Scrap Mechanic Mods & Steam Workshop

Mods after the 1.0 engine overhaul

Scrap Mechanic 1.0 & Drilling Thunder replaced large parts of the physics engine, scripting API and Survival progression. Axolot warned before launch that many Workshop mods would break temporarily until authors publish 1.0-compatible builds. Patch 1.0.1 (July 27, 2026) fixed one class of mod-related crashes, but it does not certify every dependency.

Treat mods in three categories:

August 2026 note: Patch 1.0.2 restored the Mods button in Creative and Custom Game menus after it vanished on launch day. If you cannot find Workshop management, update Steam to at least 1.0.2 before troubleshooting subscriptions.

Category	1.0 status	What to check
Parts mods	Highest breakage risk	UUID changes, missing meshes, Craftbot recipe conflicts
Custom Games	Mixed — many need re-upload	Logic scripts, spawn rules, controller timing
World / terrain tools	Often incompatible with new terrain gen	Only test in Creative copies first
Cosmetic / skins	Usually safest	Fan Pack overlap, texture resolution

If a mod page on Steam has not been updated since July 2026, assume it targets Early Access until the author says otherwise.

Steam Workshop categories

The Workshop browser inside Scrap Mechanic sorts creations into:

• Parts — new blocks, interactive parts and tools you spawn from the Mod Tool or Craftbot.
• Custom Games — scripted game modes with win conditions, timers and spawn rules.
• Worlds — pre-built maps and terrain templates.
• Blueprints — exported machines, vehicles and bases you import through the Lift or Scrap City Garage.

Blueprints are the safest way to preserve Early Access builds. Export important vehicles in Creative before updating, then import them into a fresh 1.0 Survival world once you reach Scrap City.

How to install and enable mods

1. Subscribe to a Workshop item on the Scrap Mechanic Steam Workshop.
2. Launch the game — Steam downloads the mod to your local Workshop folder.
3. In the main menu, open Workshop → Manage Mods and enable the item for your target mode (Creative, Survival or Challenge).
4. Create or load a world after enabling the mod. Mid-save mod toggles often corrupt physics state.

For Survival, only enable mods you actually need. Each active Parts mod adds load to the host machine in multiplayer.

Multiplayer mod rules

Co-op requires identical mod lists on every connected client:

• Host and guests must subscribe to the same Workshop IDs.
• Enable the same mods in the same order before joining.
• Mixed versions (one player on 1.0.0, another on 1.0.1) can desync raids and Schematicbot scans.

If one player lacks a mod, the session either fails to connect or spawns invisible/missing blocks. There is no partial-mod fallback.

Testing mods safely

Never open a irreplaceable save as your first 1.0 mod test:

1. Back up %AppData%\Axolot Games\Scrap Mechanic\User\ before changing Steam branches or enabling new mods.
2. Duplicate the world folder and rename the copy (e.g. Creative-ModTest-2026).
3. Load the copy and verify bearings, controllers, sensors, steering and mounted tools.
4. Check the Workshop page for a 1.0 tag, update date after July 24, 2026, and author comments about known issues.
5. Disable the mod and reload if you see invisible collisions, missing textures or instant crashes on world load.

Patch 1.0.1 specifically addressed steering-angle sync and some Schematic Box crashes that modded worlds triggered more often than vanilla saves.

Legacy mod access via Steam betas

If a mod only works on Early Access builds, roll back through Steam:

1. Library → Scrap Mechanic → Properties → Betas.
2. Select 0.5.1 (Previous version) or 0.3.5 (Last version before survival release) — the only official historical branches Axolot exposes.
3. Wait for the downgrade download, then launch the legacy client.

Rolling back does not upgrade an old Survival save into 1.0. Use betas to archive creations, export blueprints, or finish an old project — then return to the default branch for Drilling Thunder. Full save guidance: how to start fresh in 1.0.

Mods vs the Fan Pack DLC

The optional Fan Pack is official cosmetic DLC — station skins, outfits and decorative blocks. It is not a Workshop mod and does not conflict with Parts subscriptions. Enable Fan Pack content at world creation if you own it; Workshop Parts mods are managed separately in the Mods menu.

When to skip mods entirely

Skip Workshop mods if you:

• Are playing your first 1.0 Survival run and want the intended quest balance.
• Host multiplayer with friends who do not want to troubleshoot sync issues.
• Need stable performance for large automated farms or underground lighting.

Vanilla 1.0 already adds 400+ Creative parts, the full underground layer and voiced Chapter 2 — most returning players should experience that baseline before stacking mods.

Related pages

• Updates and patch notes — 1.0.1 mod crash fixes.
• Creative Mode — unlimited parts and blueprint export.
• FAQ — save compatibility and cross-platform answers.
• Multiplayer co-op — host performance with modded worlds.