[Updated on October 2, 2024, to revise outdated formatting and improve readability.]
Installing mods in Payday 3 is very easy, so here is a step-by-step process on exactly how to do it if you are playing the game on Steam. Please note that this guide will not work on the GamePass version of Payday 3 as you are unable to port games from the GamePass library to your Steam library:
- On Steam, go to your library and select your copy of Payday 3.
- Click on the Settings cogwheel on the right of the page and select the Properties option from the drop-down menu.
- A new window will appear where you need to stay on the General tab.
- On this page, there is a textbox under the Launch Options header where you need to type:
- -fileopenlog
- On that same window, select the Installed Files tab and select the Browse… option here.
- This button will take you the game’s root directory. You will need to open the folder titled PAYDAY3 followed by the Content folder and then the Paks folder.
- Within the Paks folder, create another folder titled ~mods.
- After that, you can head over to your mod hosting site of choice and download any mod that you would like to use.
- After the mods have been downloaded, you can drag them over to the ~mods folder that was created and then start the game to use them.
There are a variety of mods that are available to install, with one even allowing you to play the game privately as opposed to it’s online-only mode. Realistically, we recommend installing and uninstalling mods until you find your perfect set of ones that you’d like to use whenever you play.
What Are The Best Mods For Payday 3?
All of the mods that we recommend are available in ModWorkshop, which has become the unofficial platform for mods within the Payday franchise. As a result of the site’s popularity, as well as the amount of time that the game has been available to play, there are only about 200 mods available as of right now. The mods that we think are the best are as follows:
- Moolah Mod Loader
- This is a logic mod leader that allows the loading of blueprint mods without needing a DLL hook. It will load custom heists and will eventually be able to load custom items in the future. In the description of this mod, it is said that players who’d like to take advantage of it must have an SSD as it will make the game run incredibly slowly when you start it back up. It’s also necessary to install this mod before being able to use some other mods.
- PD2 Assault Indicator UI
- This mod brings back the yellow assault indicator from Payday 2 to Payday 3. It will only work on actual heists and not on tutorial heists.
- Solo Game Utils
- This mod will provide players with a Toggle Pause option in the menu when playing a heist solo.
- Useful Description
- This mod provides detailed descriptions of some of the items in the main menu.
- Proving Grounds
- This is a custom heist that is currently a work in progress. Players will be allowed to spawn all four of the original crew as AI and will allow players to preview bags and equipment. There are several planned features for this mod including Green Screen support, Ungame UI for spawning enemies, a test assault area, and range.
Can You Mods Payday 3 On Console?
While there are some games like Fallout 4 and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition have in-console modding capabilities, Payday 3 does not. You’ll have to play the game on PC if you want to play it using mods.
