SyncCrate
Valheim guide · Updated
Same Valheim mods for the whole crew.
Modded Valheim only works when everyone runs the same plugins. SyncCrate copies the host's BepInEx plugins, and the configs if you want, to every friend, and after the first time only what changed.
FreeOpen sourceNo cloudWin · macOS · Linux
// 01 Why
Why modded Valheim won't let your friends in
Many Valheim mods check that everyone connected has the same mod in the same version. Mods built on Jötunn refuse the connection when versions differ, and server-synced configs only work when every client has the mod installed. The result is a friend stuck on a version mismatch message or disconnected right after the loading screen.
Mod managers make it easy to install mods on one PC. Getting four friends onto exactly the same versions, and keeping them there after the host updates something, is the part that takes all evening.
With SyncCrate one PC hosts and the others match it. Plugins are compared by content, only the differences are copied, and everyone sees the list before anything changes.
// 02 What syncs
What SyncCrate syncs for Valheim
| Folder | Path in the game folder | Files |
|---|---|---|
| Plugins (BepInEx) | BepInEx/plugins/The plugin .dll files, in whatever subfolders your mod manager uses. | All files |
| Mod Configs | BepInEx/config/Mod settings. A separate folder, so the host can share configs or leave everyone's own settings alone. | .cfg |
| Worlds | %USERPROFILE%/AppData/LocalLow/IronGate/Valheim/worlds_local/Outside the game folder. Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/IronGate/Valheim/worlds_local/, Linux: ~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/worlds_local/ | .db .fwl .old |
// Where it looks
- Steam
steamapps/common/Valheimin every Steam library, on every drive- Anywhere else
- Point SyncCrate at the folder yourself, once
Built in for Valheim
- Script warnings.
.dllfiles run code on your PC, so they're flagged for you to review before they sync. - BepInEx check. Warns when BepInEx isn't installed on a PC, because the synced mods can't load without it.
- Disabling that sticks. Turning a mod off renames it to
.disabledin place, because the game also loads mods from subfolders. - Game-running warning. SyncCrate warns you before syncing while Valheim is still open.
- Undo and history. Undo the last sync in one click, and put back any single file a sync replaced or deleted.
// 03 How it works
Sync Valheim in three steps
Install and add the game
Install SyncCrate on every PC and add Valheim in the Game Browser. Its folder is found automatically.
One PC hosts
The PC with the setup everyone should have clicks Start Hosting. The others pick it under Scan for Hosts on the same network, or paste its join code from anywhere.
Compare and sync
Check the list of new, changed and conflicting files, then Sync Now. Only the files that differ are copied, PC to PC.
TipEvery PC needs BepInEx itself installed once (the BepInExPack for Valheim). SyncCrate syncs the plugins and configs and warns you if BepInEx is missing.
// 04 Common problems
When Valheim mods don't match
Incompatible version at login
Jötunn-based mods and many others compare mod versions between client and server and refuse to connect when they differ.
Everyone syncs the host's plugins before joining, so versions match file for file.
One friend updated a mod
Mods update often, and one person installing the newest version on their own is enough to lock them out of the group's world.
Check for updates asks Thunderstore about mods installed from it. The host updates, everyone else syncs and gets only the changed files.
Configs don't match
Some mods need the same settings on every PC (stack sizes, drop rates, crafting costs), and others are personal (keybinds, UI).
Configs are their own folder. The host decides whether friends may sync it, and conflicts ask whose version to keep.
BepInEx missing on a new PC
Plugins copied into a game without BepInEx do nothing, and the game starts unmodded without saying why.
The mod health check warns when BepInEx isn't installed and links to its download.
// 05 Valheim
Good to know
- Using r2modman or Thunderstore Mod Manager? Your mods live in the manager's profile folder, not the game folder. In the manager use Settings → Browse profile folder, and point SyncCrate at that folder.
- Worlds sync too, characters don't. Valheim keeps worlds outside the game folder; SyncCrate finds that folder on its own (or pick another in Settings). To take turns on one world, share it under Shared saves on the Dashboard: it then only moves when someone hands it over. Characters stay on each PC.
- Plugins run code.
.dllfiles are flagged before they sync, and nothing changes until you approve the list. Only sync with people you trust. - Dedicated server? The server needs the same plugins as the players. If it runs on a PC with SyncCrate, point SyncCrate at the server's folder and sync it like any other PC.
// FAQ
Valheim questions
Do all players need the same mods in Valheim?
For most gameplay mods, yes, and many check it at login. Purely client-side mods (minimaps, UI tweaks) can differ, but syncing the host's set avoids guessing.
Where are Valheim mods installed?
With BepInEx, plugins go in BepInEx/plugins inside the game folder, and settings in BepInEx/config. Mod managers like r2modman use a profile folder with the same layout instead.
Why not just share an r2modman profile code?
Profile codes are great for installing a pack from Thunderstore once. SyncCrate copies the files directly from the host's PC, so it also handles mods that aren't on Thunderstore and your own config edits, works on a LAN without internet, and sends only what changed each time the host updates.
Both can be used together: point SyncCrate at the r2modman profile folder.
Does it work with a dedicated server?
If the server runs on a Windows, Mac or Linux PC with a desktop, yes: install SyncCrate there, point it at the server's folder and sync it from the host like any other PC. SyncCrate has no command-line version for headless servers yet.
// Related game guides
All games · SyncCrate supports 100 games.
// Free · Open source · Windows, macOS, Linux
Same Valheim setup on every PC.
Install SyncCrate on each PC, one of you hosts, everyone else joins. No accounts, no cloud, nothing uploaded anywhere.