How to Install 7 Days to Die Mods (EAC Off)

Unlike many survival games, 7 Days to Die does not use the Steam Workshop for mods. Instead you drop mod folders into a Mods directory, and for any mod that changes game code you must turn off EAC (Easy Anti-Cheat). Here is the complete process.

Where 7 Days to Die mods come from

There is no in-game Workshop. You download mods from:

• Nexus Mods
• The 7 Days to Die Mod Launcher (a community tool that downloads and manages overhauls for you)
• The mod author's own site or Discord

Big overhauls like Darkness Falls are usually distributed through the Mod Launcher, which handles versioning and copies for you.

The Mods folder

Every mod is just a folder that goes inside a top-level Mods directory in your game or server install:

7DaysToDie/ Mods/ 0_TFP_Harmony/ DarknessFalls/ AnotherModlet/

If the Mods folder does not exist yet, create it. Each mod should keep its own subfolder containing a ModInfo.xml file. Do not nest a mod inside another mod's folder, and do not unzip the whole download into one flat pile.

To install:

1. Download and unzip the mod.
2. Copy its folder into Mods/.
3. Confirm each mod has its own subfolder with ModInfo.xml at the top level.

To remove a mod, delete its folder. That is the whole system.

Turn EAC OFF for code overhauls

This is the critical step. Easy Anti-Cheat blocks any mod that changes game code (DLLs, Harmony patches). That covers essentially every overhaul: Darkness Falls, Undead Legacy, War3zuk, Ravenhearst, The Wasteland.

• Client: from the launcher, choose "Play with EAC off," or in-game set EAC to off in the settings.
• Server: in serverconfig.xml, set:

xml <property name="EACEnabled" value="false"/>

Simple "modlets" that only edit XML (loot tables, stack sizes) can sometimes run with EAC on, but if a mod includes a DLL, EAC must be off on both server and client. When in doubt, turn it off.

Server and clients must match

7 Days to Die is strict: every connected player must have the exact same mods as the server, at the same version. If the server runs Darkness Falls 5.x, every client needs Darkness Falls 5.x installed locally too. Mismatches cause connection failures, missing blocks, or instant kicks.

Practical checklist for a group:

1. Everyone agrees on the overhaul and version.
2. Everyone installs it locally via the Mod Launcher (easiest for keeping versions in sync).
3. Everyone launches with EAC off.
4. The server runs the identical mod set with EACEnabled false.

A note on game version

Mods are built for a specific game version (for example A21, A22, or 1.0). Installing an A21 overhaul on a 1.0 server will crash or refuse to load. Always match the mod release to your game build, and update mods and game together. Because Steam auto-updates the base game, it is worth disabling automatic updates on a heavily modded server so a surprise patch does not break your overhaul mid-playthrough. Update deliberately, once your mods have caught up.

The easy way on a hosted server

Copying folders over FTP and toggling XML works, but it is fiddly. Nxeon's 7 Days to Die server hosting includes a one-click Mods manager and an EAC on/off switch right in the panel, so you can deploy an overhaul and flip EAC without editing files by hand.

Once you remember the three rules, mods on 7 Days to Die are easy:

1. Drop folders in Mods/.
2. EAC off for code overhauls.
3. Every client matches the server.

Grab a box from our game servers, install your overhaul, and get building before the next blood moon.