Install Mods for Skyrim Special Edition

How to Install Mods for the Skyrim Special Edition on the Xbox One or PlayStation 4

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition is now available on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and for the first time, “mods” are available to console gamers.

If you’re not familiar with the term, mods are player-created (and in this case, officially sanctioned) modifications to the core game. They can do anything from add new costumes to whole new quest branches complete with items, spells and perks. Mods have always been one of the big advantages PC gamers have had over console gamers, especially with games like the Elder Scrolls seires. But now, console players can get in on the fun too. Here’s how.

Getting Started With Mods in Skyrim

To start using mods in the Skyrim Special Edition, you need a Bethesda.net account. Head to Bethesda’s site and sign up for an account.



Then, launch Skyrim on your console. I’m using a PlayStation 4, but the process should be very similar on the Xbox One.

From the main menu, select Mods.



Log in with your newly set up Bethesda account details.



While you log in, you’ll be treated to a nice warning message telling you that mods can break your game at any time.



Once you’re in, you’ll see a grid display of popular and highly rated mods. Community reviews are really important in the modding community. Highly rated mods are usually more exciting, and less likely to have unpredictable effects.



You can browse through all the mods (there’s over 5000 of them) or use the Search and Filter options to find a specific mod.

Once you’ve found one you like, select it and click Download. It’s worth reading the description to see if there’s any other mods it’s incompatible with. Bethesda wasn’t lying about mods having the potential to create weird situations.



You can download as many mods as you want; just make sure they won’t interfere with each other.

To configure which mods are active, or get rid of ones you don’t use any more, select Load Order from the Mods menu. Here, you can see what mods you have active, or enable, disable and delete them.

You may also want to reorder them. For example, if you have one mod that changes textures all over Skyrim, and one mod that changes the texture of just the snow, you’ll want to make sure the snow mod is loaded after the Skyrim-wide mod—otherwise, you’ll see the textures from the Skyrim-wide mod and not the snow mod.



When you’re done, head back to the Main Menu and then load your save file. The game will pop up another warning telling you that mods are enabled so Trophies on the PlaysStation and Achievements on the Xbox are disabled.



Click Yes and the game will start. Any changes the mods make will be in effect.

While you’re in game, you can check what mods you’ve got running by going to the Pause menu and selecting Mods. You have to quit the game to enable or disable them.



Now you’re running Skyrim with mods on your console. Take that, PC gamers!