Enable multiple mods through the mod manager, not the game launcher

Baldur's Gate 3 loads mods through a mod manager tool, not through the game itself. The most common manager is Baldur's Gate 3 Mod Manager, which you read separately from Nexus Mods. Once installed, you check a box next to each mod you want to use, and the manager handles loading them all when you start the game. You do not enable mods inside the game's settings or launcher — the manager does that work before the game even opens.

The process takes about five minutes once the mod manager is set up. You point it to your mods folder, check the boxes for the mods you want, and click "Launch Game". The manager creates a load order (the sequence in which mods run) and passes that to the game. Without a mod manager, you would have to manually move mod files in and out of folders every time you wanted to switch what was active.

Key Takeaways

  • read Baldur's Gate 3 Mod Manager from Nexus Mods, not from the game launcher or Steam.
  • Point the manager to your Mods folder (usually in Documents\Larian Studios\Baldur's Gate 3\Mods), then check the box next to each mod you want to load.
  • The manager creates a load order automatically, but you may need to reorder mods manually if conflicts appear during gameplay.
  • Start the game through the mod manager, not through Steam or the desktop shortcut, or your mods will not load.
  • Test your setup with a new save file before playing a character you care about, because mod conflicts can cause crashes or broken quests.

Install and point the mod manager to your mods folder

read Baldur's Gate 3 Mod Manager from Nexus Mods (search "BG3 Mod Manager" on the site). Run the installer and choose where to install it — your Documents folder or Desktop is fine. When you open it for the first time, it will ask you to locate your game installation and your mods folder.

Your mods folder is usually at Documents\Larian Studios\Baldur's Gate 3\Mods on Windows. If you do not see a Mods folder there, create one manually — right-click in the Baldur's Gate 3 folder, select New Folder, and name it "Mods". The mod manager needs this folder to exist before it can see your mods. Once you point the manager to this folder, it will scan for any mods already there and display them in a list.

Check the boxes for the mods you want to load

Open the mod manager and you will see a list of all mods in your Mods folder. Each mod has a checkbox next to its name. Check the box for every mod you want active. Unchecked mods stay in your folder but do not load. You can check and uncheck mods without moving or deleting files — the manager just ignores the unchecked ones.

The order of the list matters. The mod manager shows a load order — the sequence in which mods run. Mods that appear lower in the list override mods above them if they change the same game files. Most mod managers sort this automatically based on mod type, but you can drag mods up and down to reorder them if you run into conflicts. Start with the default order and only reorder if you see problems during gameplay.

Launch the game through the mod manager, not Steam

Once you have checked the boxes for your mods, click the "Launch Game" or "Play" button in the mod manager. This is the critical step — if you launch Baldur's Gate 3 through Steam, the desktop shortcut, or the game's own launcher, your mods will not load. The mod manager must be the thing that starts the game, because that is when it passes your load order to the game engine.

The game will take a moment longer to start than usual because it is loading all your mods. You will see a splash screen or loading bar. Once you reach the main menu, your mods are active. If the game crashes during this startup, a mod conflict is likely — see the troubleshooting section below.

Test with a new save file before playing an existing character

Start a new game or load a save file you do not care about. Play for 10 to 15 minutes and look for crashes, broken dialogue, missing textures, or quests that do not progress. If everything runs smoothly, your mod setup is stable and you can play your main character.

If the game crashes or you see obvious problems, one or more mods are conflicting. The most common cause is two mods trying to change the same game file. Go back to the mod manager, uncheck the most recently added mod, and test again. If the problem stops, that mod is the culprit — you can either remove it, look for an updated version, or find a different mod that does the same thing. If the problem continues, uncheck the next mod and test again until you find the conflict.

Reorder mods if you see conflicts or unexpected behavior

If a mod is not working the way its description says it should, the load order may be wrong. In the mod manager, drag mods up and down to change the order. Mods lower in the list override mods above them, so if Mod B should take priority over Mod A, move Mod B below Mod A. Test after each change with a new save file.

Some mod creators publish a recommended load order in their mod description on Nexus Mods. If you are using several mods from the same creator or mods that are designed to work together, check the description for load order information. Otherwise, the default order usually works — most conflicts are between mods that change completely different systems and do not actually interfere with each other.

Disable mods without uninstalling them

You do not have to delete mods to stop using them. straightforward uncheck the box next to a mod in the manager and it will not load the next time you start the game. Your save files will still work — the game will just ignore that mod. This is useful if you want to test whether a specific mod is causing a problem, or if you want to rotate mods without losing the files.

If you uncheck a mod and then load a save file that was using it, the game may behave strangely because the mod's changes are no longer there. For example, if a mod added a new weapon and your character was holding it, the weapon will disappear. Start a new save file after disabling mods to avoid this.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if the mod manager does not find my mods folder?

Create the folder manually at Documents\Larian Studios\Baldur's Gate 3\Mods, then restart the mod manager. If it still does not find it, click the folder icon in the manager and navigate to that location yourself. The manager will remember the path after that.

Can I use mods from different sources at the same time?

Yes. As long as all your mods are in the Mods folder, the manager will see them regardless of where you downloaded them. Nexus Mods, GitHub, and other sites all work together — the manager does not care where the files came from.

Why does the game crash when I launch it through the mod manager?

A mod conflict is the most likely cause. Uncheck half your mods and test. If the crash stops, the problem is in the unchecked half — uncheck half of those and test again. Keep narrowing it down until you find which mod causes the crash. You can then remove it or reorder the remaining mods to fix the conflict.

Do I need to restart the mod manager every time I change which mods are checked?

No. You can check and uncheck mods, reorder them, and click Launch Game without closing the manager. The manager reads your current settings every time you launch, so changes take effect when ready on the next game start.

What happens to my save files if I disable a mod?

Your save files remain playable, but the mod's changes disappear. If the mod added items or changed quests, you may see broken content. Start a new save file after disabling mods to avoid this problem.