7 Days To Die modlets: install, host, and fix them

Short guide to install modlets on a 7 Days To Die server, keep players in sync, and pick the right hosting plan for modded play.

Jump to: Install modlets on your server · Server-side only · Worked example · Sync players · Fix common errors · Choose a hosting plan

Two free tools do the tedious parts of this page for you. Paste your Mods/ folder listing into the mod checker and it flags known conflicts, missing dependencies and the folder-depth mistake before they take your server down. If you want to build the worked example below rather than type it, the mod maker writes a valid modlet folder for you. Both are free and neither needs an account.

What are modlets?

Modlets are lightweight ZIPs that adjust XML settings without replacing core game files. They load on first start, are easy to stack together, and can be removed without reinstalling the game. If two modlets touch the same recipe or loot table, conflicts may appear, so install one change at a time and restart between tests.

V3.0 reworked the mod infrastructure - re-test your modlets when you move to the V3.0 branch (stable since June 29, 2026).

Looking for specific recommendations rather than mechanics? The wiki keeps a ranked list of the best 7 Days to Die mods, modlets and overhauls alike, with install notes per entry.

Want to build your own instead of installing someone else's? The wiki's 7 Days to Die Modding Kata is a hands-on series that takes you from a one-line XML tweak to a full overhaul, one small exercise at a time, with every command verified against the official docs.

Modlets vs overhaul packs

Modlets: XML tweaks that usually work server-only. Great for balance changes, UI tweaks, loot, and small features.
Overhauls: Big packs (textures, DLLs, quests) that always need client downloads and EAC off. See our guides for Darkness Falls, Undead Legacy, War3zuk, Sorcery, and Age of Oblivion.

Server-side only: what it means and how to tell

This is the question most admins actually arrive with. Do my players have to install this, or can I just drop it on the server?

The answer comes from one mechanism. When a client joins, it stops on a screen that says "Receiving and loading configs...". That is the server sending its own patched XML configuration to the client, and it is why an XML change on the server reaches a player who installed nothing. Anything the server does not send in that step has to already be on the client's disk, or the join breaks.

So the rule is about what your modlet contains, not about how big it is.

Your modlet contains	Server-side only?	Why
XML edits to items, blocks, recipes, loot, progression, entity stats, quests, buffs	Yes	The server sends its patched config on join
Localization text	Yes	Sent with the config
XUi layout XML	Yes for the XML itself	But any custom image or atlas it points at is not sent
New icons, textures, sounds, meshes, UI atlases	No	Assets are never sent; the client needs the files
Custom POI or prefab files	No	The client needs the prefab to render it
A DLL that only adds server behaviour, such as console commands or web-map features	Usually yes	Nothing about the client changes. The game itself ships one: `TFP_CommandExtensions`
A DLL that changes behaviour the client simulates	No	Both halves have to agree, and anti-cheat gets involved

The failure it produces. A client that is missing something it needed is not left guessing. It is told: "Remote data validation failed. Modified files detected." If you see that message on your server, the mod you installed was not server-side-only, whatever the download page claimed.

The anti-cheat interaction. A mod can declare SkipWithAntiCheat in its ModInfo.xml, which tells the game to leave it out when anti-cheat is on. The game's own Harmony wrapper ships with that flag set. It matters because anti-cheat is not optional if you want console players: crossplay requires it, so a server running an overhaul that needs anti-cheat off can never accept console players. Pure XML modlets keep anti-cheat on and keep that door open.

A worked example: bigger ammo stacks, nothing for players to install

Three files, no client download, no anti-cheat change. Every value below is real for V3.2.0.

1. The folder. Inside the server's /Mods directory:

Mods/
  MyServer_BiggerAmmoStacks/
    ModInfo.xml
    Config/
      items.xml

2. ModInfo.xml, which is what the server reads to know the mod exists:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<xml>
    <Name value="MyServer_BiggerAmmoStacks" />
    <DisplayName value="Bigger Ammo Stacks" />
    <Description value="Raises ammo stack limits for a small private server" />
    <Author value="yourname" />
    <Version value="1.0.0" />
</xml>

3. Config/items.xml, which is the actual change. The file name has to match the game config file you are patching, and the root element is always <configs>:

<configs>
    <set xpath="/items/item[@name='ammo9mmBulletBall']/property[@name='Stacknumber']/@value">1000</set>
    <set xpath="/items/item[@name='medicalFirstAidBandage']/property[@name='Stacknumber']/@value">20</set>
</configs>

Stock V3.2.0 values are 300 for 9mm ball ammo and 5 for a first aid bandage, so this triples one and quadruples the other. Restart the server, watch the console for Loaded Mod: MyServer_BiggerAmmoStacks, and every player who joins gets the new limits without touching anything.

The XPath verbs the game accepts

Modlet XML is not free-form. The game's patcher understands exactly these instructions, and nothing else:

Verb	What it does
`set`	Replace the value at the path. The most common by far
`setattribute`	Add or change an attribute on the matched element
`removeattribute`	Drop an attribute
`append`	Add child nodes at the end of the matched element
`prepend`	Add child nodes at the start
`insertBefore`	Insert nodes as siblings before the match
`insertAfter`	Insert nodes as siblings after the match
`remove`	Delete the matched nodes
`csv`	Edit a comma-separated attribute value without rewriting the whole list
`conditional`	Apply a block only when a condition holds, for example a game version
`include`	Pull in another file

A verb the patcher does not recognise is an error, not a silent no-op, so a typo shows up in the server console on the restart that follows.

Two things that will trip you up

Folder depth. The path must be /Mods/ModName/ModInfo.xml. One extra folder level, which is what you get if you unzip carelessly, and the server will not see the mod at all.
Two modlets, one target. If two modlets set the same value, the later one wins and neither warns you. Install one at a time and restart between them, so that when something breaks you know which upload caused it.

Install modlets on your 7D2D server

Download the modlet ZIP from a trusted source (official forums, GitHub, Nexus). Check the archive includes a single top-level folder with ModInfo.xml.
In the control panel (see how it works), open Files & Mods and upload the ZIP or the extracted folder into /Mods.
Restart the server so the modlet loads. Watch the console for Loaded Mod: <name> to confirm it activated.
Add one modlet at a time when possible; if something breaks, roll back the last upload only.

Sync players, but only when you have to

Check the table above first. If your modlet is XML only, skip this section entirely: there is nothing for your players to do, and telling them to install something will create the mismatch you are trying to avoid.

For a modlet that does ship assets or a client-side DLL:

Share the same ZIP with your players. They should extract it to %AppData%/7DaysToDie/Mods (Windows) or ~/.local/share/7DaysToDie/Mods (Linux).
Keep EAC on for pure XML modlets; turn EAC off only when the author says the mod ships DLLs or assets. Remember that EAC off means console players cannot join at all.
Ask players to restart the game after adding modlets, then connect to your server. A mismatch shows up as "Remote data validation failed. Modified files detected." on join.

Verify the modlets loaded

In the panel console, search for the mod name after restart.
Check output_log/Player.log for missing dependencies (often Harmony). If Harmony is required, place it as a separate modlet in /Mods first.
Run a quick craft/loot test in a safe zone before hosting an event night.

Fix common modlet errors

Red XML errors: Two modlets edit the same recipe or loot table. Disable one, restart, retest.
Missing assets or pink textures: The modlet includes content that must be on the client. Share the download and remind players to install it locally.
EAC kicks: Disable EAC only if the author ships DLLs; otherwise leave it on to keep public players happy.
Bad folder depth: Ensure the path is /Mods/ModName/ModInfo.xml and not /Mods/ModName/AnotherFolder/ModInfo.xml.

Remove or update modlets

Stop the server.
Delete the modlet folder from /Mods (or replace it with the new version).
Start the server and verify the console is clean.
Remind players to mirror the change on their side to avoid mismatches.

Where to find safe modlets

Official 7DTD forums (look for the MODLETS tag).
Author GitHub releases with clear versioning for the current game build.
Community staples maintained alongside overhauls; if you upgrade to a full pack later, follow our guides linked above.

Choose the right hosting plan for modlets

Plan M handles most XML modlets with RWG generation up to 10K and room for backups. Start here: /server-hosting-plan-M.
Plan L is better for heavier packs, War3zuk-scale tweaks, RWG generation up to 12K, and compatible imported worlds: /server-hosting-plan-L.
Plan XL fits Undead Legacy-sized communities with RWG generation up to 16K and compatible larger imported worlds: /server-hosting-plan-XL.
Want to compare limits before you switch? Check /compare-hosting-plans for player counts, map sizes, and mod support.