The Basics: Modding Skyrim SE Properly in 2025 (All versions)

This guide covers good modding practices for Skyrim (SE/AE) on PC in 2023. These basic modding principles apply to game versions both prior to and after the Anniversary update or upgrade. Even in our hobbies hard work is not a punishment

This guide also covers everything you need in terms of tools, files and preparation for installing your first mod.

There is no elevator to successful modding, you have to take the stairs.

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Introduction

When you finish reading this guide one of my load order guides can walk you the process of building an actual load order that you can play but first you need to know some basics that will make your modding sessions much smoother.

"There are no secrets to success, it's the result of preparation, hard work, & learning from failure"
~Colin Powell

Warning
First and foremost although this guide is detailed in it's beginner info it doesn't take that long to read it. Oh sure it is a bit of reading and if you are not willing to read then modding is probably not for you because modding is reading. So fair warning to turn around now :) That said all of this will eventually become 2nd nature to you.

Let's begin.

Note: If this is your first time playing a Bethesda game (eg, Skyrim, Fallout 3 or 4, Starfield) for the very first time you need to link your Bethesda account[bethesda.net] (if you don't have one create one) to your Steam account (if playing on Steam). What if I have not received my verification email for my Bethesda account?[help.bethesda.net]

This guide originated from my "Complete Load Order & Basics+ for Skyrim SE", a guide released over 3 years ago. I moved the contents of that guide to the guide you are now looking at minus the mod list that was included with that Basics+ Guide. I have several other mod list guides and am about to release another so they will not include this detailed info but will all refer to this guide. This also makes it easier to update this and other other guides.

Maybe this is your first time modding, maybe you've had several unsuccessful attempts at modding, maybe you need a refresher after a long break from modding Skyrim or maybe you're simply curious. One thing for sure, Skyrim is one of the best games to mod and there's a list of reasons why which I won't get into here because that's not what this guide is about. This guide is about implementing tried and true modding practice for Skyrim SE. These are the basics.

Put an entire day aside to learn the basics
Put the time in to learn properly and you'll be rewarded ten fold. One day will not teach you everything you need to know but the basics is not only a good place to start but a place you can fall back on when things get difficult. Successful modding is not plug-n-play. There are no shortcuts. Take your time reading this entire guide. Take the time to watch the mod manager tutorials and then refer back to this guide as needed. Then, for your next step I also have several guides with complete load ordered mod lists that are all linked to this guide. Modding is truly a skill and like any other skill let's start with the basics first. After that you'll still make mistakes and that's fine as that's part of learning but we need to mimimize those mistakes as much as possible.

I started modding Skyrim on Console and had a great time doing so. I was hooked and the journey was very rewarding not to mention my game looked infinitely better. But the more I learned the more I realized that consoles are very limited in what they can do when it comes to adding mods and building a stable load order. The main reason for me was the lack of tools, as a matter of fact there are none for console. So I moved over to PC and quickly realized there's a learning curve.

Guides back then were too vague although somewhat helpful. So I went to the famous school of hard knocks and took my lumps. Back then when I was researching for modding help while on console my search results would often bring me to Steam and to posts from members of the "Old Farts Coffee House", basically info those members had contributed to guides and help posts. Some of my greatest strides forward in Modding came from that research.

Then it all came together for me, research, trial & error, failures and then success, oh sweet success. Modding became so rewarding and so much fun. I started helping in the Steam forums and then decided to write a guide in order to help others easily sort the sea of information out there. Honestly, if I can do it you can do it. Now for the basics.

Rule #1 when it comes to modding in my opinion:
"Modding is Reading" (when in doubt always refer back to Rule #1)

But there is also the Golden Rule of modding:
"No matter how good a mod may look or sound, no matter how much you may really want a mod, if the mod does not work as it should, causes issues in your game, or even seems to have the potential to cause issues, dump the mod. A game that does not work is no game at all."

Take your time and have fun

Before we continue please make sure you have a legal copy of this game
As has been answered before:

Originally posted by Ilja:

Originally posted by Toaster:

i downloaded the game didnt buy it

You do not have official version of the game and you can't use proper unofficial patches to fix issues from the game.

We can't parse your game, due to it not being a legal version that could be validated from the server. We can't give any reliable recommendations to fixes either, due to your game not using up to date and intact executable.

At the top of that, anyone helping you would risk getting banned from the forum by supporting a pirated game.

I can't see how anyone could help you here.

One more thing before we proceed
A properly modded Skyrim Special Edition runs just as good if not better today than it ever has in the past so don't let anyone tell you otherwise and that includes any YouTube video, forum, or mod page. Updates did not break anything as you'll soon find out. So sit back, relax, take breaks when necessary while you learn the basics of modding and take that mindset with you when you start building your load order. Have fun and enjoy.

Do's & Don'ts

Let it be a "Do" or a "Don't", this is a list of common mistakes made by new mod users
So until you have a better understanding of modding follow these suggestions.

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DO'S

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DO MAKE SURE YOUR PC CAN HANDLE SKYRIM SE

This is something you'v probably already done before you purchased Skyrim SE and if you did in fact check then skip to the next paragraph. But if you did not please do so now or you may regret it. Visit Can You Run it [www.systemrequirementslab.com] it will read your system for you (it's safe - used by millions). Follow instructions on the website. More on this later.

DO PROTECT YOUR GAME

The first thing you should do is protect your game from updates. This is first & foremost. Don't get caught off guard and then end up frustrated with Bethesda. Don't be that guy.
See: How to protect your game from updates

DO READ ALL SECTIONS OF THIS GUIDE BEFORE MODDING

Modding is reading. Put the time in now and you will be rewarded ten fold. Reading the information laid out in this guide up to the point of actually installing the very first mod in this guide will go along way towards a successful build. There may be bumps in the road but let's not make it harder than it needs to be. Read the info.

*DO READ ALL THE PERTINENT INFORMATION ON EACH MOD PAGE

If you are an experienced mod user you already know the importance of reading as much info on a mod before installing it. If you are new but are following one of my load order guides I've already done that for you. Before you install each mod for the rest of your time modding you need to know the following; Which version of each mod is for your version of Skyrim Special Edition, installation instructions and compatibility with other mods including any dependencies on other mods which are all listed in every mods description page under "Requirements", also read any sticky posts in the comment section of each mod page.

Then test your mods as you build your load order. It's easier to track down a problem installing 5-7 mods at a time than it is to find a needle in a haystack.

USE A MODERN MOD MANAGER

Some mods are manual install only however the vast majority should be installed via a mod manager. There are several Mod Managers to choose from & whichever one you choose there is a learning curve. The most popular Mod Managers are Vortex and Mod Organizer 2. For more info on this see my Vortex Nexus Mod Manager Guide. You'll also need xEdit, LOOT, an Archiving Tool, all of which we will be covering in the "Tools" section of this guide.

DO HARD SAVE YOUR GAME OFTEN - BUT NO AUTO OR QUICK SAVES

This is important advice and it WILL save you hours of frustration. So in my mind a hard save is not saving over another save and not using Auto or Quick Saves. You can turn auto saves off in game. (Esc - Settings - Gameplay).

With mods we are throwing a lot of information at this old game, especially during transitions like going thru doors while the game is trying to auto save. Why can't Skyrim Handle them? Because Skyrim can be buggy (surprise). Why often? Because nothing is worse than realizing your last save was many hours ago instead of only one hour, or 10 minutes ago

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DON'TS

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*DON'T REMOVE MODS FROM YOUR LOAD ORDER MID-PLAYTHROUGH

Texture mods and other mods that do not include an .esp are generally safe but you DONOT want to remove mods with scripts mid game EVER. This is one of the best pieces of advice you'll ever receive in regards to modding. Removing certain mods mid-playthrough can and will ruin your game while costing you hours, even days of troubleshooting which eventually leads to starting the entire modding process over but with much added work because you now have to make sure no loose files are left behind for your next playthrough and that's another process altogether (Clean Reinstall). Without getting into detail here on how your game loads and saves data, you can read more here: Information Baked Into Saves[www.afkmods.com].

Be careful adding mods mid game as well. This process is usually much safer but it only takes one time with the wrong mod. Read the mod page.

DON'T ATTEMPT TO GO OVER 60 FPS

I'll keep this short and to the point. Faster is not better for Skyrim as Physic's, Quests & Sound are all tied to FPS. Sometimes the problems won't show up right away giving you a false sense of security that you beat the system. Ultimately, Bethesda recommends not doing this. Read more: FPS Cannot Exceed 60 (SSE Display Tweaks can help bring you to 60 if your PC is struggling but capping your FPS to a lower number is also very effective. This is not a Multiplayer shooter game.
You can cap your FPS with your Nvidia or AMD GPU drivers or with your ENB.
Also watch FPS vs HZ (Know the difference).

DON'T USE CONSOLE COMMANDS UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING

Executing the wrong command (in some cases the correct command) can cause your game immediate problems that are not fixable or sometimes the problems won't show up right away giving you a false sense that you beat the system. Console commands can break a quest many hours down the line and you won't know why you can't complete that quest. Resist the temptation and at the very least remember to save your game before you use them. The following is the warning from the UESP wiki http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Console

DON'T HAVE PROGRAMS RUNNING IN THE BACKGROUND WHILE PLAYING

Self explanatory but very important especially for lower end systems. For example shut down Chrome or your browser of choice etc. I have plenty of RAM and an above average processor but I shut everything down.

DON'T LET YOUR EYES GET BIGGER THAN YOUR STOMACH

If you'll be following my guides this should not be an issue but if you've never modded before it's probably only natural that the very first time you look at the over 40,000 mods available on the SSE Nexus website that you'll see hundreds of mods you want in your game so you start downloading and installing mods followed by many more mods.
For any mod user, but particularly for new mod users, this is asking for trouble.

DON'T BOTHER LOOKING FOR STEAM WORKSHOP MODS FOR SKYRIM SE

There is no Steam Workshop "Skyrim SPECIAL EDITION". Please don't confuse the Skyrim (Oldrim) Workshop for the non-existent SE Workshop because you can't use Oldrim mods regardless of where they came from for Skyrim SE unless they are converted properly.

DON'T RENAME FILES SO YOU CAN RUN SKSE THRU STEAM

Your game or some mods will break. There are mods that look for specific file names that are common to legal copies of the game. Get SKSE64 from SKSE.silverlock.org

DON'T USE MICROSOFT'S ONE DRIVE OR STEAM'S CLOUD SAVE STORAGE

We cover this in the "First Things First" section of this guide.

DON'T FIGHT COMMON KNOWLEDGE

I'm not reinventing the wheel with this guide. Everything here is common knowledge to those of us that have tens of thousands of hours modding and playing this game.
Watch this short video by one of the top YouTubers for Bethesda modding, Michael of GamerPoets. We use many of his videos, so should you.

First Things First - Preparation

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An Important "To Do List" before we start

Skyrim Special Edition - PC System Requirements
System Specs

Minimum
Windows 7/8.1/10 (64-bit Version)
Intel i5-750/AMD Phenom II X4-945.
8GB of ram.
30+ GB free HDD space
NVIDIA GTX 470 1GB /AMD HD 7870 2GB

Recommended
Windows 7/8.1/10 (64-bit Version)
Intel i5-2400/AMD FX-8320.
8GB of ram.
75+ GB free HDD space (Remember we are adding mods which take up space)
NVIDIA GTX 780 3GB /AMD R9 290 4GB

This Video by GamerPoets gives in-depth detail on the above info & more. Keep in mind regardless of which version you are modding this game has been updated several times since this video came out. But the basic principles remain.

My Specs: Windows 10 | i7-8700 | Nvidia RTX 2070 | 2 TB SSD & 1 TB SSD

We need to start clean with no leftover hidden files and with your game outside of Program Files. Carefully read the information below to see what pertains to you.

Make Sure Skyrim is Vanilla (Resetting Skyrim to a clean vanilla state)

ONLY NEEDED IF PREVIOUS MODDING ATTEMPT FAILED OR YOUR GAME IS BORKED
OTHERWISE SIMPLY MOVE YOUR GAME OUSIDE OF PROGRAM FILES
Unfortunately if you have previously modded your copy of Skyrim SE there is a good chance loose files and/or baked in data were left behind & these will adversely affect your next modded playthrough so they need to be removed.

Also IF you've previously modded or attempted to mod Skyrim Special Edition
Remove ALL mods from Vortex if you have or had mods installed & do not want to spend time deleting them one by one see the Removing ALL mods section in my Vortex Guide

Better to start with a clean copy of Skyrim now than to have to redo everything after you spent time setting up your load order. Detailed instructions in the following video:

*Remember when reinstalling/moving your game in the next steps be sure to install your game outside of Program Files

Why move your game outside of Program Files?

When Skyrim SE is installed in either of the programs files Windows sometimes interferes due to UAC[docs.microsoft.com] permissions. Microsoft wants to control these folders which never bothers us until we try to mod a game installed in these folders. While not everyone will incur problems with their game installed in Program files right away the best thing is to avoid any potential problems by simply installing your game & Steam in a different location.

UNRESTRICTED ACCESS (Moving Your Game Out of Program Files)
Please uninstall SSE then re-install your game to either another drive or if that is not an option keep it in C: but NOT in Program Files or Program Files (x86) which is where Steam tries to install it. Note: installing on an EXTERNAL DRIVE you MAY encounter sound issues. Key word here is "may". You may not have sound issues and to the best of my knowledge this only seems to be a problem for some with Special Edition.

To Move to a separate drive (example: D) SEE Below:
Navigate to your Steam client 'Settings' menu. Select 'Steam Library Folders' from the 'Downloads' tab. From here, you can view your default installation path, as well as creating a new path by selecting 'Add Library Folder'. Once you have created the new path, all future installations can be installed there. (see link below for more on this)
Here's the link:
Steam's full instructions

But I only have a C: drive:
Again, if this is absolutely not an option for you because you only have 1 drive, simply move Steam but NOT in either of the "Program Files".
instructions:
Steam Support's instructions
Steam Discussion on moving your game.

With the above in mind let's proceed

Watch this 2 minute Video by GamerPoets (pause where needed)
USE THIS OLD BUT GOLD VIDEO
https://youtu.be/g67CnHD1wvY
The above "Clean install" info is ONLY IF you have Previously installed mods otherwise just make sure your game is installed outside of Program Files or Program Files (x86)

Your copy of SKYRIM SE should now be version1.6.640

LAUNCH YOUR GAME TO THE SETTINGS MENU
When you get to that point, just before you start modding you must launch the game one time in order for the game to write your .ini files and update the registry so you can mod your game, but also in order to install our mod manager if we do not already have one installed.

BE SURE TO USE A MOD MANAGER

We will download a mod manager in the next section. Vortex is recommended and what this guide is setup for but MO2 can be used as well if you know what you are doing. Use whatever Mod Manager you are comfortable with. I do not recommend Nexus Mod Manager (NMM) unless you are well versed in it. Do NOT install your mod manager to your game directory.

THERE ARE UP TO DATE VIDEOS BY GOPHER FOR VORTEX & GAMERPOETS FOR MO2 FOR USE LATER IN THIS GUIDE - YOU MUST WATCH THEM IF YOU'D LIKE TO MOD YOUR GAME PROPERLY

Do not use the In-game Mod System

(OR THE MODS) IN THE GAME'S MAIN MENU - The Bethesda mod management system will fight with your mod manager and is unsupported by Bethesda. This means no Bethesda mods. Creation Club is official DLC so it's fine but we really do not need anything from the in-game mod section as the vast majority of them are available on the other sites we use. We don't want their management system for mods.

GET RID OF CLOUD SAVES

OneDrive
Proceed without performing these steps at your own risk. We need to turn off both Steam's Cloud saves AND Microsoft's One Drive cloud saves. Turning off Steam's cloud is a simple step in your Steam game settings however Microsoft's cloud involves MORE THAN simply turning it off but is well worth it. Skyrim needs access to your My Documents folder and the Skyrim SE folders beneath it & OneDrive will fight with Skyrim over doing exactly that, preventing it from writing, and that's why you can't save, see your saves, or write to the ini files. This does not happen right away & that's a big part of the problem as when it happens you have invested some time in your game. Wolfpack wrote out a great tutorial for One Drive and it is included in my SSE Help Guide in the "Cloud & Save Problems - One Drive" section.

How can I disable The Steam Cloud?
From the Steam Library, right click on a game and select Properties
Under the General tab, Cloud Synchronization setting can be toggled

These last 2 steps are not something you need to perform right now but I want to stress:

MAKE SURE STEAM DOES NOT AUTO UPDATE SKYRIM SE

I cover this in the next sections of this guide but it's important that once we install SKSE64 you will ONLY be launching SSE via the SKSE64 launcher. Although we won't be installing SKSE64 until later in the guide we need to first make sure Steam does not automatically update SSE:

I'll cover this in more detail in the next section of the guide but these are the steps.
Go to your Steam Library & find "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition" in your games list & Right Click on it & go down to "Properties" then click on the "Updates" tab at the top & under Automatic Updates use the dropdown & select the option to "Only update this game when I launch it".

Windows Explorer

Make sure you can view your files in your Windows folders properly

1. Open Windows Explorer
   
2. Select the View tab at the top
   
3. Select Details
   
4. Check the box next to File name extensions
   
5. Check the box next to Hidden items

(File name extensions is the most important check box)

PC Driver updates & Files

First and Foremost: You need a legal copy of the game

Let's make sure your PC's drivers are up to date

*How to update your computer Graphic Drivers [pcgamer]

*How to update your computer Audio Drivers [www.wikihow.com]

Intel® Driver & Support Assistant[www.intel.com]

Files

DirectX 11 (or greater)
*DirectX Get Latest Version of DirectX HERE [support.microsoft.com]

Must Have Microsoft Visual C++

Install x64bit and x86 versions (SSE requires x64 and some mods ex: Nemesis) require x86
Double check
C++ v 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2022 (all-in-one package)
You may have it because it should come with the game but does not always install properly so *if during installation of this file you are prompted to "repair" choose "yes" otherwise of course install it:
Visual Studio 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2022 [support.microsoft.com]
Install both the x64, and x86 versions of 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2022 (x64 & x86 each comes all-in-one) file package on the page that is linked here (all you need for Skyrim SE is the 64 bit). I installed both because I also have original Skyrim which is 32bit (x86) and Skyrim SE of course is 64bit. Plus many programs and games that run on your computer use Microsoft Visual C++ and there’s no easy way for you to tell which programs on your machine require which versions of the redistributables .

More imprtant info on Microsoft Visual C++
You can see the versions you have on your PC by going to settings on your computer and then "Apps" then "Apps & Features". You may see several. Do Not remove/delete any older versions of these redistributables. Leave them there as these files are not superseded when you download the next version. When you install software that needs code from the Microsoft visual C+ Runtime, it will install the version it relies on, if it is not already installed. Different software on your system requires different version(s) of this runtime If you uninstall any of these, some software on your system will stop working.
Long story short, these are nothing to worry about, they will not slow your system down and take up little space - best to leave well enough alone for the stability of your system!

Q: Should I remove the other Visual C++ files on my PC?

A: NO. I don't because Visual C is not an All-in-one file, each version supports different games even different programs that might be on your PC. Not to mention removing them won’t give you back nearly as much disk space as you expect, and remember they’re not impacting system performance if they’re not being used atm.

FAQ: Do I really need all those "Microsoft Visual C++" programs? A: YES [answers.microsoft.com]

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Strictly an FYI - although this guide does not include mods that require Java if you should run into a mod say for example "Perkus Maximus" which requires Java to run the patcher you can always uninstall Java after completing that process. I thought I'd mention this as I know some folks are picky about what goes in their PC. Java is safe and here is the download if you ever need it
Java - download - install - remove - troubleshoot [www.java.com]
you just might already have it or may think you have it :-)

This is also a good time for a PC Cleanup/Registry Cleaner. CCleaner does a nice job and even has a free version (which I use). CC Cleaner[www.piriform.com]

Other useful driver links
Nvidia[www.nvidia.com]
AMD[www.amd.com]
or read

Accounts for Mods

Let's get setup for downloading and installing mods
There are very few sites that I download my mods from. That said we need to make sure the sites we use are not only reputable but also that they carry the correct mod versions for the game version we are playing. This guide will walk you through the process of getting setup properly and then once we start adding mods will make sure you are installing mods that work properly for this game.

THERE IS NO STEAM WORKSHOP FOR SKYRIM SE

Here are the sites all my load order guide's use for mods.

These are all Free mod sites and we need them for this guide

If you can mod it, they'll host it.
"Nexus Mods host 320,082 files for 1,360 games from 130,728 authors serving 28,003,702 members with 4,895,643,266 downloads to date. They support modding for many PC games.

*Nexus Mods - Register Free [www.nexusmods.com]
Nexus is the largest site for mods with over 28 million users & over 4 Billion downloads to date.

AFK Mods - Register Free[www.afkmods.com] This site hosts many of the best and well known mods and is run by Arthmoor one of the most reputable names in the modding community.
Important: Create your accounts for Nexus Mods and for AFK Mods before proceeding

These sites do not require registration and also contain Free mods
each site includes a vital file we will be using:
Once we get started we will be downloading a couple of files from:
(No need for you to do anything with these sites for now.)
enbdev.com and
skse.silverlock.org
I'll also include some links to files that are on my personal google drive.

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 Selecting Mods and this game's plugin limit
As you mod your game please keep in mind that Skyrim has a limit of 255 plugins. Anything above this esp/esm limit and the game crashes. By installing every mod presented in one of my load order guides you'll be fine because of course none of them go over the limit. However you should always be aware of this limit when modding your game as some guide's offer either/or type choices. The base game starts you off right out of the gate with 5 game plugins which brings us down to 250 however game version 1.6.xxx has Creation Club items so the free update includes 2 additional and the Anniversary upgrade brings 8 more. Most CC content is .esl and. esl's do not count against that limit and many of the mods I've chosen for my guides are "flagged as .esl".  Don't overthink this at least for now because as I said using my guides will keep you below that limit while allowing more than 255 mods. Also a some specific mods can be manually flagged as .esl and I'll show you how to use Vortex to flag them in one click. Just make sure you follow the guide because you need to know which mods are safe to flag and which mods absolutely can not be flagged or your game will break. Want more info on this? See Article below.

The Golden Goose (from arthmoor)
Files with the ESL flag are given special treatment with their form IDs. Upon loading into the game, the form IDs are remapped into the FE mod index. This is now considered a special slot in SSE and should not be occupied by any mods in your load order. Not even the Bashed Patch or any other form of merged data.

As a result of this new support, the engine can allow you to bypass the previously hard limit of 255 plugin files. The theoretical limit now should be 4096 ESL flagged mods. Individual files flagged as ESL can in theory hold up to 4096 form ID records. In practice this ends up actually being 2048 form ID records because the engine reserves everything from $0x0000 to $0x07FF. All files using ESL flags must therefore contain their internal form IDs between xx000800 and xx000FFF. Anything exceeding this range is invalid and the game will either crash or you'll have severely corrupted data due to overruns.  Article[www.afkmods.com]

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Tools

*If you don't have a Nexus account see previous section

Important note:

Make sure you set these tools up properly. The process is simple as long as you watch the related videos and follow instructions. I repeat; the process of setting up each tool is a simple one which does not require high level skills but as simple as they are they must be set up properly.

Make a "Modding Tools" Folder

I suggest you make a folder on the same drive as your game but NOT in the actual game or mods folder, then name it "Modding Tools". This will be where you'll place subfolders for all tools unless otherwise noted. For example you can make seperate folders inside your "Modding Tools" folder for 'SSEEDIT', 'Loot', and 'Bethini'. You may be adding more in the future if you dive deeper into modding.

Let's make sure we have the proper tool for the proper job

Everything listed below is FREE yet Essential

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*A Mod Manager (pick one)
I recommend Vortex or MO2 You can't go wrong with either one as both are the best of the best

Vortex is recommended but if you're an experienced MO2 user you should be fine

This guide suggests you start with Vortex (that's what I use) because it uses "Loot code" which is built in to Vortex out of the box. Loot is essential to sort your Load Order automatically although I have notes for mods that in some cases will be different than what Loot suggests so please read my notes next to each mod when using this guide. This is very important because the order in which your mods load is critical and if mods are not arranged properly your game can eventually, if not immediately, become very unstable, even unplayable and sooner or later may even crash.

Don't forget to Download the stand alone version of Loot (we'll get to that in a minute). You need Loot if for no other reason than Loot will give you important notes regarding things like compatibility and patching. Vortex will give also you notes when needed in the plugin section regarding Loot alerts.

For Vortex installation - simply use the Vortex "One-click installer" linked below.

Vortex

Requires: .NET 6.0+[dotnet.microsoft.com]
This guide is specifically setup for use with Vortex. You can use MO2 if you are versed in MO2.
You'll have needed to launch the game at least once before installing your mod manager as we did back in this guide's "First Things First" section.
*Vortex [www.nexusmods.com] The Official Mod Manager for Nexus with over 13.7 million downloads (over 7 million unique) This is my mod manager of choice.
Also works for many other games including TW3, Mass Effect, Cyberpunk 2077 Fallout 3, 4, New Vegas and over 100 other games.

Vortex installation
Watch: the Vortex Installation Video
NOTE: as stated in the video, the installation button on Nexus has changed so use the One Click button when installing. But the rest of his video is must watch material. The next section of this guide contains links to all of Gopher's excellent videos on Vortex including one on installing SKSE64 with Vortex. They are all very well done and important to watch especially if you are new or have been struggling with modding your game.

OR

MO2 [www.nexusmods.com] 3.7 million downloads. Also an excellent Mod Manager. Works for most Bethesda Games.
MO2 github[github.com] (or you can download it here)
IMPORTANT Please watch GamerPoet's MO2 Videos There are 2 very well done Videos

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Notepad++

Also install Notepad++[notepad-plus-plus.org] for more efficient editing of ini files etc.

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*An Archiving Tool (*pick one)

Whichever one you pick (you can pick both but only need one) Let it install to it's default location.
*7zip [www.7-zip.org] Get 64bit. FREE (My Favorite)
OR
*WinRAR [www.win-rar.com] Get 64bit. Make sure to get the Trial Version (it never expires even after trial)

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*You'll also need LOOT and xEdit

LOOT

Install LOOT in your Modding Tools folder.
*LOOT [loot.github.io] The Load Order Optimization Tool (Loot)
LOOT[www.nexusmods.com] (or you can get it here)

Need help updating/upgrading your version of LOOT?
See the "LOOT- upgrading to a new version" section of my SSE Help Guide

YES Vortex uses Loot API for the all important mod load order sorting but you still need this Stand-alone Version as Loot will give you easy to understand details about your mods.

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xEdit or in this case SSEEDIT

install xEdit to your modding tools folder we made earlier

*SSEEdit [github.com] *All versions of xEdit are from the same program. You'can learn how to setup xEdit for SSE (it's easy) in the "xEdit: Cleaning, Fixing & Patching " Section of my SSE Help Guide

For those that want to read more information about xEdit you can see the Nexus mod page for SSEdit: Here [www.nexusmods.com]

See the tutorial Videos for SSEEDIT in the "xEdit: Cleaning, Fixing & Patching " Section of my SSE Help Guide

That's it. You're all set - (we will be installing Bethini later in the guide

if needed, more tools for down the road are listed later in this guide (under "Advanced Tools")

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Depending on how far you advance in modding you may be installing other tools to your "Modding Tools" folder. So the folder will be there if and when you need it.

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Mod Manager Tutorials

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VORTEX | MO2 | LOAD ORDER TUTORIAL VIDEOS

*Highly Recommended Viewing B4 You Start

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A mod manager makes modding so much simpler and your game stable
but there is a slight learning curve

A word on using a mod manager. Let's be clear, you do not "need" a mod manager in order to mod your game just like you don't need an automatic transmission to drive a car. However in many cases a mod manager will ensure your game is modded properly. There is nothing worse IMO than someone bragging to new modders that they can mod without one, good for you. A good mod manager will make sure your mod is installed (and removed) correctly and with Loot you'll be assisted with the critical load order (Vortex has Loot built in).

You'll still occasionally be required to install some mods manually so you will learn. You still have to read everything the mod author of each mod tells you about their mod. And you will have to be aware as you install any mod that has conflicting file with another mod in your load order because Vortex/LOOT is not correct 100% of the time.

Using a mod manager along with LOOT will automatically order plugins correctly about 75% of the time. This meansit is important to read mod descriptions for an understanding of what mods are doing, and then ordering them accordingly as you install each one where a conflict occurs. Conflicts are not necessarily a bad thing, it simplly means one or some of the files within the mod are also in another mod. Then there are patches which always need to be load after the mods they are patching.

I could go on, heck I could write a book instead of a guide. The good news is once you finish this guide I have several guides that will walk you through the process of actually building a load order step by step. So use a mod manager, pay attention to what you're doing, read everything and you'll learn the proper modding basics. After that you can take modding as far as you like.

Learning Vortex
Gopher has done something very few have ever done for any gaming tool and that is create a library of videos for different situations you may come across with that tool.

The videos are a few years old so the Vortex user interface has changed a bit but the instructions that Gopher so thoroughly lays out all apply to this day.

There are 10 videos in total: Please watch the Introduction video and then videos 1 thru 3 & refer back to them as needed then watch the other videos as you progress through the learning curve.
(or watch them all now)

*Vortex introduction video

(full set includes the following videos: Introduction + 1 thru 9 - all ten are by Gopher)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kbOteChLJE&t=188s

Vortex tutorial videos 1-9

Watch at least the first 3 before you start
Note: Getting Started video covers installation. Vortex has long been out of the Alpha & Beta Stages since the making of Video #1 so the way you find the install button will be slightly different.
#1 : Getting Started | #2 : Installing Mods | #3 : Scripted Installers | #4 : Plugins and Load Order
#5 : Dependencies and Conflicts | #6 : Profiles | #7 : Script Extenders | #8 : ENB | #9 : Fores(FNIS)

Invest some time watching these videos. Your only investment is your time and your return on investment will be paying dividends both immediately and long term. Watch at least the first 3 (Intro, Getting Started & Installing mods) before you start then you can watch the others as you go.

---

If you are new to modding and/or have never used Vortex you need to watch the videos that Gopher put out on how to use Vortex. His videos are so good that Nexus has them linked in the Vortex mod manager. Vortex is a easy to use yet powerful mod manager that I have been using since it's Alpha days and I am very happy with it. I've used Vortex to build many load orders over the years, some were over 1,000 mods and you can bet that 4 1/2 years ago I was learning from Gopher's Videos. So watch the videos and keep them handy for quick reference.

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BEFORE YOU START - VERY IMPORTANT
Go in the Vortex Mods section and select the gear icon in the upper right hand corner and in the dropdown make sure you check "Dependencies". This way we always have access to each mod's "Rules" (just in case).

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(Link to the discussion thread for this guide HERE)

For more information on Vortex: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1977191236

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MOD ORGANIZER 2
MO2 is also a mod manager so I'll also leave information on it here. I highly recommend Vortex for new users and my guides are all geared for Vortex as well. But if you feel you'd be more comfortable with MO2 here's the info.
Download MO2[www.nexusmods.com] Install if not using Vortex

MO2 TUTORIALS

https://youtu.be/ruq6hQIAvB8
https://youtu.be/7v0wWVuOagA
Video: MO2 - Profiles & Apps
Here's a link to all of GamerPoets excellent MO2 tutorials:
All Gamerpoets Video Tutorials for MO2

Bonus Quick Access videos for MO2
Mod Organizer 2 Tips & Tricks
https://youtu.be/H2ig_V5JCwQ

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---

Load Order

Excellent videos by GamerPoets on Load order, LOOT & Modding 101
https://youtu.be/fyvwslyKiog
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ncv_FWQUw0k

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xEdit: Cleaning, Fixing & Patching

What is cleaning? Cleaning very broadly defined is a process that analyzes all the changes a mod makes and determines which edits are actually supposed to be in the mod.

Important info regarding holding off on cleaning

*DO NOT CLEAN YOUR MASTERS OR CREATION CLUB CONTENT
This is a major shift in the previously generally accepted philosophy. This is due to changes that were made to xEdit and the way they have been implemented, as well as how the xEdit team is approaching the implementation of changes to the tool, and so, since the introduction of xEdit 4 series, and the discovery of major issues that resulted due to cleaning the masters, NOT cleaning masters is now the recommendation and has been for some months.

I'll start with a recent post from smr1957 in regards to this matter.

Originally posted by smr1957:

Do not clean the Masters. Cleaning them using auto-clean has resulted in missing sections of workspace in some areas of the game. And even though the new version of xEdit has supposedly fixed this issue, I would still not recommend using autoclean on the Master files - though in all other respects as regards editing, xEdit is fine and unsurpassed.

Some of the issues with cleaning and xEdit have been covered in detail elsewhere (there are links in my Pinned topic Helpful Links and References,), so I will not go into them further here......

Arthmoor's advice on cleaning[www.afkmods.com]

Shouldn't Bethesda have Cleaned their Masters?
As Avrie says, 'Bethesda didn't bother cleaning the original Skyrim files, then in their infinite wisdom didn't bother again when they had the chance with the release of Special Edition,......... Just add this to the list of things that "could" have been fixed but wasn't.'

Don't Clean CC Content either
On 12/3/2021 at 6:53 AM, Wasarion said:
"So why would all the mod authors that made the cc-mods in the AE bundle release them not cleaned? Loot say 40 of them are dirty."
And Arthmoor replied
"Because those are not mods, they are official DLC, and 3rd party utilities are not permitted for use when you are a contract employee for the company. IMO they should be treated as such and not cleaned as a general rule." AFK Mods[www.afkmods.com]

Remove Dawnguard Wild Edit

I would remove the wild edit in Dawnguard as show in the end of this video by Gamerpoets
Jump to the Bonus content at the 5:38 mark of this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpRinGULJGw
What about Cleaning Mods?
Do not clean every mod in your load order either as some mods are intentionally left in the state you find them. If LOOT informs you to clean a mod then first check the mod page regarding info on cleaning and if needed ask the mod author. I have recently started adding notes to my load order guides to indicate if a mod should be cleaned or not.

If you've followed the guide this far you know I'm pretty thorough. Normally I'd say let's make sure nothing stands in your way of a stable game so let's clean our masters, but with the recent xEdit doubts and the fact it's not critical in the first place, we should first make sure cleaning a mod is advised before doing so. You shouldn't need to clean your mods if the mod author has done his job properly and there are some mods that require you do NOT clean them. Always refer to Loot for information on the mods so you can see which mods they suggest you clean then ask the Mod Author when in doubt because some mods are intentionally left uncleaned. To better understand why this might occur please watch the video's by GamerPoets included on this page.

SETUP V I D E O S - FOR VORTEX OR MOD USERS

Installation

IF you have not downloaded xEdit yet please do so and set it up as described in the videos below
CREATE A "MODDING TOOLS" FOLDER & INSTALL XEDIT THERE-then watch the next video
https://youtu.be/YCAmgBm6o8I Before you watch the video on Cleaning:

*LAUNCH GAME TO SETTINGS MENU FROM STEAM LIBRARY & CHOOSE OPTIONS

DO NOT PANIC IF THE GAME DOES NOT DETECT YOUR GPU - WE WILL ADDRESS THAT
This step is necessary in order for the game to config your .ini files. This last step is also very important before you begin modding your game. DO NOT SKIP. Do this NOW. Also make sure your resolution is set properly. Make sure it looks like this (with your desired resolution):

If your machine can't handle "Ultra" that's fine. Just make sure the Check boxes look like this^ (your screen resolution and "Low/Med/High/Ultra" settings may vary) TAA is important

What else should I clean?

When a mod needs cleaning and is ok to clean I'll either supply a clean esp or leave a note in my load order guides for you to clean that mod. As mentioned earlier we should be in the habit of reading the information on each mod page we download from so if the mod author made a note that he does not want you to clean his or her mod even though Loot said to do so you'll know that the mod was left in that state in order for it to function as the mod author intended. So when using loot if you see a message to clean a mod always check the mod page to make sure they didn't tell you not to clean it before you clean the mod in xEdit.

Let's review

Normally in a heavily modded game it is advisable to clean your Masters in order to avoid issues that may crop up, HOWEVER It never was a hard requirement to clean your Masters with a small to medium load order. And right now (in late 2022) and until we are 100% certain that xEdit's QuickAutoClean does not cause missing sections of workspace in some areas of the game we are advising against cleaning any of the game's masters.

SSEEDIT AN IMPORTANT TOOL THAT MULTI-TASKS
It also can make your game more stable. Fixing Identical to Masters (ITMs) is part of what SSEEDIT does when using the Quick Clean feature of SSEEDIT. Left uncleaned these ITM's can cause problems. For details on this see the linked articles and Videos on this page..

If you have the latest official version of Skyrim SE then SSEEdit (xEdit) is an excellent tool that can help you with your mods to remove irrelevant duplicated references and can even repair deleted references as well. You can also merge plugins and make patches with SSEEdit.

Loot will also give you plug-in warnings and usage notes from SSEEDIT

xEdit Bible
Tome of xEdit[tes5edit.github.io]

Editing In xEdit I encourage all to save this guide by smr1957. This is a new guide so it will be growing over time as smr will be adding to it. Contains solid information.

*Step by step text version on Cleaning with xEdit for future reference Here[tes5edit.github.io]

Discussion
Here is a Reddit discussion on cleaning (Arthmoor weighs in).
Is cleaning master files useless?

Videos - More tutorials on other important uses for xEdit

https://youtu.be/g_urrHrGQOY?list=PLlN8weLk86XiGXJI4DaRa1QIq1zhDpD8V
https://youtu.be/Zr7pz4JGSEM
https://youtu.be/wgay-wM_NZk
https://youtu.be/j5Tw3t2MvaU

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Planning on installing more than 254 plugins?

Vortex Users: This is built-in to the Vortex Plugin section
https://youtu.be/0jJ_sxCMw9E

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Protect, Backup & Lock

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2872091273
Every single time there's a update the forums are filled with unhappy people who did not take the time to protect their game from updates. Don't let that be you.

Also - Remember to back up your executables and your data folder

Then make sure your firewall is letting this game thru

And Lock your FPS @60

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1. Protect

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Bethesda does update the game whenever there is a Creation Club update and on that rare occasion they fix some bugs. When they do and if your game is modded your game will break. So Do Not update your game when this happens. Since it's always possible that you will make a mistake or Steam will somehow update the game we need to protect it. There are a couple of ways to back things up in case this happens. For now simply turn off the updates to only update when you launch the game (or I set my game updates to a time when I know with absolute certainty that I'll be off-line).

Then once the mods that needed to be updated have been updated by their respective mod authors we can allow our game to update when we or good & ready, or not - we don't need to because our game is fine because we protected it from updates.
See instructions for Protecting your game from updates

The following video by GamerPoets explains why this is important, and also shows you one of the ways to backup. Highly Recommended
https://youtu.be/3gAiLABNoIA
IS OFFLINE MODE REALLY THE ANSWER?
The problem for many started when they played in offline mode.
This is why we always state "Never launch Skyrim SE via Steam and ONLY launch via the skse64_loader and only WHILE STEAM IS RUNNING in the background".
Yeah it's tricky in the sense that simply setting Steam to "ony update this game when I launch it"
and then only launching the game thru SKSE is not always enough. But if you always launch SSE while Steam is running and never it launch while Steam is not running you should be fine.

My understanding is that SKSE still needs to verify that you own the game via Steam. So if you run the game through SKSE and steam is NOT already running then the next time you are on-line and launch your game thru SKSE it will launch steam and auto-update the game during that verify process regardless of your settings.

The above is my understanding anyway.

Launching Through Vortex (w/Steam running in the background
Are you always launching thru Vortex? I always do and not too long ago read that because Vortex uses the hardlink system this could be an advantage.

Here's a post from the Vortex forums:

"Vortex's virtualization technology (called Hardlink Deployment) deploys a bunch of Hardlinks, which directly link one file to another in a way almost completely undetectable by software (unless you're scanning the master file table for references to the same clusters). Because Hardlinks act exactly like normal files in Windows and are (subjectively) super useful in mod development. It also means that you can have a shortcut directly to skse64_loader.exe."

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2. Backup

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SkyrimSE.exe Auto-Backup (by CDante) [www.nexusmods.com]
A tool that will automatically store your different versions of SkyrimSE.exe files in backup folders. Now you will always have a backup of your executable in case you unintentionally updated your game via Steam. Requires SKSE64. - (This is the mod we spoke of in a previous section)
https://youtu.be/5LjI56ZINWM IMPORTANT - Also back up Skyrim "everything" in the Data Folder along with the launcher and executable.
See the following by Fear2288 for why this is necessary:
https://steamcommunity.com/app/489830/discussions/0/3371530631526442244/
and see post #1 in that thread for an explanation.

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3. Lock

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We need to lock our FPS @60. There are various ways to accomplish this which we will cover in the load order guides. The easiest and most common method is through our ENB (if we are using one).

Antivirus / Firewall

Make Sure This Door is Open

A very common cause of "My game will not launch" is that it's being blocked by your firewall or antivirus. Make sure this is not the case.

How to allow a program or game through the Windows Firewall[www.computerhope.com]

How to whitelist and resolve issues in anti-virus software and firewalls[jackboxgames.happyfox.com]

Need more info or Help? See the "AntiVirus & Launch Problems" section of my SSE Help Guide

Performance

There are mods included in my guides that will improve Skyrim SE's performance but there are precautions you can take in order to make sure nothing is affecting your game's performance.

Shut down unnecessary background programs while playing the game. This includes Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Discord etc. I don't even want Nvidia's Ge Force running, I do not recommend it for a modded game anyway, Bethini (we'll cover it later) is far better for a modded Skyrim. If you absolutely must have one of these running simply make sure several are not running while you are playing and Most Importantly don't use the cloud from OneDrive, or Steam's cloud or Steam overlay.

There are links throughout my guides with step by step instructions for OneDrive which can seriously ruin your saves. These steps are more than a simple disable. Steam is pretty straight forward.

Many players leave Steam's overlay on but there has been a long standing issue with memory leaks and it's not gameoverlayui, it's steamwebhelper. But this only happens if the overlay is used. I'm not saying absolutely do not use it but be aware of it. Know your setup.

As for screenshots do not worry as you can use your ENB for screenshots and as a matter of fact whenever I want to see my FPS I use the ENB's * key in the numpad.

Installing Mods

Versions are everything - we will go over that in detail in the next section

First a helpful tip for Vortex users

Vortex users: Make sure you can see your way around Vortex
Recently I've had several folks ask me how to easily identify mods with scripts and also those with dependencies. I've also had folks tell me "I don't see that icon in Vortex" so I'm bringing the following info back to this guide. Don't overthink this because when using Vortex it's actually quite simple:

Make sure your checked boxes match the image
1. Make sure you're in the "Mods" section of Vortex. Look all the way to the top right hand side, click the gear cog (next to Actions) and make sure everything is checked with the exception of Archive Name, Mod Size, Tracking, Reference Status, Collection, and Highlight. . <<<Leave these 6 unchecked. Refer to the image on the left.

2. New columns will appear in Vortex, several of the above should be checked by default however we don't want to check them all or everything will looked cramped and be difficult to find. We need to see them at a glance.

3. The "Content" column shows you if a mod contains scripts, plugins, textures, meshes, etc.
Simply hover your mouse over these various icons and a text will appear identifying each one.

4. The "Dependencies" column should be checked by default (if not check it) however this is the most important box so you can easily see your rules and change them if needed. The dependency column shows you a lightning bolt icon - a resolved conflict (green) or an unresolved conflict (red). To see these rules you simply click on the lightning bolt and the sorting window will pop up.


Managing your load order with organized easy to see columns makes resolving conflicts much easier.

Also, when you are following instructions or if someone is helping you with Vortex and asks you to look at a particular column you will actually see the column they are referring to.

All Users
Do not simply download and install mods haphazardly.

Speaking of downloading mods:

Installing Mods from Nexus

Please pay careful attention: At each mod page when using Nexus (which is 97% of the time) always download your mods from the "Files" tab as many times there are multiple files to choose from and using the "Main Download" (or Vortex) button at the top of the page may not give you the file you need. If by chance the mod only has a "Manual" download button read & follow the install instructions on the mod page. See below for more info:





THEN USE THE MOD MANAGER DOWNLOAD BUTTON IN THAT SECTION
unless of course you are installing a mod that must specifically be installed manually.
(usually in these instances (but not always) you will only see a MANUAL DOWNLOAD button)

Installing mods from 3rd party sites (other than Nexus)

To drag & drop a file into Vortex you do so from the very bottom of the "Mods" section:


OR you can navigate to the file from the very top left hand side of Vortex (see image below):


FYI Occasionally you'll see the option to download either a "loose files" or a "bsa" version of a particular mod. The game loads the bsa's faster than loose files not to mention the game was designed to use bsa. So choose BSA if in doubt.

Anniversary Edition Terminology

Let's clear things up.

Those that have the Skyrim Special in their Library
The Update is free if you already own the game (Skyrim Special Edition)
So the update gives you 4 free Creation Club mods which are now part of Special Edition just as the DLC's Dawnguard, Heathfire, and Dragonborn are.
Those 4 free CC mods are:
Fishing[en.uesp.net]
Saints & Seducers[en.uesp.net]
Rare Curios[en.uesp.net]
Survival Mode[en.uesp.net]

There is the Newest DLC that came out on 11/11/2021 which you must purchase separately
and it contains 70 addtional Creation Club mods[en.uesp.net]. The New DLC retails for $20.00 and is often on sale for $10.00

So where's the confusion?
The confusion comes from, you guessed it, Bethesda themselves. Yes Bethesda now sells a "Bundle" and they call it Anniversary Edition[elderscrolls.bethesda.net] so for someone purchasing the game for the first time this is indeed correct. This terminology is also fine if you will not be modding your game. But if you will be modding your game you'll be frustrated if you only think in terms of Anniversary Edition. Why you ask?

The reason for this is when modding your game there are many instances where you need to refer to the version number of a mod when adding it to your game and because the "Anniversary Edition" has released several different versions since it's initial release you can not simply use a mod that says it's for the "Anniversary Edition".

But wait there's more
Where you do need to have the correct mod version that matches your game and Not all mod authors use the term "Anniversary Edition" properly or at all. Some mods only have one version however that one version is for a previous version number yet it's labeled as "AE" or "Anniversary Edition"

Many people do not understand this because they've never modded the updated game let alone the new DLC. Many that have modded the updated version may have used a very small mod list and did not come across this although you can install the wrong version if that first mod you install needs to be the exact version number for your game.

Even the Steam SSE forum does not have universal terminology which only confuses people all the more. I mean just look at the post I'm writing and if you've never modded before you likely are confused.

I like to think about the new user and I help new users every day. For them and in my guides I keep everything according to version number and have found that to be far and away the path of least resistance, far less confusion for sure. Proof is in the pudding.

With that out of the way please see the next section.

Version is Everything.

The Skyrim Script Extender (SKSE64)
Some of the best Skyrim mods available use the Skyrim Script Extender (SKSE) plug-in, but each time the Skyrim Creation Club receives a new update your SKSE plugin can render the mods that depend on it broken. Also, each time the Creation Club receives an update the base game is updated regardless so those same mods that depend ok SKSE are broken until SKSE and the mods that depend on it are updated.

Confusing when building a load order? Not really as long as you are version aware when modding your game but to further complicate matters Bethesda complicated it than it needed to be.

Due to a combination of Bethesda's poor marketing in the naming of the Anniversary DLC which came out 11/11/2021 (keep that date in mind) and the several updates since not to mention a new GOG version of Skyrim it can be confusing for those new or relatively new to modding Skyrim SE when trying to install the correct mod versions for their version of Skyrim. Throw in the fact that many users never bothered to protect their game from updates which has led to multiple rollbacks by some and you might have a mess to untangle for those new at this. We try to make the process of selecting the proper version of each mod for your Steam purchased version of Skyrim SE a simple process but you'll also have to pay close attention.

There is no Game called "Anniversary Edition" (unless you purchased a GOG version)
I'll not be talking about the GOG versions here. I have nothing against that version but my guides are for the Steam versions of Skyrim Special Edition. I may publish a guide specific to GOG in the future but that day has not yet come. Let's keep this as simple as we can.
(select image to expand)


Game version is Everything
On 11/11/2021 Skyrim Special Edition updated to version 1.6.xxx. The game received an updated compiler and 4 items from the Creation Club; Fishing, Saints & Seducers, Rare Curios, and Survival Mode. This is the base game (v1.6.xxx).This update was and is Free for owners of Skyrim SE, otherwise all purchases going forward will include these items and updates.

On the same day (11/11/2021) an Anniversary Upgrade was released which consists of all the remaining 70 Creation Club items packaged into one DLC. This is paid content @ $20.00us Retail and can only be installed on Skyrim SE version 1.6.xxx.

So what are we looking for to ensure we have the proper mod version for our game?
That's where Bethesda's poor marketing forced users pay a bit more attention.

You'll find the following information on each Nexus mod page under the "Files" tab, or in the "Logs" tab, or in the "Description" section of the main page:

• for SKSE 2.2.3 (or 2.2.2)
  
• for 1.6.629 and newer
  
• 1.6.629+
  
• 1.6.640
  
• *CommonLibSSE-NG

*Note: that some mods have recently included the use of "CommonLibSSE-NG" in the most recent updated version of their mods which make the mod backwards compatible with all versions of Skyrim Special Edition.

Still confused? Don't be, simply follow one of my load order guides for SSE version 1.6.640 and once you've gone through the process of building a load order this will all be very clear to you.

I want to run 4K or 8K Textures

I could write an entire guide on this subject but I'll cover a few things here. I also suggest you do some research if you need more info on this subject. I've also linked an excellent article on this subject.

I have a 4K Monitor - can or should I run 4K textures?

You "might" use 4k textures (or even 8K) depending on your PC. 4K will us more video ram so your PC specs are important and this starts with your GPU.

it'll only be worth using 4K on really big objects because the texture very well may be stretched otherwise (eg mountains). On smaller objects 2K or even 1K will look excellent.

As you go forward remember this when you are deciding on 1K-2K-4K or even 8K textures. Indoors not only has very little if any bearing on the hit your system takes so keep that in mind if you're worried about performance issues (VRAM). I might usually choose 4K inside & 2K outside although 4k is also usually best used on things that are large enough to see the fine details on, like mountains, dragons, city gates, etc. 4K for Weapons & Armors as well, but I would only use it on items that are going to be often in your view. These are a couple of notes I wanted you to keep in mind.

IF you're not sure about performance issues that might arise from using 2K, 4K or even 8K textures it's important to understand that pure textures can safely be removed and swapped out at any time during your playthrough. But if you're modding your game properly by testing after every 5-7 mods you add as you build your load order you'll have an excellent idea of not only how these models affect your performance but how they will look in game.

Shutt3r, the mod author of the very popular Noble Skyrim Mod HD-2K wrote a short article on texture choices. Check it out if you'd like more info on this.
What is a Texture?[forums.nexusmods.com]

Start Building Your Load Order

Your Next Step is to start building your load order for hands-on experience.
Pick a guide and start your modding journey.

Current game version: Skyrim SE 1.6.640 small load order (4-20 mods)
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2738338974
Current game version: Skyrim SE 1.6.640 medium to large load order (500-680 mods)
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2944593951
Previous game version: Skyrim SE 1.6.353 medium load order (50-175 mods)
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2636368499
Skyrim SE 1.5.97 load order (4-375 mods)
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1986067552
*Update: 5/29/2023 on New Guide
Is now up. Thanks for your patience and all your support.

For a list of Skyrim Help guides see the very last section of this guide.

Glossary

There are a decent amount of abbreviations, acronyms, keywords, and terms that are often used with Bethesda's 5th installment of The Elder Scrolls. Let's familiarize you with a few of them as you'll see them often.

listed alphabetically

BSA - Bethesda Softworks Archive. A compressed file you'll often see in many mods. Can include sounds, textures, models, etc. BSA install-order doesn't matter, only Load order.

CK - Creation Kit. This tool is used to edit & create Bethesda mods.

CTD - Crash to Desktop.

*CBBE - Caliente's Beautiful Body Enhancement. A popular female body type by Caliente. You'll also need a Skeleton and Texture for this mod as this is strictly a mesh.

*Directory - The location Skyrim is installed to on your PC. Your "root" Skyrim directory is where your Skyrim.exe file is located. see "Root"

.dds is a texture file.

DLL - Dynamic Link Library. Used often in mods. A DLL is a library that contains code and data that can be used by more than one program at the same time.

DyndoLOD - Dynamic Distant Objects Level of Detail: A program that goes through your installed mods and automatically creates a dynamic Level of Detail for the entirety of Skyrim. DyndoLOD basically stops the landscape pop-in you see in your game as your character travels through the games grids. DyndoLOD "just works" as Todd would say.

ENB - a lighting program that uses post process.

*ESP, *ESM, - file types .esp, .esm, - (These are the basics if you want more info research them separately). The ESM file format stands for Elder Scrolls Master file. It has been in use since The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, & is used in conjunction with the ESP (Elder Scrolls Plugin). All ESPs require an ESM file in order to work. For example, Skyrim's ESM file is labeled Skyrim.esm, & is required to run all mods for Skyrim. BSA is an acronym for Bethesda Softworks Archive, There are also .esl files that are light plugins & do not take up a slot in your load order's 255 plugin limit.

*FOMOD - You will see this associated with some mod downloads. FOMOD is a mod-manager-specific archive format originally for the Fallout Mod Manager. The term "FOMOD Installer" has been adopted more recently by mod authors in Skyrim and Skyrim SE for their mods as an installation option for their mods that have various options during the install process (after download of course). These so called FOMOD installers in Skyrim are actually known as "Scripted Installers".

FPS - Frames Per Second

HKX - is a compressed XML data file used in Havok Physics engine video games. Data used to simulate real-world physics.

INI - A configuration file composed of sections, settings, and values.

ITMs - are Identical To Master records, ie. data in a plugin for something that is identical to the data for that thing in the plugin's master(s). Usually a type of unintended edit, known as a dirty edit, which can break the functionality of other mods that require the record in question to have a specific value, but which have that value overridden by an ITM record.

*Loot - Load Order Optimisation Tool. Does as the name implies, optimises your Load Order. So if someone should ask you if you sorted your load order with Loot you'll know what they mean. Loot will also give you plug-in warning & usage notes while telling you which plugins need cleaning with SSEEDIT
note: Vortex utilizes Loot code (built in) to automatically sort your load order. This does not mean you won't need Loot for detailed messages.

MCM - Mod Configuration Menu. Allows you to customize certain aspects of a mod in game.

.nif is a mesh file.

*Oldrim - (Also referred to as Legendary Edition) This is the way many in the modding community refer to the original 32bit version of Skyrim. For example you often will see text telling you to make sure you are not using the Oldrim version of a mod for SSE. This is because oldrim (Skyrim) is still very active in the community. This guide refers to the newer 64bit version, Skyrim Special Edition. Confused yet? Don't be, it all becomes second nature in no time.

*PLUGIN ESL ESM and ESP are all plugins however ESL's do not take up a load order slot. Most mods have a plugin and there is a 255 plugin limit for Skyrim however some mods like textures don't have a plugin unless for example the textures are particular in where they are to be placed. Usually texture mods do not have a plugin however. For more on plugins & the 255 limit you can read Arthmoor's information if you like. Plugin Files & You [www.afkmods.com]

*Root Folder - also called the root directory or sometimes just the root of any partition or folder is the "highest" directory in the hierarchy. You can also think of it in general as the start or beginning of a particular folder structure. It can be likened to the trunk of a tree, as the starting point where all branches originate from. For us it's the "Skyrim Special Edition" folder found at SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\Skyrim Special Edition

*SSE and *SKSE64 - I am grouping these 2 together because the terms look so much alike to many that are new to the Skyrim modding community that they can be confusing. You should get used to these 2 terms as you will see them early and often. The First term SSE refers to this game, Skyrim Special Edition and the second term SKSE64 refers to the Skyrim Script Extender for SSE . Worse yet, there are several Script Extenders for example Oldrim uses SKSE. You must ALWAYS use SKSE64 with Skyrim Special Edition (SSE). Do not use SKSE for SSE. Got it? (I knew you would :))

UDR - Undeleted & Disabled References. Deleted References can cause crashes, and this can be avoided by first undeleting & then disabling them instead. A type of dirty edit. Note that this acronym does not refer to the deleted references themselves - it actually refers to their fixed counterparts. For example, Scan For UDRs will scan for deleted references, not undeleted and disabled references, and LOOT will report the UDR count for a plugin, which is actually the number of deleted references that can be fixed.

*UNP - Dimonized UNPretended (Variations: UNPB (UNP Blessed) UUNP etc.) female Body type (mesh replacer) by dimon99. You also need a Skeleton mod & Texture mod for this mod.

*USSEP - Refers to the "Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch" : a mod that should be at the top of the list of most intelligent load orders. The USSEP is a mod that patches many of the problems that Bethesda did not address in the game originally. You'll read more about this later.
(Note: never use USLEEP, the "Unofficial Skyrim Legendary Edition Patch", for SSE)

*xEdit or *SSEEdit (in our case) - This tool is used for many functions which include editing and cleaning mods, creating patches, and applying scripts to mods. xEdit is the generic term and is used for various Bethesda games that are based on the same game engine. xEdit then takes on the name of that game accordingly, F4Edit for Fallout 4, SSEEdit for Skyrim Special Edition, FNVEdit for Fallout New Vegas, etc.

There you have it, if any were left off the above list you'll learn them soon enough or they will be added as needed in our ongoing update process.

Mod Abbreviations & Acronyms

This is a list of popular abbreviations and acronyms for mods used in my guides. There are many others but I'm keeping the list to mods you might come across while building your load order when using my guides, specifically while following my load order "before and after" rules as I tend to abbreviate there . This also might be helpful when you are looking at file names for patches or if following or involved in a SSE forum thread.

ABT: Arrows Bolts & Tweaks
ACE: Armor Clothing Extensions
AIO: AI Overhaul (although often used as an abbreviation for "All-in-one").
BDS: Better Dynamic Snow
BOS: Base Object Swapper
BR: Blended Roads
CBBE: Caliente's Beautiful Bodies Edition
CC: Creation Club
CoS: Cloaks of Skyrim
CoT: Citizens of Tamriel
CoTN: Cities of the North
CRF: Cutting Room Floor
DAR: Dynamic Animation Replacer
DDCse: Diversive Dragons Collection (Special Edition)
DyndoLOD: Dynamic Distant Objects Level of Detail
EBT: Enhanced Blood Textures
EVLaS: Enhanced Volumetric Lighting and Shadows
ENB: Enhanced Natural Beauty
ELFX: Enhanced Lights & FX
FNIS: Fores New Idles
GDO: Guard Dialogue Overhaul
GDOS: Glorious Doors of Skyrim
HLT: Happy Little Trees
IC: Immersive Citizens
KiC: Keep it Clean
LFfGM: Landscape Fixes for Grass Mods
LOD: Level of Detail
LoS II: Lanterns of Skyrim II
LotDB: Legacy of the Dragonborn
MCoW: Magical College of Winterhold
MM: Majestic Mountains
OBIS: Organized Bandits in Skyrim
PCEA: Player Character Exclusive Animations
R.A.S.S.: Rain Ash & Snow Shaders
RCI: Ruins Clutter Improved
RDO: Relationship Dialogue Overhaul
RW2: Realistic Water 2
SLaWF: Skyrim Landscape and Water Fixes
SMIM: Static Mesh Improvement Mod
SoS: Simplicity of Snow. (can also be: Sounds of Skyrim, Seagulls of Skyrim and others)
SPID: Spell Perk Item Distributor
TDM: True Directional Movement
TCiY: The Choice is Yours
UNP: UNPretended or Unified Natural Preset
USSEP: Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch
WACCF: Weapons Armor Clothing & Clutter Fixes
WoW: Wonders of Weather

ini Files and Bethini

Do not let GeForce Experience Optimize Skyrim
I use Nvidia's GeForce Experience for some games but not for a modded Skyrim, for a vanilla game sure. Eventually you may even want to learn to optimize your .ini files yourself but until then Bethini is far and away the better choice in my opinion. Again, I'm a long time Nvidia user - just not for modded games.

INI Files are settings for just about everything in your game. Veteran mod users are versed in what they do and how to tweak them. INI files can make or break your game so it pays high dividends to understand what they do and how they work. Eventually you should develop an understanding of how to use them effectively. But until then we have Bethini which I highly recommend.

Bethini, is an excellent tool which is kept up to date by the well known folks from S.T.E.P.
*This is optional but Recommended so if you're not sure about .ini settings or what they are then this mod will make a big difference in performance, lighting, and more. On the other hand if you are completely comfortable changing the .ini's and know what you are doing then you probably don't need Bethini.

There are many advantages to using BethINI:

• Automatically reorders your INI files into a sensible order, making them much easier to navigate for manual tweaking.
  
• Automatically fixes common errors, including some that can cause CTDs.
  
• Automatically detects mods you have installed and makes changes recommended by the mod authors where deemed appropriate.
  
• It's presets are superior in graphical fidelity and performance to the presets one can create via the game launcher.
  
• Allows for the modification of more settings than is accessible via native game settings, and provides explanation for each setting and what it does.
  
• Automatically backs up your INI files.
  
• For Skyrim, it automatically configures the Creation Kit to support multiple masters and any installed DLC, if enabled.

(All my load order guides include a detailed Bethini section)

What is ENB

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What is ENB?
Enhanced Natural Beauty (ENB) - This addon consists of two parts, the ENB binary file which contains all the actual processes and general settings and which can only be downloaded from one specific site run by the creator of these, and the preset which can be gotten at any modding site (though, of course, Nexus is the most used). The preset is just tailored settings and changes made to the actual ENB binaries to change the appearance - by itself, it is useless.

There are many ENB's for Skyrim SE & just about every one of them offer 3 versions to choose from contained in one file folder. They include 1 "High Quality" for higher end pc's, 1 "Quality" & 1 usually called something like "Performance" which is aimed at lower end pc's. This way you can start with the best quality and see how your pc handles it and if needed work your way down.

My guide's are setup to remove numerous bugs and improve gameplay, so by adding both a high quality ENB (Ex: Re Engaged) and lighting mod (EX: ELFX) with the right combination of excellent texture mods and a weather mod (EX: Obsidian) your game comes alive and looks like a true 2022-23 video game that truly highlights Skyrim's beauty and brings it to life.

That said it is important to remember that, although I recommend an ENB if your system can handle one, Skyrim SE or AE really does not "need" an ENB and as a matter of fact compared to the Original Skyrim (Oldrim) it needs one even less.

What is LOD

Originally posted by Avrie:

Limited Object Detail = LOD

At a specific set distance from the player, the render engine switches from full detail to limited object detail (LOD) to conserve Vram and speed up render times. The LOD is a low resolution "stick figure" of that beautiful 4K texture you installed. There are Near LODs, Mid LODs, Far LODs, Large LODs and Very Large LODS. When you look at a mountain in the distance it's a single generated low resolution texture, not the tens of thousands of individual textures that go into the creation of the actual mountains. You'd need the Holodeck to pull that off. A "mortal" PC even running a 3090 would melt down if you filled it with 8K textures and told it to render the world in real time.

You'd need much more memory than any current video rig could support, but more importantly it doesn't need to. By switching to Near LODs, then Mid LODs, then Far LODs at fixed distances from the player and based on rules, you are telling the computer which objects are in your field of vision, and which objects are a shadow in the distance. xLODGen simply updates the LOD files and rules to exactly match the textures and meshes you've installed. That includes mod added buildings and Flora.

There are DyndoLOD tutorials in the "SSE Help Guides" section of this guide.

Advanced Tools

Tools for Generating LOD

xLODGen[stepmodifications.org]

DynDOLOD 3 & TexGen[stepmodifications.org]

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The following Tools are NOT "essential" to mod your game but can be important for future use

you'll know it when you need them

Creation Kit

Info[www.howtoguides.org]
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1946180/Skyrim_Special_Edition_Creation_Kit/

Creation Kit Downgrade Patcher[www.nexusmods.com] Downgrades the new Steam Creation Kit back to the way it was from Bethesda.Net so you can use the Creation Kit Fixes again.

*For detailed information on setting up and using the Creation Kit see my SSE Help Guide under the Creation Kit sections.

More on the Creation Kit
SSE CreationKit Fixes[www.nexusmods.com] You'll need after installing CK

And you'll need to add this line to your new CreationKit.ini located in your SSE folder

[General]
bAllowMultipleMasterLoads=1

Q: How to install the Creation Kit? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dq1F62MOviY
Download Bethesda Launcher for CK[bethesda.net]

Not a tool but if trying to convert Oldrim animations to SSE see this:
Guide to Animation.hkx conversion for Skyrim Special Edition
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/2970

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BSA Archive Browser & Extractor
BSA Browser (with .BA2 support)[www.nexusmods.com]

Tool that optimizes your NIF files for the (actual) new SSE format

and fixes issues. Can also scan textures for compatibility.
SSE NIF Optimizer[www.nexusmods.com]
Download (manual) main file. Extract the download and place the executable in your Modding Tools folder, this program is useful if you ever see an Oldrim (original Skyrim) mod that you'd like to convert for use in Skyrim Skyrim Special Edition. Main NifTools[www.niftools.org]

Newer Optimizer for Nif Files
Cathedral Assets Optimizer[www.nexusmods.com] An automation tool used to optimize BSAs, meshes, textures and animations. It helps quickly porting an Oldrim mod to Skyrim Special Edition, and can optimize assets for many Bethesda games.

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WARNING!

Merging plugins requires experience - a LOT of it! If you are unsure of something - DON'T DO IT. And if you lack experience, then keep things small."

Merge Plugins by Mator
MERGE PLUGINS[www.nexusmods.com] works for SSE

zEdit
Not Required for casual users (you'll know when you need it)
New version v06.6[github.com] released 8/25/2021
Download zEdit[github.com]

Wrye Bash
Great for Bashed Patches. Wrye Bash installs to your Skyrim SE directory. Let it do so.
WRYE BASH DOWNLOAD SITES
Nexus[www.nexusmods.com]
Github[github.com]

OLD INFO REGARDING THE OLD VERSION OF WB
highly advisable to NOT use this version. this info is here for users of the older versions
*Advisory Regarding Using Wrye Bash To Make A Bashed Patch

Forum Help

The Steam Skyrim Special Edition Forums is a great place for help.

You should always be prepared with the following included in your post:

1. Mods?
   
2. if using mods - LOOT sorted load order?
   
3. if using mods - Which Mod Manager are you using?
   
4. Have you removed mods during this playthrough?
   
5. Use of console commands?
   
6. PC specs?
   
7. What is your game doing or not doing?

All of the above info that applies to your game is important

Downgrading or Rolling back?

I intentionally left this section for last as I feel it's pretty much a moot point by now although thanks to the internet and the way we often parrot what we hear, the words "downgrade your game" in relation to Skyrim Special Edition still seems to occasionally rear it's ugly head.

Not Recommended
Why would you want to downgrade your game? Downgrading was a viable option back in November of 2021 when the Anniversary update first came out (and only if you neglected to protect your game from updates). Maybe even viable through December 2022 but as I type this it's late January 2023 and the vast majority of mods that required updating have been updated by now. Matter of fact I've been modding 1.6.640 since November 2022, some were modding it in October 2022.

Also, many mods are updating only for the latest game version and some of those mods are requirements for other mods. The latest version is optimal for modding.

So there really is no need to downgrade your game all the way to 1.5.97 (for info on rolling back to 1.6.353 see the next paragraph) unless there is that one mod that you feel you absolutely can not live without. Sure it was necessary when the Anniversary upgrade first came out while we were all waiting for our favorite and must have mods to be updated, but that was then.

“Life can only be understood by looking backward; but it must be lived looking forward” 
— Soren Kierkegaard

Rolling back to 1.6.353
That said if you somehow got caught by a Bethesda update and otherwise had a well running game a simple rollback to the previous version might be in order for you. You'll still be on the version with the updated compiler which includes the 4 free Creation Club mods and if you purchased the Anniversary DLC content that data is included as well. I do have a guide for SSE version 1.6.353 and as a matter of fact My Guide for 1.6.353 has all the information you should need to mod your game.
Here's the link for downgrading your game:
Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Downgrade Patcher[www.nexusmods.com]

Rolling all the way back to 1.5.97
But if for whatever reason you are one of the last hold outs My Guide for 1.5.97 has all the information you'll need.
Here's the link for downgrading your game:
Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Downgrade Patcher[www.nexusmods.com]

---

---

Etiquette

The ABC's of Etiquette
I'll start with the pure basics.

Always Be Courteous.
First and foremost when you have concerns and questions regarding mods be polite, considerate and respectful to mod authors or anyone else offering you help. Yes some mod authors or forum helpers can be tougher to deal with than others but that's life in general. For the most part mod folks are working for free as a labor of love (unless we choose to donate). They are under no obligation to us.

Bring information with you.
Help folks help you. Stating "my game keeps crashing" is nothing to go on. Include important info in your post (or have it ready) including but not limited to:

• Are you using mods?
  
• Which mod manager are you using?
  
• What are your PC specs?
  
• Post your LOOT sorted load order (if using mods)
  
• Have screenshots or a video where applicable
  
• Describe the problem in detail (eg; where is it crashing and when)

Close your thread properly.
Once you'd resolved your issue either (1) use Steam's system to mark the users post that fixed your issue as the post that gave you resolution. This way you help others searching for a similar problem possibly fix their issue as well. The post will show as "The author of this topic has marked a post as the answer to their question. (2) If you found the answer on your own then edit your original post as "Resolved" by typing "Resolved" in that post. What goes around comes around.

Do Your Research (DYR)

We've all seen folks who come in to the forums or comment sections of mod pages saying that they've spend days or sometimes weeks trying to fix a problem with their load order. Many times these issues could have been nipped in the bud by doing a little homework up front or as it's often referred to "reading the manual" (RTM). DYR includes RTM.

Ever notice in the Nexus forums many questions go unanswered? Those are the questions that could have been answered by reading the mod page description section or the FAQ's if provided. Many times a simple search of the comments sections shows that very same question has already been answered (even multiple times) before.

The proverb "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" reminds us that it's easier to stop something from happening in the first place than to repair the damage after it has happened. Always DYR.

Start by reading the entire mod page description, any additional requirements, check for compatibilities and incompatibilities, many mod authors also include an articles tab on the mod page. Read through the bugs tab while remembering anyone can report a bug so all reports may not be legitimate, as a matter of fact as you read the entirety of each report often you'll see the user reply with the realization the error was on their end.

Yes in some cases this process can seem time consuming however this can and will save you both time and frustration in the long run and once you become familiar with each mod this process will take less and less time each time you use that mod in your load order.

Rumor Mill

Some Common Misconceptions

Bethesda updates break mods
FALSE. Actually they don't. Remember, Bethesda is updating the vanilla game. We are modifying the vanilla game and each of us has a unique load order. Bethesda gives us access to the Creation Kit so mod authors can create mods but they do so with a warning to do so at your own risk. How in the world are they responsible for our modified game? No, the game does not "break mods". A recent Discord post from Bethesda's Cartogriffi explains this:

"The "patches breaks mods" meme is extremely overblown. (Granted, today is quite an inopportune day to be making this argument!)

Individual mods generally work perfectly fine after a game patch, and require no updating. You could grab mods that have sat untouched from the launch week of Skyrim SE, and it would be surprising if any didn't work.

SKSE is an exception. Any time the game updates, SKSE requires an update. At minimum, it needs to increment the game version number to ensure its modding the right thing. It's a very complex piece of software, and it's reasonable to make sure it isn't trying to alter the wrong thing.

From my understanding, there are also SKSE-dependent mods which check against the SKSE version. So a game update requires an SKSE update, which can require some SKSE mods update. Not all, but some.

Even with Skyrim AE, which required a substantial update from the SKSE team, very few other mods impacted by the patch. (And the SKSE did a phenomenal job getting SKSE updated, we're very appreciative of that effort.) There was a deafening choir of "Skyrim AE will break mods!" and extremely few mods were impacted at all."

Besides, there are precautions we can take before adding modifications to our game. The link is in this guide.

You need to downgrade your game
FALSE. The vast majority of relevant mods have been updated for 1.6.640 or have been replaced with completely new mods that do the same thing. So unless there's that one mod that you absolutely can't live without there is no need to downgrade your game to an earlier version. Yes there are countless click bait videos telling you to downgrade by Youtubers looking for subscribers (enough said). Yes for a few months right after the last update this may have been true but that was then. Stay up to date and protect your game from updates (the link is in this guide).

Don't use the USSEP you do not need it
FALSE. Many mods list the USSEP as a requirement so it's completely irresponsible to suggest you do not need it. But it goes beyond that. The USSEP fixes hundreds of bugs in the game and along the way it removed some exploits/cheats which in turn upset some users. Some users simply don't like arthmoor which of course is no reason to suggest you do not need the patch. Write this one off to internet nonsense.

Originally posted by Arthmoor:

I'm sure I've probably mentioned it many times to many people, but this article should be enlightening to anyone who thinks they don't need it at some point:

https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/articles/1376

It's literally a fraction of what the patch actually does, and IMO the greatest compliment we can receive is one we've heard so many times before: "I don't even notice I've installed it". Mainly because the one time someone hasn't, they ran smack into some obscure thing we fixed and were grateful we had.

And if anyone disputes that the USSEP is required by many mods just go to the USSEP's Nexus mod page, look under "Requirements", use the dropdown and look at the list under "Mods requiring this file".

And it should be mentioned that many of the non-"bug" related changes made by the USSEP that some do not like or scream "they change the game to their liking" are actually changes that the team received confirmation from Bethesda that indeed mirrors their original intention. Read the patch note updates.

It's perfectly safe to remove any mod mid-game
FALSE. We have info on the when & why it's not safe to remove mods mid-game posted in the "Steam forums Pinned Topics" section and it's included in all my load order guides where this info is clearly linked.

Nexus mods is loaded with mod authors warning folks not to do so. Even the mod author of the save cleaning tool "Fallrim Tools" clearly states on his mod page:
"I tell people the same thing that he does: NEVER uninstall mods during a playthrough. Arthmoor is completely correct -- cleaning savefiles is NEVER safe or reliable."

Almost every day we see people in the forums asking for help with their broken game and too many times it's because they removed a mod mid-game because they heard it was safe.

Windows 11 broke my Skyrim SE
FALSE: Windows 11 is indeed compatible with Skyrim SE. From what I've seen most have fixed any issue by following the same steps we've been following for years. Recently I upgraded to Windows 11 and you guessed it, the steps were the same as they've always been.

Steps like:
Make sure all your drivers are up to date
Make sure you have the latest Visual C++ Redist.
Make sure you're AV is not blocking the game
The ideal location to install Skyrim SE is outside of Program Files
(the above steps are all covered in detail in my guides)

Then, once you can launch and play the game vanilla:
if you want to mod your game you may once again need to ensure your mod manager plays nice as well as the mods you install. Again this is not specific to Windows 11, these are the steps we normally take. Again, I recently updated to a new PC that includes Windows 11 and my game launched because I followed the same steps (listed above) we've been following for years.

Bottom Line:
These are just a few examples. Please don't believe the rumors that many parrot. Do your research, ask questions, read the Pinned Tops in the SSE Steam Forums. Protect your game from rumors.

Happy gaming - ~enjoy

Links

SSE HELP FORUMS

SSE Steam Pinned Topics & Forums
SSE Nexus Help Forums [forums.nexusmods.com]
Steam SSE Discussion Forums
[SSE] Recommended fixes and adjustments
Bethesda SSE Forum [bethesda.net]
Reddit SSE
Old Farts' Coffee House

MOD QUICK LINKS

Nexus Mods - Free Sign-up [www.nexusmods.com] *You never pay for mods here (unless you donate)
USSEP Download [www.nexusmods.com]
SKSE64 Download [skse.silverlock.org]
SSE Engine Fixes Download [www.nexusmods.com]
PapyrusUtil SE [www.nexusmods.com]
Add your own Personalized Music - Skyrim SE [www.nexusmods.com] Takes a little work so read mod page
Bethini [www.nexusmods.com] watch this video by Dirty Weasel Media about Bethini and be sure to read the mod description & the instructions on Bethini's mod page regarding this fantastic mod

OFF-SITE MODS

AFK Mods [www.afkmods.com]
ENB Binary[enbdev.com]
Script Extender (SKSE64)[SKSE.silverlock.org]
LH Mods (These Mods moved to Schaken and Mod DB)
TES Alliance[tesalliance.org] SE & LE
Mod DB
Schaken Mods[schaken-mods.com]
Vector Plexus[vectorplexus.com] Make sure you're downloading SE or LE
[SSE] Where to find Nexus mod refugees?
Halo Mods[dysintropi.me]

IMPORTANT UPDATES FOR DRIVERS ETC.

How to update your computer Graphic Drivers [pcgamer]
How to update your computer Audio Drivers [www.wikihow.com]
How to Verify the integrity of your game files on Steam [steam support]
Microsoft Visual Studio 2015, 2017 and 2019 [support.microsoft.com]
Java - download - install - remove - troubleshoot [www.java.com]
How to rollback your Skyrim - New steam update fix [www.nexusmods.com]

ARCHIVING TOOLS (must have at least 1)

7zip Download (Get 64bit) [www.7-zip.org]
Winrar Download (Get 64bit) [www.win-rar.com]

MOD MANAGERS & Other Tools

Vortex Mod Manager Download [www.nexusmods.com]
Vortex vs Nexus Mod Manager [steam guide]
Mod Organizer 2 Download [www.nexusmods.com]
Wrye Bash Download [www.nexusmods.com]
SSEEDIT Download [www.nexusmods.com]
LOOT Download [loot.github.io]

Creation Kit

The Creation Kit is now a Steam download
For info on the Creation Kit see the "Advanced Tools" section of this guide

TUTORIAL VIDEOS

Troubleshooting & Installing SKSE64
Skyrim SE Clean Re-Install by GamerPoets
Vortex Mod Manager - Beginner's Guide #1 : Getting Started
Vortex Mod Manager - Beginner's Guide #2 : Installing Mods
Vortex Mod Manager - Beginner's Guide #3 : Scripted Installers
Vortex Mod Manager - Beginner's Guide #4 : Plugins and Load Order
Vortex Mod Manager - Beginner's Guide #5 : Dependencies and Conflicts
MO 2 - Installation & Setup
MO 2 - Installing Mods
How to Convert .esp's to .esl's
How to set up xEdit
How to Clean Mods & DLC
Wrye Bash || Mod Installation || Tutorial
How to Use DynDOLOD SE || Basics || MO2 & Vortex
Creation Kit SE || Installation & Setup || Tutorial Tuesday

Other Tutorials:
bchick3 Guide to Porting skyrim LE mods to SSE[www.nexusmods.com]

SUGGESTED VIDEOS (my favorites)

When watching these video's or any video linked to them if trying to get a mod
make sure it is a SSE mod and not an Oldrim mod
Gamer Poets Video's
Gopher's Video's
Mod Skyrim with MO2 - Ai Cave
Dirty Weasel Media
Skyrim Walkthroughs - by ESO
Mod Reviews by Brodul EVERY MOD FEATURED IN THIS VIDEO IS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR SSE

TOOLS TO GENERATE LODS

Dynamic Distant Objects LOD - DynDOLOD SE BETA [forum.step-project.com]
SSELODGen [www.nexusmods.com]
Indistinguishable Billboards for SSE [www.nexusmods.com]

Misc

Deals on Games
IsThereAnyDeal[isthereanydeal.com]

Wiki
No Link Section would be complete without Wiki [en.uesp.net]

Modding on the Spectrum

Link[modding-on-the-spectrum.com]
"It's a hub for people who are united by one special interest: modding their games to suit their individual tastes. Here we can exchange knowledge, ideas, struggles and accomplishments, talk about mods, gaming and much more. We welcome everyone - regardless if you identify as neurodivergent or not.

In addition to the mod discussion areas, we offer discussion areas for specific neurodivergent conditions like Autism or ADHD/ADD which are only visible to registered users.
Selene,
Site founder

SSE Help Guides

Looking for my load order guides? See the last section titled "All 1.6.xxx Guides "

General Help
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2266129651
Vortex
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1977191236
Skyrim Script Extender (SKSE64) https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2225149260
DyndoLOD - All Game versions
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2789657603
DyndoLOD - 1.5.97
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2785222362
xEdit / SSEEdit
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2660673605

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Steam Discussion & Help Threads
SSE Steam Pinned Topics & Forums
Steam SSE Discussion Forums
Discussion thread for this guide

---

Change log

6/22/2023

• Updated the list of my guides

9/18/2022

• Added the section: INI Files and Bethini
  
• Added the section: Rumor Mill
  
• Added the section: Do You Research
  
• Added the section: Etiquette
  
• Updated the section: Downgrading or Rolling back?
  
• Updated the section: Do's & Don'ts

10/19/2022

• Added Microsoft x86 of 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2022 Redist package to required files

All 1.6.xxx Guides

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2880880725

[smr1957]

@samdusky
This is really almost all Vlad's work - my name is just added as there are some things he cited that I had written - the actual guide itself is purely due to the hard work that Vlad put in to put everything together in one guide.

[GeorgeDroyd]

Thank you @Vlad 254 and @smr1957
Very helpful. Also new'ish to forums/communities, so noted there. Best

[Vlad 254]

@samdusky - Asking a question is not flaming so please feel free to ask a question in any of my guides and of course for more eyes on you question there's always the Steam SSE Forums.

There is No Steam Workshop for Skyrim Special Edition as smr1957 said. What Bethesda did in place of the Workshop was add the Creation Club which is now called "Creations" which I'm not a big fan of mixing into my load order but I explain that in my guides. So basically the bottom line is a hybrid load order (eg, mixing Creations with Nexus mods) I don't like unless the load order were to be a Creations only load order. ~enjoy

[smr1957]

@samdusky
There is no Workshop for Skyrim Special Edition - the Workshop is only for the 2011 original edition of Skyrim. For further information regarding Skyrim Special Edition, please see the PINNED TOPICS in the forum, especially Helpful Links and References , which contains links to Vlad's guides as well as much other information. Also, please feel free to ask questions in the main discussion forum by starting a new topic - there a a LOT of people ready and willing to help.
Welcome to the Skyrim community, enjoy, and good luck!

[GeorgeDroyd]

I am not flaming, but why doesn't this guide mention downloading / operating mods from the steam-workshop? Does modding skyrim have to be done outside-of-steam? Plz add/message me if you are a subject matter expert here plz...trying to play skyrim for first time but want to run it with a perfect mod list

[Wait_it]

Crusader(autor)
Wait_it
░░░░░░▄▄▄░░▄██▄░░░
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░░░█▀▄▄▄█░▀▀░░
░░░▌░▄▄▄▐▌▀▀▀░░ THIS IS BOB
▄░▐░░░▄▄░█░▀▀ ░░
▀█▌░░░▄░▀█▀░▀ ░░ COPY AND PASTE HIM,
░░░░░░░▄▄▐▌▄▄░░░ SO, HE CAN TAKE
░░░░░░░▀███▀█░▄░░ OVER THE WORKSHOP
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[Paulie Gualtieri]

Who owns Conquest of Skyrim mod I need help for it

[macelharen]

seeing as how i'm hovering around 500 active mods i'll go with a bashed+smashed for now. I'll keep that in mind though.

[smr1957]

Neither is recommended, as they both leave much out or forward the wrong records. The merged patch feature in xEdit (NOT merging plugins, which is something else entirely), actually was originally designed for Oblivion, and even the developer of it states that it is outdated and should not be used. The smashed patch, though a newer function, is not much better. Bottom line - either should be used. A person should create any necessary patches themself, or, if they are not able to, then they are best to just rely upon existing patches that have been created by mod authors, or simply rely upon having a proper load order. If one wishes more information on the basics of xEdit to edit records, see the following guide:
Editing In xEdit , from the PINNED TOPIC Helpful Links and References , Section 4 - Modding the Game

[macelharen]

Dear Vlad, awesome guide. Question: is a smashed patch better now than a merged patch, and thus use the former and not the latter (although xEdit is good for other stuff i assume)