Bethesda’s The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is one of the most popular titles among Steam Deck users. Players are already in love with the content that this action RPG offers, and modding Skyrim takes the experience even further. Not only new content, but these mods also add graphics and visual extensions that make the gameplay much more immersive. This is why modding Skyrim is such a common thing for Steam Deck users. However, as easy as it sounds, not everyone is aware of the steps it takes to mod the game on their Deck. Since you’re here, we can assume that you’re trying to learn these steps as well. In this guide, we’ve shared everything there’s to know about modding Skyrim on Steam Deck. So, continue reading this till the end to find out the steps.
Modding Skyrim on PC isn’t really a difficult task. Likewise, a few players tried to first download the Skyrim mods on their PCs and then move these files to the Deck. However, for certain reasons, that doesn’t work. The best option that you have, if you want to mod Skyrim on your Deck, is to use a mod manager. So, how do you actually do that? Let’s find out!
How to Mod Skyrim on Steam Deck?
There are different mod managers that players can use if they want to download Skyrim mods on Deck. The best two choices are, of course, Vortex Mod Manager and Mod Organizer 2. Now, some players have experienced that Vortex is a little unstable on the Steam Deck. For this reason, we suggest that you stick to Mod Organizer 2 if you want to mod Skyrim.
There are two prerequisites for downloading mods for Skyrim on the Steam Deck. First, you have to run Skyrim at least once on your device so that it can organize all the necessary files. Second, you’re going to need the Skyrim Script Extender for this. Simply head over to the official SKSE website and download the file. Then, extract the file into your game folder for Skyrim. Next, make sure that you change the name of SkyrimSE.exe to something else and rename the skse64_loader.exe file as SkyrimSE.exe. Also, note that you need to have Skyrim installed on the internal storage of your device to download the mods.
Once you’ve followed the prerequisites, switch to Desktop mode on your Steam Deck. Then, open the Discover app, search for Protontricks, and install it. You’ll also need to search for Flatseal and install it on your device.
Once you have downloaded both Flatseal and Protontricks, you need to launch Flatseal. There, you can find every single flatpak that you have on your Deck, including Protontricks. Click on Protontricks here, scroll down to the Allow section, and toggle on every permission. You also need to toggle on every file under File System for Protontricks. Then, exit Flatseal, open Protontricks, and check if it has access to Skyrim Special Edition. If not, run Skyrim on your Deck in Desktop mode once. That should allow Protontricks to have access to the game.
Next, you need to have Mod Organizer 2 on your Steam Deck. We’ve already shared a guide on how to install MO2 here. You need to create an instance for Skyrim Special Edition when you install MO2. When you run the install.sh file, it’ll ask you which game you want to manage with MO2. You have to pick Skyrim Special Edition here.
When you continue, you’ll be promoted to replace the current prefix for Skyrim. However, you need to click on No here, as Protontricks will have created a prefix for Skyrim already. Then, follow the on-screen instructions to install Mod Organizer 2 on your device. You can always refer to our MO2 installation guide for detailed steps.
With MO2 now installed on your Steam Deck, you can download mods for Skyrim. You can visit Nexus Mods (or other relevant websites), search for the mods that you want to use, and download them manually. You should opt for the Slow Download option during this stage. These files will be downloaded in your Downloads folder. You need to move them to the folder called Skyrim Mods.
Then, go back to your Steam Library and launch Skyrim. This will open Mod Organizer 2. Once you’re inside MO2, you need to navigate to the Downloads tab. What you need to do now is open the Skyrim Mods folder in another window, and then drag those files into the Downloads section in MO2. Then, click on the downloaded mod file and click on Install. Once the mod is installed, it’ll show at the bottom of the left panel. Click on the mod first, and then, from the drop-down menu, click on Enable Selected. This should enable the mod for Skyrim. Then, simply click on Run and it’ll launch Skyrim. If you did everything right, you’ll see the pop-up that says mods are installed and disables achievements. Click on Yes to continue playing the game with the mod.
Well, that’s how you can mod Skyrim on the Steam Deck. Hopefully, you can enjoy your favorite mods for the game with the help of our guide. If you found this insightful and informative, keep visiting DigiStatement for more such gaming content and information!
