Mods are what turn a vanilla DayZ server into a trader economy, a base-building sandbox, or a hardcore PvE world. Unlike many games, DayZ servers don’t pull mods from the Workshop automatically — you install them manually. This guide covers the full process: download, upload, keys, and the -mod launch parameter.
Step 1: Get the mod files
Subscribe to the mods you want on the DayZ Steam Workshop, then launch DayZ once so Steam downloads them. On Windows you’ll find each mod as an @ModName folder under:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\DayZ\!WorkshopOn a Linux server you can pull them directly with SteamCMD:
workshop_download_item 221100 <mod_id>Step 2: Upload the @ mod folders
Copy each @ModName folder into your server root (the same directory as DayZServer_x64.exe or the Linux server binary). Folder names are case-sensitive and must keep the leading @.
Step 3: Copy the .bikey files into /keys
This is the step people miss. Inside every mod is a keys (or Keys) folder containing a .bikey file. Copy every one of those into the server’s own keys folder:
/keys/CF.bikey
/keys/VPPAdminTools.bikey
...If a key is missing, the server’s signature check (verifySignatures = 2) will reject any player using that mod with a “you were kicked off the game” error.
Step 4: Add the -mod launch parameter
List every mod in the -mod= parameter, separated by semicolons, in load order. Dependencies (like Community Framework, @CF) go first:
-mod=@CF;@VPPAdminTools;@BaseBuildingPlus;@TraderA typical full Windows launch line looks like:
DayZServer_x64.exe -config=serverDZ.cfg -port=2302 -cpuCount=4 -dologs -adminlog -netlog -freezecheck -mod=@CF;@VPPAdminToolsStep 5: Restart and verify
Restart the server and check the startup log — each mod should load without a “key not found” or “missing dependency” warning. Remember: every player must run the exact same mods in the same versions, and because the server never auto-updates Workshop content, you must re-upload a mod whenever its author pushes an update.
Common gotchas
- Dependency order — Community Framework (
@CF) is required by most major mods and must be listed first. - Server-side keys — some mods ship a separate “server files” download that goes in
/profiles, not the mod folder. - types.xml merges — mods that add items often include their own
types.xmlentries you need to merge into your economy. See our loot editor to manage them.
Make it easier with managed hosting
On XGamingServer DayZ hosting you get full file access for uploading @ folders and keys, plus a one-click restart. Our DayZ docs cover the server config side, and the ready-made serverDZ.cfg gives you a clean base to build on.
FAQ
Do players need to install the mods too? Yes, but DayZ prompts them to auto-subscribe to your server’s mods when they try to join, so it’s usually one click for them.
Why does my server reject everyone after adding a mod? Almost always a missing .bikey in the server /keys folder.
