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🏷️Guide version: 2.1.0 (📅03/07/2026)
🐉Skyrim versions: 1.5.97 | 1.6.x (1.6.1170 current)
Full 🗒️changelog available at end of guide
Skyrim Initial Setup (Steam)
An infernalryan Skyrim Modding Guide
¶ Overview
This guide provides instructions for the initial setup of Skyrim Special Edition (SSE) and the Anniversary Edition (AE) upgrade, if applicable—Skyrim Legendary Edition ("Oldrim") is NOT covered. Steps include installation, preventing automatic updates, and downgrading to a previous version (if desired)—including the best of both worlds method, which carries the most recent game files (e.g. masters) and Creation Club content. Also covered are the installation of core frameworks, external dependencies, and other essential mods, the management of Creation Club content via your mod manager, installing the correct version of the Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch (USSEP), and more. These steps may vary slightly from those you may have seen before, but they are designed to provide the most stable, modern foundation possible to support your modding journey.
This is the initial setup guide for 🔵Skyrim (Steam). See below for other versions:
- For 🟪Skyrim (GOG) initial setup, 🔗click here.
- For 🥽Skyrim VR initial setup, 🔗click here.
🎯Guide Contents:
- Install Skyrim or move existing install to a non-protected folder, prevent updates, and generate initial configurations
- Prepare Creation Club content and set the files aside for later
- (Optional) Perform a downgrade by preparing updated masters, and downloading and installing your preferred version
- Complete initial setup by installing prepared files and other core dependencies, along with system and setting updates to prepare your modding environment
- Verify installation by launching the game and checking SKSE status
- Next steps including mod compatibility rules, recommended mods, and additional setup information
- Support and resources including where to find troubleshooting assistance, links to my other guides, and full guide changelogs
Please consider 👍ENDORSING if you found this guide helpful!
🧠IMPORTANT NOTE – In this guide, there are several references to your 📁[🐉Skyrim] folder as well as your Skyrim 📁[🐉Data] folder. These are special folders (denoted by brackets and a dragon icon) that refer to your specific root Skyrim game folder and its 📁Data folder inside. For example, if you install Skyrim into 🖥️C:\Games\Steam, 📁[🐉Skyrim] would refer to 🖥️C:\Games\Steam\steamapps\common\Skyrim Special Edition, and 📁[🐉Data] would refer to 🖥️C:\Games\Steam\steamapps\common\Skyrim Special Edition\Data (NOTE – your folders may be different).
¶ 1. Install Skyrim
This section covers both new installations and updates for existing ones, so be sure to review these steps even if Skyrim is already installed. By default, Steam installs itself into 🖥️C:\Program Files (x86), which places all games by default into 🖥️C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common. ⚠️DO NOT USE THIS LOCATION!⚠️ If Skyrim is currently installed here, you will have to move it to prevent issues with mods and/or modding tools. The steps below will guide you through setting up a proper installation location (if you haven't already), installing a fresh copy of Skyrim or relocating an existing one, preventing unwanted game updates, and launching the game to generate initial configurations.
⚠️WARNING – Never install Skyrim into the 🖥️C:\Program Files (x86) or 🖥️C:\Program Files folders (referred to as simply 📁[Program Files] throughout the remainder of this guide)! Many mods and modding tools cannot function when games are installed here and/or may cause in-game crashes as they are system protected folders.
¶ 1.1. Prepare Steam environment
⏩️Skip to section 1.2 if Steam is NOT installed in 📁[Program Files], or if Skyrim itself is already installed in another location (in which case, no action is required), otherwise, follow the steps below (↕️Expand the 📜Instructions block). In this section, we will prepare a new install location for Steam and configure it as a Steam library folder.
📜Instructions: (↕️Expand for details)
¶ 1.1.1. Set up new installation location
If you have multiple disks, setting up a new installation location is simple if a secondary drive has enough space for your modding goals. If Skyrim must be installed on the same drive as Steam, additional steps are required to prepare a new location. If you are unable or unwilling to perform any of the options listed below, you can ⏭️Skip to section 1.2, but be aware that doing so may lead to modding issues due to the previously described 📁[Program Files] folder restrictions.
💡Additional information: (↕️Expand for details)
Steam has a limitation that prevents the creation of additional library folders on the drive it is installed on. For example, if Steam is installed in 📁[Program Files] on your 🖥️C:\ drive, you cannot add any new library paths (like 🖥️C:\Games\Steam) on that same disk. While additional drives are unaffected by this limitation, users with only a single drive—or only enough space for Skyrim on the Steam drive—must use one of the alternative methods below to bypass this restriction.
🔢Section Options:
🔍Review the listed options below. Choose only one and follow its steps (↕️Expand the 📜Instructions block).
¶ 1.1.1.1. Option 1: Prepare a new folder on another disk
If you have another disk separate from your Steam installation with enough space to install Skyrim and your mods, follow these steps to prepare a new folder on that drive.
📜Instructions: (↕️Expand for details)
- Create a new folder for Steam game installations (e.g., 🖥️D:\Games\Steam). This is the directory you will select when adding the new library in the next section.
- ✔️You are done!
- ⤵️Proceed to section 1.1.2.
¶ 1.1.1.2. Option 2: Create a virtual drive
If Steam is located in 📁[Program Files] and you must select this drive (either because you have only a single disk or only enough space on the Steam drive), you can map a new drive letter to a folder on that same drive and configure Steam to use it instead. For example, mapping a virtual 🖥️D:\ drive to a location like 🖥️C:\Games allows Steam to install games into what it thinks is another disk while still using 🖥️C:\ under the hood. This is a simple one-time process that uses native Windows tools (Powershell and subst) and remains persistent across reboots without requiring any third-party software.
📜Instructions: (↕️Expand for details)
🔥ADVISORY – The steps below are intended for a SINGLE virtual drive. Do not perform the steps multiple times with different drive letters or you will undo drive persistence for the previous mapping. There should be no need to perform this multiple times as only a single instance is required to circumvent Steam limitations.
¶ 1.1.1.2.1. Virtual drive initial setup
In this step we are creating a folder, opening PowerShell, and assigning initial variables, which are used for the remaining operations.
- Create a new folder that this new virtual drive will be mapped to (e.g., 🖥️C:\Games).
- NOTE – This folder represents the root of the new mapped drive, NOT the Steam installation folder you will select. In a later step you will create an additional folder inside of here specifically for Steam games (e.g., 📁Steam).
- 🚀️Launch PowerShell. ⚠️DO NOT OPEN AS ADMINISTRATOR⚠️ (these commands MUST be performed in the user space).
- The easiest way to do this is by typing powershell in the start menu search bar (just hit the 🪟Win key and start typing).
- 📋Copy & ↴️ Paste the 🧾Variables commands below into the PowerShell window.
- Be sure to change these to your desired drive letter/folder first.
- You will receive a warning about pasting text that contains multiple lines. Click the Paste anyway button for this and all remaining steps when prompted.
- ⤵️Proceed to section 1.1.1.2.2 to continue.
- Keep Powershell open through the next section, otherwise the variables entered will be lost (you will have to reenter them).
🧾Variables:
# Update these to your desired drive letter/folder before pasting
$MountLetter = "D:"
$TargetFolder = "C:\Games"
# Press ENTER a couple of times
¶ 1.1.1.2.2. Map the drive
In this step we're running the drive mapping function which also performs verification. These commands will also make the drive persistent by remapping it every time you log into Windows as the current user.
- 📋Copy & ↴️ Paste the 🧾Drive Mapping commands below into the PowerShell window.
- If you receive an error, you may need to ↩️Return to section 1.1.1.2.1, modify variables, and try again.
- ❌Exit PowerShell. This should close automatically.
- ⤵️Proceed to section 1.1.1.2.3 to continue.
🧾Drive Mapping:
& {
cls
# Check if variables are missing or empty
if (-not $MountLetter -or -not $TargetFolder) {
Write-Host "❌ Error: Required variables are not set." -ForegroundColor Red
Write-Host "ℹ️ Please paste the variables from the previous section before proceeding...`n" -ForegroundColor Yellow
return
}
if (Test-Path "${MountLetter}\") {
Write-Host "❌ ERROR: The drive letter $MountLetter is already in use. Please choose a different drive letter.`n" -ForegroundColor Red
return
}
if (!(Test-Path $TargetFolder)) {
Write-Host "❌ ERROR: The folder $TargetFolder does not exist. Please create it first.`n" -ForegroundColor Red
return
}
subst $MountLetter $TargetFolder
Write-Host "`n✅ Drive $MountLetter mapped to $TargetFolder`n"
Write-Host "--- Current Drive Mapping(s) ---"
subst
Write-Host "--------------------------------"
$RegPath = "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run"
$ValueName = "MapSteamDrive"
$Command = "cmd.exe /c subst $MountLetter `"$TargetFolder`""
# Set the registry key
Set-ItemProperty -Path $RegPath -Name $ValueName -Value $Command
# Retrieve and verify the key
$storedValue = (Get-ItemProperty -Path $RegPath -Name $ValueName -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).$ValueName
if ($storedValue -eq $Command) {
Write-Host "`n✅ Mapping made persistent – it will automatically apply on login.`n"
Write-Host "Registry entry:" -ForegroundColor DarkGray
Write-Host "$ValueName = $storedValue"
Write-Host "`n✔️ Virtual drive creation complete." -ForegroundColor White
Write-Host "`nPress any key to exit..."
$null = $Host.UI.RawUI.ReadKey("NoEcho,IncludeKeyDown")
Start-Process "$MountLetter\"
exit
} else {
Write-Host "`n❌ ERROR: Failed to write persistent mapping to registry." -ForegroundColor Red
subst "${MountLetter}" /d
Write-Host "ℹ️ Removed current mapping for drive ${MountLetter}`n" -ForegroundColor Yellow
}
} # Press ENTER if this line isn't sent automatically
¶ 1.1.1.2.3. Virtual drive final steps
Final steps and important information are listed below.
- Create a new folder inside of your newly-mapped drive where you want Steam games to be installed (e.g., 📁Steam). This will be the folder you select when adding a new library folder.
- Your virtual drive has now been created. See below for additional information.
- NOTE – Unlike a real drive, you cannot give this drive a unique label (such as Games ). It will inherit the exact same label as the original drive the folder you selected is on. You can, however, rename your Steam library location.
- You don't need to use this drive for anything else. You can still access files normally through your mapped folder (e.g., 🖥️C:\Games).
- Steps have been provided in ⬇️Section 1.1.1.2.4 if you would like to remove the drive mapping at a later time.
- ✔️You are done!
- ⤵️Proceed to section 1.1.2.
¶ 1.1.1.2.4. (Optional) Remove the virtual drive
Follow the steps below if you would like to remove the virtual drive (↕️Expand the 📜Instructions block), otherwise, ⤵️Proceed to section 1.1.2. You can always come back to this section at a later time.
📜Instructions: (↕️Expand for details)
✋NOTICE – If you have already added a Steam game library using this method, it will be removed and any games installed to the location will no longer appear in your library.
- 📋Copy & ↴️ Paste the 🧾Remove Drive commands below into the PowerShell window.
- Enter the drive letter when prompted and ensure the script runs to completion.
- ✔️You are done!
🧾Remove Drive:
& {
cls
# List current mappings
$ActiveMappings = subst
if (-not $ActiveMappings) {
Write-Host "ℹ️ No active virtual drives found via 'subst'. No action is required." -ForegroundColor DarkGray
return
}
Write-Host "--- Current Drive Mapping(s) ---"
$ActiveMappings
Write-Host "--------------------------------"
# Prompt user
$UserInput = Read-Host "`nEnter the drive letter you want to remove (e.g., D or D:)"
$MountLetter = "$($UserInput.Replace(':', '').Trim().ToUpper()):"
# Make sure $MountLetter is defined
if (-not $MountLetter) {
Write-Host "❌ Error: Variable `\$MountLetter` is not defined. Please try again and enter a valid drive letter." -ForegroundColor Red
return
}
Write-Host "`n➖ Removing virtual drive mapping..." -ForegroundColor Yellow
# Properly formatted match string for subst output (e.g., "D:\: => C:\Games")
$substPattern = "^${MountLetter}\\:"
# Remove live subst mapping
if (subst | Select-String $substPattern) {
subst "${MountLetter}" /d
Start-Sleep -Milliseconds 300
if (-not (subst | Select-String $substPattern)) {
Write-Host "✅ Removed current mapping for drive ${MountLetter}" -ForegroundColor Green
} else {
Write-Host "❌ Failed to remove current mapping for drive ${MountLetter}:" -ForegroundColor Red
}
} else {
Write-Host "ℹ️ No active mapping for drive ${MountLetter}: was found." -ForegroundColor DarkGray
}
# Remove persistent registry key
$RegPath = "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run"
$RegName = "MapSteamDrive"
$Existing = Get-ItemProperty -Path $RegPath -Name $RegName -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
if ($Existing) {
Remove-ItemProperty -Path $RegPath -Name $RegName
Start-Sleep -Milliseconds 300
$ConfirmRemoval = Get-ItemProperty -Path $RegPath -Name $RegName -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
if (-not $ConfirmRemoval) {
Write-Host "✅ Persistent mapping removed from registry." -ForegroundColor Green
} else {
Write-Host "❌ Failed to remove registry entry." -ForegroundColor Red
return
}
} else {
Write-Host "ℹ️ No persistent registry entry found." -ForegroundColor DarkGray
}
Write-Host "`n✔️ Virtual drive cleanup complete." -ForegroundColor White
Write-Host "`nPress any key to exit..."
$null = $Host.UI.RawUI.ReadKey("NoEcho,IncludeKeyDown")
exit
} # Press ENTER if this line isn't sent automatically
¶ 1.1.1.3. Option 3: Reinstall Steam to a different folder
If you only have a single disk, you can always uninstall Steam and reinstall it to a new folder (outside of 📁[Program Files]). This is the "nuclear" option, but avoids all permission-related issues altogether.
📜Instructions: (↕️Expand for details)
🔥ADVISORY – Uninstalling Steam will delete all currently installed games. Back up your 📁steamapps folder first if you wish to avoid redownloading your library./span>
- ☠️Uninstall Steam.
- 🛠️Reinstall Steam into a new directory (e.g., 🖥️C:\Games\Steam).
- If you backed up your 📁steamapps folder, perform the following:
- ❌Exit Steam completely (ensure it is closed in your system tray).
- 👉Move your backed-up 📁steamapps folder into your new Steam directory, overwriting if prompted.
- 🚀️Launch Steam. This should automatically detect your games as installed without requiring a redownload.
- ✔️You are done!
- ⤵️Proceed to section 1.2 (you don't need to add a new library folder).
¶ 1.1.2. Add a Steam library folder
Follow these steps to add a new library folder that Steam can use to install games into. These steps are based on those in the official Steam guide, located 🔗here. If you completely reinstalled Steam in the previous section, or did not perform any of the listed options to set up a new installation location, ⏩️skip to section 1.2 (as indicated above).
- From the Steam menu bar, select Steam > Settings.
- Select the Storage tab on the left.
- Add a new library folder by clicking the dropdown at the top and selecting Add Drive.
- In the Add a new Steam library folder window that pops up, select Let me choose another location from the dropdown and click Add.
- In the Create or select new Steam library folder explorer window that pops up, browse to and select the folder you want to add (e.g., 🖥️D:\Steam), and click Select Folder.
- Selecting a root drive (e.g., 🖥️D:\) when adding a library automatically creates a 📁SteamLibrary folder on that disk that games will be installed into. This may be undesirable, which is why creating a new folder in the previous section is recommended if you prefer more control over your directory structure.
- Once you have created the new path, all future installations can be installed there. If you want to set this location as the default path for Steam games, select it from the list, click the … (ellipses) button next to the drive space utilization bar, and select Make Default.
- Optionally, rename the new library by selecting it from the list, clicking the … (ellipses) button next to the drive space utilization bar, and selecting Rename Library.
- This is especially useful if a new virtual drive was created. This allows you to rename it something like Virtual Drive (D:), or similar, to easily identify it in the list.
- ✔️You are done!
¶ 1.2. Install latest Skyrim version
Regardless of the game version you plan to run, Skyrim needs to first be installed or upgraded to the latest release to ensure you have all files and assets required for maximum compatibility with newer mods.
🔢Section Options:
🔍Review the listed options below. Choose only one and follow its steps (↕️Expand the 📜Instructions block).
¶ 1.2.1. Option 1: New installation
If you do not currently have Skyrim installed, simply run the installer from within Steam. Be sure to select an alternate Steam library location and DO NOT install in 📁[Program Files]. This will install the latest version of Skyrim. ⤵️Proceed to section 1.3 when done.
¶ 1.2.2. Option 2: Existing installation
For existing installations, there are a couple of steps you want to complete before proceeding.
📜Instructions: (↕️Expand for details)
¶ 1.2.2.1. Purge mods (Vortex)
⏩️Skip to section 1.2.2.2 if you have never previously used Vortex mod manager, otherwise, follow the steps below (↕️Expand the 📜Instructions block). If Vortex is still installed, you will need to check to ensure the program does not have any mods deployed to the 📁[🐉Skyrim] folder. If it does, this could cause Vortex to complain that changes were made outside of the program the next time you open it, requiring you to manually resolve each issue. Follow the steps below to 💥Purge any files still being managed.
📜Instructions: (↕️Expand for details)
- 🚀️Launch Vortex.
- Ensure Skyrim SSE is the active managed game – This is found under the Games tab on the left of the main Vortex window. If it is not, hover over the Skyrim Special Edition game and click the Activate button.
- Select the the Mods tab on the left of the main Vortex window.
- Click Purge Mods in the main application toolbar at the top of the window.
- ✔️You are done!
❓Troubleshooting tip: (↕️Expand for details)
If you are still having issues, or receive an error that indicates issues already existed prior to starting this guide, you may simply need to stop managing the game via Vortex. Do this by navigating to the Games tab, clicking the 3 vertical dots on the Skyrim Special Edition game, and selecting Stop Managing. If you are STILL having issues, you may simply need to ☠️Uninstall Vortex altogether.
¶ 1.2.2.2. Verify manifest file is unlocked
⏩️Skip to section 1.2.2.3 if you have not previously modified your your Skyrim manifest file before, otherwise, proceed. This needs to be done to ensure file verification can be performed to grab the latest Skyrim game files for your existing installation. The file will be (re-)locked later.
- Open the 📁steamapps folder in the base Steam location you installed Skyrim to. For example, if this was 🖥️C:\Games\Steam, open 🖥️C:\Games\Steam\steamapps.
- Locate the 📄appmanifest_489830.acf file.
- Right-click the file and select Properties.
- Under the General tab, ensure the ⬛ Read-only checkbox is unchecked.
- Click the OK button to save.
- ✔️You are done!
¶ 1.2.2.3. Move Skyrim out of Program Files
⏩️Skip to section 1.2.2.4 if Skyrim is NOT currently installed in 📁[Program Files], otherwise, you will need to move it using Steam's Move feature (you don't need to perform a complete uninstall). Use the following steps to perform the move:
- From the Steam menu bar, select Steam > Settings.
- Click the Storage tab on the left.
- Select the drive/location where Skyrim is currently installed.
- Select The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition from this list and click the Move button at the bottom of the window.
- From the dropdown box, select the Steam library location, and click Move.
- ✔️You are done!
¶ 1.2.2.4. Delete and Verify Integrity of Files
Even if you intend to perform a ⏳Downgrade, you will want to ensure the latest Skyrim game files (.esm, .bsa, etc.) are downloaded so that we can take advantage of their updates.
- Open your 📁[🐉Skyrim] folder.
- 🗑️Delete all files and folders in here. This will ensure any previous modding remnants (renamed files, custom .dlls, etc.) are purged and the folder is 100% reset back to a clean, stock state in the upcoming steps.
- Right-click Skyrim in your Steam Game list and select Properties….
- Select the Installed Files tab.
- Click the Verify integrity of game files button and wait for files to finish downloading.
- ✔️You are done!
- ⤵️Proceed to section 1.3.
¶ 1.3. Prevent the game from updating
In order to ensure that you don't accidentally update a manually downgraded version, or be surprised by an official Bethesda auto-update which will break your current mod load order, you need to lock the Skyrim manifest file so that the game can not update under any circumstances. This is done by making the file read-only (this is the inverse process of that performed in ⬆️section 1.2.2.2 (Verify manifest file is unlocked) above).
- Open the 📁steamapps folder in the base Steam location you installed Skyrim to.
- Locate the 📄appmanifest_489830.acf file.
- Right-click the file and select Properties.
- Under the General tab, ensure the ☑️ Read-only checkbox is checked.
- Click the OK button to save.
- ✔️You are done!
¶ 1.4. Generate initial configurations
⏩️Skip to section 2 if Skyrim was previously installed and you do NOT need to generate new configuration files, otherwise, proceed. If this is a fresh installation, you must launch the game at least once through Steam. This allows the launcher to detect your hardware and create the initial registry entries and configuration files that your modding tools will need to function.
¶ 1.4.1. Configure base options
- 🚀️Launch Skyrim (directly from within Steam) via the Play button.
- On the Detecting Video Hardware dialog that pops up, click OK.
- Don't worry if you receive an indication that your video hardware was not identified.
- Select OPTIONS from the Skyrim launcher window.
- Configure both the Aspect Ratio and Resolution options from their respective dropdown boxes. These should match your primary monitor's native resolution. If the Resolutions box is empty, you may have to switch the aspect ratio from 16:9 to 16:10, then back again.
- NOTE – Some resolutions and aspect ratios are missing from this list. Notably, Ultrawide and Super-Ultrawide are often missing. 4k resolutions may also be absent if you are using Windows display scaling. Just select any resolution for now and we will handle this in the next section.
- For the Antialiasing option, it is recommended to set this to TAA (best quality) for now. This can always be changed later. If you intend to use 💎ENB or 🔆Community Shaders, they will have their own requirements.
- In the Detail box, click the Ultra button, then click OK on the window that pops up. This preset can be easily changed later using the Bethini PIE tool, which this guide recommends.
- Ensure both the ☑️ Windowed Mode and ☑️ Borderless options are checked.
- NOTE – Some older guides recommend exclusive fullscreen instead. This advice predates modern Windows compositor improvements and 🔗SSE Display Tweaks, and is no longer applicable in most setups.
- Your options window should look something like this (with your actual resolution).
- Click OK.
- ⚠️IMPORTANT – Do NOT reopen the OPTIONS menu in the launcher after this point or your settings may be overridden.
- ✔️You are done!
- Keep the Skyrim launcher open through the next steps.
¶ 1.4.2. Configure custom resolution
⏩️Skip to section 1.4.3 if your monitor's resolution was listed in the previous section, otherwise, proceed. Everyone else will need to set their resolution directly in the INI file.
- Open your 📁Documents\My Games\Skyrim Special Edition folder. This is typically on the 🖥️C:\ drive, but your setup may differ.
- Edit the 📄SkyrimPrefs.ini file in a text editor.
- Modify the following lines under the [Display] section to match your actual resolution (Ultrawide 3440x1440 has been used as an example below).
- iSize H=1440
- iSize W=3440
- 💾Save and ❌Close the file.
- ✔️You are done!
¶ 1.4.3. Initialize registry and paths
- Select PLAY from the Skyrim launcher window, which should still be open.
- Once the game has fully loaded and the main menu appears, select QUIT and confirm.
- ✔️You are done!
¶ 2. Prepare Creation Club (CC) content
Creation Club (CC) mods install themselves directly into your Skyrim 📁[🐉Data] folder, which prevents them from being toggled on or off by mod managers. This section will guide you through preparing these files so they can be managed like any other mod in your modlist. ⏭️Skip to section 3 if you truly do NOT want to manage these files, otherwise, proceed. Note that this is generally not recommended unless you plan on either keeping all CC content enabled for your playthrough, or completely disabled (in which case, there is no need to manage these files).
💡Additional information: (↕️Expand for details)
Skyrim Anniversary Edition (SAE, or more commonly, AE) was released in November of 2021, and as a free upgrade to existing Skyrim Special Edition (SSE) owners, it provides 4 DLC mods (Survival Mode, Saints & Seducers, Rare Curios, and Fishing). Additionally, it has an optional paid DLC upgrade (referred to as the Anniversary Upgrade) which contains 70 community mods. The Anniversary Upgrade is purchasable on its own, or together with Skyrim Special Edition in a bundle called The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition. When referring to the Anniversary Upgrade, I am referring to this paid DLC content, regardless of how it was purchased.
¶ 2.1. Download Anniversary Upgrade content
⏩️Skip to section 2.2 if you did NOT purchase the Anniversary Upgrade DLC, otherwise, you will need to launch Skyrim to download these.
- 🚀️Launch Skyrim.
- If you receive the Thanks for buying Skyrim Anniversary Edition! prompt when opening, perform the following:
- Click the DOWNLOAD button and wait for all files to download.
- ❌Exit Skyrim.
- ✔️You are done!
- ⤵️Proceed to section 2.2 to continue.
- If not, perform the following:
- Select Creations from the main menu.
- Click the Options button at the bottom of the Creations screen.
- Select Download all Creations in my Library and wait for all files to download.
- ❌Exit Skyrim.
- ✔️You are done!
¶ 2.2. Move Creation Club files
- Open your Skyrim 📁[🐉Data] folder.
- Create a folder inside called CC Content.
- 👉Move all 📄ccXXXsse0XX-filename.xxx files (.bsa, .esl, .esm) from inside 📁[🐉Data] into this new 📁CC Content folder (e.g., ccBGSSSE001-Fish.bsa)
- The folder should now contain all 4 free DLC mods (.esm, .esl, and .bsa) as well all mods contained in the Anniversary Upgrade (if applicable).
- ✔️You are done!
¶ 3. (Optional) Perform a downgrade
⏭️Skip to section 4 if you have already decided you do NOT want to perform a ⏳Downgrade and just want to stick with the latest game version (1.6.1170 at the time of writing), otherwise, proceed. In Skyrim, downgrading refers to the process of reverting the game version to an earlier one. The main reason for doing this is for specific mod(s) support. Whenever a new Skyrim game version is released, some mods may not receive updates to work with the new version for several months or longer, if they even receive updates at all. Downgrading ensures that you can still use these mods by running an older version of the game itself. Once the latest game version has been out for some time and mod support improves, downgrading becomes less of a strong recommendation and more a matter of preference. To help decide if you'd like to perform a downgrade, 🔍Review the 📒Skyrim versions list below.
✋NOTICE – As of this guide's latest update, version 1.6.1170 of Skyrim is now the recommended version, with 1.5.97 as a secondary option for those who have a specific need to downgrade. Other versions of 1.6, while still valid, are no longer recommended by this guide as mod support for 1.6.1170 has surpassed these versions in almost all cases. The reason version 1.6.1170 is recommended over 1.5.97 is because it is simpler to set up (no downgrade is required), and newer mods may never support version 1.5.97 at all.
📒Skyrim Versions (Steam): (↕️Expand for details)
Overview
Only current and past recommended versions of Skyrim are listed below. Regardless of which version you choose, we will be using the latest game masters and Creation Club content (known as the best of both worlds when downgrading), so preference should come down to whether there are any specific mods you want to use that are incompatible with your desired version. Check out the amazing 🔗SKSE Plugin Status list for plugin compatibility with the version of Skyrim you want to run.
- 1.5.97 (SSE Final)
- 1.6.640 (AE Pre-Creations)
- 1.6.1170 (AE Post-Creations)
Released 11/21/2019 – This was the final release of Skyrim Special Edition (SSE) proper. For a long time, certain foundational mods remained incompatible with any version of 1.6 (primarily 🔗No Grass in Objects), but most of these mods, including NGIO, have been updated to work with newer game versions, or have been superseded by other mods. Because of this, there is little reason to downgrade to this version if starting a new playthrough unless you have a very specific reason to do so. That said, there are several 🧀Wabbajack modlists that use this version, so it is still very popular.
Released 09/20/2022 – The final stable release of AE prior to the Creations update. For those looking to play version 1.6, this one previously had the most time to bake and receive new mods/mod updates, so was the de-facto recommended AE version for a long time. Because mod support for 1.6.1170 now meets or exceeds this version, it is no longer the recommended version of 1.6.
Released 01/17/2024 – The Creations update, released with version 1.6.1130 on 12/05/2023, was highly criticized due to its extremely short notice, catching many users off guard. This update broke many 1.6.640 mod lists for those with auto-updates enabled, forcing them to scramble for a fix. Despite its initial negative reception (due to the heavy focus on microtransactions via the Creations in-game store), the update did fix a few bugs, doubled the ESL plugin limit, and added new Papyrus functions to the game. Version 1.6.1170 was released not long after and focused on fixing a couple of outstanding issues with the in-game store. At the time of writing, it is currently the latest version of Skyrim. Since mod support for this version has grown significantly, it is now the recommended version of 1.6.
⏳Downgrade Steps (Optional):
After reviewing the above, if you would still like to perform a downgrade, follow the steps below (↕️Expand the 📜Instructions block), otherwise, ⏭️Skip to section 4.
📜Instructions: (↕️Expand for details)
¶ 3.1. Prepare master game files
When planning to play a downgraded version of Skyrim, you should still use the latest game files (.esm, .esl, .bsa) to ensure maximum compatibility with newer mods (i.e., best of both worlds). These are essentially mod files themselves, so even older versions of Skyrim can use them without issue (assuming 🔗BEES is enabled, when applicable). Regardless of which version of Skyrim you ultimately choose, you will want to save these files for later.
💡Additional information: (↕️Expand for details)
Some popular mods may rely on updated master files because they reference records exclusive to newer versions (not found in 1.5.97, for example), which can lead to issues or crashes (CTDs) if those records are missing. For example, mods like 🔗JK's Castle Dour and 🔗JK's Sinderion's Field Laboratory—and likely newer JK mods—use records from a more recent update.esm that aren't in the 1.5.97 master files, making them incompatible with a base 1.5.97 install. This isn't obvious unless you inspect the plugins in xEdit for errors, though, since the file dependencies technically exist (so won't throw any warnings in your mod manager). On top of that, some mods now require the new _ResourcePack files (.bsa, .esl) introduced with the Creations update (version 1.6.1130). Notable examples include the 🔗Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch (USSEP) and 🔗Legacy of the Dragonborn (LOTD), which will no longer work without them. Though your mod manager will flag missing masters if you try using these mods without updated files, ignoring this would likely crash the game on launch. Without including updated masters when downgrading, either of the above scenarios is possible for any mod in the future, so I am including them here to improve overall compatibility.
- Open your Skyrim 📁[🐉Data] folder.
- Create a folder inside called Skyrim Updated Masters
- 👉Move the following files from inside 📁[🐉Data] into this new 📁Skyrim Updated Masters folder.
- _ResourcePack.bsa
- _ResourcePack.esl
- Dawnguard.esm
- Dragonborn.esm
- HearthFires.esm
- Skyrim - Animations.bsa
- Skyrim - Interface.bsa
- Skyrim - Meshes0.bsa
- Skyrim - Meshes1.bsa
- Skyrim - Misc.bsa
- Skyrim - Shaders.bsa
- Skyrim - Sounds.bsa
- Skyrim - Textures0.bsa
- Skyrim - Textures1.bsa
- Skyrim - Textures2.bsa
- Skyrim - Textures3.bsa
- Skyrim - Textures4.bsa
- Skyrim - Textures5.bsa
- Skyrim - Textures6.bsa
- Skyrim - Textures7.bsa
- Skyrim - Textures8.bsa
- Skyrim - Voices_en0.bsa
- Skyrim.esm
- Update.esm
- ✔️You are done!
- NOTE – Some files have been intentionally left out the list above, so leave those in 📁[🐉Data].
¶ 3.2. Download files
Files for previous versions are downloaded via the Steam console, not through the Steam front end like the current version of the game. This process is outlined below.
- Enter the following in your browser (or Windows Run box with 🪟Win + R) to open the Steam Console:
- steam://nav/console
- If opened in a browser and prompted to open the Steam Client Bootstrapper, click the Open Steam Client Bootstrapper button.
- 🔍Review the 🧾Steam console commands list below and 📥Download all required files by performing a 📋Copy & ↴️ Paste of all applicable commands listed for your version.
- ✔️You are done!
- ⤵️Proceed to section 3.3 to continue.
🧾Steam console commands:
Instructions
Run each command for your preferred version and wait for it to complete before starting the next! You will know it is done when you see a message that includes Depot download complete, followed by the download location. Be sure to note this location for later use!
- Version 1.5.97
- download_depot 489830 489831 7848722008564294070
- download_depot 489830 489832 8702665189575304780
- download_depot 489830 489833 2289561010626853674
- Version 1.6.640
- download_depot 489830 489831 3660787314279169352
- download_depot 489830 489832 2756691988703496654
- download_depot 489830 489833 5291801952219815735
Other versions / languages
Only the most commonly used Skyrim versions have been listed directly above. Commands for all other available versions (including language packs) can be found on my 🔗Skyrim Manifest List. If your preferred downgrade version is not listed above, open the list to locate your version's console commands, run them, and come back to this guide.
¶ 3.3. Install preferred version
Now that we've got the version of Skyrim downloaded that we want, we need to clean up the game folder and move these files over. Instructions are below.
¶ 3.3.1. Delete existing Skyrim game files
The first step is to remove (most of) the files from the main game folder. This is because that version is still the current version, and we need to replace it with our preferred downgraded version.
- Open your Skyrim 📁[🐉Data] folder.
- 🗑️Delete all files and folders EXCEPT the following folders we created earlier:
- Skyrim Updated Masters
- CC Content (if applicable)
- Go back to your root 📁[🐉Skyrim] folder.
- 🗑️Delete all files and folders EXCEPT the 📁Data folder (which should only contain the two folders above).
- ✔️You are done!
¶ 3.3.2. Perform (manual) install
Next we will move the files we downloaded to the main game folder.
- Refer to the location noted in your Steam console for where your depots were downloaded to.
- By default, this is 🖥️C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\content\app_489830
- Open this folder. There should be at least 3 folders inside it:
- depot_489831
- depot_489832
- depot_489833
- Additional language depot(s) (if applicable)
- If you have chosen to downgrade to a version of 1.6 (which contains Creation Club content we have already backed up/prepared), open the 📁depot_489831 folder, then the 📁Data folder inside it, and 🗑️Delete the following files:
- ccBGSSSE001-Fish.bsa
- ccBGSSSE001-Fish.esm
- ccBGSSSE025-AdvDSGS.bsa
- ccBGSSSE025-AdvDSGS.esm
- ccBGSSSE037-Curios.bsa
- ccBGSSSE037-Curios.esl
- ccQDRSSE001-SurvivalMode.bsa
- ccQDRSSE001-SurvivalMode.esl
- From the main 📁app_489830 folder (you may have to return here if you deleted CC files in the previous step), open each of the 📁depot_xxxxxx folders and 👉Move all files and folders from inside them into your root 📁[🐉Skyrim] folder.
- Once all files have been moved, 🗑️Delete the 📁depot_xxxxxx folders.
- Close all open explorer windows from this section.
- ✔️You are done!
- ⤵️Proceed to section 4.
¶ 4. Complete initial setup
With your game folder ready, the next step is to prepare your modding environment. Below, you will find instructions for installing core dependencies and tools, setting up our prepared files, and updating essential game and system settings.
¶ 4.1. Install runtime libraries
These libraries are required for many mods and modding tools to function. These are Windows installers, so they must be installed manually. They are not something even a 🧀Wabbajack install can provide for you automatically.
¶ 4.1.1. Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable
This is a mandatory requirement for any modern Skyrim setup. It is a dependency for many essential mods like SKSE and SSE Engine Fixes, so you will want to ensure you have the latest redistributable installed.
- Visit the 🔗download page in your browser.
- Scroll down to the Latest supported Redistributable version section, and follow the link for your specific version – This is likely the x64 build. All versions since 2015 are backward compatible, so there is no risk in breaking mods if you replace your current version.
- 📥Download and 🛠️Install.
- ✔️You are done!
¶ 4.1.2. .NET 6 Desktop Runtime
Many modern modding tools (such as Vortex and DynDOLOD) still require this specific version to function. While newer versions of .NET exist, they are not always fully backward compatible. Even if you choose to install MO2 rather than Vortex, you should still install this library since DynDOLOD is an essential tool for finalizing your modlist.
- Visit the 🔗download page in your browser.
- Scroll down to the .NET Desktop Runtime section, and follow the link for your specific version – This is likely the x64 build.
- 📥Download and 🛠️Install.
- ✔️You are done!
¶ 4.2. Mod manager setup
This section covers installation and setup of your mod manager, as well as the terminology and concepts used when installing, configuring, and managing mods throughout this guide and in future modding.
¶ 4.2.1. Installation and components
⏩️Skip to section 4.2.2 if you intend to use a 🧀Wabbajack modlist since this will typically come pre-built with a portable version of Mod Organizer 2 (including the Root Builder plugin), otherwise, follow the steps below.
¶ 4.2.1.1. Install mod manager
⏩️Skip to section 4.2.1.2 if you already have a mod manager installed, otherwise, proceed. There are currently only two mod managers that are widely used for Skyrim modding: 🔗Vortex and 🔗Mod Organizer 2. Avoid Nexus Mod Manager (NMM) for modern Skyrim—it's outdated and no longer works. Wrye Bash's mod management is also far less intuitive overall, so unless you're already familiar with it, I recommend avoiding that as well (its bashed patch functionality is amazing, however, but that is a separate topic). Once you choose and 🛠️Install your mod manager, ⤵️Proceed to section 4.2.1.2.
⚜️Author's note: (↕️Expand for details)
If you need help deciding between Vortex and MO2, there are several threads and discussions online. Personally, I recommend MO2 as I find it much better at resolving conflicts and managing larger modlists and profiles. Additionally, it keeps your 📁[🐉Data] folder (and 📁[🐉Skyrim] folder when using Root Builder) completely free of any mod files. While it may seem less intuitive initially, it really isn't, and avoids many of Vortex's nuances and pitfalls. All of my guides support both applications, so ultimately this is up to you.
¶ 4.2.1.2. Install Root Builder (MO2 only)
⏩️Skip to section 4.2.2 if you are NOT using MO2, or already have Root Builder installed, otherwise, follow the steps below (↕️Expand the 📜Instructions block). Unlike Vortex, MO2 does not have the native ability to manage files in the 📁[🐉Skyrim] folder, only the 📁[🐉Data] folder. This functionality is provided by the Root Builder plugin, allowing you to leave the entire 📁[🐉Skyrim] folder in pristine, vanilla condition!, and the steps to set it up are quite simple. All the remaining steps for MO2 in this guide assume this is installed.
📜Instructions: (↕️Expand for details)
- 📥Download the latest version from the 🔗main mod page FILES tab.
- Ensure you click the Manual download link (this will not install with your mod manager).
- When completed, open this file from your web browser downloads folder (it is a 🗜️.zip file).
- 📦Extract the contents of the file into the 📁plugins folder of your MO2 folder. For example, if you installed MO2 into 🖥️C:\Modding\MO2, extract this to 🖥️C:\Modding\MO2\plugins.
- If done correctly, you should now have a 📁rootbuilder folder inside of your 📁plugins folder (e.g., 🖥️C:\Modding\MO2\plugins\rootbuilder).
- ❌Exit and 🚀️Relaunch MO2.
- Verify this is installed correctly by navigating to the Tools > Tool Plugins menu of the main menu bar (you can also click the puzzle icon in the main toolbar). You should now see a Root Builder entry.
- ✔️You are done!
- ⤵️Proceed to section 4.2.2.
¶ 4.2.2. Mod manager fundamentals
⏩️Skip to section 4.3 if you are already familiar with how to use your chosen mod manager, otherwise, I have created guides which provide an overview of both Vortex and Mod Organizer 2 which have been linked below. These guides cover what a mod manager is, commonly used modding terms, and the core concepts and procedures involved in managing mods. For this initial setup guide, you should know how to 🛠️Install, ☠️Uninstall, ✅Enable, and ⛔Disable mods, as well as how to 🗑️Delete archive files within the application. This also includes creating 🚀Tools/Executables along with mod manager-specific actions such as 🌀Deploy and 💥Purge (Vortex users) and creating 🗂️Separators (MO2 users). If you are new to modding, ensure you understand how to perform these actions before proceeding.
✋NOTICE – These guides are intended to serve as a reference rather than a complete walkthrough, so feel free to quickly review the one that applies to your setup or 🔖Bookmark it for later.
¶ 4.3. Install core mods
⏩️Skip to section 4.4 if you are using a 🧀Wabbajack modlist, otherwise, proceed. Before adding your own mods, you will need to ensure that required core mods are installed. Follow the instructions below to 📥Download and 🛠️Install the listed mods for the specific version of Skyrim you are running.
✋NOTICE – For 🧀Wabbajack users, the following core mods should already be included in your mod list, so there is no need to perform the steps in this section. ⏩️Skip to section 4.4 to proceed.
¶ 4.3.1. Skyrim Script Extender (SKSE)
Skyrim Script Extender (SKSE) is an essential plugin that extends Skyrim's scripting capabilities, enabling mods to implement advanced features that are not possible with the base game alone. For PC players, this is absolutely essential, and is typically the first mod players install. Once set up, you will use the SKSE loader to launch the game instead of the standard Skyrim launcher to enable its functionality. The steps below cover how to install and configure the mod.
🧩Mod Manager-Specific Steps:
The steps below depend on the mod manager chosen. Choose only one option and follow its steps (↕️Expand the 📜Instructions block).
¶ 4.3.1.1. Option 1: Vortex
📜Instructions: (↕️Expand for details)
- 📥Download for your specific version – 🔗1.5.97 | 🔗1.6.1170 | 🔗other versions
- Click the Start download button on the following page after clicking the link above to download into your mod manager.
- If you need a version not listed above, go to the FILES tab and be sure to click its Mod manager download button.
- This should automatically 🛠️Install and ✅Enable SKSE and configure it as the primary launch tool.
- If Vortex settings were modified, you may need to perform the following manual steps in the Mods tab:
- Click the Never Installed⏷ button to 🛠️Install the mod if it is not currently installed.
- Click the Disabled⏷ button to ✅Enable the mod if it is currently disabled.
- NOTE – These buttons are to the left of the SKSE entry in the mod list.
- 🌀Deploy mods.
- This is done by clicking the Deploy icon in the main toolbar.
- ❌Exit and 🚀️Relaunch Vortex.
- This clears any visual bugs or notifications regarding the primary launch tool and ensures it is properly set for users who installed or enabled SKSE manually in the steps above.
- ✔️You are done!
- ⤵️Proceed to section 4.3.2.
¶ 4.3.1.2. Option 2: Mod Organizer 2
📜Instructions: (↕️Expand for details)
- 📥Download for your specific version – 🔗1.5.97 | 🔗1.6.1170 | 🔗other versions
- Click the Start download button on the following page after clicking the link above to download into your mod manager.
- If you need a version not listed above, go to the FILES tab and be sure to click its Mod manager download button.
- 🛠️Install the mod. During installation, you will be informed that The content of <data> does not look valid..
- If the tutorial pops up, feel free to read through this if this is your first time or just exit by clicking the Exit Tutorial box.
- In the Install Mods dialog, expand both the 📁skse64_x_xx_xx and 📁Data folders, then right-click the 📁Data folder and select Create directory….
- Name the directory root.
- 👆Drag the 📄skse64_x_x_xx.dll, ⚡skse64_loader.exe, and 📄skse64_steam_loader.dll files into the 📁root folder you just created.
- NOTE – the 📄skse64_steam_loader.dll file is only present in older SKSE versions, so skip it if you don't see it.
- Next, right-click the 📁Data folder and select Set as <data> directory.
- Your Install Mods window should now look something like this (with 📁root expanded):
- NOTE – Again, the 📄skse64_steam_loader.dll file is only found in older versions so don't worry if you don't see it and are running a version of 1.6.
- Click the OK button.
- ✅Enable the mod.
- This can be done by ensuring the checkbox next to the mod entry is checked in the mod list on the left side of the MO2 window.
- Click the executables dropdown (next to the ▶ Run button), and select <Edit…> (default executables for SSE are shown, yours may differ).
- Alternatively, you can click the gear icon in the main toolbar:
- If the executable list already contains an entry for SKSE, you can ⏩️skip to section 4.3.2, otherwise, click the plus (➕) icon above the list on the left and select Add empty… (do NOT select Add from file…)
- The executable MUST be added manually this way because ⚡SKSE64_loader.exe does NOT exist in your game folder (it is managed by Root Builder), so you can't just browse and select it!
- ⚙️Configure the executable using the following options:
- Title – Give this a name (e.g., Play Game (SKSE) or simply SKSE).
- Start in – Click the … button, browse to your 📁[🐉Skyrim] folder, and click Select Folder.
- Binary – Use the same path in Start in followed by \skse64_loader.exe (e.g., 🖥️C:\Games\Steam\steamapps\common\Skyrim Special Edition\skse64_loader.exe).
- Optionally, click the green up arrow in the left list to bring this entry to the top.
- Your executable should look something like this (with your actual paths).
- Click OK.
- ✔️You are done!
- ⤵️Proceed to section 4.3.2.
¶ 4.3.2. Address Library
This mod provides a centralized database for other SKSE plugins to use, which allows them to become version-independent. By referencing this database instead of specific locations in the game code itself, mods can work across multiple versions of Skyrim. This is vital for the longevity of the modding community, as it allows mods to remain functional through game updates without requiring the original authors to constantly release new versions, so long as Address Library itself is updated. See below for the installation process, which is the same for both Vortex and MO2.
- 📥Download for your specific version from the 🔗main mod page FILES tab using the Mod manager download button.
- The 1.5.97 version should have the label All in one (1.5.X).
- The 1.6 version should have the label All in one (1.6.X) and works for all versions of 1.6.
- 🛠️Install and ✅Enable the mod.
- ✔️You are done!
¶ 4.3.3. SSE Engine Fixes
This mod fixes a lot of game bugs and additionally allows achievements when mods are enabled. There are 2 parts for this download so follow instructions carefully. NOTE – Only versions 1.5.97 and 1.6.1170+ are now included in this guide. For legacy instructions for other pre-1.6.1170 versions, 🚧click here (coming soon!).
🧩Mod Manager-Specific Steps:
The steps below depend on the mod manager chosen. Choose only one option and follow its steps (↕️Expand the 📜Instructions block).
¶ 4.3.3.1. Option 1: Vortex
📜Instructions: (↕️Expand for details)
- 📥Download the latest version of Engine Fixes - Main File from the 🔗main mod page FILES tab using the Mod manager download button.
- Be sure to click any additional download buttons on the following page if the mod does not start downloading automatically.
- 🛠️Install the mod if it does not do so automatically. The FOMOD installer should open.
- Select the version that you want to install and click the Finish button.
- ✅Enable the mod if it does not do so automatically.
- 📥Download the latest version of Engine Fixes - SKSE64 Preloader from the 🔗main mod page FILES tab using the Mod manager download button.
- Be sure to click any additional download buttons on the following page if the mod does not start downloading automatically.
- 🛠️Install and ✅Enable the mod if it does not do so automatically.
- Double-click the Engine Fixes - SKSE64 Preloader entry in the list to open the mod details panel (this menu will slide out of the right side of the list).
- Under the Mod Type dropdown, select Engine Injector – This will install the mod into your 📁[🐉Skyrim] (instead of the 📁[🐉Data] folder).
- ❌Close the mod details panel.
- ✔️You are done!
- ⤵️Proceed to section 4.4.
¶ 4.3.3.2. Option 2: Mod Organizer 2
📜Instructions: (↕️Expand for details)
- 📥Download the latest version of Engine Fixes - Main File from the 🔗main mod page FILES tab using the Mod manager download button.
- Be sure to click any additional download buttons on the following page if the mod does not start downloading automatically.
- 🛠️Install the mod if it does not do so automatically. The FOMOD installer should open.
- In the Name field, select Engine Fixes - Main File from the list, or give it a different name altogether. You'll want to be descript because there are 2 parts to this mod.
- Select your version of Skyrim, and click the Install button.
- ✅Enable the mod.
- 📥Download the latest version of Engine Fixes - SKSE64 Preloader from the 🔗main mod page FILES tab using the Mod manager download button.
- Be sure to click any additional download buttons on the following page if the mod does not start downloading automatically.
- 🛠️Install the mod. During installation, you will be informed that The content of <data> does not look valid..
- Right-click the 📁<data> folder and select Create Directory….
- Name the directory root.
- 👆Drag the 📄d3dx9_42.dll file into the 📁root folder you just created.
- In the Name field, select Engine Fixes - SKSE Preloader from the list, or give it a different name altogether (by default it will be the same as the Engine Fixes - Main File mod just installed, so it needs to be renamed).
- Your Install Mods window should now look something like this (with 📁root expanded).
- Click the OK button.
- Click the Ignore button on the prompt that comes up (don't worry, this will work).
- ✅Enable the mod.
- Finally, right-click the mod name in the mod list and select Ignore missing data – Since we are using Root Builder, and no Data folder was set during install, MO2 will complain about this, even though it is configured properly. Performing this step will fix that.
- ✔️You are done!
- ⤵️Proceed to section 4.4.
¶ 4.4. Additional downgrade instructions
⏩️Skip to section 4.5 if you did NOT perform a ⏳Downgrade by preparing files in ⬆️section 3 (Perform a downgrade), otherwise, follow the steps below (↕️Expand the 📜Instructions block). These are additional steps required to support your downgraded game version now that your mod manager is installed.
📜Instructions: (↕️Expand for details)
¶ 4.4.1. Install Backported Extended ESL Support (BEES)
⏩️Skip to section 4.4.2 if you are running version 1.6.1130 or higher, otherwise, proceed. When downgrading to a game version lower/older than 1.6.1130, you must install this mod (or ensure your 🧀Wabbajack modlist has it installed, if you went that route) otherwise you will suffer an immediate CTD when launching the game.
- 📥Download the latest version from the 🔗main mod page FILES tab using the Mod manager download button.
- Be sure to click any additional download buttons on the following page if the mod does not start downloading automatically.
- 🛠️Install and ✅Enable the mod.
- 🧀Wabbajack users – if you receive an error in your mod manager indicating the file already exists when downloading, you can safely assume this is already installed and can skip (re-)installing this mod.
- ✔️You are done!
¶ 4.4.2. Install prepared masters
In these next steps we will be adding the masters prepared earlier to your mod manager.
🧩Mod Manager-Specific Steps:
The steps below depend on the mod manager chosen. Choose only one option and follow its steps (↕️Expand the 📜Instructions block).
¶ 4.4.2.1. Option 1: Vortex
📜Instructions: (↕️Expand for details)
- Open your game folder by clicking Open… in the main application toolbar and selecting Open Game Folder.
- This will open your 📁[🐉Skyrim] folder. When inside, open the 📁Data folder. In addition to other files, you should see the following folder we created earlier:
- Skyrim Updated Masters
- 👆Drag the 📁Skyrim Updated Masters folder into the Drop File(s) section to add the mod manually. Watch the notification area in the top right of Vortex to see when completed. Since the mod contains multiple plugins, when asked whether you'd like to enable these, select Enable all.
- NOTE – This may take several minutes to fully import as the file size for this folder is quite large.
- This will create a mod for the dragged folder and add it to your list. Additionally, this appends a .7z extension to your mod name and actually creates an archive (which we will delete later).
- Double-click the Skyrim Updated Masters.7z entry in the list to open the mod details panel.
- Remove the .7z from the name and/or rename it entirely (based on your preference) and change the Source to User-Generated (to get rid of the ⚠️warning icon).
- 🗑️Delete the 🗜️.7z archive that was automatically created as it is not required. The easiest way to do this is by clicking the Remove⏷ button in the Actions column of the mod entry. Be sure to select only the ☑️ Delete Archive checkbox (ensure the ⬛ Remove Mod checkbox remains unchecked).
- ✔️You are done!
- ⤵️Proceed to section 4.5.
¶ 4.4.2.2. Option 2: Mod Organizer 2
📜Instructions: (↕️Expand for details)
- From the folder icon at the top right of the mod list (next to the wrench icon), select Open Mods folder.
- Keep this temporary folder open and set it aside for a moment.
- From the same folder icon in MO2 select Open Game Folder.
- This will open the 📁[🐉Skyrim] folder. When inside, open the 📁Data folder. In addition to other files, you should see the following folder we created earlier:
- Skyrim Updated Masters
- 👉Move the 📁Skyrim Updated Masters folder into the mods folder we opened and set aside a few steps earlier.
- When finished, select MO2 to ensure it is the active window and hit the F5 button on your keyboard to refresh the application.
- You should now see a new entry in your mod list for the updated masters.
- The mod is given the highest priority and should be located at the bottom of the mod list (with default sorting).
- ✅Enable the mod.
- Feel free to reposition the mod in the list to better organize it with your other mods. This mod MUST load after all official master files in the mod list, but aside from that, priority order does not matter as there will never be other loose file conflicts.
- ✔️You are done!
- ⤵️Proceed to section 4.5.
¶ 4.5. Install prepared Creation Club content
⏩️Skip to section 4.6 if you did NOT prepare Creation Club files earlier (due to not wanting to manage these files in your mod manager), otherwise, proceed. We will now add your prepared Creation Club content to your mod manager. There are several options on how to perform this listed below in the order of most to least recommended.
✋NOTICE – If using 🧀Wabbajack, determining what Creation Club content to bring over will depend 100% on the requirements of the modlist itself. Since I cannot account for all possibilities, be sure to enable ONLY the content which the list requires in the steps below.
💡Additional information: (↕️Expand for details)
If Creation Club files are left in the Skyrim 📁[🐉Data] folder, they cannot be enabled or disabled with your mod manager at all. Even if you copy the files directly into a single mod that can be managed by your mod manager, many (but not all) of the Creation Club mods cannot simply be toggled on and off in the plugin list for some reason. Mod Organizer 2 can get around this by allowing you to 🙈Hide and 👁️Unhide files themselves in the mod's Filetree list, but Vortex has no native ability to do so. This requires Vortex users to either delete files which cannot be toggled off or manually copy each mod to its own respective mod entry in the Mods tab. There are 70 Anniversary Upgrade mods alone, so this is both tedious and even confusing given it must be done by filename, which may not be intuitive. It is for this reason that following the steps in this section is (highly) recommended. The final option below will allow you to keep these mods unmanaged, if desired.
🔢Section Options:
🔍Review the listed options below. Choose only one and follow its steps (↕️Expand the 📜Instructions block).
¶ 4.5.1. Option 1: Curation Club plugin (MO2 only)
The Curation Club plugin will separate all Creation Club content into their own individual mods within MO2 automatically with a single click so that you can easily toggle them on or off, depending on preference. NOTE – This plugin requires MO2 version 2.5 or greater so will not work on version 2.4.4 or below. Also, despite the mod page indicating that the plugin "doesn't currently work", there are no issues at all with Skyrim and free CC content or Anniversary Upgrade content. The issues appear to affect only Creation Engine 2 games (such as Starfield).
📜Instructions: (↕️Expand for details)
¶ 4.5.1.1. Install Curation Club for MO2
⏩️Skip to section 4.5.1.2 if the Curation Club plugin is already installed, otherwise, proceed with the steps below.
- 📥Download the latest version from the 🔗main mod page FILES tab.
- Ensure you click the Manual download link (this will not install with your mod manager).
- NOTE – Ignore the message on the mod page stating the plugin does not work, I have tested this prior to posting instructions.
- When completed, open this file from your web browser downloads folder (it is a 🗜️.zip file).
- 📦Extract the contents of the file into the 📁plugins folder of your MO2 folder. For example, if you installed MO2 into 🖥️C:\Modding\MO2, extract this to 🖥️C:\Modding\MO2\plugins.
- If done correctly, you should now have a 📁curationclub folder inside of 📁plugins (e.g., 🖥️C:\Modding\MO2\plugins\curationclub).
- ❌Exit and 🚀️Relaunch MO2.
- Verify this is installed correctly by navigating to the Tools > Tool Plugins menu of the main menu bar (you can also click the puzzle icon in the main toolbar). You should now see a Curation Club entry.
- ✔️You are done!
¶ 4.5.1.2. Move CC content files back to Data folder
- Open your Skyrim 📁[🐉Data] folder.
- Open the 📁CC Content folder inside.
- 👉Move all files from inside this folder back to your Skyrim 📁[🐉Data] folder (✂️Cut & ↴️ Paste may be easier).
- Alternatively, you can 📋Copy the files instead if you want to keep a backup of these mods.
- 🗑️Delete the 📁CC Content folder if files were moved.
- ✔️You are done!
¶ 4.5.1.3. Run Curation Club
- From the Tools > Tool Plugins menu of the main menu bar, click the Curation Club entry (this can also be found in the puzzle icon in the main toolbar).
- The following window should be shown:
- Ensure the ☑️ Root Builder Support checkbox is checked.
- Click the OK button. It may appear the program is frozen but give it a few seconds to complete.
- You should now see individual entries in your mod list for all 4 free DLC mods as well all mods contained in the Anniversary Upgrade (if applicable).
- These mods are given the highest priority and should be located at the bottom of the mod list (with default sorting).
- Feel free to reposition these mods in the list to better organize them with your other mods. Since these files were moved from their default locations, there should not be any loose file conflicts.
- Optionally, you can organize these with separators. For example:
- 🗂️Creation Club Content - Free DLC
- Creation Club - Fishing
- Creation Club - Rare Curios
- Creation Club - Saints & Seducers
- Creation Club - Survival Mode
- 🗂️Creation Club Content - Anniversary Upgrade
- All other CC mods
- ✅Enable any/all of these mods that you would like to use.
- See the Creation Club pages on the 🔗Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages Wiki or 🔗Elder Scrolls Fandom Wiki pages for descriptions of each mod to help with this.
- ✔️You are done!
- ⤵️Proceed to section 4.6.
¶ 4.5.2. Option 2: AE Creation Club File Organizer
This is a PowerShell script that I wrote which provides the exact same functionality as the Curation Club plugin, but does not require MO2 (which means Vortex users can also use it). It works on a file and folder level (rather than a mod level within your mod manager), so should never break as a result of future mod manager and/or Skyrim game updates.
📜Instructions: (↕️Expand for details)
¶ 4.5.2.1. Download and install scripts
- 📥Download the latest version from the 🔗main mod page FILES tab.
- Ensure you click the Manual download link (this will not install with your mod manager).
- NOTE – Ignore the Installation and Usage instructions on the page as we are covering those here.
- 📦Extract the files to your Skyrim 📁[🐉Data] folder.
- ✔️You are done!
¶ 4.5.2.2. Move CC content files back to Data folder
- Open your Skyrim 📁[🐉Data] folder.
- Open the 📁CC Content folder inside.
- 👉Move all files from inside this folder back to your Skyrim 📁[🐉Data] folder (✂️Cut & ↴️ Paste may be easier).
- 🗑️Delete the 📁CC Content folder (which should now be empty).
- ✔️You are done!
- Keep this Explorer window open through the next steps.
¶ 4.5.2.3. Open PowerShell and run the script
In order to execute the script, we have to launch PowerShell a certain way to ensure we bypass the system's execution policy (otherwise the script will not run). This will affect the current instance only, so when PowerShell is closed, the current system policy will be reinforced again.
- Click on the address bar at the top of the Skyrim 📁[🐉Data] folder. This will highlight the location (yours may be different).
- With the folder highlighted, type powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass to replace the text and hit Enter.
- This will open PowerShell directly in this folder.
- Type .\ae_creation_club_file_organizer.ps1 and hit Enter
- NOTE – you can simply type ae and then press the Tab key until the .ps1 file above is shown.
- You will be prompted with this screen:
- If you are OK to proceed, type Y (or just hit Enter). This will start processing the files.
- If you are using Steam, and the Anniversary Upgrade manifest files are detected, you will be prompted with the following:
- Enter your preferred selection from the list of options. This will determine your mod folder setup depending on the mod manager you are using. Once you enter your selection, the script will continue to process.
- When finished, the script should show the following (your output may differ slightly depending on the number of files moved and/or manifest file selection):
- ❌Exit PowerShell.
- Open the 📁CC Content folder that was just (re-)created. You should now see a list of applicable folders for the mods detected by the script (see example image below):
- ✔️You are done!
- Keep this temporary folder open and set it aside for a moment.
¶ 4.5.2.4. Import mods into mod manager
The next step is to import these folders into your mod manager.
🧩Mod Manager-Specific Steps:
The steps below depend on the mod manager chosen. Choose only one option and follow its steps (↕️Expand the 📜Instructions block).
¶ 4.5.2.4.1. Option 1: Vortex
📜Instructions: (↕️Expand for details)
- Open your mod staging folder by clicking Open… in the main application toolbar and selecting Open Mod Staging Folder.
- From the 📁CC Content folder we opened and set aside in the previous section, 👉Move ALL folders into the mod staging folder.
- Alternatively, you can 📋Copy the folders instead if you want to keep a backup of these mods.
- ⚠️IMPORTANT – DO NOT 👆Drag these files/folders into the Drop File(s) section of the Vortex application as this could modify our intentional file structure of the mods in a way that makes them unusable (this is the case when opting to manage the .manifest files). Additionally, dragging a folder into Vortex also automatically creates a 🗜️.7z file which unnecessarily takes up space.
- ❌Exit and 🚀️Relaunch Vortex.
- When opening, you will be prompted with the following message (example image below, your prompt may differ depending on the name of your mods):
- Click the Apply Changes button.
- In the Mod Name field of the mod list, type Creation Club. This should filter your list to show the mods we just imported (they are all currently disabled).
- Double-click the first entry in the list to open the mod details panel and make the following updates:
- ⚠️IMPORTANT – If manifest files were found when running the script and you selected Option 2 (Manage them with Vortex), you MUST change the Mod Type in the mod details panel to Engine Injector. This will ensure the mod is installed in your main 📁[🐉Skyrim] folder, rather than the 📁[🐉Data] folder, otherwise, these mods will not load properly.
- Optionally change the Source to User-Generated (to get rid of the ⚠️warning icon in the list).
- Repeat this process of updating properties for ALL files you imported. Don't worry, although tedious, you only have to do this once. If you are not managing manifest files you can effectively skip the above step entirely as long as you don't mind seeing the ⚠️warning icon.
- ✅Enable any/all of your preferred CC mods in Vortex.
- See the Creation Club pages on the 🔗Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages Wiki or 🔗Elder Scrolls Fandom Wiki pages for descriptions of each mod to help with this.
- If you were previously managing any Creation Club content with Vortex, ⛔Disable and/or 🗑️Delete those mod(s) now since the process we performed will completely replace the old mod(s) (assuming they were included for processing with the script).
- You can now 🗑️Delete the 📁CC Content folder from your Skyrim 📁[🐉Data] folder. If you moved the files in the previous section, the folder should be empty. If you copied all files (rather than moving them), you can optionally keep this folder as a backup for all of your CC content.
- ✔️You are done!
- ⤵️Proceed to section 4.6.
¶ 4.5.2.4.2. Option 2: Mod Organizer 2
📜Instructions: (↕️Expand for details)
- From the folder icon at the top right of the mod list (next to the wrench icon), select Open Mods folder.
- From the 📁CC Content folder we opened and set aside in the previous section, 👉Move ALL folders into the mods folder you just opened.
- Alternatively, you can 📋Copy the folders instead if you want to keep a backup of these mods.
- When finished, select MO2 to ensure it is the active window and hit the F5 button on your keyboard to refresh the mod list.
- You should now see individual entries in your mod list for all 4 free DLC mods as well all mods contained in the Anniversary Upgrade (if applicable).
- These mods are given the highest priority and should be located at the bottom of the mod list (with default sorting).
- Feel free to reposition these mods in the list to better organize them with your other mods. Since these files were moved from their default locations, there should not be any loose file conflicts.
- Optionally, you can organize these with separators. For example:
- 🗂️Creation Club Content - Free DLC
- Creation Club - Fishing
- Creation Club - Rare Curios
- Creation Club - Saints & Seducers
- Creation Club - Survival Mode
- 🗂️Creation Club Content - Anniversary Upgrade
- All other CC mods
- ✅Enable any/all of your preferred CC mods.
- See the Creation Club pages on the 🔗Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages Wiki or 🔗Elder Scrolls Fandom Wiki pages for descriptions of each mod to help with this.
- If you were previously managing any Creation Club content with Vortex, ⛔Disable and/or 🗑️Delete those mod(s) now since the process we performed will completely replace the old mod(s) (assuming they were included for processing with the script).
- You can now 🗑️Delete the 📁CC Content folder from your Skyrim 📁[🐉Data] folder. If you moved the files in the previous section, the folder should be empty. If you copied all files (rather than moving them), you can optionally keep this folder as a backup for all of your CC content.
- ✔️You are done!
- ⤵️Proceed to section 4.6.
¶ 4.5.3. Option 3: Anniversary Edition Content Picker mod
This mod provides an easy-to-use FOMOD installer with names and descriptions for each Creation Club mod, allowing you to easily decide which mod(s) you want to actually install and use. The only downside here is that you cannot simply enable and disable mods at will, you have to re-run the installer to select which content you'd like. This comes with a little bit less granularity than the above options, and also requires an additional 3.5GB of space (with all Anniversary Upgrade content) since a copy of the files also needs to remain in the 🗜️.zip file/installer so that the reinstall can be re-run at another time. That said, if you have the space, the inline descriptions can be of huge benefit when selecting which content to enable.
📜Instructions: (↕️Expand for details)
¶ 4.5.3.1. Prepare mod installation files
This mod is special in that you need to unpack it, add files to it, then repack it before it can be installed. The steps below provide instructions for this process.
- 📥Download the latest version from the 🔗main mod page FILES tab.
- Ensure you click the Manual download link (this will not install with your mod manager).
- Be sure to click any additional download buttons on the following page if the mod does not start downloading automatically.
- 📦Extract the files to a temporary location (e.g., 🖥️C:\temp).
- Keep this temporary folder open and set it aside for a moment.
- Open your Skyrim 📁[🐉Data] folder.
- 👉Move the 📁CC Content folder into the temporary folder we created and set aside a couple of steps earlier. The folder should already contain its own 📁CC Content folder (which is empty), so you are just adding your files to it.
- Alternatively, you can 📋Copy the folders instead if you want to keep a backup of these mods.
- Select all 3 folders within the temporary folder. These folders are:
- CC Content
- fomod
- Images
- With the folders selected, recompress into a 🗜️.zip file.
- This can be done using a 3rd party tool (such as 7zip, Winrar, etc.) or by the Send to > Compressed (zipped) folder option in the default Windows right-click context menu. Be sure to (re-)name the file to Anniversary Edition Content Picker.zip.
- ✔️You are done!
- Keep this temporary folder open and set it aside for a moment.
¶ 4.5.3.2. Install the mod
The next step is to install the mod into your mod manager.
🧩Mod Manager-Specific Steps:
The steps below depend on the mod manager chosen. Choose only one option and follow its steps (↕️Expand the 📜Instructions block).
¶ 4.5.3.2.1. Option 1: Vortex
📜Instructions: (↕️Expand for details)
- 👆Drag the 🗜️Anniversary Edition Content Picker.zip file from the above temporary folder into the Drop File(s) section to add the mod manually.
- NOTE – This may take several minutes to fully import as the file size for this mod is quite large.
- The FOMOD installer should automatically open when the file is done importing.
- Proceed through the FOMOD installer and select all of the content you wish to use.
- NOTE – You can always 🛠️Reinstall this mod if your requirements change at any time by right-clicking the mod in the mod list, and selecting Reinstall to re-run the FOMOD installer and re-select which CC content you wish to enable/disable, so your current selections are not permanent.
- When completed, double-click the Anniversary Edition Content Picker.zip entry in the list to open the mod details panel.
- Remove the .zip from the name and change the Source to User-Generated (to get rid of the ⚠️warning icon).
- ✅Enable the mod.
- You can now 🗑️Delete the temporary folder you created earlier (e.g., 🖥️C:\temp).
- ✔️You are done!
- ⤵️Proceed to section 4.6.
¶ 4.5.3.2.2. Option 2: Mod Organizer 2
📜Instructions: (↕️Expand for details)
- 👆Drag the 🗜️Anniversary Edition Content Picker.zip file from the above temporary folder into the Downloads tab to add the mod manually.
- 🛠️Install the mod. The FOMOD installer should open.
- Proceed through the FOMOD installer and select all of the content you wish to use.
- NOTE – You can always 🛠️Reinstall this mod if your requirements change at any time by right-clicking the mod in the mod list, and selecting Reinstall Mod to re-run the FOMOD installer and re-select which CC content you wish to enable/disable, so your current selections are not permanent. Be sure you do NOT delete the 🗜️Anniversary Edition Content Picker.zip file from the Downloads tab of the main MO2 window, otherwise you won't be able to perform the reinstall later.
- ✅Enable the mod.
- Feel free to reposition the mod in the list to better organize it with your other mods. Since these files were moved from their default locations, there should not be any loose file conflicts.
- You can now 🗑️Delete the temporary folder you created earlier (e.g., 🖥️C:\temp).
- ✔️You are done!
- ⤵️Proceed to section 4.6.
-
NOTE – This may take a minute to copy as the file size for this mod is quite large.
¶ 4.6. Installing Unofficial Patches
The following patches are recommended due to the number of mods which also require them as masters, however, these require some consideration depending on the game version and/or CC content options you have chosen above. If you decide to install these, follow the steps below.
¶ 4.6.1. Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch (USSEP)
⏩️Skip to section 4.6.2 if using a 🧀Wabbajack modlist (as the proper version should have already been included) or simply do NOT wish to install USSEP, otherwise, proceed. This mod should need no introduction for veteran modders (for various reasons...), but it resolves literally thousands of gameplay, quest, and stability issues, and is an essential mod for nearly every modern modlist.
🔥ADVISORY – Beyond its standalone fixes, USSEP is a critical dependency for many mods. The major point of contention is that current versions of USSEP require the four free Creation Club (CC) mods included with Skyrim 1.6, which some users prefer to keep disabled. Instead, these players revert to using USSEP version 4.2.5b because it was the final release for Skyrim 1.5.97 and therefore does not require CC masters, however, using this version is STRONGLY DISCOURAGED (↕️Expand the 💡Additional Information block for details).
💡Additional information: (↕️Expand for details)
USSEP Version 4.2.5b is strongly discouraged because modern mods may rely on USSEP records that simply do not exist in older versions, leading to stability issues and even crashes (CTDs). As a legacy file from the 1.5.97 era (August 2021), version 4.2.5b has not been updated to reflect Skyrim's official game updates, and USSEP itself has had many revisions as well to address engine changes and new bug discoveries. Using version 4.2.5b all but assures issues over time with any mods that are based on version 1.6 master files.
The latest version of USSEP is always recommended for a modern load order, which is possible even if a ⏳Downgrade was performed using this guide since we have carried over updated master files. That said, since the latest version now requires all four free CC mods as masters, disabling any of them means you CAN NOT use it and must use 4.2.5b as a fallback. Therefore, to ensure maximum compatibility and stability of your load order, you should keep the four free CC mods enabled to support the latest USSEP version. For those that really don't want to use them, note that you can simply decline the in-game prompt for Survival Mode, and can additionally ignore fishing altogether, leaving only 2 remaining CC mods which themselves are minimal in scope. While I have provided steps for using 4.2.5b below, it is a significantly less stable path for a modern load order for the reasons stated!
🔢Section Options:
🔍Review the listed options below. Choose only one and follow its steps (↕️Expand the 📜Instructions block).
¶ 4.6.1.1. Option 1: All free CC content enabled
If you have enabled ALL of the 4 free CC DLC mods (Survival Mode, Saints & Seducers, Rare Curios, and Fishing), then you CAN use the most recent version of USSEP.
📜Instructions: (↕️Expand for details)
- 📥Download the latest version from the 🔗main mod page FILES tab using the Mod manager download button.
- NOTE – If you performed a ⏳Downgrade as part of this guide, IGNORE any/all messaging on the mod page indicating that the mod "requires SSE v1.6.1130+" (or similar)! The updated masters and CC files prepared will support this version!
- 🛠️Install and ✅Enable the mod.
- ✔️You are done!
- ⤵️Proceed to section 4.6.2.
¶ 4.6.1.2. Option 2: At least one CC mod disabled
If you have disabled ANY of the free CC DLC mods (Survival Mode, Saints & Seducers, Rare Curios, or Fishing), then you will NOT be able to use the most recent version of USSEP.
📜Instructions: (↕️Expand for details)
- 📥Download version 4.2.5b of USSEP via 🔗this link.
- Be sure to click the Start download button on the following page after clcking the link to download into your mod manager.
- 🛠️Install and ✅Enable the mod.
- ✔️You are done!
- ⤵️Proceed to section 4.6.2.
¶ 4.6.2. Unofficial Skyrim Creation Club Content Patches (USCCCP)
⏩️Skip to section 4.7 if you do NOT own the Anniversary Upgrade, did NOT install USSEP (above, as it is a requirement), or are using a 🧀Wabbajack modlist (as the proper version should have already been included, if applicable), otherwise, proceed. This mod fixes many bugs with the Anniversary Upgrade Creation Club content, and has a few other mods which use it as masters.
💡Additional information: (↕️Expand for details)
As of version 8.x, this mod has re-implemented a FOMOD installer, which will detect which CC mods you have installed to apply applicable patches. There is also a single, merged plugin for those that have all CC mods enabled and prefer to keep their plugin count down. Due to this, the steps below now cover all users.
- 📥Download the latest version from the 🔗main mod page FILES tab using the Mod manager download button.
- Be sure to click any additional download buttons on the following page if the mod does not start downloading automatically.
- 🛠️Install and ✅Enable the mod.
- ✔️You are done!
¶ 4.7. (Optional) Install Bethini Pie
⏩️Skip to section 4.8 if you do not want to install this tool, or already have it installed, otherwise, follow the steps below (↕️Expand the 📜Instructions block). Bethini Pie is a tool that makes editing INI configuration files simple via a graphical user interface. In particular we want to apply recommended tweaks, which can in some cases drastically improve game performance. NOTE – The steps below for configuring a tool or executable follow the instructions in the guides referenced in ⬆️section 4.2.2 (Mod manager fundamentals). Refer to those guides if you are unfamiliar with the process.
📜Instructions: (↕️Expand for details)
- 📥Download the latest version from the 🔗main mod page FILES tab.
- Ensure you click the Manual download link (this will not install with your mod manager).
- When completed, open this file from your web browser downloads folder (it is a 🗜️.7z file).
- 📦Extract the contents of the file into a folder of your choosing, ideally in a location which contains (or will contain) other modding tools. For example, if you extract this to 🖥️C:\Modding\Tools\, you should now see a folder called 🖥️C:\Modding\Tools\Bethini Pie.
- ⚙️Configure a new tool/executable using the following options:
- 🔶Vortex users (Optional – This can be launched directly if desired)
- Target – Browse to the Bethini Pie application.
- Name – give this a name (e.g., Bethini Pie).
- Start In – This should automatically populate with the Bethini Pie folder.
- Command Line – Leave this blank.
- Click Save.
- 🔷Mod Organizer 2 users
- Binary – Browse to the Bethini Pie application.
- Title – give this a name (e.g., Bethini Pie).
- Start in – This should automatically populate with the Bethini Pie folder.
- Arguments – Leave this blank.
- Click OK.
- 🚀️Launch Bethini Pie using the tool/executable created, or (for Vortex Users) via the direct file path if you did not create one.
- If this is your first time using the software, it will likely walk you through game selection and initial setup.
- Be sure to select Skyrim Special Edition from the list.
- The Game Path and INI Path fields on the Setup window should auto populate. You should not need to modify anything here (even if you are an MO2 user).
- Once the main window is shown, the Basic tab should be displayed. Under the Presets section, the following actions are recommended:
- Click the Reset to Default button
- Click one of the 5 quality preset buttons based on your system (Poor/Low/Medium/High/Ultra). You can select either the 🟣 Bethini Preset or 🟣 Vanilla Preset radio button (Bethini recommended).
- Click the Apply Recommended Tweaks button.
- Next, set your in-game resolution and Display Mode (Borderless Window recommended).
- Feel free to browse other settings within the program.
- 💾Save (via the File > Save menu) and then ❌Exit the program.
- ✔️You are done!
- ⤵️Proceed to section 4.8.
¶ 4.8. Prevent interior loading crashes
This 📄Skyrim.ini setting is included to help prevent crashes when loading interior cells, especially when they are heavily modded. You'll need to add this manually even if you installed Bethini PIE above because custom values are not supported (unlike the original Bethini), and this setting is not included as part of its recommended tweaks.
💡Additional information: (↕️Expand for details)
This setting (uInterior Cell Buffer) manages how the engine stores previously-visited interior cells in memory. In heavily modded setups—especially those using JK's Interiors or Lux, among others—the engine can become overwhelmed when trying to manage this buffer alongside high-poly meshes and complex lighting, which can cause crashes. For the original discovery and community discussion behind this fix, you can view the full thread on Reddit here: 🔗Possibly the Greatest Discovery for Solving Random Crashes.
⚜️Author's note – Adding this setting drastically improved my own load order stability. It effectively eliminated nearly 100% of the random crashes I experienced when entering buildings or dungeons, which is why I consider it an essential inclusion for this guide.
🧩Mod Manager-Specific Steps:
The steps below depend on the mod manager chosen. Choose only one option and follow its steps (↕️Expand the 📜Instructions block).
¶ 4.8.1. Option 1: Vortex
📜Instructions: (↕️Expand for details)
- Open your 📁Documents\My Games\Skyrim Special Edition folder. This is typically on the 🖥️C:\ drive, but your setup may differ.
- This can be done quickly by clicking the Open… icon in the Vortex main application toolbar and selecting Game Settings Folder.
- Edit the 📄Skyrim.ini file in a text editor.
- Modify the following line under the [General] section. If the value does not exist, you will need to add it manually (📋Copy & ↴️ Paste the line below).
- uInterior Cell Buffer=0
- 💾Save and ❌Close the file.
- ✔️You are done!
- ⤵️Proceed to section 4.9.
¶ 4.8.2. Option 2: Mod Organizer 2
📜Instructions: (↕️Expand for details)
- From the Tools > Tool Plugins menu of the main menu bar, click the INI Editor entry (this can also be found in the puzzle icon in the main toolbar).
- Click the skyrim.ini tab on the window that appears.
- Optionally, ensure the ⬛ Show Whitespace checkbox is unchecked. If not, your spaces will look like dots and it may be confusing.
- Modify the following line under the [General] section. If the value does not exist, you will need to add it manually (📋Copy & ↴️ Paste the line below).
- uInterior Cell Buffer=0
- Click the Save button at the bottom.
- ❌Close the window.
- ✔️You are done!
- ⤵️Proceed to section 4.9.
¶ 4.9. Update system pagefile settings
Skyrim is notoriously quirky compared to modern games in that it will utilize the Windows pagefile (virtual memory) regardless of how much physical RAM you have installed. If Windows is left to manage this file automatically (which it does by default), it will constantly grow the file as needed, which often results in noticeable stuttering and frame-hitching during gameplay. In extreme cases, it can even cause the game to crash to the desktop without an error. The steps below will instruct you on how to properly configure this for Skyrim, which is especially important for larger modlists.
- 📋Copy & ↴️ Paste the following into the Windows Run dialog (🪟Win + R):
- sysdm.cpl ,3
- In the Performance box, click the Settings… button.
- Click the Advanced tab.
- In the Virtual memory box, click the Change… button.
- Ensure the ⬛ Automatically manage paging file size for all drives checkbox is unchecked.
- Select your fastest drive from the list in the Paging file size for each drive box (ideally the one Skyrim is installed on).
- Select the 🟣 Custom size option and enter the values below.
- It is highly recommended to set BOTH minimum and maximum values to 40GB (40960 MB). This is the standard for Skyrim modding. This reserves the entire 40GB of space for paging, preventing growth spurts which can result in stuttering or crashing.
- If you are low on space, don't want to reserve 40GB at all times, or plan on running a light(er) modlist, set the minimum value to at least 20GB (20480 MB). For the maximum value, you can set anywhere between this value and 40GB, however, any value used higher than the minimum will likely stay allocated until a full system restart (shutting down with fast startup enabled does not count), so it really makes the most sense to set both values equally.
- Click the Set button (do not skip this!).
- (Optional) If you have just created your paging file above on a separate drive than your previous paging file(s), it is recommended to remove the old file(s) altogether to ensure all paging is on a single disk. To do this, select the drive in the list, select the 🟣 No paging file radio button and then click the Set button. Repeat for any additional drives.
- Click OK.
- ✔️You are done!
- NOTE – A reboot is required for the pagefile update to take effect, however, this only needs to be performed at some point prior to starting your actual playthrough.
¶ 5. Verify installation
After all of this prep work, you're finally ready to test launching the game from your mod manager and verify SKSE is working.
¶ 5.1. Launch Skyrim
When using SKSE, you MUST launch the game via the SKSE launcher to ensure your mods load and function correctly. While this section and the next are focused on verifying your SKSE installation, this will be how you will launch the game every time you play moving forward.
🧩Mod Manager-Specific Steps:
The steps below depend on the mod manager chosen. Choose only one option and follow its steps (↕️Expand the 📜Instructions block).
¶ 5.1.1. Option 1: Vortex
📜Instructions: (↕️Expand for details)
- 🚀️Launch Vortex if it is not already open.
- 🌀Deploy mods.
- Click the Play button icon in the main SSE graphic at the top of the Vortex Application to launch Skyrim.
- ✔️You are done!
- ⤵️Proceed to section 5.2.
¶ 5.1.2. Option 2: Mod Organizer 2
📜Instructions: (↕️Expand for details)
- 🚀️Launch MO2 if it is not already open.
- Select the SKSE executable you set up in previous steps (or that came with your 🧀Wabbajack installation) from the executables dropdown list. For example:
- Click the ▶ Run button.
- ✔️You are done!
- ⤵️Proceed to section 5.2.
¶ 5.2. Verify SKSE is running
Once in the game, you will need to make sure SKSE is loaded properly. You can do this with a console command. Follow the steps below.
✋NOTICE – If you receive the error Script command "getskseversion" not found. when running the command below, you will need to revisit steps above relating to SKSE to find where the issue is. MO2 users may need to review ⬆️section 4.3.1.2 as well to ensure folders have been set up correctly for use with Root Builder.
- Once Skyrim is open, at the main menu, press the Tilde/Grave (~/`) key (typically located directly to the left of the 1 key) to open the in-game console. Do not start or load a game.
- NOTE – On custom or compact keyboards, this key is often shared with Esc. You may need to use a function combination, such as FN + Esc to trigger it. On non-US keyboards, this may be in a different position.
- With the console open, type getskseversion and press Enter.
- This should show the SKSE version number.
- 🧠REMEMBER THIS VERSION OF SKSE!🧠 While this should be visible in your mod manager (under the Version column), this is the version which may be referred to by other mods when noting their compatibility (e.g., "Compatible with SKSE 2.0.20"). You don't have to commit this to memory, just remember where to find it before grabbing additional mods which require SKSE to prevent crashes.
- ❌Exit Skyrim by typing qqq in the console and pressing Enter.
- ✔️You are done!
¶ 6. Next Steps
Now that you have verified your Skyrim installation and confirmed that your core mods are working, you are ready to start modding. To help you on your journey, the sections below provide key information, recommended mods, and supplemental guides to get you started and serve as a quick reference and roadmap for building out your modlist. Since the rest of the information in this guide is purely for reference and support, feel free to 🔖Bookmark this page for later or ⏭️Skip to section 7 for additional resources and troubleshooting information.
¶ 6.1. Version and compatibility notes
This section outlines how to verify compatibility and select the correct version of a mod for your specific setup, along with information on reviewing dependencies and checking for known issues on the mod page (↕️Expand the 📖Continue reading block).
📖Continue Reading: (↕️Expand for details)
¶ 6.1.1. Version selection
Compatibility rules are different depending on the type of file the mod is. This could be an SKSE plugin (.dll file), a game plugin (.esm, .esp, .esl), or something else. Review the details below to understand how to identify the correct files for your game version and platform.
¶ 6.1.1.1. SKSE plugins (.dll)
Because SKSE plugins interact directly with Skyrim's memory, they are extremely version-sensitive. To ensure your game launches, you must use mods which are compatible with your version of SKSE! While some version matching is obvious—with specific game versions listed directly in the file download—many modern mods use non-obvious methods to maintain compatibility across multiple versions of the game. Review the information below for details on how to select the right plugin version for your current setup.
✋NOTICE – Just because a mod indicates it requires SKSE, doesn't mean it is an SKSE plugin—the mod author may just be listing a requirement of one of its other requirements. To confirm if a mod truly is an SKSE plugin, you can click Preview file contents from the mod's download page and search for .dll.
💡Additional information: (↕️Expand for details)
Traditionally, SKSE plugins were hard-coded for one specific version of Skyrim and SKSE (e.g., a mod built exclusively for 1.5.97 / SKSE 2.0.17). This required the mod to be updated each and every time a Skyrim game update was released, leading to an unfortunate number of mods that were never updated if, for example, a mod author stepped away from Skyrim modding.
To solve this, many modern mods are built using Address Library. This allows a plugin to be compatible across multiple versions of the same major release. For example, a single 📄.dll file can support the entire 1.6.x range (including Steam and GOG) without needing separate files for every minor game update. One important limitation, however, is that Address Library alone cannot bridge the gap between major game versions like 1.5.97 and 1.6.x. If a mod author wants to support both of these versions, they must provide a separate download for each.
Alternatively, to overcome this limitation, mods can be built using the CommonLibSSE framework (or the newer CommonLibSSE-NG, with those mods often denoted with NG in the title). This framework is the most versatile and expands compatibility even further, allowing a single 📄.dll to support multiple game versions simultaneously. This includes 1.5.97, 1.6.x, and even Skyrim VR, with a single download. This level of support is not automatic, however, as it still requires the mod author to intentionally build the plugin to support each intended version of the game.
While the above methods improve compatibility dramatically, they can sometimes make it difficult to determine which version of a mod to download for your setup, or if it is even compatible with yours. Mod descriptions are not always updated to reflect compatibility with newer Skyrim releases, and not all functionality can be provided to a plugin using the above frameworks, leaving some authors unable to use them. Because it is not always clear what level of current and future support a mod has, it is essential to always check mod requirements and user comments carefully.
- Obvious compatibility: These are the most straightforward ways to confirm compatibility with your current setup, and can include the following:
- Explicit version matching: This is when your version or build is mentioned on the description or files page (e.g., "1.5.97" or "GOG version 1.6.1179"). If your version is listed, it is compatible.
- Explicit range matching: This is when a range of game versions or builds is mentioned on the description or files page and your version is listed directly as the start, end, or in the middle of that stated range (e.g., "1.6.640 to 1.6.1170" or "1.6.1170 and above" which would match if you are using 1.6.1170 since it is directly listed). If so, it is compatible.
- Non-obvious compatibility: These require a bit more investigation when your specific version is not explicitly included in the mod description or file list, making compatibility unclear at a glance. For example, if you are running version 1.6.1170 and the download page states a file is compatible with "version 1.6.640 to 1.6.1130", or perhaps a mod page says "Steam version 1.6.x" and you are using GOG version 1.6.1179—is it compatible? The below steps will help you to determine if the plugin will work:
- Check for dependencies: Look at the mod's requirement section for Address Library or for a mention of CommonLibSSE in the mod description. If a mod lists a version range that does not explicitly include yours, or if your version number is higher than what is listed, these dependencies are a strong indicator of compatibility. Omissions are often just a result of the author not updating the text for the latest patch. These frameworks generally allow a plugin to work across the same major release chain (such as all 1.6.x versions) regardless of whether the specific build number is listed, so if your version is part of that major release, it should also work assuming your version is not earlier than the minimum version listed. This applies to GOG versions as well.
- Additional GOG nuances: The latest GOG version (1.6.1179) is technically numerically higher than the latest Steam version (1.6.1170). If a mod is labeled "1.6.1170 and above" or "1.6.x," this implies at minimum Address Library support (because no specific end boundary is defined), so the mod is almost certainly also compatible with GOG. This also includes mods that contain ranges alongside a "Steam" label, such as 🔗MCM Helper indicating "1.6.1130+ (Steam)". Because Address Library is platform-agnostic, the GOG version should still be compatible in these cases despite the Steam-specific labeling.
- Inspect FOMOD installer: If you are still not sure, look for a FOMOD installer. If the installer requires you to manually select a specific game version and does not provide an option for yours, the mod is likely hard-coded. In these cases, the plugin is strictly tied to the versions listed and will likely cause a crash if used on a newer or different version. To determine this without downloading the mod, you can click the Preview file contents link under a file download. In the list of files that is displayed, search for .dll. If there are multiple copies of a mod's 📄.dll file listed under different folders of the same branch (e.g., seeing folders for both 1.6.640 and 1.6.1170 listed), there may not be compatibility.
- Review user feedback: Check the POSTS and BUGS tabs on the mod page. Because mod descriptions are often static, other users will frequently leave comments confirming if the current version functions or not with a specific game version if not listed on the mod page.
- Install and test: When in doubt - install and test for your version. If the game loads without an error, you will next want to try installing and enabling a mod which uses it as a dependency to ensure it also loads properly and functions in-game. This process does not take that long and can often be faster than researching compatibility from other sources.
- Compatibility alternatives: If a mod is confirmed to be incompatible with your version of SKSE or Skyrim, you may still be able to find a replacement or a community-made fix. It is common for other authors to release patches or separate versions that overwrite the original mod's files to provide the necessary compatibility. This is frequent in the VR community and with GOG-specific fixes (such as the 🔗RaceMenu fix for GOG). To find these, check the Mods requiring this file section under the Requirements section on the original mod page. Look for entries listed as patches/fixes or include the version you are using in the name (e.g., VR, SSE, or GOG) to provide the specific version support you need.
¶ 6.1.1.2. Non-SKSE plugins (.esm, .esp, .esl)
These mods should have universal compatibility with all game versions so long as you are using updated SSE master files (e.g., best of both worlds) and 🔗BEES (SSE) or 🔗ESL Support (VR) where applicable. In this case, even if you are running Skyrim VR (version 1.4.15) or have performed a ⏳Downgrade (for example, to version 1.5.97), if a mod (such as USSEP) indicates it "requires 1.6.1130 or greater", you can still use it without issue.
¶ 6.1.1.3. All other files
Similar to non-SKSE plugins, most other file types do not present compatibility issues. This can include assets like models and textures, UI files, and pre-made configuration files. These are generally compatible across all versions of both Skyrim and even Skyrim VR. It is important to note, however, that certain mods are developed with a specific version's layout in mind, or to address a fix which only applies to one game version. For example, a UI mod may technically function for both Skyrim and Skyrim VR but fail to display correctly or fit the screen in one of them. Always verify that a mod's intended visual or functional design aligns with your specific version of the game.
¶ 6.1.2. Review the mod page
Taking a few moments to fully review a mod page can prevent hours of troubleshooting later.
- Mod description page: The mod description page (the DESCRIPTION tab) is your primary source for installation instructions and compatibility notes. Read this thoroughly before every download.
- Requirements: Always be sure to 📥Download and 🛠️Install all listed Nexus requirements and Off-site requirements (found in the Requirements section at the top of the description page). Additionally, review the list of Mods requiring this file, if any, to see if any patches or fixes are listed which are applicable to your setup. Finally, don't forget to check the requirements of the requirements!
- Bugs and posts tabs: Review the BUGS tab for unaddressed issues and the POSTS tab for recent community feedback or pinned comments by the mod author. If a mod has a wall of unaddressed bugs or a locked comment section, it may be a sign the mod is outdated or no longer maintained.
¶ 6.2. Recommended mods
The mods listed below are recommended, but optional. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but the mods included are generally considered essential, including key bug fixes and improvements which focus on enhancing gameplay or introducing features that align more closely with modern gaming standards. Mods that are highly subjective, or require complex setup or heavy patching—such as those affecting settlements, NPCs, combat, animations, system overhauls (cooking, alchemy, etc.), followers, environments, and so on—have been omitted. The descriptions for each come from the mod pages with minor adjustments for clarity. 🔍Review the list of mods below and 📥Download and 🛠️Install any you would like to use (↕️Expand each respective category block).
✋NOTICE – For all of the mods listed below, I have already tested SKSE compatibility with version 1.6.1170 of Skyrim. Unless otherwise noted, always select your version-specific download or the latest release if your version is not directly provided. For more information on SKSE version selection, see the compatibility notes in ⬆️section 6.1.1.1 (SKSE plugins (.dll)) above.
⚙️Core mods / Frameworks: (↕️Expand for details)
- Important framework mods
- 🔗powerofthree's Tweaks
- 🔗powerofthree's Papyrus Extender
- 🔗JContainers SE
- 🔗PapyrusUtil SE - Modders Scripting Utility Functions
- 🔗Spell Perk Item Distributor (SPID)
- 🔗Base Object Swapper (BOS)
- 🔗Keyword Item Distributor (KID)
- 🔗ConsoleUtil Extended
- 🔗Fuz Ro D-oh - Silent Voice
- 🔗MCM Helper
- 🔗Scaleform Translation Plus Plus NG
- 🔗InfinityUI
- 🔗SSE Display Tweaks
- 🔗Skyrim Priority SE AE - CPU Performance FPS Optimizer
- 🔗Crash Logger SSE AE VR - PDB support
- 🔗PrivateProfileRedirector SE - Faster game start (INI file cacher)
Modding frameworks are tools and libraries that expand Skyrim's modding capabilities. Since many mods require these frameworks to function properly, I've listed some of the most widely used ones below. These are all SKSE plugins. Again, be sure to download the files specifically for your game version of Skyrim and/or SKSE version, where applicable.
Make sure no mods ever overwrite the up-to-date version of PapyrusUtil with an outdated version!
SKSE plugin. Unlocks the 60 fps frame cap. Also Includes a physics fix, borderless fullscreen performance boost, refresh rate control, highly configurable frame rate limiting, various bug fixes and more.
SKSE plugin. Elevate the CPU Priority of the game process. Increase FPS and Prevent stutters caused by other processes.
SKSE plugin. Generates crash logs which are vital in helping to determine the root cause of any crash(es).
SKSE plugin. Speeds up game start by storing INI files in memory instead of opening, parsing and closing the file each time some value from it is needed. Not available for all versions of Skyrim. This mod will have more of an effect on larger load orders.
🗺️User Interface: (↕️Expand for details)
- 🔗SkyUI
- Many UI mods (including those below) are made with the default Skyrim UI in mind, and will require patches to match to your other UI elements if you are not using SkyUI! They will still work, but will look like the default UI. Read mod page requirements and check the Mods requiring this file section under the Requirements section on each mod description page to see if there are any patches for your UI mod of choice.
- If you are using ultrawide resolutions (21:9, 32:9), you MUST look for a specific ultrawide version of these mods, otherwise the scaling will be incorrect! Some mods mistakenly label ultrawide versions/fixes as "widescreen", which, although frustrating, is a useful search term when looking for patches, and the above method can be used as well. That said, if you are using game version 1.6.1130 or higher, you will likely also need to 📥Download and 🛠️Install 🔗Widescreen Scale Removed for 1-6-1130 and higher to fix ULTRAWIDE scaling.
- 🔗Quest Journal Fix for SkyUI (1.6.1130+ only)
- 🔗RaceMenu
- For version 1.6.1170, 📥Download, 🛠️Install, and ✅Enable the latest (Anniversary Edition) version from the Main files section of the FILES tab.
- For all other versions, if updated masters were prepared, we want to ensure that you are using the latest version of RaceMenu with the proper SKSE plugin files for your game version. Perform the following:
- 📥Download the latest (Anniversary Edition) version from the Main files section of the FILES tab using the Mod manager download button.
- 🛠️Install and ✅Enable the mod
- Next, 📥Download the latest file for your specific game version (🔗1.5.97 | 🔗1.6.640 | 🔗other versions) – These are manual file downloads so will not be found in your mod manager. NOTE – If your game version file is NOT directly linked above, you will have to review the Old files section of the FILES tab to find and download it. Sort by Date uploaded desc to sort from newest to oldest. Be sure to click the Manual download button for that version.
- 📦Extract the files from this download to a temporary folder.
- Open the temporary folder, and 🗑️Delete the 📄RaceMenu.bsa, 📄RaceMenu.esp, and 📄RaceMenuPlugin.esp files (we only need the 📁SKSE folder and the files inside of it).
- Re-zip the file with the name RaceMenu 1.5.97 SKSE files, or similar for your version, and 👆Drag into your mod manager.
- 🛠️Install and ✅Enable the mod, ensuring all files load AFTER the latest AE version to overwrite its SKSE plugin files with the ones we've just prepared.
- ✔️You are done!
- For all other versions, if updated masters were NOT prepared, 📥Download, 🛠️Install, and ✅Enable the latest file for your specific game version ( 🔗1.5.97 | 🔗1.6.640 | 🔗other versions). NOTE – If your game version file is NOT directly linked above, you will have to review the Old files section of the FILES tab to find and download it. Sort by Date uploaded desc to sort from newest to oldest. Be sure to click the Mod manager download button to download directly into your mod manager.
- 🔗TrueHUD
- 🔗SkyHUD
- 🔗SmoothCam
- 🔗Wheeler
- 🔗moreHUD SE
- 🔗moreHUD Inventory Edition
- 🔗Oxygen Meter 2
- 🔗Compass Navigation Overhaul
- 🔗Quest Journal Overhaul
- 🔗QuickLoot IE - A QuickLoot EE Fork
- 🔗Show Player In Menus
- 🔗Detection Meter
- 🔗Security Overhaul SKSE - Lock Variations OR 🔗Skyblivion Lockpick Menu
- 🔗Local Map Upgrade
- 🔗The Dragonborn's Bestiary
- 🔗Favorites Menu Effects Description
- 🔗Subtitles OR 🔗Floating Subtitles
- 🔗Tween Menu Overhaul
- 🔗Casting Bar
- 🔗Dynamic Location Pop-ups
- 🔗Modern Wait Menu
- 🔗Dialogue History
- 🔗Skyrim Souls RE - Updated
SKSE plugin. Elegant, PC-friendly interface mod with many advanced features. There are other alternatives out there (such as 🔗Dear Diary, 🔗Nordic UI, 🔗Untarnished UI, 🔗Edge UI, and 🔗Norden UI to name a few) but SkyUI provides the most compatibility with other mods out of the box.
Special Notes:
Fixes the issue with 1.6.1130 and above that prevents the difficulty setting from saving in the SkyUI menu. Includes patches for many other UI mods as well. NOTE – This is only for game version 1.6.1130 and above, so is NOT required if a downgrade was performed.
SKSE plugin. Complete overhaul to the character creation menu including new customization features such as multiple RGBA warpaints, body paints, hand paint, and foot paints. Is required for additional mods which add more character customization options.
Special Notes:
SKSE plugin. HUD additions, including customizable actor info bars, boss bars, player widget, and recent loot log.
Toggle HUD elements on or off, scale sizes, change positions and swap elements with alternative version. Features dot crosshair, slim compass, alternate ammo display, detached compass markers and built-in support for font mods.
SKSE plugin. A highly configurable third-person camera, with smooth frame-interpolation and a raycasting crosshair to help you aim. Check Mods requiring this file under the Requirements section of the main page to see user-created presets that can be used with this mod.
SKSE plugin. Embeds a quick action wheel seamlessly into Skyrim's gameplay, providing a convenient interface for accurate and customized access and usage of spells, weapons, powers, shouts, potions, and poisons in the inventory. Many users are reporting issues with this mod as of late, but YMMV.
SKSE plugin. Adds more information to the HUD about the currently targeted object and enemies. Such as ingredients, weapon effects, potions, read books, v/w, enemy level, etc.
SKSE plugin. This mod brings some features from moreHUD into the inventory menu. From your inventory you can now see if enchantments are known by the player and other features. Also increases the Item Card size for mods that have long effect descriptions.
SKSE plugin. Adds a new oxygen meter to the game for when you are underwater.
SKSE plugin. This mod adds quality-of-life features and improvements to the compass. This includes names of items on the compass, their distance, and any associated quests with each of the markers, to name its major features.
SKSE plugin. A complete revamp of the quest journal, bringing it up to modern standards with quest categorization, location tracking, and the ability to hide completed quests.
SKSE plugin. Adds a looting menu similar to the one present in Fallout 4 and Starfield. This is a fork of QuickLoot EE which adds new features, fixes bugs, and incorporates native compatibility for mods that previously needed patches.
SKSE plugin. Mod that allows you to see and rotate the player character in menus.
SKSE plugin. Mod that adds Ubisoft style detection meters for stealth. If you are using game version 1.6.1130 or higher, you must ALSO download 🔗Detection Meter - AE Support and overwrite the 📄.dll file from the original mod.
SKSE plugins. Both of these mods overhaul the lockpicking system in Skyrim. Choose only one. The former replaces overused lock models with unique lock variants. Check the description page under the Related Mods section for a list of other mods which cover additional locks. The latter is a complete overhaul of the lockpicking system inspired by Oblivion.
SKSE plugin. Overhauls the local maps. Placing custom markers in interiors, color keeping the fog of war, and some other fixes and improvements. Customizable.
SKSE plugin. Adds a new custom menu to the game. Collect information about the creatures you encounter, learn their strengths and weaknesses, and keep track of your feats with kill, summon and transformation counters. This mod appears to be currently suffering from crashes and needs to be updated, but YMMV.
SKSE plugin. Displays effects description for Spells, Potions, Food, and Enchanted Weapons directly in the Favorites Menu. Check description for UI mod compatibility patches.
SKSE plugins. Both of these mods improve in-game subtitles. Choose only one. The former shows up to 4 subtitles (from different NPCs) at the same time. The latter shows floating subtitles over each NPCs head, supporting any number of NPCs talking, but has a few additional dependencies.
SKSE plugin. A complete overhaul of the Tween Menu, introducing the ability to add new shortcuts to other game menus. Available in two distinct versions.
SKSE plugin. Adds a progress bar for spell casting, shouting, and drawing a bow.
SKSE plugin. Display location name with music jingle when entering already discovered locations.
SKSE plugin. Complete overhaul and redesign of Skyrims Wait & Rest Menu inspired by modern UI elements in games like Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3.
SKSE plugin. Keep track of your conversations with Dialogue History.
SKSE plugin. Unpauses game menus. Updated and fixed version.
🧱Models / Textures: (↕️Expand for details)
- 🔗Static Mesh Improvement Mod - SMIM
A massive project to greatly improve the appearance of countless static 3D models in Skyrim. This is an essential base mod for every mod list, so allow other mods to overwrite its files, as needed.
🧙Immersion / Gameplay: (↕️Expand for details)
- Alternate start mods
- 🔗Ralof or Hadvar (alternate start)
- 🔗Alternate Perspective - Alternate Start
- 🔗Alternate Start - Live Another Life
- 🔗Realm of Lorkhan - Freeform Alternate Start
- 🔗Skyrim Unbound Reborn (Alternate Start)
- 🔗Prisoner Cart Opening Fix SE and AE
- 🔗Survival Mode Prompt Removed (script) OR 🔗Survival Mode No Prompt (.esp)
- 🔗True Directional Movement
- 🔗Experience
- 🔗Improved Camera
- 🔗Better Third Person Selection
- 🔗Better Jumping
- 🔗Classic Sprinting Redone
- 🔗Horses Simply Turn Better
- 🔗Death Drop Overhaul
- 🔗Ricochet - Arrow Physics Framework
- 🔗Next-Gen Decapitations
- 🔗Dragons Fall Down - Immersive Airborne Death OR 🔗Dragons (Actually) Fall Down
- 🔗No Spinning Death Animation SE
If you're tired of replaying the intro sequence each time you start a new game, or simply want a fresh experience, alternate start mods can provide that. Those most widely used have been listed below.
Skip the vanilla start and be directly prompted to choose whether to follow Ralof or Hadvar, after which you will enter Helgen Keep with your selected NPC.
Experience Helgen's Destruction from the viewpoint of a Helgen citizen. Download the Classic Start optional file to skip background selection and automatically choose this default start. Be sure to also download the 🔗Alternate Perspective - Voiced Addon to fully voice all NPCs in this mod. When using this, 🔗Fuz Ro D-oh - Silent Voice is no longer required (though you can still download it if you need it for other mods).
Provides an alternative means to start the game for those who do not wish to go through the lengthy intro sequence at Helgen. Requires updated SSE masters to use as it relies on the updated CC content plugins.
Starts the player in an alternate realm, rather than the default execution scene opening.
An alternate start mod with a wide range of options, including an ability to play as a non-Dragonborn character.
If you prefer the vanilla opening sequence, or plan to otherwise select this sequence from one of the mods above, this mod fixes the prisoner cart opening scene from chaotically flipping and bouncing around all over the place when lots of mods are loaded. Check optional files for patches (likely SMIM for most users).
These mods disable the prompt in-game to enable CC Survival Mode. While both options are functionally the same, the 📄.esp version (flagged as an ESL) provides a script-free alternative, which many users prefer. Choose only one. The mods both allow you to keep CC Survival Mode in your load order so that other mods with dependencies (such as latest versions of USSEP) can load properly without actually enabling any of its functionality. Other survival mods do not rely on CC Survival Mode, so if you don't intend to use it, it will save you from being prompted to enable it. If using the script version, grab the Survival Mode - Disable Permanently file from the FILES tab.
SKSE plugin. Overhauls the third person gameplay similarly to modern action RPGs. Move and attack in any direction. Includes a custom target lock component and an animated target reticle widget, target headtracking, projectile aim support during target lock, mount support and more!
SKSE plugin. Level up through quests and exploration - skills no longer affect your character level. This dramatically changes how playing Skyrim feels. Note that you will also need a patch for your chosen UI mod to fix the stats (perk tree) menu.
SKSE plugin. Improved Camera enables the 1st person body and allows for typically forced 3rd person animations also to be played in 1st person.
SKSE plugin. Rewrites Skyrim's crosshair selection to work more like true 3rd person RPGs.
SKSE plugin. Allows jumping while sprinting.
SKSE plugin. Makes sprinting behave the same way as it did in old Skyrim. Grab this if you would prefer to hold the sprint button instead of toggling it.
Makes horses turn much better.
SKSE plugin. This mod completely reworks how equipment behaves on death. Weapons and shields drop naturally with momentum, stay sheathed when not drawn, and interact seamlessly with the environment.
SKSE plugin. This framework enables realistic arrow and bolt ricochets, with fracture and impact systems, automatic retrieval, and global modifiers (speed, gravity, arrows on the ground or in bodies and more).
SKSE plugin. Fixes all known decapitation-related crashes, including those caused by RaceMenu overlays or NPC appearance overhauls. It also adds features like helmet ejection, customizable head spin effects and many more.
Both of these mods make it so that dragons that die while airborne immediately ragdoll and plummet to their deaths instead of first landing. Choose only one. The latter claims to properly use gravity to calculate momentum when falling, which also ensures they don't get stuck floating if killed when hovering. Pair with 🔗Dragon Ragdoll Sounds so that they make a sound when crashing into the ground.
This will simply remove the spinning around dance animation that they do before dying. They will now just ragdoll when killed. Works for kills and dying from a high fall. It will not affect killmoves.
🍺Quality of Life: (↕️Expand for details)
- 🔗No Silly Physics Damage - Carts Pots Bones etc
- 🔗Auto Input Switch
- 🔗Keyboard Shortcuts Fix
You will no longer lose HP when walking on dynamic objects such as bones or when walking towards a cart.
SKSE plugin. The base game does not allow you to use your mouse with your gamepad plugged in. Now you can switch between them painlessly.
SKSE plugin. Enables keyboards shortcuts in-game. Alt-F4, volume keys, etc.
🐛Bug Fixes: (↕️Expand for details)
- Large script / bug fix compilations
- 🔗Ultimate Optimized Scripts Compilation (UOSC)
- 🔶Vortex users - You will need to grab either of the SKSE-friendly versions listed (depending on whether or not you use USSEP) because Vortex does not like when other mods attempt to overwrite SKSE files (in this case, 📄ObjectReference.pex).
- 🔷MO2 users - Grab one of the first two main files listed (depending on whether or not you use USSEP). Do not worry about SKSE-friendly versions as MO2 does not have this issue.
- 🔗Navigator - Navmesh Fixes
- 🔗Unofficial Skyrim Modder's Patch (USMP)
- 🔗Unofficial Skyrim Modders Patch - USMP - Patch Emporium
- Load order for the above should be as follows:
- Base game masters
- CC content
- Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch (USSEP)
- Unofficial Skyrim Creation Club Content Patches (USCCCP)
- Ultimate Optimized Scripts Compilation (UOSC)
- Navigator - Navmesh Fixes
- Unofficial Skyrim Modder's Patch (USMP)
- All other 📄.esm files
- All other 📄.esp and 📄.esl files
- Patches (including USMP patches)
- 🔗Scrambled Bugs
- 🔗Bug Fixes SSE
- 🔗Papyrus Tweaks NG
- 🔗Actor Limit Fix
- 🔗Modern Brawl Bug Fix
- 🔗Dual Casting Fix
- 🔗Stagger Effect Fix
- 🔗Sprint Sneak Movement Speed Fix
- 🔗World Encounter Hostility Fix
- 🔗Equip Enchantment Fix
- 🔗NPC Stuck in Bleedout fix
- 🔗Quest Journal Limit Bug Fixer - Recover Disappeared Quests
- 🔗NPC AI Process Position Fix - NG
- If using Alternate Perspective, DO NOT enable this mod until after the intro sequence when Alduin attacks to prevent crashing during the autosave event.
- Disable the Save on Rest option in the main gameplay settings to prevent crashing.
- 🔗High Gate Ruins Puzzle Reset Fix
- 🔗College of Winterhold Quest Start Fixes
- 🔗King Olaf's Fire Festival Not Ending Fix
- 🔗Neloth's Experimental Subject Quest Fix
- 🔗Sprint Stuttering Fix
- 🔗Stealth Detection Fixes
- 🔗Inertia (Floating Gear Fix)
- 🔗Dragonactorscript infinite loop fix
- 🔗FUS RO DON'T - PushActorAway Crash Prevention Script Tweak
- 🔗Alduin Bane Fix
- 🔗Death Idle Fix
- 🔗Horse Save Load Fix
- 🔗LeveledList Crash Fix
- 🔗Motionless Rocks Killing People Fix
- 🔗Proving Honor Companions Quest Progression Fix
- 🔗Quest Fixes
- 🔗RemoveAllItems Freeze Fix
- 🔗Skyrim Cell load Freeze fix NG
- 🔗Zero Bounty Hostility Fix
- 🔗Barter Limit Fix
- 🔗Save Unbaker
- 🔗Recursion Monitor
- 🔗Animated Static Reload Fix - NG
The following mods cover a large majority of script and bug fixes for Skyrim and are recommended.
A compilation of scripts which aims to incorporate optimizations and fixes from various other script mods on Nexus with open permissions. Fully includes all scripts from 🔗Vanilla Script (micro)Optimizations and 🔗Vanilla Scripting Enhancements, so no need to download these separately unless you do not want UOSC.
A few navmesh improvements. FOMOD contains compatibility patches for other mods.
A large, community compilation of fixes for bugs, inconsistencies, and errors. Highly recommended. The mods compiled in this collection include some of the most popular bug/consistency fix and script optimization mods on the Nexus in a single package. Grab the current main file. This mod fully includes 🔗Scripts Carefully Reworked Optimized and Tactfully Enhanced (SCROTE), so it does not need to be downloaded separately.
Patches for some mods to incorporate USMP fixes into them. Run the FOMOD to select all applicable mods to patch. This mod is optional. If you don't use this, any mods that overwrite USMP files or scripts simply revert to their original, unfixed versions.
Special Notes:
SKSE plugin. A collection of engine bug fixes and patches.
SKSE plugin. Another collection of (4) engine bug fixes.
SKSE plugin. Collection of fixes, tweaks and performance improvements for Skyrim's script engine. 100% configurable. Install/Uninstall anytime. It is recommended to NOT set bSpeedUpNativeCalls = true in the 📄.ini file as many reported bugs with this mod are tied to this setting.
SKSE plugin. Increases the number of actors that can move, make facial expressions, and have their lips synced to their voice lines at any given time.
The Modern Brawl Bug Fix is the ultimate solution to brawls that break instantly or turn into real fights. Included in UOSC, so skip if you've installed that.
SKSE plugin. Fixes a vanilla bug which causes the game to treat dual cast spells as if they were single cast.
SKSE plugin. Fixes an engine bug with magic effects that cause targets to stagger in the wrong direction.
SKSE plugin. Fixes the game applying wrong movement speed if the character draws, sheathes or shouts while sprinting or sneaking. This is a separate issue than that addressed by Bug Fixes SSE (above), so both are compatible with one another.
SKSE plugin (scrolls version only). Prevent vanilla world encounter NPCs from turning hostile when you cast non-hostile spells.
SKSE plugin. Fixes engine bugs where item enchantments don't apply when equipped or stop working while the item is still equipped.
Sometimes NPCs get stuck in bleedout forever with full health. This fixes that.
An utility to bring back quests that disappeared due to the quest journal limit bug.
SKSE plugin. Fixes a bug where NPCs positions don't update properly after you wait, sleep, or fast travel for more than an hour. NPCs now move to where they're supposed to instead of awkwardly staying put or crowding doors.
Special Notes:
Fixes High Gate Ruins Puzzle not resetting properly, blocking off half the dungeon on subsequent visits.
Fixes bugs where some College of Winterhold quests refuse to start.
Retroactively fixes The Burning of King Olaf Fire Festival being stuck. Included in UOSC, so skip if you've installed that.
Fixes Neloth's Experimental Subject Quest (DLC2TTR4a) getting stuck.
SKSE plugin. Fixes twitching/stuttering when running in first person.
Fixes the player instantly being detected after a stealth kill and other detection issues.
SKSE plugin. Inertia fixes a bug where NPC equipment freezes in the air after death. The mod allows for realistic item falls and prevents NPCs from freezing in awkward poses. Compatible with all NPCs and creatures.
If a dragon dies and you never get close enough to its corpse to absorb its soul, the script for that dragon will be stuck in your save forever, polling every second. This mod fixes that. Included in UOSC, so skip if you've installed that.
If the game tries to throw an NPC with PushActorAway, but the NPC hasn't fully loaded in yet, the game will crash. This mod fixes that.
Are you still bothered by the "Alduin's Bane" bug? This mod fixes that.
SKSE plugin. Fixes a bug where dead NPCs may appear standing or tilted in an idle pose instead of ragdolling after a loading screen.
Fix horse flying into the sky when loading save.
SKSE plugin. Prevents AddForm from adding forms to leveled lists with 255 items, preventing crashes. Only officially supports Skyrim SE version 1.6.1130+. There are unofficial releases for versions 🔗1.5.97 and 🔗1.6.640. Both require the original mod, just overwrite the original mod files.
Fixes already fallen motionless rocks from falling rock traps killing NPCs that bump into them.
Makes sure that Vilkas will greet you when you return with the Fragment of Wuuthrad, even if you didn't enter Whiterun through the main gate, and allows you to continue the Companions questline normally.
Various quest fixes. Bleak Falls Barrow, Battle for Whiterun, The Blessings of Nature, Cidhna Mine, Served Cold, Flight or Fight.
SKSE plugin. Attempts to address an issue with corrupted game state which results in random freezes. Important for jail, the quests Diplomatic Immunity and Mind of Madness, and more.
This lightweight patch targets a specific deadlock in Skyrim that can cause the game to freeze.
Clears hostility that remains even after you pay bounty or kill witnesses. Works on vanilla holds only.
SKSE plugin. Fixes trading with merchants with more than 32,767 gold.
SKSE plugin. Makes the game always load certain records from plugins instead of save, such as NPC weight and persistent ref position.
SKSE plugin. Detects broken papyrus scripts stuck in recursion and prevents huge framerate lag.
SKSE plugin. Fixes a bug where static object's loop animations are not re-activated after loading a saved game. This version has been updated with support for SSE, AE, and VR in one DLL.
¶ 6.3. Additional setup and enhancements
This section contains a list of my supplemental guides and resources to help you complete your setup. These cover important Skyrim modding concepts to assist with mod selections, installation of additional foundational mods, as well as instructions for configuring and using mods and tools with complex requirements or processes (↕️Expand the 📖Continue reading block).
📖Continue Reading: (↕️Expand for details)
¶ 6.3.1. Key concepts and considerations
This guide provides an overview of technical concepts used in Skyrim modding to help you decide what's right for your load order. This includes features and limitations of visual overhauls like 💎ENB, 🔆Community Shaders, and 🌈Reshade, as well as modern additions like parallax, PBR, and seasons. For image quality and performance, the guide also covers technologies like anti-aliasing, upscaling, and frame generation that can now be integrated into Skyrim. See link below for more information. Installation is covered in ⬇️section 6.3.2.
- 🚧Skyrim Modding Concepts (coming soon!)
¶ 6.3.2. Environment, visuals, and performance
This guide focuses on the installation of 💎ENB, 🔆Community Shaders, and 🌈Reshade. Since these visual overhauls are built around specific weather mods, I've listed and compared several popular options along with compatible presets to help you decide which setup to go with. To help balance the performance cost of these visuals, I've also included instructions for installing upscaling and frame generation mods. See link below for more information.
- 🚧Graphical and Performance Mod Setup (coming soon!)
¶ 6.3.3. Cleaning Skyrim game files
This guide covers the standard procedure for cleaning game files, including both vanilla master files and user-submitted mods. This process should be performed as needed when newly installed mods indicate cleaning is required. If you plan on using DynDOLOD, you should also clean Skyrim game masters. See link below for more information.
¶ 6.3.4. Generating grass precache
These guides will provide instructions on how to generate grass precache using 🔗No Grass in Objects. Outside of the standalone performance benefits, it is a mandatory prerequisite if you wish to generate grass LOD with DynDOLOD. There are guides for both seasons and non-seasons users. See links below for more information.
¶ 6.3.5. Generating Level of Detail (LOD)
This guide covers the process of generating Level of Detail (LOD) for terrain, objects, trees, and grass using xLODGen and DynDOLOD. This ensures that distant landscapes and other objects accurately reflect the mods in your load order, eliminating the pop-in which occurs when they transition into loaded cells. See the links below for more information.
- 🚧How to Generate Level of Detail (LOD) (coming soon!)
¶ 7. Support and resources
Below you will find resources for technical support, links to my other modding guides, and the revision history for this document.
¶ 7.1. Troubleshooting and community
Maintaining a heavily modded game requires knowing where to find help and how to diagnose issues. Below is a list of resources for getting support and troubleshooting your installation.
- Guide-specific questions – If you have questions directly relating to the steps in this guide, please post them in the Comments Section at the bottom of the page (either Modding.wiki or Nexus—I monitor both). I will do my best to assist you or direct you to the appropriate resource.
- Individual mod issues – If you encounter a problem with a specific mod or tool mentioned here, before posting in this guide's comments, you may want to visit the specific mod page on Nexus. Reviewing the BUGS and POSTS tabs is often the fastest way to find known issues and solutions.
- Search engines – For support outside of the entries covered above, search engines are the best option for finding answers across various sites.
- Community support – Other communities, such as Reddit (🔗r/skyrimmods or 🔗r/skyrimvr) or the 🔗Steam Skyrim discussion boards are great places to post questions or seek advice on specific modding issues you've encountered.
- AI large language models (LLMs) – AI chatbots can be a helpful resource for quick technical questions or explaining concepts, however, these may not always be 100% accurate or up-to-date with the latest modding standards.
- Diagnosing crash logs – If you experience game crashes, 🔗Phostwood's Skyrim Crash Log Analyzer is an invaluable tool for interpreting logs and helping to identify the root cause.
- Further reading – I have created a separate reference on 🔗Load Order Rules, Conflicts, and Crash Prevention which goes into more detail regarding engine mechanics. I recommend reviewing this to better understand how to prevent, identify, and resolve conflicts throughout your playthrough.
¶ 7.2. Additional Guides
See 🔗my guides page on Nexus for other helpful Skyrim modding guides.
¶ 7.3. Final words
Lastly, be sure to have fun! For many, modding Skyrim is the game, and playing is secondary. Whether you spend your time in-game or just building the perfect load order, there is no wrong way to go about it—as long as you're enjoying yourself.
As a final note, remember that countless hours have been put into creating the mods you are using. Taking a moment to 👍ENDORSE those mods (or guides—wink wink) is a great way to show appreciation for the author's work. You can do this easily within your mod manager for any installed mod:
- 🔶Vortex users – Click the 👍Thumbs Up icon in your mod list.
- 🔷MO2 users – Right-click a mod (or multiple mods) and select Endorse.
¶ 7.4. Changelog
See below for a full revision history of this guide (↕️Expand the 🗒️Full Changelog block).
🗒️Full Changelog: (↕️Expand for details)
- Version 2.1.0 (03/07/2026)
- Moved all information from former section 4.2.3 (Mod manager fundamentals) into dedicated Vortex and MO2 guides now linked in updated section 4.2.2
- Updated section 4.5 (Install prepared Creation Club content) and its subsections, improving clarity and fixing CC file detection in section 4.5.2 (Option 2: AE Creation Club File Organizer)
- Consolidated former sections 4.2.1 (Install mod manager) and 4.2.2 (Install Root Builder) into section 4.2.1, which is now split into subsections 4.2.1.1 and 4.2.1.2
- Added steps to create a tool shortcut for Vortex users in section 4.7 (Install Bethini Pie)
- Added 📖Continue reading blocks to collapse some sections which contain supplemental reading instead of steps
- Updated emoji usage
- Other minor changes and formatting updates
- Version 2.0.3 (01/29/2026)
- Consolidated former sections 4.4 and 4.5 (BEES install and installation of prepared masters) into a new section 4.4 (Additional downgrade instructions) as these both require downgrade to be performed
- Other minor updates
- Version 2.0.2 (01/27/2026)
- Split section 6.1.1 into multiple sections to include more information about SKSE and other file compatibility
- Other minor updates
- Version 2.0.1 (01/17/2026)
- Major style updates on Modding.wiki mirror to reflect Nexus theme!
- Swapped sections 4.2.2 and 4.2.3 so that Root Builder installation for MO2 users is first and isn't accidentally skipped
- Other minor updates
- Version 2.0.0 (01/09/2026)
- Mirror created on Modding.wiki
- Major formatting changes – This includes inclusion of emojis, new callouts, section renaming and restructuring, and removal of invalid or extraneous information
- Major updates to section 1 (Install Skyrim) – Updates include addition of new virtual drive and reinstall options for Steam environment preparation, steps to generate initial configurations, and other minor updates
- Major updates to section 4 (Complete initial setup) – Updates include additional sections for mod manager fundamentals, Bethinini Pie, preventing interior loading crashes, pagefile setup, and other minor updates
- Added new section 6 (Next steps) – This section includes version and compatibility rules, a massively updated recommended mods list, and links to my other guides with relevant additional setup topics
- Added new Troubleshooting and community section in section 7 (Support and Resources)
- Removed 1.6.640 direct download links from steps
- Updated main CC content section to allow skipping and removed former section 4.5.4 (do not manage) entirely
- Updated SSE Engine Fixes instructions – Steps now reflect updated download options for this mod and instructions for older versions have been moved to a separate guide
- Updated Unofficial Creation Club Content Patches (USCCCP) section – There are no longer multiple options for this as the FOMOD installer has been officially restored
- Added .NET 6 Desktop Runtime to external dependencies
- Version 1.17.8 (01/28/2025)
- Updated section 3 with modified version/downgrade recommendations and wording (again) as of recent mod updates
- Updated section
3.1.13.2.1 to also include _ResourcePack.bsa and _ResourcePack.esl since updated versions of USSEP and LOTD now require this (thanks 👤@davemcknz,👤@Schinkennudel, and 👤@ddsonic28 for bringing this to my attention) - Version 1.17.4 (06/02/2024)
- Updated section 3 with modified version/downgrade recommendations and wording as of recent mod updates
- Version 1.13.1 (04/27/2024)
- Fixed section 4.5.1.2 subtext which affected Nexus article only
- Version 1.10.4 (04/24/2024)
- Added list of all options into each applicable section for soft copy version for easier navigation as there are no spoiler tags available for use
- Added additional option to Creation Club content section
- Fixed Anniversary Edition Content Picker Nexus link (thanks 👤@Escutsheon128)
- Other minor corrections and formatting changes
- Version 1.10.3 (04/17/2024)
- Rewrote Creation Club content sections to be more streamlined and included steps to utilize Curation Club MO2 plugin as one of the content picker options
- Updated Vortex images
- Other minor corrections and formatting changes
- Version 1.9.1 (04/11/2024)
- Updated info surrounded SSE Engine Fixes since this mod has been updated to work with versions 1.6.1130 and above.
- Version 1.6.3.1 (04/04/2024)
- Updated section 1.2.2.4 to delete ALL files since downgrade which previously performed this step is now optional
- Version 1.6.3 (04/03/2024)
- Revamped guide to better explain and support 1.6.1130+ versions by making downgrade optional, reorganizing sections to accommodate, and providing additional disclaimer information
- Slightly increased default font size for article readability
- Other minor corrections and formatting changes
- Added changelog
- Version 1.3 (03/14/2024)
- Updated Steam Console section for clarity
- Version 1.2 (03/13/2024)
- Minor corrections and formatting changes
- Version 1.1 (03/11/2024)
- Moved Master game files section below Creation Club content section due to not being able to download Anniversary Upgrade content files if the master game files were already moved
- Version 1.0 (03/10/2024)
- Initial release
Please ✍️leave a comment with any issues or suggestions!