How to install WarthunderCDK for steam edition (C:\War Thunder\WarThunderCDK bad path error)

Getting into warthunder modding can be a bit tricky! If you're using the steam version of warthunder and trying to install WarthunderCDK but having trouble getting things working this guide is here to help. Most common issue is C:\War Thunder\WarThunderCDK bad path error and this guide will cover how to fix that!

Downloading The Installation Files

Before anything else, we need to grab the installation files!
🔒 Always download from a trusted source to be safe!

🌐 The official download page for the War Thunder CDK is:
👉 https://wiki.warthunder.com/war_thunder_cdk

📥 Once you’ve downloaded the latest version, it should appear in your "Downloads" folder.
🚀 Run WarThunderCDK.exe and follow the prompts to complete the installation.

Finding The Correct Path

By default, the installation path for WarThunderCDK is:
C:\Users\yourName\AppData\Local\WarThunderCDK

However, this path is not correct for the Steam version of War Thunder.
That’s why many users are seeing the “bad path” error — and it’s exactly why I created this guide!

Locate the WarThunderCDK Folder

Navigate to: C:\Users\yourName\AppData\Local
Look for the folder named WarThunderCDK.
Keep in mind: `yourName` is a placeholder — replace it with your actual Windows username.
Once found, keep that tab open (you can minimize it for now).

Finding your WarThunder installation path🔍

For the Steam version of War Thunder, the default install location is:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\War Thunder

However, some users may have installed it in a different location.
To make sure you're in the right spot:

Open Steam.
In your Library, find War Thunder.
Right-click it → Manage → Browse local files 📁

This will take you directly to your correct War Thunder folder.

Moving Files

📦 Now Let's Move the WarThunderCDK Folder

Now we’ll take the WarThunderCDK folder that we found and minimized earlier,
and we’ll move it into your Steam War Thunder installation folder.

💡 In other words:

Take the folder from here:
C:\Users\yourName\AppData\Local\WarThunderCDK

And move it to your War Thunder install directory, which you found via Steam:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\War Thunder


✅ Once it’s moved, the CDK should now detect the correct path — and no more “bad path” errors!

All Done!

You should now be able to launch the tools without hasel! If you need any more help feel free to join my Discord[discord.gg], you can always dm me from there if you're really stuck :)

Feel free to check out my other guides for more help!
Guides

Best of luck!
~Nika <3