There are two ways to install mods in Euro Truck Simulator 2 (ETS2). Either you click Subscribe in the Steam Workshop and the mod downloads itself, or you copy a downloaded.scs file into the mod folder in your Documents. Either way, you then enable the mod in the in-game mod manager. Below you’ll find both methods step by step, folder paths for Windows, Linux and macOS, and what to do when a mod stops working after a game update.
Short answer: Steam Workshop or manual install
The game has had a built-in Mod Manager since version 1.19 in 2015, and Steam Workshop support since update 1.23 in April 2016. SCS Software officially supports both routes.
- Steam Workshop is the easier option. Steam downloads the mod, keeps it updated and downloads it again if you reinstall the game.
- Manual install is for mods that aren’t on the Workshop. You’re in charge of updates yourself.
Download mods from the Workshop or directly from their author.
Steam Workshop step by step
- Open the ETS2 Steam Workshop in Steam or your browser.
- Find the mod you want and click Subscribe.
- Steam downloads it automatically. The next time you launch the game, it shows up in the mod manager.
- Enable it in the mod manager (see below).
Steam handles Workshop mod updates for you.
Manual install: the mod folder
A manual mod is a .scs or .zip archive, or a folder. If you download a ZIP, extract it first. The .scs file then goes into the mod subfolder of the game’s user folder.
Here’s where the user folder lives, according to the official SCS Modding Wiki:
| System | User folder path |
|---|---|
| Windows | C:\Users\<name>\Documents\Euro Truck Simulator 2 |
| Windows with OneDrive | C:\Users\<name>\OneDrive\Documents\Euro Truck Simulator 2 |
| Linux | /home/<name>/.local/share/Euro Truck Simulator 2 |
| macOS | /Users/<name>/Library/Application Support/Euro Truck Simulator 2 |
The same folder holds your settings, profiles, music and screenshots. Mods go into the mod subfolder, for example Documents\Euro Truck Simulator 2\mod.
Enable mods in the mod manager
Whether a mod came from the Workshop or you copied it by hand, the next step is the same. Launch the game, open the mod manager and activate the mod there. Workshop mods and mods from the mod folder both appear in it.
Since version 1.48, mods can include parts that only load if you own a specific DLC.
After a game update
A mod’s author can limit which game versions it works with in the mod’s manifest. If your version doesn’t match, the game won’t let you use it until the author updates it. The current ETS2 version as of 14 November 2026 is 1.62.
- Workshop mods update themselves and can offer a version for an older game version.
- Manual mods need updating by you: download the new version and replace the old file in the
modfolder.
If you don’t want to wait for a mod update, Steam offers branches (betas) of older major game versions. You can also turn off automatic game updates in Steam.
If you spent in-game money on parts from a mod and then uninstall it, the game refunds that money since version 1.44 (mod refund).
Mods in Convoy
Convoy, the official multiplayer, has supported mods since version 1.42 in October 2021. The session interface shows which mods are in use, so you know what to download. Our Convoy multiplayer guide explains how to set up a session.
TruckersMP is an unofficial multiplayer mod that isn’t made by SCS Software, and it has its own rules. The ProMods map mod has a dedicated server there that requires every ETS2 map DLC. Read more in our TruckersMP guide.
Back up your profile
SCS recommends backing up your profile before you switch to a beta version of the game with mods. Profiles sit in the same user folder as your mods, so copy it somewhere safe before you experiment. The same folder also holds config.cfg, which you use to enable the developer console, as described in our ETS2 console commands guide.
If you want to make mods yourself, SCS offers official tools: the SCS Modding Wiki, SCS Workshop Uploader for publishing to the Workshop, SCS Blender Tools and Game Archive Extractor. Documentation for the mod manager is on the SCS Modding Wiki.
Join our Discord if a mod won’t work and you need a hand from other players: GamersTogether Discord.
FAQ
Into the mod subfolder of the game’s user folder. On Windows that’s Documents\Euro Truck Simulator 2\mod, or OneDrive\Documents\Euro Truck Simulator 2\mod with OneDrive.
Usually it’s a version mismatch. An author can limit a mod to certain game versions, and the game won’t let you use it until it’s updated. Also check that you extracted the ZIP and put the.scs file into the mod folder.
No. Steam updates Workshop mods for you and downloads them again after a reinstall. Manual mods you update yourself.
In Convoy, yes, since version 1.42. The session shows which mods it uses so everyone can have the same set.
No. Since version 1.44, the game refunds in-game money for parts from a mod you uninstall.
Information verified on 14 November 2026. We update this article after new DLCs and game updates. Find more in our ETS2 guides.