory, each numeric folder represents one Workshop item. Open the relevant folder to inspect its contents; it may contain a mods subdirectory followed by one or more mod folders.
This cache is useful for checking whether Steam downloaded the files and for reading mod.info. It is not a replacement for the server profile directory. The INI remains under the user profile’s Zomboid/Server path, even when the actual mod files are cached inside the Steam library.
When the Workshop directory appears empty
Check that the server is using the same operating-system account and Steam library that you are browsing. A service account can have a different user profile, and a second Steam library can place the cache on another drive. Also confirm that the server has been started with Workshop support and that the numeric item ID is present in the active profile. If the server is not Steam-enabled, automatic Workshop retrieval may not occur at all.
Installing a local or manually copied mod
A mod obtained outside Steam Workshop uses the local mods path:
<user profile>/Zomboid/mods/<ModFolder>/
Place the mod’s folder below Zomboid/mods; do not bury it inside an extra duplicate directory. The folder should contain the files supplied by the author, including mod.info where applicable. The ID declared in that file is the value used by Mods=.
Manual installation does not automatically make the files available to connecting players. Each client needs compatible mod content, and a no-Steam or manually managed server may require you to distribute the files separately. The exact behavior depends on the server build and the hosting control panel, so check that panel’s documented installation method before moving Workshop files by hand.
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| Characteristic | Steam Workshop | Manual/local copy |
|---|---|---|
| Primary file location | steamapps/workshop/content/108600/<WorkshopID>/ |
Zomboid/mods/<ModFolder>/ |
| Profile entry | Numeric ID in WorkshopItems= plus mod ID in Mods= |
Mod ID in Mods=; no Workshop download is implied |
| Updates | Steam can obtain subscribed content for a Steam-enabled server | You maintain replacement files and version changes yourself |
| Client distribution | Clients generally need the same Workshop content and compatible versions | You must ensure clients receive the required local files through your chosen method |
A reliable setup procedure for a dedicated server
- Launch once: Start the dedicated server so it creates the profile under
Zomboid/Server. - Stop cleanly: Shut it down before opening or changing the INI.
- Identify the active profile: Match the filename to the profile selected at startup or in the hosting panel.
- Choose the source: Use Workshop settings for Steam-enabled content, or copy a local mod into
Zomboid/modsfor manual management. - Enter identifiers: Put numeric Workshop item IDs in
WorkshopItems=and the exact IDs frommod.infoinMods=. - Save a backup: Keep the previous INI and mod files so you can roll back a failed change.
- Restart: Start the server again and wait for initialization to complete.
- Read the log: Look for download failures, missing directories, invalid IDs, or mod dependency errors.
- Test with a client: Connect using a client with matching game, mod, and server content.
Why a mod is not loading
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| The server starts unchanged after editing the INI | You edited an inactive profile | Match the INI filename to the profile selected at startup or by the hosting panel. |
| The Workshop folder has no expected files | The server uses another Steam account or library, or Workshop retrieval is unavailable | Verify the running account, library path, Steam-enabled mode, and the numeric item ID. |
| The Workshop download exists but the mod is not active | The internal mod ID is missing or incorrect | Open the mod’s mod.info and copy its declared ID into Mods=. |
| A manually copied mod is ignored | The folder is nested incorrectly or the local path is wrong | Place the mod directly below Zomboid/mods and verify that its files are present. |
| Players cannot join after the mod is enabled | Client and server content or builds do not match | Confirm that every client has compatible mod files and that all are using compatible game builds. |
| Changes disappear after a restart | The server manager regenerates or overwrites the profile | Stop the server, edit the profile selected by the manager, and use the panel’s supported configuration method. |
Steam-enabled, no-Steam, and hosted setups
Steam-enabled dedicated server
The profile can tell the server which Workshop items to obtain. The downloaded files remain in the Steam Workshop cache, while the settings remain in the user profile’s Zomboid/Server directory. You still need the correct internal mod IDs in Mods= and compatible client content.
No-Steam or manually managed server
Workshop downloads may not be automatic in this mode. You may need to copy mod files into the server’s local mods location and arrange for clients to obtain the same content. Because this behavior can vary by build and launcher, verify the procedure against the server software and control panel you are using.
Managed hosting panel
A hosting panel may expose the same profile values through a web form instead of letting you edit the file directly. Look for the server profile or mod settings, confirm which profile is active, and avoid editing a dormant file on your local computer. The panel’s server mode determines whether Workshop downloads or manual uploads are supported.
Quick Recap
Keep the installation maintainable
- Record the active profile filename and the source of every mod.
- Back up the INI before changing Workshop or mod settings.
- Keep Workshop item IDs and internal mod IDs in separate notes; they are not interchangeable.
- After updates, inspect the startup log and test a client connection before opening the server to players.
- Remove obsolete entries from the active profile rather than deleting arbitrary folders from the Steam cache.
- For manual installations, keep a known-good copy of each mod so an update can be reversed if the new files are incompatible.
Quick decision guide
- If you need to find
servertest.inior another server profile, open%USERPROFILE%ZomboidServeron Windows or~/Zomboid/Server/on Linux. - If you need to inspect files downloaded from Steam Workshop, open
steamapps/workshop/content/108600/<WorkshopID>/in the relevant Steam library. - If you copied a mod yourself, place it under
Zomboid/mods/<ModFolder>/. - If a setting appears ineffective, verify the active profile before changing paths or reinstalling anything.
- If a mod downloads but does not activate, compare the numeric Workshop item ID with the internal ID in
mod.info.
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