Skyrim Initial Setup (SSE/AE) An infernalryan Skyrim Modding Guide
Overview This guide will provide instructions for the initial setup of Skyrim, including installation, downgrading to a previous (more supported) version, and preventing automatic updates. I will also cover how to bring the most recent game files (e.g. 'masters') and Creation Club content over to a downgraded build, as well as essential mod installations, whether you choose to use a Wabbajack mod pack, prefer the manual approach, or a combination of both. These steps may vary slightly from those you may have seen before, but they will provide arguably the best possible initial setup to support your modding journey.
This guide is for SSE/AE for Steam. For the GOG version of this guide, click here. For the Skyrim VR version of this guide, click here.
While every attempt was made to keep this guide short and to the point, I have added additional context to some of the steps where I felt appropriate, and there may be information, and/or steps/sections which may not apply to your specific case. This has resulted in the guide growing larger than anticipated, but do not be overwhelmed! I have added spoiler tags where possible, and steps that may not apply have been noted and can be skipped entirely.
Guide Contents:
Install Skyrim (and/or update to latest version) and prevent updates
Prepare Creation Club content files and set them aside
(Optional) Perform a downgrade by downloading and installing your preferred version
Final setup including Mod Manager selection and installation of updated masters, CC content, and/or other essential and optional mods
Run the game and verify SKSE is running
Further reading including compatibility notes and other helpful information
Soft copy is also available for download from the files tab. Please consider ENDORSING if you found this guide helpful!
In this guide, there are several references to your ' <Skyrim game folder>' as well as your Skyrim ' /Data' folder. These folders refer to your specific Skyrim installation folder and its /Data folder inside. For example, if you install Skyrim into the C:\Games\Steam folder, your <Skyrim game folder> would refer to C:\Games\Steam\steamapps\common\Skyrim Special Edition, and the /Data folder would refer to C:\Games\Steam\steamapps\common\Skyrim Special Edition\Data.
1 Install Skyrim First things first, Skyrim needs to be installed. By default, Steam installs all games into C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common. DO NOT DO THIS! If Skyrim is currently installed here, you will have to move it. Set up an alternate installation location with the steps below (if you haven't already), and either install or move an existing installation there. I have provided these steps below, but the full official guide from Steam can be found here.
IMPORTANT NOTE – Never install Skyrim into the C:\Program Files (x86) or C:\Program Files folders! Many mods and plugins cannot function when games are installed here and/or may cause crashes as they are system protected folders. A new Steam library folder must be added and Skyrim must be installed there to prevent these issues.
1.1 Add a Steam library folder Skip to section 1.2 if you have done so already, otherwise, follow these steps to create a new location which can be selected for your game installations within Steam.
Navigate to your Steam client 'Settings' menu.
Select the 'Storage' tab.
From here, you can view your default installation drive, as well as create a new path by selecting the '+' button at the top.
Once you have created the new path, all future installations can be installed there (e.g., 'C:\Games\Steam').
1.2 Install latest version Although it seems counter-intuitive to "downgrading", we must first install/update Skyrim to the latest version (1.6.1170 at the time of writing this guide) for some files and assets to be used later. Follow only one of the two options and their associated step(s) below (expand their respective 'Spoiler' tag).
1.2.1 Option 1: New installation If you do not currently have Skyrim installed, simply run the installer from within Steam. Be sure to select an alternate installation location and DO NOT install in Program Files. This will install the latest version of Skyrim. Skip to section 1.3 when done.
1.2.2 Option 2: Existing installation For existing installations, there are a couple of steps you want to complete before proceeding.
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1.2.2.1 Purge mods (Vortex) Skip to section 1.2.2.2 if you have never previously used Vortex Mod Manager, otherwise, if it is still installed, you will need to check to ensure the program does not have any mods deployed to the Skyrim folder. If it does, this could cause Vortex to complain that changes were made outside of the program the next time you open it, requiring you to manually resolve each issue.
Open Vortex.
Ensure Skyrim SSE is the active managed game – This is found under the 'Games' tab. If it is not, hover over the Skyrim Special Edition game and click the 'Activate' button.
Navigate to the 'Mods' tab.
Click the 'Purge Mods' link in the top toolbar.
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If you are still having issues, or receive an error that indicates issues already existed prior to starting this guide, you may simply need to stop managing the game via Vortex. Do this by navigating to the 'Games' tab, clicking the 3 vertical dots on the Skyrim Special Edition game, and selecting 'Stop Managing'. If you are STILL having issues, you may simply need to uninstall Vortex altogether.
1.2.2.2 Ensure manifest is not set to read-only Skip to section 1.2.2.3 if you have never modded Skyrim before, otherwise, if you have done so previously and also locked the manifest file to prevent game updates, follow the instructions in section 1.3 (Prevent the game from updating) below (do the reverse of the steps listed) to unlock it. Be sure to come back to this step to continue.
1.2.2.3 Move Skyrim out of Program Files folder Skip to section 1.2.2.4 if Skyrim is not installed here, otherwise, you will need to move it (you don't need to perform a complete uninstall). You can do this using Steam's "Move" feature. To use this option do the following:
Make sure you have a different Steam Library path created to move to (see section 1.1 (Add a Steam Library folder) above for instructions).
Navigate to your Steam client 'Settings' menu.
Open the 'Storage' tab.
Select the drive where Skyrim is located.
Select 'The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition' from this list, and click 'Move'.
From the dropdown box, select the new drive/location, and click 'Move'.
1.2.2.4 Delete and Verify Integrity of Files Even if you intend to perform a downgrade, we will want to ensure the latest Skyrim game files (.esm, .bsa, etc.) are downloaded so that we can take advantage of their updates.
Open your root <Skyrim game folder>.
Delete all files and folders in here. This will ensure any renamed files, custom .dlls, etc., from previous modding activities which may affect the game and/or its ability to open on the current version are removed, and all files are 100% reset back to stock.
Right-click Skyrim in your Steam Game list and select 'Properties...'.
Select the 'Installed Files' tab.
Click the 'Verify integrity of game files' button and wait for files to finish downloading.
1.3 Prevent the game from updating In order to ensure that you don't accidentally update a manually downgraded version, or be surprised by an official Bethesda auto-update which will break your current mod load order, you need to lock the Skyrim manifest file so that the game can not update under any circumstances. This is done by making the file read-only.
Open the 'steamapps' folder in the base Steam location you installed Skyrim to. For example, if this was 'C:\Games\Steam', open 'C:\Games\Steam\steamapps'.
Locate the 'appmanifest_489830.acf' file.
Right-click the file and select 'Properties'.
Under the 'General' tab, place a checkmark in the 'Read-only' box.
Click the 'OK' button to save.
2 Prepare Creation Club content Since Creation Club mods are technically officially packaged/endorsed Bethesda mods, they will pre-install themselves directly in the Skyrim /Data folder. This makes them unmanageable from Mod Managers. We will change that.
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The Anniversary Edition was released in November of 2021, and as a free upgrade to existing Skyrim Special Edition owners, it provides 4 DLC mods (Survival Mode, Saints and Seducers, Rare Curios, and Fishing). Additionally, it has an optional paid DLC upgrade (referred to as the Anniversary Upgrade) which contains 70 community mods. The Anniversary Upgrade is purchasable on its own, or together with Skyrim Special Edition in a bundle called "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition". When referring to the 'Anniversary Upgrade', I am referring to this paid DLC content, regardless of how it was purchased.
2.1 Download Anniversary Upgrade content files Skip to section 2.2 if you did NOT purchase the Anniversary Upgrade DLC, otherwise, you will need to launch Skyrim to download these.
Launch Skyrim.
If you receive the 'Thanks for buying Skyrim Anniversary Edition!' prompt when opening, click the 'DOWNLOAD' button, exit when done, and skip to section 2.1.2.
If not, Navigate to the 'Creations' menu.
Select 'Options' from the bottom center of the screen.
Select 'Download all Creations in my Library'.
Once all files are downloaded, exit Skyrim.
2.2 Move Creation Club content files
Open your Skyrim /Data folder.
Create a folder inside /Data called 'CC Content'.
Move all ccXXXsse0XX-filename.xxx files (.bsa, .esl, .esm) inside /Data into this new 'CC Content' folder (example: ccBGSSSE001-Fish.bsa)
The folder should now contain all 4 free DLC mods (.esm, .esl, and .bsa) as well all mods contained in the Anniversary Upgrade (if applicable).
3 (Optional) Perform a downgrade Skip to section 4 if you do NOT want to perform a downgrade (and just want to stick with current version 1.6.1170). While optional, many users prefer to play a version of Skyrim which has better mod support (primarily SKSE plugins, which require more frequent updates than Creation Kit mods). This is done through a process called "downgrading". Skyrim is over 12 years old, and there are sometimes many months or even years between updates. Over these long periods, mod authors can lose interest in Skyrim, lose their source materials, etc., so for these reasons (among others), there are some mods which will never be updated to be compatible with newer versions of the game.
As of June 2024, there is less reason to recommend downgrading for a new playthrough. Mod support for 1.6.1170 is very strong, and you can avoid some of the pain points and confusion associated with a downgraded version. This decision is ultimately up to you!
Refer to the list below for information on the most commonly referenced versions of Skyrim to further help you decide on a preferred version. Note that when following this guide we will be using newest game masters and CC content ("best of both worlds"), so preference should come down to whether or not there are any specific user mod(s) that are incompatible with your selected version. Check out the amazing SKSE Plugin Status list for plugin compatibility with the version of Skyrim you want to run.
Skyrim version list:
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1.5.97 (SSE Final) Released 11/21/2019 – This was the final release of Skyrim Special Edition (SSE) proper. Up until recently, there were a few mods which remained incompatible with any version of 1.6 (primarily 'No Grass in Objects'), but most of these mods, including NGIO, have been updated to work with recent versions. Since their updates, there is little reason to downgrade to this version if starting a new playthrough.
1.6.640 (AE Pre-Creations) Released 09/20/2022 – The final ‘stable’ release of AE prior to the Creations update. For those looking to play version 1.6, this one had the most time to bake and receive new mods/mod updates, so was the de-facto recommended AE version for a long time.
1.6.659 / 1.6.1179 (GOG Versions) Released 09/29/2022 and 01/17/2024 respectively – Referred to as 'GOGrim', these are DRM-free versions of 1.6.640 / 1.6.1170 available on the GOG store only. Since this guide covers Steam only, this version info is here for reference purposes only.
1.6.1130 / 1.6.1170 (AE Post-Creations) Released 12/05/2023 and 01/17/2024 respectively – 1.6.1130 introduced the Creations update. It also fixed some bugs in master files (but you don’t need this game version to use updated masters no matter what version you choose). 1.6.1170 fixed additional bugs and is the current version as of the writing of this guide. Recent mod support for this version is very good.
Downgrade instructions Expand the 'Spoiler' tag below for downgrade instructions. While there are automatic downgrade patchers available, these may periodically require updates, and sometimes break, cause in-game crashes, etc.. The manual process for this is not difficult, and will likely never change, so that is the method I am posting here.
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3.1 Prepare master game files Whether you plan to run SSE (1.5.97) or a more recent version of Anniversary Edition (1.6.xx), you will want to use the latest game files (.esm, .esl, .bsa) to ensure maximum compatibility with newer mods (i.e., "best of both worlds"). These are essentially mod files themselves, so even older versions of Skyrim have no issues running them (there is a small–but extremely important–exception with the plugin version which we will get to in section 4 (Final setup) below), so no matter which version of Skyrim you ultimately choose, we will want to save these files for later.
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Some popular mods require these updated files due to referencing records only found in newer versions of them (and not the 1.5.97 versions, for example), which could cause issues and/or CTDs if they are not found. Two such examples of popular mods doing this are JK's Castle Dour and JK's Sinderion's Field Laboratory, which both use a record from a recent version of update.esm which does not exist in the 1.5.97 files, making the mods incompatible with a base 1.5.97 install. To get around this, we will later copy these updated master files into our Mod Manager along with applicable AE Creation Club content. This also makes compatibility with mods such as USSEP much easier. This is what is effectively known as the "best of both worlds" (using an older Skyrim game version with the latest master files + CC content).
3.1.1 Move master files
Open your Skyrim /Data folder.
Create a folder inside /Data called 'Skyrim Updated Masters'
MOVE the following files in the /Data folder into this new 'Skyrim Updated Masters' folder.
Dawnguard.esm
Dragonborn.esm
HearthFires.esm
Skyrim - Animations.bsa
Skyrim - Interface.bsa
Skyrim - Meshes0.bsa
Skyrim - Meshes1.bsa
Skyrim - Misc.bsa
Skyrim - Shaders.bsa
Skyrim - Sounds.bsa
Skyrim - Textures0.bsa
Skyrim - Textures1.bsa
Skyrim - Textures2.bsa
Skyrim - Textures3.bsa
Skyrim - Textures4.bsa
Skyrim - Textures5.bsa
Skyrim - Textures6.bsa
Skyrim - Textures7.bsa
Skyrim - Textures8.bsa
Skyrim - Voices_en0.bsa
Skyrim.esm
Update.esm
NOTE – There are files intentionally left out the list above, so leave those in /Data.
3.2 Download files Files for previous versions are downloaded via the Steam console, not through the Steam front end like the current version of the game. This process is outlined below.
3.2.1 Open Steam console
Enter the following in your browser (or Windows Run box with Win+R) to open the Steam Console: steam://nav/console
If opened in a browser and prompted to open the Steam Client Bootstrapper, click the 'Open Steam Client Bootstrapper' button.
3.2.2 Download your preferred version
Refer to the version list below for complete commands for each respective version.
Run each command and wait for it to fully complete before running the next!
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You will know it has completed when you see the text that says (example): 'Depot download complete : "C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\content\app_489830\depot_489831" (1 files, manifest 2289561010626853674)'
3.2.2.1 Version 1.5.97 commands Run the following in the Steam console if you prefer this version.
download_depot 489830 489831 7848722008564294070
download_depot 489830 489832 8702665189575304780
download_depot 489830 489833 2289561010626853674
3.2.2.2 Version 1.6.640 commands Run the following in the Steam console if you prefer this version.
download_depot 489830 489831 3660787314279169352
download_depot 489830 489832 2756691988703496654
download_depot 489830 489833 5291801952219815735
3.2.2.3 Other versions / languages Only the most commonly used Skyrim versions have been listed directly above. Commands for all other available versions (including language packs) can be found on my Skyrim Manifest List. If your preferred downgrade version is not listed above, open the list to locate your version's console commands, run them, and come back to this guide.
3.3 Install preferred version Now that we've got the version of Skyrim downloaded that we want, we need to clean up the game folder and move these files over. Instructions are below.
3.3.1 Delete existing Skyrim game files The first step is to remove (most of) the files from the main game folder. This is because that version is still the current version, and we need to replace it with our preferred downgraded version.
Open the main <Skyrim game folder>.
Open the /Data folder.
Delete all files and folders EXCEPT the following folders we created earlier:
/Skyrim Updated Masters
/CC Content
Go back to the main <Skyrim game folder>.
Delete all files and folders EXCEPT the /Data folder (which should only contain the two folders above).
3.3.2 Perform (manual) install Next we will move the files we downloaded to the main game folder.
Refer to the Skyrim Console to locate where your depots from above have been downloaded to. By default this is:
Open this folder. There should be at least 3 folders inside it:
depot_489831
depot_489832
depot_489833
<language depot(s), if applicable>
If you have chosen to downgrade to a version of 1.6 (which contains Creation Club content we have already backed up/prepared), open the 'depot_489831\Data' folder and DELETE the following files:
ccBGSSSE001-Fish.bsa
ccBGSSSE001-Fish.esm
ccBGSSSE025-AdvDSGS.bsa
ccBGSSSE025-AdvDSGS.esm
ccBGSSSE037-Curios.bsa
ccBGSSSE037-Curios.esl
ccQDRSSE001-SurvivalMode.bsa
ccQDRSSE001-SurvivalMode.esl
Once deleted, go back up to the main 'app_489830' folder.
Open each of the 'depot_xxxxxx' folders and MOVE the files and folders inside here into the main <Skyrim game folder>.
Once all files have been moved, delete the 'depot_xxxxxx' folders.
4 Final setup Your Skyrim game folder is now ready, but before you start modding, you will need to install and/or verify the following essential mods with your Mod Manager. See below.
IMPORTANT NOTE – Whether you plan to use a pre-built Wabbajack mod pack, manually download and install mods, or a combination of both, to ensure maximum compatibility with newer mods, you will need to download and install the Backported Extended ESL Support plugin. Failure to install this and/or lack of inclusion in your Wabbajack mod pack WILL RESULT IN A CTD at game launch. DO NOT SKIP THIS. These steps are found later in this section.
4.1 Install Mod Manager Skip to section 4.2 if you intend to use a Wabbajack mod pack since this will typically come pre-built with a portable version of Mod Organizer 2 (so this decision will have been made for you). For everyone else, the two options are Vortex and Mod Organizer 2. Nexus Mod Manager (NMM) has been sunset and is no longer supported, so do NOT attempt to use that with modern Skyrim modding. If you need help deciding between Vortex and MO2, there are several threads on this on the internet. Personally, I prefer MO2, and believe that what appears initially to be a steeper learning curve inevitably reveals itself to be a bit more intuitive overall, especially for larger mod lists, with the main benefit being you can keep your /Data folder (and root folders with Root Builder) completely free of files and/or links. Ultimately this is up to you, and my guides will support both applications. Install your Mod Manager of preference and then proceed.
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Your Nexus account should be connected to your installed Mod Manager. Additionally, all steps below assume Nexus downloads (nxm links) have been associated with the program so that mods are automatically downloaded to the proper folder when using the 'Mod Manager Download' buttons on nexusmods.com. This should be automatic following installation, but if this association changes, MO2 will ask at startup, and Vortex will reclaim this automatically. Follow your chosen Mod Manager's installation guide for more information on either topic above.
4.1.1 Install Root Builder for MO2 Skip to section 4.2 if NOT using MO2. Unlike Vortex, MO2 does not have the native ability to manage files in the <Skyrim game folder>, only the /Data folder. This functionality is provided by the Root Builder plugin, allowing you to leave the entire <Skyrim game folder> in "pristine, vanilla condition!", and the steps to set it up are quite simple. All the remaining steps for MO2 in this guide assume this is installed. Follow the instructions below by expanding the 'Spoiler' tag.
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Download the latest version from the main mod page 'FILES' tab – ensure you click the 'MANUAL DOWNLOAD' link (this will not install with your Mod Manager).
When completed, open this file from your web browser downloads folder (it is a .zip file).
Extract the contents of the file into the /plugins folder of your MO2 folder. For example, if you installed MO2 into 'C:\Modding\MO2', extract this to 'C:\Modding\MO2\plugins'.
If done correctly, you should now have a 'rootbuilder' folder inside of /plugins (example: 'C:\Modding\MO2\plugins\rootbuilder').
Close MO2 if it is open.
Re-open MO2.
Verify this is installed correctly by navigating to the 'Tools > Tool Plugins' menu of the main menu bar (you can also click the "puzzle" icon in the main icon bar). You should now see a 'Root Builder' entry.
You are done!
4.2 Install core mods Before you start adding your own mods to your mod list, you will want to set up core mods which will serve as the foundation for any future mods added. For Wabbajack, this is an entire mod list which you can later build off of, whereas if you are looking to create your mod list manually from scratch, there are several mods which should be installed first. Follow only one of the two options and their associated step(s) below (expand their respective 'Spoiler' tag).
4.2.1 Option 1: Wabbajack mod pack If using Wabbajack, simply download the Wabbajack modlist file, open it with Wabbajack for download, and follow any specific instructions on the mod pack page to configure. Be sure the mod pack is compatible with your selected game version. Skip to section 4.3 when done.
4.2.2 Option 2: Custom mod list Follow the instructions below to download the listed mods for the specific version(s) of Skyrim you are running. Only the recommended game versions are listed here, so you will have to visit the main mod page for versions not listed to download, if applicable.
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4.2.2.1 Skyrim Script Extender (SKSE) SKSE is installed differently depending on the Mod Manager chosen. In general, we are doing the same thing for each: downloading, enabling, and then telling the Mod Manager to launch Skyrim with the SKSE launcher when we run the game. Follow only one of the two options based on your Mod Manager of choice (expand their respective 'Spoiler' tag).
Click the 'Start Download' button on the following page after clicking the link above to download into your Mod Manager.
This will automatically install and enable SKSE. In addition, it will also automatically set the primary launch tool as SKSE.
Restart Vortex (exit and re-open). This will remove the notification that SKSE is not installed and the visual bug that does not show SKSE as the primary launch tool.
Deploy mods by clicking the 'Deploy Mods' button in the main toolbar at the top of the application.
Click the 'Start Download' button on the following page after clicking the link above to download into your Mod Manager.
Double-click the file in the 'Downloads' tab in MO2 to install – When installing, you will be informed that 'The content of <data> does not look valid.'.
If the tutorial pops up, feel free to read through this if this is your first time or just exit by clicking the 'Exit Tutorial' box.
In the 'Install Mods' dialog, expand both the ' skse64_x_xx_xx' and ' Data' folders, then right-click the ' Data' folder and select 'Create directory…'.
Name the directory 'root' (without quotes).
Drag the ' skse64_x_x_xx.dll', ' skse64_loader.exe', and ' skse64_steam_loader.dll' files into the ' root' folder you just created.
Note - the ' skse64_steam_loader.dll' file is only present in older SKSE versions, so skip it if you don't see it.
Next, right-click the ' Data' folder and select 'Set as <data> directory'.
Your 'Install Mods' window should now look something like this (with ' root' expanded) – Again, the ' skse64_steam_loader.dll' file is only found in older versions so don't worry if you don't see it and are running a version of 1.6.
Click the 'OK' button.
Enable the mod by clicking the checkbox to the left of the mod name in the mod list on the left side of the main MO2 window.
Next, click the executables dropdown (next to the 'Run' button), which by default should say 'Skyrim Special Edition', and select '<Edit...>'.
On the dialog that opens, if this list on the left already contains an entry for 'SKSE' (or similar, which it may by default), you can optionally change the name to something like 'Play Game (SKSE)'. Ensure both the 'Force load libraries (*)' and 'Use application's icon for desktop shortcuts' checkboxes are selected, click 'OK'. and Skip to section 4.2.2.2.
If the entry does not exist, click the '+' icon on the left and select 'Add empty…' (we have to do this because the SKSE loader file does not exist in your game folder, instead it is managed by Root Builder).
For 'Title', give this a name like 'Play Game (SKSE)'.
Click the '...' button in the 'Start in' row and select your root <Skyrim game folder>.
In the 'Binary' field, use this same path followed by ' \skse64_loader.exe', for example, ' C:\Games\Steam\steamapps\common\Skyrim Special Edition\skse64_loader.exe'.
Select both the 'Force load libraries (*)' and 'Use application's icon for desktop shortcuts' checkboxes.
Optionally, click the green 'up' arrow in the left list to bring this entry to the top.
Your screen should look something like this (with your actual paths).
Click 'OK'.
4.2.2.2 Address Library This process is the same for both Vortex and MO2, and should download automatically into your Mod Manager.
Download for your specific version from the main mod page 'FILES' tab using the 'MOD MANAGER DOWNLOAD' button.
The 1.5.97 version should be the first file in the list with the label ' All in one (Special Edition)'.
The 1.6 version should be the second file in the list with the label ' All in one Address Library (Anniversary Edition)' and works for all versions of 1.6.
Click the 'Start Download' button on the following page after clicking the link above to download into your Mod Manager.
Install and enable the mod (Vortex should do both automatically, but confirm).
Deploy mods (Vortex only).
4.2.2.3 SSE Engine Fixes Skip to section 4.3 if you do not wish to install this. While not required, this mod fixes a lot of game bugs and additionally allows achievements when mods are enabled, which most people want. This mod is installed differently depending on the Mod Manager chosen. Follow only one of the two options based on your Mod Manager of choice (expand their respective 'Spoiler' tag).
Click the 'Start Download' button on the following page after clicking the link above to download into your Mod Manager.
Enable the mod if it does not do so automatically.
Download part 2 – All versions (this is NOT a Mod Manager download)
Click the 'Start Download' button on the following page after clicking the link above to download into your download folder
Open your web browser downloads folder.
Drag the ' (Part 2) Engine Fixes - skse64 Preloader and TBB Lib-xxxxx.7z' file into the 'Drop File(s)' section of Vortex, which is found at the bottom of the 'Mods' tab.
Enable the mod if it does not do so automatically.
Double-click the ' (Part 2) Engine Fixes - skse64 Preloader and TBB Lib' entry in the list to open its properties panel.
Under the 'Mod Type' dropdown, select 'Engine Injector' – This will install the mod into the root <Skyrim game folder> (instead of the /Data folder).
Click the 'Start Download' button on the following page after clicking the link above to download into your Mod Manager.
Double-click the file in the 'Downloads' tab in MO2 to install.
Enable the mod by clicking the checkbox to the left of the mod name in the mod list on the left side of the MO2 window.
Download part 2 – All versions (this is NOT a Mod Manager download)
Click the 'Start Download' button on the following page after clicking the link above to download into your download folder
Open your web browser downloads folder.
Drag the ' (Part 2) Engine Fixes - skse64 Preloader and TBB Lib-xxxxx.7z' file into the 'Downloads' tab of MO2, which is on the right side of the main MO2 window.
Double-click the file in the 'Downloads' tab in MO2 to install – When installing, you will be informed that 'The content of <data> does not look valid.'.
Right-click the '<data>' folder and select 'Create Directory…'.
Name the directory 'root' (without quotes).
Drag the ' d3dx9_42.dll', ' tbb.dll', and ' tbbmalloc.dll' files into the ' root' folder you just created.
Your 'Install Mods' window should now look something like this (with ' root' expanded).
Click the 'OK' button.
Click the 'Ignore' button on the prompt that comes up (don't worry, this will work).
Enable the mod by clicking the checkbox to the left of the mod name in the mod list on the left side of the main MO2 window.
Finally, right-click the mod name in the mod list and select 'Ignore missing data' – Since we are using Root Builder, and no ' Data' folder was set during install, MO2 will complain about this, even though it is configured properly. Performing this step will fix that.
4.3 Install Backported Extended ESL Support If you have downgraded to a game version lower/older than 1.6.1130, you must install this mod (or ensure your Wabbajack mod pack has it installed, if you went that route) otherwise you will suffer an immediate CTD when launching the game.
Download the latest version from the main mod page 'FILES' tab using the 'MOD MANAGER DOWNLOAD' button. Be sure to press any 'DOWNLOAD' buttons on the following page if the mod does not start downloading automatically.
For Wabbajack users, if you receive an error in your Mod Manager indicating the file already exists when downloading, you can safely assume this is already installed and can skip (re-)installing this mod. Skip to section 4.4.
For everyone else, Install and enable this mod.
Deploy mods (Vortex only).
4.4 Install prepared masters Skip to section 4.5 if you did not perform a downgrade, otherwise, in these next steps we will be adding the masters and CC content that we prepared earlier. Follow only one of the two options based on your Mod Manager of choice (expand their respective 'Spoiler' tag).
4.4.1 Option 1: Vortex
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Open your game folder by clicking the 'Open…' button in the main application taskbar, and select 'Open Game Folder'.
When inside the main <Skyrim game folder>, open the /Data folder. In addition to other files, you should see the following folder we created earlier:
/Skyrim Updated Masters
Drag the ' Skyrim Updated Masters' folder into the 'Drop File(s)' section of Vortex, which is found at the bottom of the 'Mods' tab. This may take several minutes to fully import as the file size for this folder is quite large. Watch the notification area in the top right of Vortex to see when completed. Since the mod contains multiple plugins, when asked whether you'd like to enable these, select 'Enable all'.
This will create a mod for the dragged folder and add it to your list. Additionally, this appends a .7z extension to your mod name and actually creates an archive (which we will delete later).
Double-click the ' Skyrim Updated Masters' entry in the list to open its properties panel.
Remove the '.7z' from the name and/or rename it entirely (based on your preference) and change the 'Source' to 'User-Generated' (to get rid of the warning icon).
If you want to to delete the .7z files automatically generated when dragging and dropping these folders (they are not required and are needlessly taking up space), navigate to ' %appdata%\Vortex\downloads\skyrimse' (without quotes – you can paste this in an explorer window, the Windows Win+R Run dialog, or the start menu search bar) and delete the following file:
Skyrim Updated Masters.7z
Skip to section 4.5 when done.
4.4.2 Option 2: Mod Organizer 2
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From the folder dropdown icon at the top right of the mod list window within MO2 (next to the 'wrench' dropdown), select 'Open Mods folder'.
Move this folder aside for a moment.
From the same folder dropdown icon in MO2 select 'Open Game Folder'.
When inside the main game folder, open the /Data folder. In addition to other files, you should see the following folder we created earlier:
/Skyrim Updated Masters
MOVE the above folder into the mods folder we opened in the previous step.
When finished, select MO2 to ensure it is the active window and hit the 'F5' button on your keyboard. This will refresh the application and display our new folder added at the bottom of the mod list on the left.
Enable the mod by clicking the checkbox to the left of the mod name in the mod list on the left side of the main MO2 window.
Feel free to move the mod higher in the list to better organize it with your other mods. There should not be any mods overwriting any of the files in this mod, so just ensure it is below the 'DLC: Dawnguard' entry at the top of the mod list.
4.5 Install prepared Creation Club content Next we will be adding the Creation Club content that we prepared earlier. There are several options on how to perform this listed below in the order of most to least recommended. Follow only one of the options and their associated step(s) below, based on your preference (expand their respective 'Spoiler' tag).
IMPORTANT NOTE – If using Wabbajack, determining what Creation Club content to bring over will depend 100% on the requirements of the mod pack itself. Since I cannot account for all possibilities, be sure to enable ONLY the content which the Wabbajack pack requires in the steps below.
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If Creation Club files are left in the Skyrim /Data folder, they cannot be enabled or disabled with your Mod Manager at all. Even if you copy the files directly into a "mod" that can be managed by your Mod Manager, many (but not all) of the Creation Club mods cannot simply be toggled on and off in the plugin list for some reason. Mod Organizer 2 can get around this by allowing you to 'hide' and 'unhide' files themselves in the mod's 'Filetree' list, but Vortex has no native ability to do so. This requires Vortex users to either delete files which cannot be toggled off or manually copy each mod to its own respective mod entry in the 'Mods' tab. There are 70 Anniversary Upgrade mods alone, so this is both tedious and even confusing given it must be done by filename, which may not be intuitive. It is for this reason that following the steps in this section is (highly) recommended. The final option below will allow you to keep these mods unmanaged, if desired.
4.5.1 Option 1: Curation Club plugin (MO2 only) The Curation Club plugin will separate all Creation Club content into their own individual mods within MO2 automatically with a single click so that you can easily toggle them on or off, depending on preference. This option is for MO2 users only since it is a plugin specifically for that application. NOTE – This plugin requires MO2 version 2.5 or greater so will not work on version 2.4.4 or below.
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4.5.1.1 Install Curation Club for MO2 Skip to section 4.5.1.2 if the Curation Club plugin is already installed, otherwise, proceed with the steps below.
Download the latest version from the main mod page 'FILES' tab – ensure you click the 'MANUAL DOWNLOAD' link (this will not install with your Mod Manager).
NOTE – Ignore the message on the mod page stating the plugin does not work, I have tested this prior to posting instructions.
When completed, open this file from your web browser downloads folder (it is a .zip file).
Extract the contents of the file into the /plugins folder of your MO2 folder. For example, if you installed MO2 into ' C:\Modding\MO2', extract this to ' C:\Modding\MO2\plugins'.
If done correctly, you should now have a ' curationclub' folder inside of /plugins (example: ' C:\Modding\MO2\plugins\curationclub').
Close MO2 if it is open.
Re-open MO2.
Verify this is installed correctly by navigating to the 'Tools > Tool Plugins' menu of the main menu bar (you can also click the "puzzle" icon in the main icon bar). You should now see a 'Curation Club' entry.
You are done!
4.5.1.2 Run Curation Club
Open the Skyrim /Data folder.
Open the ' CC Content' folder inside.
MOVE all files in this folder back to the Skyrim /Data folder (cut and paste may be easier).
DELETE the ' CC Content' folder when finished.
Click the 'Curation Club' entry from the 'Tools > Tool Plugins' menu of the main menu bar (you can also click the "puzzle" icon in the main icon bar).
The following window should be shown:
Ensure the 'Root Builder Support' checkbox is checked.
Click the 'OK' button. It may appear the program is frozen but give it a few seconds to complete.
You should now see individual entries in your mod list for all 4 free DLC mods as well all mods contained in the Anniversary Upgrade (if applicable).
These can be moved higher in your mod list in MO2 to organize them better with your other mods.
Optionally, you can organize these with separators. For example:
Creation Club Content - Free DLC
Creation Club - Fishing
Creation Club - Rare Curios
Creation Club - Saints & Seducers
Creation Club - Survival Mode
Creation Club Content - Anniversary Upgrade
All other CC mods
Enable any/all of these mods that you would like to use by clicking the checkbox to the left of the mod name in the mod list on the left side of the main MO2 window.
4.5.2 Option 2: AE Creation Club File Organizer This is a PowerShell script that I wrote which provides the exact same functionality as the Curation Club plugin, but does not require MO2 (which means Vortex users can also use it). It works on a file and folder level (rather than a mod level within your Mod Manager), so should never break as a result of future Mod Manager and/or Skyrim game updates.
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4.5.2.1 Download and install scripts
Download the latest version from the main mod page 'FILES' tab – ensure you click the 'MANUAL DOWNLOAD' link (this will not install with your Mod Manager).
NOTE – Ignore the Installation and Usage instructions on the page as we are covering those here.
Extract the files to your Skyrim /Data folder.
4.5.2.2 Open PowerShell and run the script In order to execute the script, we have to launch PowerShell a certain way to ensure we bypass the system's execution policy (otherwise the script will not run). This will affect the current instance only, so when PowerShell is closed, the current system policy will be reinforced again.
Open your Skyrim /Data folder (the scripts should already be in here).
Click on the address bar at the top. This will highlight the location (yours may be different).
With the folder highlighted, type ' powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass' to replace the text and hit enter.
This will open PowerShell directly in this folder.
Type the following and hit enter:
.\ae_creation_club_file_organizer.ps1
NOTE – you can simply type 'ae' and then press the 'TAB' key until the .ps1 file above is shown.
You will be prompted with this screen:
If you are OK to proceed, type 'Y' (or just hit 'Enter'). This will start processing the files.
If you are using Steam, and the Anniversary Upgrade manifest files are detected, you will be prompted with the following:
Enter your preferred selection from the list of options. This will determine your mod folder setup depending on the Mod Manager you are using. Once you enter your selection, the script will continue to process.
When finished, the script should show the following (your output may differ slightly depending on the number of files moved and/or manifest file selection):
Close PowerShell.
Open the Skyrim ' .\Data\CC Content' folder that was just created. You should now see a list of applicable folders for the mods detected by the script (see example image below):
Keep this folder open and move it aside for a moment.
4.5.2.3 Import mods into Mod Manager The next step is to import these folders into your Mod Manager. Follow only one of the two options based on your Mod Manager of choice (expand their respective 'Spoiler' tag).
4.5.2.3.1 Option 1: Vortex
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Open your mod staging folder by clicking the 'Open…' button in the main application taskbar, and select 'Open Mod Staging Folder'.
From the ' CC Content' folder we set aside in the previous section, COPY (or MOVE) ALL folders into the mod staging folder.
Note – Do NOT drag these files/folders into the "Drop File(s)" section of the Vortex application as this could modify our intentional file structure of the mods in a way that makes them unusable (this is the case when opting to manage the .manifest files). Additionally, dragging a folder into Vortex also automatically creates a .7z file which unnecessarily takes up space.
Close Vortex.
Re-open Vortex.
When opening, you will be prompted with the following message (example image below, your prompt may differ depending on the name of your mods):
Click the 'Apply Changes' button.
In the 'Mod Name' field of the mod list, type 'Creation Club'. This should filter your list to show the mods we just imported (they are all currently disabled).
Double-click the first entry in the list to open its properties panel and make the following updates.
IMPORTANT – If manifest files were found when running the script and you selected option 2 (Manage them with Vortex), you MUST change the 'Mod Type' in the properties list to 'Engine Injector'. This will ensure the mod is installed in your main Skyrim game folder, rather than the /Data folder, otherwise, these mods will not load properly.
Optionally change the 'Source' to 'User-Generated' (to get rid of the warning icon in the list).
Repeat this process of updating properties for ALL files you imported. Don't worry, although tedious, you only have to do this once. If you are not managing manifest files you can effectively skip the above step entirely as long as you don't mind seeing the warning icon.
Enable any/all of your preferred CC mods in Vortex.
If you were previously managing any Creation Club content with Vortex, disable and/or delete those mod(s) now since the process we performed will completely replace the old mod(s) (assuming they were included for processing with the script).
You can now delete the ' CC Content' folder from your Skyrim /Data folder. If you moved the files in the previous section, the folder should be empty. If you copied all files (rather than moving them), you can optionally keep this folder as a backup for all of your CC content.
Skip to section 4.6 when done.
4.5.2.3.2 Option 2: Mod Organizer 2
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From the folder dropdown icon at the top right of the mod list window within MO2 (next to the 'wrench' dropdown), select 'Open Mods folder'.
From the ' CC Content' folder we set aside in the previous section, COPY (or MOVE) ALL folders into the mods folder.
When finished, select MO2 to ensure it is the active window and hit the 'F5' button on your keyboard. This will refresh the application and display our new folders added at the bottom of the mod list on the left.
Feel free to move the mods higher in the list to better organize with your other mods. There shouldn't be any other mods conflicting if you did not have these files previously.
Optionally, you can organize these with separators. For example:
Creation Club Content - Free DLC
Creation Club - Fishing
Creation Club - Rare Curios
Creation Club - Saints & Seducers
Creation Club - Survival Mode
Creation Club Content - Anniversary Upgrade
All other CC mods
Enable any/all of your preferred CC mods by clicking the checkbox to the left of the mod name in the mod list on the left side of the main MO2 window.
If you were previously managing any Creation Club content with MO2, disable and/or delete those mod(s) now since the process we performed will completely replace the old mod(s) (assuming they were included for processing with the script).
You can now delete the ' CC Content' folder from your Skyrim /Data folder. If you moved the files in the previous section, the folder should be empty. If you copied all files (rather than moving them), you can optionally keep this folder as a backup for all of your CC content.
Skip to section 4.6 when done.
4.5.3 Option 3: Anniversary Edition Content Picker mod This mod provides an easy-to-use FOMOD installer with names and descriptions for each Creation Club mod, allowing you to easily decide which mod(s) you want to actually install and use. The only downside here is that you cannot simply enable and disable mods at will, you have to re-run the installer to select which content you’d like. This comes with a little bit less granularity than the above options, and also requires an additional 3.5GB of space (with all Anniversary Upgrade content) since a copy of the files also needs to remain in the.zip file/installer so that the reinstall can be re-run at another time. That said, if you have the space, the inline descriptions can be of huge benefit when selecting which content to enable.
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4.5.3.1 Prepare mod installation files This mod is special in that you need to unpack it, add files to it, then repack it before it can be installed. The steps below provide instructions for this process.
Download the latest version of 'Anniversary Edition Content Picker' from the main mod page 'FILES' tab – ensure you click the 'MANUAL DOWNLOAD' link (this will not install with your Mod Manager).
Extract the files to a temporary location (e.g., ' C:\temp').
MOVE the ' CC Content' folder from the steps above to this temporary folder. The folder should already contain its own ' CC Content' folder, so you are just adding your files to it.
Select all 3 folders within the temporary folder. These folders are:
CC Content
fomod
Images
With the folders selected, re-compress into a .zip file.
This can be done using a 3rd party tool (such as 7zip, Winrar, etc.) or by the 'Send to > Compressed (zipped) folder' option in the default Windows right-click context menu. Be sure to (re-)name the file ' Anniversary Edition Content Picker.zip'.
Move this folder aside for a moment.
4.5.3.2 Install the mod Follow only one of the two options based on your Mod Manager of choice (expand their respective 'Spoiler' tag).
4.5.3.2.1 Option 1: Vortex
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Drag the ' Anniversary Edition Content Picker.zip' file from the above temporary folder into the 'Drop File(s)' section of Vortex, which is found at the bottom of the 'Mods' tab. NOTE – This may take several minutes to fully import as the file size for this mod is quite large.
The FOMOD installer should automatically open when the file is done importing.
Proceed through the FOMOD installer and select all of the content you wish to use.
When completed, double-click the 'Anniversary Edition Content Picker.zip' entry in the list to open its properties panel.
Remove the '.zip' from the name and change the 'Source' to 'User-Generated' (to get rid of the warning icon).
Ensure the mod is enabled (Vortex should auto-enable this after installation).
You can now completely remove the temporary folder you created earlier (e.g., ' C:\temp').
NOTE – You can always reinstall this mod if your requirements change at any time by right-clicking the mod in the mod list, and selecting 'Reinstall' to re-run the FOMOD installer and re-select which CC content you wish to enable/disable, so your current selections are not permanent.
Skip to section 4.6 when done.
4.5.3.2.2 Option 2: Mod Organizer 2
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Drag the ' Anniversary Edition Content Picker.zip' file from the above temporary folder into the 'Downloads' tab on the right side of the main MO2 window. NOTE – This may take a minute to copy as the file size for this mod is quite large.
Double-click the file in the 'Downloads' tab in MO2 to install. The FOMOD installer should open.
Proceed through the FOMOD installer and select all of the content you wish to use.
When done, it may take a minute to extract/copy all of the selected mod files.
Enable the mod by clicking the checkbox to the left of the mod name in the mod list on the left side of the MO2 window.
You can now completely remove the temporary folder you created earlier (e.g., ' C:\temp').
NOTE – You can always reinstall this mod if your requirements change at any time by right-clicking the mod in the mod list, and selecting 'Reinstall Mod' to re-run the FOMOD installer and re-select which CC content you wish to enable/disable, so your current selections are not permanent.
Be sure you do NOT delete the ' Anniversary Edition Content Picker.zip' file from the 'Downloads' tab of the main MO2 window, otherwise you won't be able to perform the reinstall later.
Skip to section 4.6 when done.
4.5.4 Option 4: Do not manage with Mod Manager If you do not wish to manage these files with your Mod Manager (and keep them all enabled), follow the steps below. You can always choose to perform one of the other options above at a later time.
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Open the Skyrim /Data folder.
Open the ' CC Content' folder inside.
MOVE all files in this folder back to the Skyrim /Data folder (cut and paste may be easier).
DELETE the ' CC Content' folder when finished.
4.6 Installing Unofficial Patches The following patches are recommended due to the number of mods which also require them as masters, however, these require some consideration depending on the game version and/or CC content options you have chosen above. If you decide to install these, follow the steps below.
4.6.1 Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch (USSEP) Skip to section 4.6.2 if using a Wabbajack mod pack as the proper version should have already been included in your mod pack. For everyone else, see below for download links for your specific setup requirements.
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The issue with this mod is that only the latest version is available on the mod page on Nexus at any given time. While this is fine for us since we have carried over the updated master files (which the latest version of the mod requires), the problem occurs if you have disabled ANY of the 4 free AE Creation Club DLC content (since this mod requires those 4 mods as masters). If you have done this, you CAN NOT use the latest version, and instead need to use version 4.2.5b, which was the last version released which does not require these DLC as masters.
If Survival mode, Fishing, Rare Curios, AND Saints & Seducers are ALL enabled, download the latest version from the main mod page 'FILES' tab. Be sure to press any 'DOWNLOAD' buttons on the following page if the mod does not start downloading automatically. Our updated masters ensure the patches in this mod are all valid for us, despite the game version requirements listed.
4.6.2 Unofficial Creation Club Patches Skip to section 4.7 if you do NOT own the Anniversary Upgrade, or are using a Wabbajack mod pack, as the proper version(s) should have already been included, if applicable. For everyone else, see below for download links for your specific setup requirements.
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This mod fixes many bugs with the Anniversary Upgrade Creation Club content, and has a few other mods which use it as masters. The issue is that as of version 7.8, this mod has converted to an all-in-one model (single plugin). If you have disabled ANY of the Anniversary Upgrade CC content, using the all-in-one version will result in missing master(s), and likely CTDs. To get around this, you will need to instead download version 7.7, which has a FOMOD installer allowing you to select individual plugins for each CC content mod, enabling fixes for only the mods you have installed. The downside to this is that version 7.7 will receive no further updates from the mod author.
If you did NOT disable any AE CC content (all mods enabled) – Download the latest version from the main mod page 'FILES' tab using the 'MOD MANAGER DOWNLOAD' button. Be sure to press any 'DOWNLOAD' buttons on the following page if the mod does not start downloading automatically.
If you DID disable some CC content, Download this version instead (7.7) – This version contains multiple plugins and a FOMOD installer to select which patches to apply.
4.7 Additional Mods The mods below are recommended but optional, and should all simply need to be downloaded via Mod Manager links and installed/activated unless otherwise noted. This is by no means an extensive list, but those listed are typically seen as 'essential' mods and/or bug fixes. Be sure to check the mod requirements before downloading and installing, and install their prerequisite(s) where applicable. Some of these may or may not be included with all Wabbajack packs.
Achievements Mods Enabler – Not required since SSE Engine Fixes has been updated for 1.6.1130 and above. Still listed for those that do not wish to use Engine Fixes. Does not require xSHADOWMANx's Dll Loader since SKSE is installed.
SkyUI – Elegant, PC-friendly interface mod with many advanced features. There are other alternatives out there (such as Dear Diary and Nordic UI to name a couple) but SkyUI provides the most compatibility with other mods out of the box.
Quest Journal Fix for SkyUI (1.6.1130+ only) – Fixes the issue with 1.6.1130 and above that prevents prevents the difficulty setting from saving in the SkyUI menu. Includes patches for many other UI mods as well.
TrueHUD – HUD additions, including customizable actor info bars, boss bars, player widget, and recent loot log. Be sure to check mod requirements.
True Directional Movement – Overhauls the third person gameplay similarly to modern action RPGs. Move and attack in any direction. Includes a custom target lock component and an animated target reticle widget, target headtracking, projectile aim support during target lock, mount support and more! Be sure to check mod requirements.
Improved Camera – Improved Camera enables the 1st person body and allows for typically forced 3rd person animations also to be played in 1st person.
Scrambled Bugs – A collection of engine bug fixes and patches.
Dual Casting Fix – Fixes a vanilla bug which causes the game to treat dual cast spells as if they were single cast. Requires Visual C++ Redistributable.
BethINI Pie – This is a tool, rather than a mod, that makes editing INI configuration files simple via a graphical user interface. In particular you can apply recommended "Tweaks" which can in some cases drastically improve game performance. SPECIAL NOTE – if using MO2, special action is required. You will need to add this as an executable in a similar fashion that we did in section 4.2.2.1.2 with SKSE, and launch it from within MO2 itself. This will ensure that even if the 'Use profile-specific Game INI Files' option is checked under your current profile, you are modifying the correct .ini file.
4.8 Download latest Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable Many mods (including SSE Engine Fixes, which we installed earlier) require this, so you will want to ensure you have the latest redistributable installed. This is a windows installer so is not something even a Wabbajack install can provide for you automatically.
At the time of writing this guide, the current redistributable is for 'Visual Studio 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2022'.
Scroll down to the 'Latest Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable Version' section, and follow the link for your specific version – This is likely the x64 build.
Download and install.
5 Run the game! After all of this prep work, you're finally ready to test launching the game from your Mod Manager. We will launch the game and verify SKSE is working.
5.1 Launch Skyrim Note that when using Mod Managers, you MUST launch the game via their respective SKSE loader location. This is how you will launch the game each and every time you wish to play (with mods). Follow only one of the two options based on your Mod Manager of choice (expand their respective 'Spoiler' tag).
5.1.1 Option 1: Vortex
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Open Vortex if it is not already open.
Deploy mods (if any changes have been made since the last time you performed this).
Launch the game via the 'play' button icon in the main SSE graphic at the top of the Vortex Application.
Skip to section 5.2 when done.
5.1.2 Option 2: Mod Organizer 2
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Open MO2 if it is not already open.
Select the SKSE executable you set up in previous steps (or that came with your Wabbajack installation) from the executables dropdown list. Example:
Click the 'Run' button.
5.2 Verify SKSE is running Once in the game, you will need to make sure SKSE is loaded properly. If it is not, you will need to revisit the steps above to ensure you are launching with the SKSE launcher, and additionally review steps in section 4.2.2.1.2 for MO2 users to ensure folders have been set up correctly for Root Builder. Follow the steps below.
At the Skyrim main menu (or in-game if you've started or loaded a game), press the tilde ('~') key to open the console – This key is typically directly to the left of the '1' key, although this may be missing on custom/small form-factor keyboards and accessible only with a function key combination – See your specific keyboard documentation for more info).
With the console open, type 'getskseversion' (without quotes) and press <Enter>.
This should show the SKSE version number if you've done everything correctly up to this point.
NOTE - REMEMBER THIS VERSION OF SKSE! While this should be visible in your Mod Manager (under the 'Version' column), this is the version which may be referred to by other mods when noting their compatibility (example, "Compatible with SKSE 2.0.20"). You don't have to commit this to memory, just remember where to find it before grabbing additional mods which require SKSE to prevent crashes.
Exit the console by pressing the tilde ('~') key again, and quit Skyrim. If you are stuck in the opening carriage ride (and cannot open the main menu), you can open the console again and type 'qqq' (without quotes) and press <Enter> to exit the game.
Skyrim is now ready for modding!
6 Further reading See below for some last minute information and recommendations before proceeding with your modding setup.
6.1 Compatibility and troubleshooting I have created a separate guide on compatibility and troubleshooting which covers many topics to help you prevent, identify, and fix common problems. I recommend reading this at some point to gain a better understanding of possible issues you may encounter through the course of your playthrough.
6.2 Have fun! Lastly, be sure to have fun! Many people consider modding Skyrim a game in itself, and spend more time modding Skyrim than playing Skyrim. Just remember that many countless hours have been put into creating the mods you are downloading, so taking a second to ENDORSE those mods really goes a long way. You can do this easily within your Mod Manager with selected mods (via a 'thumbs up' icon in Vortex, or by right-clicking and selecting 'Endorse' in MO2).
6.3 Other Guides See my guides page on Nexus for other helpful Skyrim modding guides.
6.4 Changelog See below for changes made to this document.
Version 1.17.4 (06/02/2024)
Updated version/downgrade recommendations and wording as of recent mod updates
Version 1.13.1 (04/27/2024)
Fixed section 4.5.1.2 subtext which affected Nexus article only
Version 1.10.4 (04/24/2024)
Added list of all options into each applicable section for soft copy version for easier navigation as there are no spoiler tags available for use
Added additional option to Creation Club content section
Fixed 'Anniversary Edition Content Picker' Nexus link (thanks @Escutsheon128)
Other minor corrections and formatting changes
Version 1.10.3 (04/17/2024)
Rewrote Creation Club content sections to be more streamlined and included steps to utilize Curation Club MO2 plugin as one of the content picker options
Updated Vortex images
Other minor corrections and formatting changes
Version 1.9.1 (04/11/2024)
Updated info surrounded SSE Engine Fixes since this mod has been updated to work with versions 1.6.1130 and above.
Version 1.6.3.1 (04/04/2024)
Updated section 1.2.2.4 to delete ALL files since downgrade which previously performed this step is now optional
Version 1.6.3 (04/03/2024)
Revamped guide to better explain and support 1.6.1130+ versions by making downgrade optional, reorganizing sections to accommodate, and providing additional disclaimer information
Slightly increased default font size for article readability
Other minor corrections and formatting changes
Added changelog
Version 1.3 (03/14/2024)
Updated Steam Console section for clarity
Version 1.2 (03/13/2024)
Minor corrections and formatting changes
Version 1.1 (03/11/2024)
Moved 'Master game files' section below 'Creation Club content' section due to not being able to download Anniversary Upgrade content files if the master game files were already moved
Version 1.0 (03/10/2024)
Initial release
Please leave a comment with any issues or suggestions!
Hey, quick question. I'm using SkyrimUpscaler, but that requires putting a .dll file in the Skyrim game folder (I'm using MO2 btw). Since this guide uses Root Builder. How exactly would I go about getting that .dll to the game folder with Root Builder? Or do I just do it the original way and put it in there?
You can do either method (direct copy or manage with root builder/MO2). I always recommend the root builder approach so that your installation folder remains 100% vanilla/unmodified. I have a guide with more details over here you should check out: Root Builder - Installation and Usage. See section 2.3 in particular.
hi im a bit confued about something i downgraded the game but updated the esms of the game like you said in the guide so from now on when downloading a mod do i get the version of the mod that goes with the downgraded game version or the mod version that goes with the latest version of skyrim?
Whenever downloading a Creation Kit mod (basically ANY .esm, .esp, .esl mod file), always use the latest version (NOT the downgraded version). This is because your updated masters are essentially the latest version of the game. These types of mods add followers, locations, NPCs, items, etc.. These are the most common types of mods.
Whenever downloading a .DLL FILE PLUGIN (such as for SKSE), you MUST use the version created for your specific game version (example, if you downgraded to 1.5.97, you MUST use the 1.5.97 version, or you will crash). These types of mods are ones that typically change behavior or implement new systems or mechanics in Skyrim. They typically have a SKSE and/or Address Library requirement.
hi after enabling the updated masters folder in vortex there is now another data folder inside my data folder but just with the updated masters in. is that ment to happen?
This is not meant to happen. These files should overwrite existing files in their original locations. This indicates maybe you did not follow the steps properly. There would not be a second /Data folder unless you had one inside of the 'Skyrim Updated Masters' folder. If you do, move the files out of that /Data folder into the base 'Skyrim Updated Masters' folder, and then delete it. Remove the previous Updated Masters mod from your Mod Manager and follow section 4.4 to enable them again.
hi thanks for this guide need your advice. I want to play the new dlc sized bards collage expansion creation paid mod but on the downgraded version can this be done? and them paid mods do not start with cc just the mod name and bse esl and esm so should i put them in the folder with other creation club mods or justr leave it in the date folder? alos will playing that new bards collage expantion creation even work on a downgraded version?
Yes, you can play any Creations mod even if you have chosen to downgrade provided you have also updated your masters (steps are provided in the guide). To download Creations on a downgraded version of Skyrim, I have a guide here (for both MO2 and Vortex users). The store does not work on downgraded versions at all so you'll have to do this or purchase/download the Creation prior to downgrading.
Once you obtain the Creation, you can simply leave it where it is (it is enabled automatically) or you can MOVE this mod (.esp/.esm/.bsa files) into your Mod Manager so that you can enable/disable it as needed, just like any other mod. Be sure to switch back to your main profile in MO2/Vortex if you followed my guide on downloading Creations above.
Got everything great until the AE Creation Club File Organizer. When I type Y and hit Enter, I get this:
Would you like to proceed? (Y/N): Y Moving mod files... No mod files found... aborting Ensure the script is running from inside of your Skyrim \Data folder. ==================================================================================================== PS D:\Games\Steam\steamapps\common\Skyrim Special Edition\Data>
As you can see from the prompt, I am indeed running the script from inside my game's Data folder. I'm sure I've done something astonishingly stupid to get this error, but any advice for how to rectify is greatly appreciated. And for the record, yes, I do have the "CC Content" folder inside the above-pathed data folder with all the ccXXX... files inside it from an earlier step.
Can you make a post over on that mod page (link here) so it can be more appropriately addressed? Please also provide screenshots and/or copy/paste of all output.
After following the steps, I have downloaded, installed, and enabled SKSE just as advised, but the SKSE .exe file does not show up when trying to add the executable to Mod Organizer.
This is expected. Section 4.2.2.1.2 step 14 covers this. See below:
If the entry does not exist, click the '+' icon on the left and select 'Add empty…' (we have to do this because the SKSE loader file does not exist in your game folder, instead it is managed by Root Builder).
For 'Title', give this a name like 'Play Game (SKSE)'.
Click the '...' button in the 'Start in' row and select your root <Skyrim game folder>.
In the 'Binary' field, use this same path followed by '\skse64_loader.exe', for example, 'C:\Games\Steam\steamapps\common\Skyrim Special Edition\skse64_loader.exe'.
Again, since you are managing SKSE via root builder now, the files won't exist in your skyrim game folder until the VFS is built when MO2 launches an exectuable. What we are doing above is telling MO2 where to look, which is where the files WILL exist at launch.
Thanks for the feedback, I have a fix incoming to this file as I have added additional options for Creation Club content selection which now includes a PowerShell script I wrote (for those without MO2).
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Whenever downloading a .DLL FILE PLUGIN (such as for SKSE), you MUST use the version created for your specific game version (example, if you downgraded to 1.5.97, you MUST use the 1.5.97 version, or you will crash). These types of mods are ones that typically change behavior or implement new systems or mechanics in Skyrim. They typically have a SKSE and/or Address Library requirement.
Hope this helps.
Once you obtain the Creation, you can simply leave it where it is (it is enabled automatically) or you can MOVE this mod (.esp/.esm/.bsa files) into your Mod Manager so that you can enable/disable it as needed, just like any other mod. Be sure to switch back to your main profile in MO2/Vortex if you followed my guide on downloading Creations above.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Would you like to proceed? (Y/N): Y
Moving mod files...
No mod files found... aborting
Ensure the script is running from inside of your Skyrim \Data folder.
====================================================================================================
PS D:\Games\Steam\steamapps\common\Skyrim Special Edition\Data>
As you can see from the prompt, I am indeed running the script from inside my game's Data folder.
I'm sure I've done something astonishingly stupid to get this error, but any advice for how to rectify is greatly appreciated.
And for the record, yes, I do have the "CC Content" folder inside the above-pathed data folder with all the ccXXX... files inside it from an earlier step.
Thank you.
Again, since you are managing SKSE via root builder now, the files won't exist in your skyrim game folder until the VFS is built when MO2 launches an exectuable. What we are doing above is telling MO2 where to look, which is where the files WILL exist at launch.
Hope this helps.
I love using your guides, thanks for making them!