Vortex gives you one place to install, enable, deploy, update, and remove supported game mods. The setup gets messy when the installer, Nexus Mods sign-in, game detection, or download links are not configured in the right order. Follow the current Vortex path below and you can move from a clean Windows install to working mods without using outdated Nexus Mod Manager or Nexus Mods App advice.
1. Install Vortex Mod Manager on Windows
- 1.Open the official Vortex page at nexusmods.com/site/mods/1 or nexusmods.com/vortex.
- 2.Choose the One-click installer or the Custom installer.
- 3.Click Manual Download under the installer you want.
- 4.Run the downloaded EXE from your Downloads folder.
- 5.For the custom installer, choose an install location your Windows user account can write to.
- 6.Wait for Vortex to finish setup and open automatically.
Current Vortex is for Windows 10 or above. Vortex 1.8 and newer is not supported on Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 8.1.
2. Connect Vortex to Nexus Mods
This fixes Nexus Mods downloads, account-linked features, and mod manager download buttons.
Open Vortex.
Next, click Log In or Register on the top toolbar, or click the blank avatar in the top-right corner.
In the login window, click Log In On Website.
Complete the authorization in your browser.
After the login finishes, return to Vortex.
You can install Vortex from the official GitHub release route without a Nexus Mods account. Sign in when you want Nexus-hosted downloads and account-linked Vortex features.
3. Add your game before installing mods
Run the game at least once.
Then open Vortex and select Games from the left navigation.
Search or scroll for the game you want to mod.
Click the full-color detected game tile to set it up for modding.
When Vortex shows only a grey tile, click that grey tile.
Choose the game’s top-level install folder in the file selector.
Click Select folder.
Follow the instructions on the tile when Vortex says the game needs a third-party extension.
The current Vortex product page says Vortex supports more than 500 games. When you add a game manually, select the top-level game folder, not a nested executable folder.
4. Set the download folder and NXM links
Open Settings > Download.
Change Downloads Folder to the path you want.
Then click Apply.
Move download and staging folders inside Vortex so the app keeps its stored paths intact.
On the same page, enable Vortex handling for NXM or mod manager download links.
If download buttons still open the wrong app, check the browser’s protocol association settings.
5. Download and install mods
This fixes the common case where the file downloaded but the mod is not installed.
For Nexus Mods files, sign in to both Vortex and Nexus Mods.
On a supported Nexus Mods file page, click Vortex or Mod Manager Download.
Let Vortex handle the nxm link and download the file.
To install a ZIP, RAR, or 7Z archive yourself, open Mods in Vortex.
Click Install From File on the toolbar.
Select the archive in the file picker.
For drag-and-drop installation, open Mods or Downloads and drag the archive into the Drop Zone.
For a finished file already listed in Downloads, select it and press Enter to install it.
You can also open Downloads, click the Drop Zone, and paste a direct download link for a compatible file.
6. Deploy mods so the game can use them
Open Mods in Vortex.
Enable the mods you want to use.
Click Deploy Mods on the toolbar.
Start the game after deployment finishes.
To temporarily remove Vortex-managed deployed files from the game folder, return to Mods and click Purge Mods.
Click Deploy Mods again when you want the enabled mods restored.
Let Vortex choose the deployment method automatically; hardlink deployment is the default where the staging folder and the game’s mods folder sit on the same NTFS partition with read and write access. Watch for games that deploy outside the game folder, such as into Documents, because that destination has to pass the same test. Vortex checks hard-link support on the target itself and switches to another supported method when the check fails.
7. Update, remove, or reset installed mods
This fixes stale versions, crowded mod lists, and clean-start situations.
Open Mods.
Click Check for Updates.
Choose Optimised (Default) for the normal update check, or Full for a broader check.
When an update icon appears in the Version column, click it to download the latest version or open the download page.
To remove one mod, right-click it and select Remove.
In the dialog, select Remove Mod.
Select Delete Archive only when you also want to delete the downloaded archive.
Click Remove.
To remove all mods, select one mod, press Ctrl+A, use the batch Remove action, then click Purge Mods to clean Vortex-managed deployed files from the game folder.
8. Use current Vortex paths instead of older advice
Skip older instructions that point to Nexus Mod Manager, the Nexus Mods App, Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 8.1. Nexus says Vortex replaced Nexus Mod Manager on the site, and Nexus Mods announced on January 14, 2026, that it was stopping development on the Nexus Mods App and focusing on Vortex. Before uninstalling Vortex, use Mods > Purge Mods when you want Vortex-managed deployed files removed from game folders, then uninstall Vortex through Windows installed apps.
9. Create profiles and install Collections
This fixes mixed mod setups when you want separate loadouts or a Nexus Mods Collection.
Open Settings.
Select Interface and enable profiles.
Exit Settings.
Open the new Profiles section in the left navigation.
Click the button below the profile tiles to create a profile.
Use Enable under a profile to switch to it.
For a Nexus Mods Collection, open the collection page on Nexus Mods.
Use the collection’s install or add-to-Vortex flow.
For a clean Collection setup, create and enable a clean profile first, then let Vortex install the included mods.
Free Nexus Mods users click through individual Collection downloads. Premium users get more automation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Vortex Mod Manager still the current Nexus Mods manager?
Yes. Nexus Mods presents Vortex as the current supported manager and says it replaced Nexus Mod Manager on the site.
Can I use Vortex Mod Manager without a Nexus Mods account?
Yes. Install Vortex from the official GitHub release route if you do not want to create a Nexus Mods account. Sign in inside Vortex for Nexus-hosted downloads, mod manager links, and account-linked features.
Why do Nexus Mods download buttons not open Vortex?
Open Settings > Download in Vortex and enable Vortex handling for NXM links. If that setting is already enabled, fix the browser’s protocol association setting.
Does uninstalling Vortex delete all my mods?
No. Removing Vortex alone does not necessarily delete downloaded mods, archives, or all user data. Use Mods > Purge Mods before uninstalling when you want deployed Vortex-managed files removed from game folders.
