Elden Ring has no official mod menu, Steam Workshop setup, console mod browser, or Bandai Namco mod installer. Mods are a PC-only third-party setup, and modded play belongs offline so altered files never enter official online play.
Start with the safe setup, then use Nexus Mods with Vortex when the mod supports it. For mods that name a separate loader, follow that loader path exactly.
1. Confirm what Elden Ring modding supports
Bottom line: install mods only on PC, back up your saves first, and keep modded sessions offline.
Elden Ring has no verified official mod-install surface. Console versions have no verified mod-install surface. Bandai Namco terms prohibit modifying or altering the game and prohibit online play using falsified data.
Each mod page controls the real requirements: Elden Ring patch version, loader, file structure, and launch method. Use the official Elden Ring product page only for buying or installing the base game and DLC through its platform retailer links. It is not a mod download page.
2. Switch Elden Ring to offline mode
- 1.Open Elden Ring.
- 2.Open Menu.
- 3.Select System.
- 4.Open Network.
- 5.Set Launch Setting to Play Offline.
- 6.Restart the game before launching a modded setup.
This setting keeps Elden Ring offline inside the game. It does not disable Easy Anti-Cheat, so use the Easy Anti-Cheat step from your mod loader when that loader requires it.
3. Install Vortex from Nexus Mods
Vortex is Nexus Mods' official mod manager, and it is the cleanest starting point for Elden Ring mods that support manager downloads.
Open the Vortex page on Nexus Mods. Click Download for Windows or Download Vortex. Choose the one-click installer or custom installer.
Click Manual Download, then run the downloaded EXE. In Vortex, click Log In or Register on the toolbar, or click the blank avatar in the top right. Some builds show only the avatar icon.
Choose Log In On Website. Vortex requires Windows 10 or newer. Elden Ring management also needs the Elden Ring Vortex extension.
4. Add Elden Ring support in Vortex
Install the Elden Ring Support for Vortex extension before managing the game. Open the Elden Ring Support for Vortex extension page. In Vortex, click Find More and search for Elden Ring Support for Vortex.
Click Install, then restart Vortex when prompted.
Manual extension install works too: click Manual Download on the extension page. Open the Vortex extension page and drag the downloaded ZIP file into the dedicated drop box. Then restart Vortex.
5. Download a mod from Nexus Mods
Open the Elden Ring mods page on Nexus Mods and choose a mod. Read the mod page's Files, download instructions, loader notes, and patch requirements. Click Mod manager download when the mod supports Vortex, or Manual download when it does not.
In Vortex, open Games and manage Elden Ring. Install, enable, and deploy the mod using the buttons and instructions shown by Vortex and the mod page.
If the mod page does not offer a manager flow, use the mod author's manual instructions. Do not guess a folder path.
6. Install a Collection through Vortex
Nexus Collections are lists of mods installed automatically through Vortex. Open the Elden Ring Collections area on Nexus Mods and choose a collection. Read the collection page's patch, loader, and launch requirements.
Use the Vortex collection install flow. Launch only through the method listed by that collection. A collection is still a modded setup, so keep it offline.
7. Use the loader named by the mod
Some Elden Ring mods need a loader instead of Vortex alone. Use the loader named on the mod page.
me3 or Mod Engine 3: supported games include Elden Ring, and the project supports Windows, Linux through Proton, and macOS through CrossOver. For consumer installs, use packaged me3 releases or mod-provided me3 profiles when the mod author supplies them.
Elden Mod Loader: use this for DLL-based mods that explicitly require it. Install it from its Nexus page, then place DLL mods in the mods folder.
Anti-cheat toggler and offline launcher: download ToggleAntiCheat.zip, place its contents in the Elden Ring game folder, then run toggle_anti_cheat.exe. Run toggle_anti_cheat.exe again to re-enable anti-cheat and disable DLL mods.
Offline launcher No EAC: place launch_modded_eldenring.exe in ELDENRING/Game, the same folder as eldenring.exe, then run launch_modded_eldenring.exe. If the title screen says Inappropriate activity detected, starting in offline mode after using the offline launcher, that message is normal because Easy Anti-Cheat is not running.
8. Remove mods before normal play
For Vortex-installed mods, use Vortex to remove them cleanly. Open Vortex, then open Mods and right-click the mod.
Choose Remove and select Remove Mod. Select Delete Archive when you want the archive removed too. Click Remove, then deploy or apply changes if Vortex prompts.
If you used the anti-cheat toggler, run toggle_anti_cheat.exe again before returning to the standard game.
9. Avoid outdated install tricks
Skip tutorials that tell you to manually rename start_protected_game.exe and copy or rename eldenring.exe. That method is outdated, and the anti-cheat toggler page directs users away from old methods because they create future issues.
Do not use Mod Engine 2 as the default route either. Its repository is archived, development is discontinued, and current work moved to me3. Use Vortex, me3, Elden Mod Loader, or the offline tool named by the mod author.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I install Elden Ring mods on PS5 or Xbox?
No. Console versions have no verified Elden Ring mod-install surface. The practical modding routes covered here are PC-only.
Can I play online with Elden Ring mods installed?
No. Keep modded Elden Ring offline. Vendor terms prohibit online play using falsified data, and mod loaders commonly require offline play or Easy Anti-Cheat disabled use.
Do all Nexus Mods Elden Ring files work with Vortex?
No. Use Vortex only when the mod page supports manager downloads or the Elden Ring Vortex extension supports the package. Otherwise, follow the mod author's manual loader instructions.
What should I check before installing any Elden Ring mod?
Back up your saves, read the mod page's patch and loader requirements, set Launch Setting to Play Offline, and launch through the tool named by the mod author.