How to Install Mods (XNB)

In this guide I am bringing you guys a tutorial on how to install mods in Stardew Valley. Hope this helps you guys out!

Intro

Hey everyone! If you want to learn how to install mods without reading this whole guide, just watch this simple 4:00 made by RoboKast Gaming.

So thank you guys for checking out this guide, and if this helps you out, please let me know by giving this guide a thumbs up.

Step 1: Finding The Mod

Step number one is a very simple step, that anyone should be able to do without any struggle. All you need to do is find the mod that you want to download, and download it to your desktop. It will most likely be in a zip or rar folder, and if it is in a rar folder, you are going to have to open it by downloading a program called WinRar (just google the name and you can find it).

If you are wondering where you can find the mod, check out this website here. This is the official stardew valley mod forums.

Click here to visit the website[community.playstarbound.com]

This is what the site looks like.

So simply go on the site, find the mod you want to download, and then download it to your desktop

Step 2: Extracting The File

So once you have the mod saved on your Desktop, you are going to need to open the file. Once you are in the file, you need to drag the .xnb file onto your desktop, where it is easily accesible.

Step 1:
Open your .zip or .rar folder












Step 2:
Locate the .xnb file






Step 3:
Move the file to your desktop

Step 3: Installing The Mod

So now that you have the XNB file easily accesible on your desktop, it is fairly simple.
Locate the directory for Stardew Valley in your steamapps folder. If you want to get there, follow this directory.

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Stardew Valley

Now that you are in the stardew valley folder, you will see another folder called Content. Enter the content folder.









If you are in the content folder, it should look like this:


Now this part is kind of hard to put into words. The location that your mod goes depends on what you downloaded. For example, if you downloaded an animal repalcement mod, it goes into the animals folder, and a building mod goes into the building folder.

So for the example of the video, I downloaded an animal mod called dog.xnb, and it replaces the default dog with a modded one. So you need to check what the name of the file is you downloaded, and find the file in the directory that it replaces. So since mine is a dog.xnb file, I need to replace the dog.xnb file in the animals folder, with my version of the dog.xnb file.

I hope this helped you guys out! If it did please feel free to rate the guide with a thumbs up!

[sravantiv0807]

Hey all,
If you're confused this is super outdated. It's recommended now to use Content Patcher + Smapi for a safer, less buggy, and overall better experience.
https://smapi.io/
https://www.nexusmods.com/

[A Turbosquid 24]

hey! >:(

[Turbo slayer]

yeah this doesn't work at all my mods aren't even xnb files

[Pov: Christian at a gay parade]

to be honest i hate. sorry but didn't work

[Shneekey]

You really shouldn't be using raw XNB edits anymore, with Content Patcher available. Basically anything you can do with an XNB edit, you can do with Content Patcher instead, and do it with less chance of crashing, more compatible with other edits/mods, and more user friendly.

[Mog]

Best bet is to use Nexusmods, tons of stardew valley stuff, just need to download SMAPI first. once its done follow these steps to launch from steam.

Right click on the StardewModdingAPI launcher and copy the file location.

Then go to the steam launch options for Stardew valley and enter exactly what you see; (use the quotes)

My exact file location example "C\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\Stardew Valley\StardewModdingAPI.exe" %command%

The hardest part is remembering to use the command afterwards, if you don't use it nothing happens. If done correctly steam will launch the smapi mod loader and you're time and achievements will be tracked

[ElGurkus]

honestly, just use SMAPI, so much easier

[Carrier Crow]

Chazzyyy, the .xnb files are for reskins (such as changing a horse into a dragon or changing the look of the dog/cat, etc.) If you're looking to get a cheat menu, you would need to unzip the file, then drag the file folder unzipped into the mods folder. The folder (for me at least) opens up when you click on the "local files" tab on steam. I am not by any means an expert, so correct me anyone if I'm wrong, thats just what I know.

[Charlight]

So I tried using this method to get the In-Game Cheat Menu Mod and I don't get any .xnb files just .dll and .json files...Anyone know why?

[food]

nexus also already open stardew valley mods there