Playing with Mods

Welcome to playing PAYDAY 3 with mods. This section explains where to download mods and how to install them on PC.

Start with PDML mods

PDML is the recommended mod format for PAYDAY 3. The community is moving towards PDML mods and phasing out loose PAK installations.

Install PDML, the runtime mod loader, using the instructions supplied with its download. Then install each mod as a complete folder under PAYDAY3/Mods/, preserving all of its files and subfolders. PDML discovers and loads these mod folders when the game starts.

For example, a mod named ExampleMod belongs in PAYDAY3/Mods/ExampleMod/, with its ExampleMod.uplugin file and packaged content kept together.

Find mods on ModWorkshop

Browse PAYDAY 3 on ModWorkshop. Use the search, categories, and tags to find mods, then open a mod’s page to read its description and download its files.

Before downloading, check:

  • Compatibility with your current PAYDAY 3 version. Look for releases updated for UE5 when playing the UE5 version of the game.

  • Whether a PDML version is available, its dependencies, and any installation instructions from the author. Prefer the PDML release when choosing between formats.

  • Whether the download offers several variants. Pick the files for the version you want to use.

Install any required dependencies as well as the mod itself. The mod’s own instructions take priority when it needs a different setup from the general guides here.

Choose how to install

  • Manual Installation explains how to extract a PDML mod and copy its complete folder into PAYDAY3/Mods/.

  • Installing with Mod Organizer 2 explains how to set up MO2 with ModWorkshop’s PAYDAY 3 plugin and keep the PDML folder layout when installing supported packages.

You can use either method. Mod Organizer 2 is useful if you want to keep track of several mods and switch them on or off from one place.

Older loose PAK mods are covered at the end of the manual installation guide for downloads that have not moved to PDML yet.

Making your own mods

To create mods, open Developing Mods in the sidebar and start with Getting Started.