Modding:Installing SMAPI on Windows

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Modding:Player Guide/header

This page explains how to install SMAPI (the tool which lets you use mods) on Windows. See also:

Install SMAPI

  1. Run the game without SMAPI at least once (so it can do first-time setup).
  2. Download the latest version of SMAPI.
  3. Extract the .zip file somewhere. (Your downloads folder is fine.)
  4. Double-click install on Windows¹, and follow the on-screen instructions.
  5. Configure your game client: see the instructions for Steam, GOG Galaxy, or Xbox app.

¹ This is a batch (bat) file with the full filename of install on Windows.bat, but Windows hides file extensions by default. To install manually instead, see instructions in the installer's readme.

Configure your game client

Steam

You need to launch SMAPI through Steam if you want the Steam overlay, achievements, and playtime tracking to work. (If you don't care about achievements or tracking game time, you can just launch StardewModdingAPI.exe in your game folder to play with mods.)

Here's how to configure it:

  1. Keep SMAPI's installer window open.
    (If you already closed it, just run it again. No need to uninstall first.)
  2. Copy the text in the installer window that looks like this (see how to copy text):
    Modding - installing SMAPI on Windows - installer Steam text.png
    Make sure you copy the entire line, including both quotation marks " and the %command% part.
    Your final path should look something like this: "Your path here" %command%
  3. In the Steam client, right-click on Stardew Valley and choose Properties:
    Modding - installing SMAPI on Windows - Steam 1.png
  4. Click the textbox under Launch Options:
    Modding - installing SMAPI on Windows - Steam 2.png
  5. Replace anything in the textbox with the text you copied from the installer.
    To paste text, click in the box and press CTRL and V.
  6. This text should consist of "Your SMAPI API Filepath" %command%
    Default for most users is "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Stardew Valley\StardewModdingAPI.exe" %command%
  7. From now on, just launch the game through Steam to run SMAPI with the Steam overlay and achievements.

GOG Galaxy

You need to launch SMAPI through GOG Galaxy if you want its playtime tracking to work. (If you don't care about tracking game time, you can just launch StardewModdingAPI.exe in your game folder to play with mods.)

Here's how to configure it:

  1. Open Notepad and paste in the following: start "" "C:\Program Files (x86)\GOG Galaxy\Games\Stardew Valley\StardewModdingAPI.exe"
    (If your game is installed to a different folder, replace the path in the command above.)
  2. Click on File and then Save As.
    Save batch script.png
  3. In the Save As window that appears: navigate to your Stardew Valley game folder, change Save as type to All Files, change the file name to start.bat, and click Save.
    Choose batch extension.png
    Name batch script.png
  4. In the GOG Galaxy client, click on Stardew Valley > settings icon > Manage installation > Configure.
    Gog galaxy configure.png
  5. In the menu that appears, enable the "Custom executables / arguments" checkbox.
    Gog galaxy custom launch.png
  6. Click Add another executable / arguments.
    Gog galaxy add exectuable.png
  7. Choose start.bat in the window that appears and click Open.
    Select batch file.png
  8. Enable the Default Executable radio button under the File 2 section you just added, and click OK.
    Gog galaxy select default executable.png

From now on, you can launch Stardew Valley through GOG Galaxy and both the SMAPI console and game will load as expected!

Xbox app

Mods work with the Xbox app, but there's a few extra steps.

Newer versions of the Xbox app allows some games (including Stardew Valley) to be installed into a specific folder (e.g. XboxGames) and do not install into a hidden folder. New installs of Stardew Valley should prompt you to select a folder when installing the game:
250px
For existing installs, you may need to enable "Advanced management features" (Right click the game in the sidebar and click manage and then click the button to enable "advanced management features") or reinstall the game (Back up your saves before doing this!).


Before you install SMAPI:
  1. Make sure you are using the latest version of the Xbox app. This is needed to be able to use the advanced management features. You can update the Xbox app through the Microsoft Store.
  2. Open the Stardew Valley section in the Xbox app.
  3. Click the "Manage" button:
    500px
  4. Click the "Files" tab and then click the "Browse..." button to open your game folder in the file explorer:
    500px
  5. Navigate to the "Stardew Valley" folder then navigate into the "Content" folder. (Do not navigate into any subsequent "Content" folders):
    500px
  6. Copy the full path from the address bar at the top. (in this example this would be "C:\XboxGames\Stardew Valley\Content"; this may be different depending on where you installed the game)
Run the SMAPI installer:
  1. Run the SMAPI installer like usual, but when it asks where to install, enter the path you copied from the previous step. (note: download the installer to somewhere that's not the game directory. Downloads folder works fine. Do not use admin mode to force it.)
After you install SMAPI:
  1. In your game folder:
    1. rename Stardew Valley.exe to another name such as Stardew Valley original.exe;
    2. make a copy of StardewModdingAPI.exe and name the copy Stardew Valley.exe.


Note: When the game updates, you will have to redo these steps.

Update SMAPI

Just install the new version; the installer will automatically clean up previous versions. (You don't need to configure Steam or GOG Galaxy again.)

Uninstall

  1. Run run the installer again, but choose uninstall to remove SMAPI. (Not applicable for Xbox app.)
  2. If you configured Steam or GOG Galaxy to launch SMAPI, undo your changes:
    • Steam: in the Steam client: right-click on Stardew Valley, choose Properties > General > Set Launch Options, and blank the launch options textbox.
    • GOG Galaxy: in the GOG Galaxy client: click on Stardew Valley, click the settings icon next to the 'Play' button, click Manage installation > Configure, and clear the Custom executables / arguments checkbox.
    • Xbox app:
    1. follow the installation steps for Xbox app to open your game folder;
    2. rename Stardew Valley.exe to StardewModdingAPI.exe;
    3. rename the orginal exe that you renamed when you installed SMAPI back to Stardew Valley.exe.

(If you want to play without mods temporarily, you can just launch Stardew Valley.exe directly or rename your Mods folder instead. Not applicable for Xbox app.)

Troubleshooting

"Oops, couldn't find the game automatically"

If you are using Game Pass, folder permissions will probably cause problems if you try this. Otherwise, if the installer shows that message, you can help it find the game folder. To do that:

  1. Exit the installer.
  2. Find your game folder.
  3. Move the installer folder into the game folder. (Make sure you move the whole folder, not just the files inside it!)
  4. Run the installer again and it should auto-detect the game folder now.

You can safely delete the installer folder when it's done.

I can't find a specific file mentioned in the guide!

Windows hides file extensions by default. To reveal them, simply tick the option in file explorer.

Select the View tab, and then check "File Name Extensions

If using Windows 11, refer to this screenshot instead:

Click on "View" menu, click on the "Show" menu, and click on "File name extensions"

Issues with SMAPI or mods

See the troubleshooting page for help with issues after installation.

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