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To add a Mod.io mod, enable the server mode that supports Mod.io, copy the mod’s Mod.io Resource ID, add one ModItem entry for it to the world save’s Sandbox_config.sbc, then save and restart the server. The server downloads the content during startup. Xbox-only and mixed PC/Xbox servers must use Mod.io content; a Steam Workshop ID will not work in this configuration.
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What you need before adding a Mod.io mod
The procedure applies to a dedicated Space Engineers server and its world save. You need access to the dedicated-server manager or to the save files, permission to stop and restart the server, and the Mod.io page for every mod you plan to install.
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Choose the correct platform mode
Keen Software House states: “If hosting a server specifically for Xbox players, or for a mix of PC and Xbox players, please only use mods hosted through the Mod.io service.” Mod.io is therefore the source to use for Xbox-only and mixed-platform play. In the crossplay workflow documented by Host Havoc on June 9, 2026, crossplay must be enabled for Mod.io mods to function.
A PC-only server that is configured for Steam can use the Steam Workshop path instead, but that is a different identifier and configuration method. Do not copy a Steam Workshop ID into a Mod.io entry.
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Install the dedicated-server manager
Keen makes the dedicated-server software available at no additional charge to Space Engineers owners. In Steam, open Library, change the library filter to Tools, and install the Space Engineers dedicated server. Its manager provides server configuration, an active-mods control, Edit config, save and start controls, restart controls, and a console view.
Managed hosts expose equivalent controls through their control panel. The labels differ, but the important operations are the same: stop the instance, edit the world configuration, save it, start or restart the instance, and inspect the startup console.
Find the correct Mod.io identifier
Open the mod’s page on spaceengineers.mod.io. Copy the numeric Resource ID shown for that mod. Keen’s required notation combines the service name and the ID as Service:Mod ID; for Mod.io, the form is mod.io:1234567890.
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Resource ID versus Steam Workshop ID
Mod.io and Steam can refer to similar content with different identifiers. The number in a Steam Workshop URL is not the value to use here. In the XML configuration, the service is identified separately by PublishedServiceName, which must be exactly mod.io, while PublishedFileId contains the Mod.io Resource ID.
Check the mod page before editing the server
- Confirm that the page is public and currently available. A private, removed, or otherwise unavailable item cannot be downloaded by the server.
- Read the dependency list, compatibility notes, conflicts, and load-order guidance.
- Look for a requirement to create a new world. Some mods do not take effect in an existing save.
- Record the exact display name and any filename information the mod provides so the XML entry matches the item you selected.
Add the mod with the dedicated-server manager
The manager is the least error-prone option when its active-mods interface can find the Mod.io item. It also keeps the configuration in the format expected by the server.
- Stop the server. Do not change the active world’s configuration while the instance is writing to it.
- Open the server’s configuration in the dedicated-server manager.
- Use the Active Mods control to add the Mod.io item. If the manager offers a service selector, choose Mod.io rather than Steam Workshop.
- Review the resulting list for the intended mod and its dependencies, then use Save or the manager’s equivalent configuration-save command.
- Start or restart the server from the manager.
- Watch the console during startup and confirm that the item downloads and loads. A mod appearing in a list is not proof that the server obtained its files.
If the manager cannot discover the item, use the direct XML method below. It gives you explicit control over the service name and Resource ID.
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Add a Mod.io mod directly in Sandbox_config.sbc
The mods for a world are stored in that world’s Sandbox_config.sbc file. Keen’s format uses one ModItem block per mod.
- Stop the server and wait for it to finish shutting down.
- Open the
Sandbox_config.sbcfile belonging to the world you want to modify. - Find the empty element
<Mods />. - Replace that element with a complete
Modsblock. This is Keen’s structure, using the example values documented for a mod:
<Mods>
<ModItem FriendlyName="Assault Weapons Pack">
<Name>451208.sbm</Name>
<PublishedFileId>451208</PublishedFileId>
<PublishedServiceName>mod.io</PublishedServiceName>
</ModItem>
</Mods>- Replace
FriendlyName,Name, andPublishedFileIdwith the values for your selected mod. KeepPublishedServiceNamespelled exactlymod.io. The numeric value inPublishedFileIdmust be the Mod.io Resource ID, not a Steam Workshop ID. - Preserve valid XML syntax: matching opening and closing tags, quoted attribute values, and one complete
ModItemfor each mod. - Save the file, close the editor, and start or restart the server.
The Name value in the example is 451208.sbm. Use the filename value associated with the particular mod rather than blindly reusing that example. If the mod’s instructions specify a different name, copy that value exactly.
Add several mods and account for dependencies
Multiple mods use the same block repeatedly. Keep the outer Mods element and add another ModItem for each item:
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<Mods>
<ModItem FriendlyName="First mod">
<Name>FIRST_FILENAME.sbm</Name>
<PublishedFileId>FIRST_RESOURCE_ID</PublishedFileId>
<PublishedServiceName>mod.io</PublishedServiceName>
</ModItem>
<ModItem FriendlyName="Second mod">
<Name>SECOND_FILENAME.sbm</Name>
<PublishedFileId>SECOND_RESOURCE_ID</PublishedFileId>
<PublishedServiceName>mod.io</PublishedServiceName>
</ModItem>
</Mods>Use real values in place of the uppercase examples; they are not valid identifiers. The official Space Engineers wiki says dependencies listed on Mod.io are automatically added to the world’s mod list. Automatic dependency insertion does not remove the need to read the mod page: conflicts, required ordering, and save limitations still apply.
Load order and conflicts
When a mod author specifies an order, follow it in the active-mod list or in the sequence of ModItem blocks. If two mods alter the same definitions, they may conflict even when both download successfully. Start with the author’s recommended combination, then add other mods in small groups so the startup output identifies which change introduced a problem.
Existing world or new world?
Some mods work when added to an existing world; others require a fresh save before their blocks, definitions, or world-generation changes appear. Check the mod page for that requirement before altering a valuable save. If a new world is required, create it only after confirming the server can download the mod and its dependencies.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Restart and verify the download
Mods download during server startup. Host Havoc’s June 9, 2026 support guidance says progress can be monitored in the web console. On a self-hosted server, use the dedicated-server console; on a managed server, open the provider’s web-console view.
- Look for startup messages showing that the Mod.io item is being retrieved and loaded.
- Check that the server reaches its normal ready state rather than repeatedly restarting.
- Confirm that every requested mod, including dependencies, appears in the startup output.
- Join with a client that matches the server’s platform configuration and test the feature the mod is meant to provide.
Do not treat a saved XML file or an entry in the manager as a successful installation until the startup output confirms that the server downloaded and processed the content.
Fix “unknown mod” and download errors
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| The server reports an unknown mod | Wrong service prefix, wrong identifier type, or an unavailable item | Copy the Mod.io Resource ID again, set PublishedServiceName to exactly mod.io, and verify that the mod page is public and reachable. |
| The entry contains a number copied from Steam | A Steam Workshop ID was used in a Mod.io configuration | Return to the mod’s page on spaceengineers.mod.io and use its Resource ID in PublishedFileId. |
| Mod.io items do not download on a mixed-platform server | The server’s crossplay/platform configuration does not match the Mod.io workflow | Verify the server’s crossplay setting, then restart and inspect the startup console. |
| Download starts but fails or stops | The item is private, removed, temporarily unavailable, or its configuration is malformed | Open the item page, confirm availability, compare every XML tag and value, and retry after saving a corrected file. |
| The server starts but the feature is missing | A dependency, load-order rule, or new-save requirement was overlooked | Read the mod’s dependency and compatibility notes, check the complete startup list, and determine whether a fresh world is required. |
| Only one of several mods works | A conflict or incorrect order between entries | Test the mods individually or in smaller groups, then apply the author’s recommended order. |
After every correction, stop the server before editing again, save the configuration, restart, and use the console to verify the new attempt. The cited setup instructions describe the configuration and download workflow, but they cannot guarantee compatibility for every individual mod.
Quick Recap
Which setup approach should you use?
| Decision | Option 1 | Option 2 | Practical difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| How to edit | Manager GUI | Direct XML | The GUI exposes active-mod selection and configuration controls; XML editing is useful when the item is not discoverable or when you need to verify every field manually. |
| Where the server runs | Self-hosted | Managed hosting | Self-hosted instances use the dedicated-server manager and local console. Managed hosts provide equivalent controls and a web console; exact panel labels are provider-specific. |
| Player platforms | PC-only Steam-capable mode | Xbox-only or mixed PC/Xbox crossplay | The latter uses Mod.io content. A Steam Workshop identifier is not interchangeable with a Mod.io Resource ID. |
| World state | Existing save | Fresh save | Use an existing world only when the mod supports it; create a fresh world when the author requires one. |
A repeatable checklist
- Confirm that the server’s platform mode supports the Mod.io item.
- Enable crossplay when following the documented crossplay workflow.
- Open the mod page and copy its Mod.io Resource ID.
- Review dependencies, conflicts, load order, and save requirements.
- Stop the server before changing its configuration.
- Add the mod through Active Mods or create one valid
ModItemblock inSandbox_config.sbc. - Use
PublishedServiceNamevaluemod.ioand the Mod.io Resource ID inPublishedFileId. - Save, restart, and watch the console for download and load messages.
- Test the mod in-game only after the startup output confirms that it loaded.
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