How to Install Mods on Your Factorio Server

Factorio's mod ecosystem is enormous – quality-of-life tweaks, total overhauls, you name it. Getting them running on your dedicated server takes a few steps, but I've seen people overcomplicate this. Let's keep it simple.

Download Your Mods

Grab mods from the official portal at mods.factorio.com. Each mod downloads as a .zip file. Do not extract them. Factorio reads the zips directly.

Make sure you're downloading versions compatible with your server's Factorio version. The mod portal shows compatibility info on each mod's page.

Upload to the Server

1. Log into the LOW.MS Control Panel and select your Factorio server.
2. Open File Manager in the sidebar.
3. Navigate to the mods/ directory.
4. Upload your .zip mod files.

For a bunch of mods at once, SFTP on port 8822 is faster. Drop them all into the mods/ folder.

Configure mod-list.json

Inside the mods/ directory you'll find mod-list.json. This controls which mods are active. It looks like this:

{
  "mods": [
    { "name": "base", "enabled": true },
    { "name": "your-cool-mod", "enabled": true },
    { "name": "some-other-mod", "enabled": false }
  ]
}

When you upload a new mod, you may need to add an entry here and set enabled to true. Some versions of Factorio pick up new mods automatically, but it's worth double-checking.

Mod Settings

Here's the annoying part. Factorio stores mod settings in a binary file called mod-settings.dat. You can't hand-edit it.

The workaround:

1. Install the same mods locally on your PC.
2. Configure all the mod settings through Factorio's in-game mod settings menu.
3. Find mod-settings.dat in your local Factorio data folder.
4. Upload it to the mods/ directory on your server via File Manager, replacing the existing one.

The Golden Rule: Everyone Must Match

Factorio is strict about this. Every player connecting to your server needs exactly the same mods at exactly the same versions. The game compares checksums – even a minor version difference and you're blocked.

The good news? Factorio has a built-in "sync mods with server" button in the multiplayer connection screen. When a player joins, the game detects mismatches and offers to download the correct versions automatically. It works surprisingly well.

Space Age DLC Mods

If you're running the Space Age DLC, it's treated internally as three mods: space-age, quality, and elevated-rails. They show up in mod-list.json like any other mod and can be toggled on or off independently.

After Making Changes

Restart the server from the control panel. Mod changes aren't picked up on a running server – you need a full restart. Check Log Viewer in the sidebar if something isn't loading correctly; Factorio's logs are detailed about mod errors.

Take a Cloud Backup before major mod changes. If a mod corrupts your save or causes weird interactions, you'll want that safety net.