How To Install Fallout 4 Mods with Nexus Mod Manager In 2023?

Games by Bethesda have a lot to offer. Each game has its own aesthetic and its own set of bugs, from its immersive environments to its plethora of glitches. Despite all that, Skyrim and other games remain relevant years after their release because of one simple factor which is mods.

Several games have undergone radical changes because of the modding community. Fallout 4 is getting some major overhauls as well. By adding a modding platform to console players, it means that Bethesda has become so integral to these games.

Bringing the joy of modding to everyone. In this tutorial, we will show you How To Install Fallout 4 Mods. We will also talk about some of the best mod tools to manage your Fallout 4 Mods.

How To Install Fallout 4 Mods

Fallout 4 mods can be installed in multiple ways. The following is a description of the most commonly used method. The mods for Fallout 4 are installed by means of the Nexus Mod Manager. 

We're going to assume you've already installed Fallout 4. Otherwise, purchase the game at Bethesda.net.

1: Allow modding in Fallout 4

Modding Fallout4 requires a few adjustments to its game files before you can install mods. This allows you to install mods. The following instructions will help you:

Configure the Fallout4Prefs.ini file 

1. The directory folder for Fallout 4 can be accessed by clicking the directory. Your game installation determined where this folder was located. “C:/Users/YOURNAME/Documents/My Games/Fallout4” is the default folder.

2. Use a text editor to view Fallout4Prefs.ini. Windows Notepad will be used to open the file if no third-party text editor is installed.  The file can also be opened and edited using Notepad++.

3. You can invoke a search box on your keyboard by typing Ctrl+F simultaneously. To locate the [Launcher] section in the text editor, enter [Launcher] in that search box.

4. Below the [Launcher] section, insert the following text.

 bEnableFileSelection=1 

5. Save the file by clicking File -> Save. When you are finished editing, close the text editor.

Here is another method:

1. The directory folder for Fallout 4 can be accessed by clicking the directory. Your game installation determined where this folder was located. “C:/Users/YOURNAME/Documents/My Games/Fallout4” is the default folder.

2. Use a text editor to view the Fallout4Custom.ini file. 

3. At the end of the file, add the following lines:

 [Archive]

 bInvalidateOlderFiles=1

 sResourceDataDirsFinal= 

4. Save the file by clicking File -> Save. When you are finished editing, close the text editor.

2: Download and install Nexus Mod Manager

It was developed by Bethesda.net as part of its Nexus mod manager. Installing and uninstalling mods is easy using it.

To open the downloaded file, double-click on it after the download has been completed. You can install it by following the instructions on-screen. 

Registration is required on the website of Nexus Mod Manager before you can download the program. Create one for free if you don't already have one.

As soon as Nexus Mod Manager is launched, it will scan your computer for any installed games. The scanning can be stopped after it finds Fallout 4. Once Fallout 4 is found installed, you must click the checkmark to confirm.

On the list of games, select Fallout 4. Click on Ok.

Depending on where you want your mods to be stored, you can choose where to put them. The default directory will be filled with the mods if you make no changes. 

However, the Nexus Mod Manager program may not run automatically if the mods are saved to the default directory. You may also encounter errors.

3: Install the mods of your choice

If you have Nexus Mod Manager installed, you can install any mod you wish.

1. Navigate to the Fallout 4 Mods Download Page on the Nexus Mods website.

2. To install a mod, click on the file. On the next page, you'll find the download link.

3. Press the manual button. Download the mod using the instructions on-screen. Mod files are downloaded in compressed formats such as .zip, .7z, and .rar. The file does not need to be extracted.

4. Open Nexus Mod Manager. 

5. To add a downloaded mod, select the green plus icon.

6. The mod can be found under Mods. Double click it and it will automatically install the mod.

7. Install any mods you want by repeating the steps above.

4: Get LOOT 

Fallout 4's stability can be affected if you load more than one mod at the same time. Mods can overwrite each other in some cases. 

Consequently, mod load orders should be set correctly. Fallout 4 mods are loaded using Loot, an application that helps set up the right orders for mods. 

LOOT makes it impossible for installed mods to have the wrong load order. Loot lets you play stable modded games.

Here’s how to download and install LOOT:

1. Visit the LOOT download page.

2. Click on LOOT Download.

3. The .7z file can be downloaded here. Loot_version_*.7z could be the file name.

4. Download the file and extract it with 7-Zip. For those without 7-Zip on their computer, the program can be downloaded for free from their site. Initially, you have to download it and install it.

5. Paste the extracted directory into the Fallout 4 directory.

5: Take a look at your mods installed in Fallout 4

Fallout 4 can be played with installed mods after you've installed them. Before playing a game with multiple mods installed, use LOOT to set the load orders of the mods. The steps are as follows:

1. Browse to the directory for Fallout 4. Open the loot subfolder. Launch LOOT by double-clicking on “loot.exe”. 

2. Select Sort.

3. Click on ‘Apply'.

4. Close the LOOT.

That's all there is to it.

Modding Terms

If you browse forums or guides, you will probably run into a few terms. The acronyms and terms listed below explain what they mean.

Cleaning: This refers to the process of removing unused and duplicate entries from some files. FO4Edit is the tool used to do this

CTD: It is a short form for Crash to Desktop.

ENB: Mods like these apply post-processing effects to Fallout 4 and make other graphical changes. 

F4S: In order for many advanced PC games to function, this mod is needed. The console modder does not have access to script extenders.

Load Order: Mods are loaded in the order they appear.

Mod Manager: Mod manager is a tool for installing, managing, and organizing mods. Mod manager software is only available for PCs.

Root Directory: The location of Fallout 4.

Where to Install Mods

Mods can be difficult to install manually. In most cases, however, it's much simpler than it seems. 

Unless a scripting tool or lighting overhaul is required, most of the mod files are installed in the Data folder of the game directory. It is installed in the following directory by default:

C: > Program Files (x86) > Steam > SteamApps > Common > Fallout 4

You can extract your mod files into your Data folder after you have downloaded the mod files with an extractor such as WinRar or 7 Zip. Simply place the plugin files directly into the data folder, if your mod contains one, such as a .esp or .esm file. 

Loose files may be present in the mod. In such a case, copy all the folders to Data. You may need to launch the Fallout 4 launcher before starting the game in order to apply your mods.

Installing loose files

Mods with loose files are those whose content is separated. You must extract your data from an archive that contains them all.

The mod archive must be extracted into your data folder before installation.

Instead of extracting the archive to your installation directory, extract it directly to the ‘data' folder.

That's all. Now that the mod has been installed, you should be able to see it in action in the game.

Activating Plugins

The launcher is unlikely to feature a Data Files tab to enable mod loading order configuration until the official Fallout 4 modding tools are released.

So, the plugin list in your game needs to be manually checked and set up in order for mods to be installed. You can find this file in:

C: > Users > [Your Profile] > App Data > Local > Fallout 4

Look in the Fallout 4 folder of App Data for plugins.txt. Under Fallout4.esm you should be able to see your .esp and .esm files if your installation went smoothly. The names of the files should be entered manually if they are not listed there. Start the game after that.

Load Order

Fallout 4's content will be loaded in a specific order, as shown by its load order. There will be a .esp file with almost every mod you install, and it must be loaded each time Fallout 4 is booted up. Mods loaded in a particular order are especially important.

Sequential loading is how Bethesda games do the loading, so the last file to load gets priority over the rest. The problem arises if two mods overwrite the same content. 

When making a load order, make sure that a mod that overrides another is lower in the list. Load order isn't the only factor to consider when mod conflicts occur, but it contributes to many problems related to stability and unintended side effects.

What is the process for changing my load order?

In the “Mods” menu, players can manage Bethesda.net mods. You can access your load order by clicking a button. Organize your mods according to your preferences.

If you use a mod manager on your PC, you can modify the order of your load. The LOOT tool, in particular, was made specifically for managing loading orders. Console players should be extra cautious when loading their way through the game since LOOT is available only to PC users.

Before you install a mod, always read its description to determine if there are any major incompatibilities. In most cases, the author of a mod specifies how the mod should be placed in the description of the mod.

Modding Tools

The PC is the only platform that has external modding tools. Therefore, this section is only directed at PC users. Fallout 4 does not require you to use any external tools like Skyrim. We'll talk about three notable tools.

Fallout 4 Script Extender

The F4SE mods allow Fallout 4 to run script-heavy mods. The file is placed in the root directory of Fallout 4. Whenever you want to use the script extension, launch it instead of Fallout4.exe.

Mod Managers

Mod managers are essential tools for PC users who wish to use Fallout 4 mods. The mods will be downloaded, installed, and maintained using this software without damaging your Fallout 4 installation.

FO4Edit

It is an extremely powerful tool. Almost everything in Fallout 4 can be customized using it. The FO4Edit editor allows you to clean Fallout 4's original master files and other mods that are dirty. 

Increasing the stability of your game can be achieved by cleaning these files. A crash-prone game can be prevented by removing duplicate and non-referenced data.

The removal of Fallout mods

You might have to reinstall the game if you remove files from your installation directory. To install and remove mods easily and safely, we recommend the Nexus Mod Manager.

Removing loose files

Examine the original archive to verify which files are used by the mod you want to remove. If you confirm that the mod was using these files, remove them.

The mod may have overwritten the core game files. Be very careful removing those. The installation of your game may be damaged as a result.

Removing plugins

Plugins can be removed in a slightly safer manner than loose files. When a plugin is removed, the game installation will not be affected.

Verify the files used by the mod you would like to remove by examining the original archive. Remove files you confirm to be used by the mod.

Deactivating Plugins

The plugins.txt file can be modified to disable plugins. Just remove the line referencing the plugin that you want to deactivate.

Troubleshooting Tips

Modding Fallout 4 mods are extremely addictive, but you may encounter some serious stability problems with certain mods. You will have to troubleshoot these issues. You can quickly resolve the issue by using a few tips that are unique to each player's mod setup.

Read the mod descriptions

By reading the mod description of each mod you install, you can save yourself countless hours of headaches. You will learn about any known bugs or compatibility issues in these descriptions. There might be other issues you ought to be aware of.

Turn off half of your mods

The quickest way to figure out what mod is causing your load order to malfunction is to turn off half of the mods you currently have installed. Remove half the remaining mods if the problem persists. 

This should be repeated until the issue is resolved. The mod you have installed can be narrowed down quickly this way.

Reinstall Fallout 4 or the mod

Fallout 4 or its mods can be reinstalled when something simply will not work. As a last resort, this should only be considered. A fresh install, on the other hand, can be a lifesaver for complicated issues that you cannot figure out.

Final Words

You must have now got an idea about How To Install Fallout 4 Mods successfully. Installing mods is easy but properly managing them is the next part. You can use the tips and methods mentioned in the article to properly manage your mods.