---
title: "Sons of the Forest Mods: Installing RedLoader, and What Works on a Dedicated Server"
description: "Install RedLoader and Sons of the Forest mods, check which mods work in multiplayer, and see why your dedicated server runs unmodded."
url: "https://www.gameserverkings.com/knowledge-base/sons-of-the-forest/sons-of-the-forest-mods/"
category: "Sons of the Forest"
category_url: "https://www.gameserverkings.com/knowledge-base/sons-of-the-forest/"
published: "2026-09-28T04:25:11.247Z"
updated: "2026-09-28T04:25:11.247Z"
source_format: "markdown"
site: "GameServerKings"
---

# Sons of the Forest Mods: Installing RedLoader, and What Works on a Dedicated Server

Sons of the Forest mods all run through one mod loader: **RedLoader**, made by ToniMacaroni. Endnight doesn't ship official mod support, so you install RedLoader into your own game folder, and then get mods from sotf-mods.com, the mod site built around it. This guide covers installing both, how to tell whether a mod will work in multiplayer, and what that means when your group plays on a dedicated server.

The short version for server owners: mods run on each player's PC, not on the server. A GSK Sons of the Forest server runs the unmodified game, and that's usually fine. Most mods are client-side, and the ones marked multiplayer-compatible work on an unmodded server. The section on dedicated servers below explains the exceptions and why the server doesn't run RedLoader.

## What you need

| Component | Current version (checked September 2026) | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| RedLoader (the mod loader) | 0.8.6, released 26 February 2025 | GitHub: `ToniMacaroni/RedLoader`, releases page |
| RedManager (installer and mod manager) | 1.1.10, a single `.exe` | GitHub: `ToniMacaroni/RedManager`, releases page |
| .NET 6.0 Desktop Runtime | 6.0.x, x64 | Microsoft |
| Visual C++ 2015-2019 Redistributable | x64 | Microsoft |
| Sons of the Forest | the current Steam build (the last update was a Unity security patch on 3 October 2025) | Steam |

RedLoader hasn't needed an update since 0.8.6 because the game hasn't had a content patch since January 2025. The October 2025 update only replaced the Unity engine file, and mods are still being released for the current build.

## Install RedLoader with RedManager

This is the easiest route, and RedManager can update or remove RedLoader later.

1. Install the .NET 6.0 Desktop Runtime (x64) and the Visual C++ 2015-2019 Redistributable (x64) if you don't have them.
2. Download `RedModManager.exe` from the RedManager releases page on GitHub and run it. It doesn't need installing.
3. Check that it found your game folder. If it didn't, point it at the folder that contains `SonsOfTheForest.exe` (in Steam: right-click the game > **Manage** > **Browse local files**).
4. Click **Install RedLoader**.
5. Start the game. A **Mods** entry in the main menu means RedLoader loaded.

To check the install by hand, these three should now sit next to `SonsOfTheForest.exe`:

```text title="Sons Of The Forest game folder"
_RedLoader/
dobby.dll
version.dll
SonsOfTheForest.exe
```

**Manual install:** download `Redloader.zip` from the RedLoader releases page and extract it directly into the game folder, so that `_RedLoader` ends up beside `SonsOfTheForest.exe` and not inside another folder. RedLoader creates `Mods` and `UserData` the first time it runs.

## Install a mod

On sotf-mods.com, each mod page has an **Install with Red Manager** button, which downloads the mod and puts it in the right place. To install one by hand:

1. Download the mod's `.zip`.
2. Extract it into the game folder, the same folder as `SonsOfTheForest.exe`.
3. Check the result. Every mod is a `.dll` plus a folder with the same name inside `Mods`:

```text title="Sons Of The Forest/Mods"
Mods/
  StackMod.dll
  StackMod/
    manifest.json
```

4. Start the game. Mod settings are in the in-game **Mods** menu, and they're saved as files under `UserData`.

RedLoader refuses to load a `.dll` that doesn't have a `manifest.json` in its folder. It also refuses a mod whose manifest asks for a newer RedLoader than you have. If a mod doesn't show up, check the loader's console window for a line naming it.

## Mods and dedicated servers

Every mod on sotf-mods.com lists three properties, and together they decide whether it works when your group plays on a server:

| Property on the mod page | What it means for multiplayer |
|---|---|
| **Mod Side**: Client Side / Server Side / Both | Where the mod has to be installed. RedLoader enforces this: a client mod refuses to load on a dedicated server, and a server mod refuses to load in the normal game. |
| **Multiplayer Compatible**: Yes / No | Whether the mod works in multiplayer at all. Many mod menus and carry-limit mods are single-player only. |
| **Requires All Players**: Yes / No | Whether every player in the session needs the same mod installed |

For example, when we checked in September 2026:

| Mod | Side | Multiplayer | All players need it? | On a GSK server |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| StackMod 1.4.0 | Client | Yes | No | Each player installs it on their own PC, and it works on the unmodded server |
| Axel's Mod Menu 1.3.8 | (not listed) | **No** | n/a | Single-player only |
| ItemCarryAmount 1.0.3 | (not listed) | **No** | n/a | Single-player only |

So on a GSK server, look for **Client Side** and **Multiplayer Compatible: Yes**. If a mod also says **Requires All Players: Yes**, everyone in the group installs the same version on their own PC. Nothing gets installed on the server.

### Why the server itself runs without RedLoader

RedLoader does have a dedicated-server mode, but it isn't available on GSK servers today, and we don't recommend trying it:

- **Server-side mods are rare.** RedLoader's author said in February 2025 that the server install "is only for mods that are server sided as well, which there aren't many of them right now." A server install also doesn't give players the **Mods** menu; they still need RedLoader on their own PCs.
- **The server runs under Wine.** GSK's Sons of the Forest servers run the Windows server build (`SonsOfTheForestDS.exe`) under Wine on Linux. RedLoader's instructions for Wine require the environment setting `WINEDLLOVERRIDES="version=n,b"`. Without it, Wine uses its own `version.dll` and RedLoader never starts. The GSK server doesn't set this, and you can't add it from the panel.
- **Current RedLoader hangs on Linux servers.** An open RedLoader bug report (#44, October 2025) says versions 0.8.0 and later freeze during startup on Wine-based dedicated servers. The only version reported to work is 0.7.3, from August 2024.

If a server-side mod is essential for your group, open a support ticket with the mod's name, so we know there's demand. Many "server tweaks" don't need a mod at all. Difficulty, enemy spawns, seasons, tree regrowth and whether cheats are allowed are all settings in `serverconfig/dedicatedserver.cfg`. See [Getting started with your Sons of the Forest server](/knowledge-base/sons-of-the-forest/getting-started-with-your-server/).

## Troubleshooting

| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| No **Mods** entry in the main menu | RedLoader went into the wrong folder (often a subfolder) | `_RedLoader`, `version.dll` and `dobby.dll` must be right next to `SonsOfTheForest.exe`. Reinstall with RedManager. |
| The game starts without mods after a Windows update | An open RedLoader issue (#48, July 2026) reports some July 2026 Windows updates stopping the loader | Watch the RedLoader GitHub issues for a fix. Reinstalling with RedManager is the first thing to try. |
| Log shows "is a client mod and cannot be loaded on a dedicated server" | A client mod was put on a server | Install client mods on each player's PC, not on the server |
| Log shows "does not have a manifest.json file" | The mod folder is missing, or the zip was extracted one level too deep | Each `Mods/<Name>.dll` needs a `Mods/<Name>/manifest.json` beside it |
| Log shows "requires a different version of RedLoader" | The mod was built for a newer loader | Update RedLoader with RedManager |
| Log says a mod "is made for a different version of the game" | The mod predates the current game build | It still loads, but it may misbehave. Check the mod's page for an update. |
| Your friends get errors or desyncs with a mod | The mod is marked **Requires All Players** and someone has a different version, or it isn't multiplayer compatible | Everyone installs the same mod version, or remove it |
| Antivirus flags RedLoader | Antivirus detections of RedLoader have been reported on its GitHub (issue #46, still open) | Only download from the official GitHub releases, where the source code is public, and decide for yourself |
| You play on Linux (Proton) and mods don't load | Proton uses Wine's own `version.dll` | Set the Steam launch option `WINEDLLOVERRIDES="version=n,b" %command%` |

> [!CAUTION] "Unlockers" and "trainers" aren't mods
> GitHub and YouTube are full of Sons of the Forest "unlocker", "item spawner" and "trainer" downloads that aren't RedLoader mods. Get mods only from sotf-mods.com or from a mod author's own GitHub releases. You don't need a mod to spawn items anyway: the game's own cheat console does it, as the next section explains.

## Mods you may not need

Two of the most-searched mod types duplicate things the game already does:

- **Item spawners and god mode.** The built-in cheat console has `additem`, `godmode` and much more. See [Sons of the Forest Cheats and Console Commands](/knowledge-base/sons-of-the-forest/sons-of-the-forest-console-commands/), and [Sons of the Forest item IDs](/knowledge-base/sons-of-the-forest/sons-of-the-forest-item-ids/) for the full ID list.
- **Difficulty tweaks.** On a server, custom difficulty is a set of `CustomGameModeSettings` entries in `dedicatedserver.cfg`, so there's no mod to keep up to date.

## What to Read Next

- [Getting started with your Sons of the Forest server](/knowledge-base/sons-of-the-forest/getting-started-with-your-server/): first boot, ports and the config file
- [Sons of the Forest Cheats and Console Commands](/knowledge-base/sons-of-the-forest/sons-of-the-forest-console-commands/): the built-in alternative to most mod menus
- [Is Sons of the Forest crossplay?](/knowledge-base/sons-of-the-forest/sons-of-the-forest-crossplay/): the game is PC-only, so everyone in your group can run the same mods

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