To install most DCS World mods, unzip the download and place the mod's folder in your Saved Games DCS folder, not the main game installation. The exact destination depends on the mod type: aircraft, liveries, missions and utilities all go in different places. Restart DCS afterwards.
Where do DCS World mods go?
For most community mods, the safest place is your Windows Saved Games folder. DCS reads a lot of user content from there, and anything installed there is far less likely to be broken by a simulator update.
In practice, that folder is usually one of these:
C:\Users\YourName\Saved Games\DCSC:\Users\YourName\Saved Games\DCS.openbeta
If you only have one of those, use that one. Older mod instructions often still say DCS.openbeta, even on systems that now use DCS.
| Mod type | Usual folder | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Flyable aircraft / helicopter mods | Saved Games\DCS\Mods\aircraft | The mod's main folder goes here. If it is packed correctly, key files such as entry.lua are usually near the top of that folder. |
| Ground units, ships, AI assets, utility packs | Saved Games\DCS\Mods\tech | Common location for non-flyable assets and support packages. |
| Liveries / skins | Saved Games\DCS\Liveries\ModuleName | Create the aircraft or vehicle folder if it does not already exist. |
| Missions | Saved Games\DCS\Missions | You can organise these into subfolders if you want. |
| Kneeboard pages | Saved Games\DCS\Kneeboard | Some mods use aircraft-specific subfolders. |
| Core-file mods | Main DCS World installation folder | Only use this if the mod author specifically says so. These are more fragile and more likely to fail multiplayer integrity checks. |
How to install DCS World mods step by step
Find your DCS user folder. Open
Saved Gamesin Windows and check whether your simulator folder is calledDCSorDCS.openbeta.Read the mod's instructions. Good DCS mods usually tell you the exact destination folder. Do not assume every mod belongs in
Mods\aircraft.Extract the archive. Most downloads arrive as a ZIP or similar archive. Unpack it first; do not just drop the archive itself into the DCS folder.
Check the folder structure. This catches a lot of failed installs. After extracting, you should usually see the mod's actual files straight away inside its main folder, not another duplicate folder with the same name wrapped around it.
Copy the mod to the correct location. For example, a flyable aircraft mod would normally go into
Saved Games\DCS\Mods\aircraft, while a livery would go intoSaved Games\DCS\Liveries\AircraftName.Start or restart DCS World. If DCS was already open, close it fully and launch it again so it scans the new files.
Test in the right place. Aircraft mods may appear in the Mission Editor or aircraft selection lists. Liveries show up in the livery menu for that specific module. Missions appear in the Missions section.
Saved Games vs the main DCS World install
This is the big distinction that trips people up.
Mods that usually belong in Saved Games
- Community aircraft
- Asset packs and AI units
- Liveries
- Missions
- Kneeboard files
- Many utility and script-based add-ons
These are generally easier to manage, easier to remove, and much less exposed to being overwritten when DCS updates.
Mods that sometimes require the core install folder
- Cockpit texture replacements
- Sound replacements
- Effects and shader mods
- Some older script or UI mods
We treat these with more caution. DCS updates can overwrite them without warning, and multiplayer servers may reject them if they alter protected files.
Why is my mod not showing up in DCS World?
If the mod does not appear after installation, one of these is usually the cause:
- Wrong folder: the files were copied into the main game install when they should have gone into
Saved Games, or the other way round. - Wrong branch folder: you used
DCSwhen your active user folder isDCS.openbeta, or vice versa. - Double nesting: the folder structure is one level too deep after extraction.
- Missing dependency: some aircraft or asset mods need another package to be installed first.
- Outdated mod: the mod may no longer work with the current DCS build.
- Testing in the wrong menu: a mission will not appear as a flyable aircraft, and a livery only appears for the module it was made for.
If you suspect a bad folder structure, open the mod folder and look at what is immediately inside it. For many aircraft mods, the correct level is the one containing the mod's configuration files directly, not another identically named parent folder.
Do DCS World mods work in multiplayer?
Some do, some do not. Liveries and many Saved Games add-ons are usually fine, but anything that changes protected game files can trigger the multiplayer integrity check.
There is another practical limit: not every server allows every community aircraft or asset mod. A server mission has to support that content. If you install a mod aircraft successfully but cannot use it online, the problem may be the server rather than your installation.
How to remove a DCS World mod
Uninstalling is simple if the mod was installed correctly.
Saved Games mod: delete the mod's folder from the location where you put it, such as
Mods\aircraft,Mods\techorLiveries.Core-file mod: restore the backup you made before installation, or repair the affected files if you use DCS's built-in repair process.
Restart DCS: launch the simulator again and confirm the mod has gone.
If a visual mod leaves odd graphics behind after removal, clearing DCS's shader cache can help. The usual folders people remove for that are fxo and metashaders2 inside your Saved Games DCS folder. DCS will rebuild them on the next launch.
Best practice before installing lots of mods
- Keep a backup of any core file you replace.
- Install one mod at a time so problems are easy to trace.
- Prefer
Saved Gamesinstalls whenever possible. - Be cautious with older mods that were written for much earlier DCS builds.
- If you use many core-file mods, a dedicated mod manager can make enable/disable and rollback much cleaner.
The short version
If you just want the quick rule, here it is: most DCS World mods are installed by extracting them into the correct folder under Saved Games\DCS or Saved Games\DCS.openbeta. Aircraft usually go in Mods\aircraft, assets in Mods\tech, and skins in Liveries. Only install into the main DCS World folder when the mod specifically requires it.