Cyberpunk 2077 Mods Guide — REDmod, Nexus Mods & Best Mods 2026

Cyberpunk 2077 has extensive mod support through REDmod (official framework) and Nexus Mods (primary community hub). Mods are PC only. The recommended setup: install REDmod DLC (free), use Vortex mod manager, install essential framework mods first (Cyber Engine Tweaks, redscript, RED4ext, ArchiveXL, TweakXL), then add content mods. Popular collections like Project Ultrapunk and Night City 3.0 offer one-click install of hundreds of curated mods. Current game version is 2.31+. Always backup saves before modding.

REDmod is the official free DLC released by CD Projekt RED that provides tools and framework for loading community mods. It supports custom sounds, animations, scripts, tweaks, and archives.

These foundational tools are required by almost every modern mod list. Install them before adding any gameplay, visual, or clothing mods.

Manual installation is what every mod manager automates. Do it once and you will know exactly where every file lives — which is also how you debug a broken install later.

• Find the game folder: in Steam, right-click the game, then Manage, then Browse local files (default: Steam/steamapps/common/Cyberpunk 2077).
• Install Cyber Engine Tweaks: unzip the latest CET download (not the source code) directly into the game folder so its files land in bin/x64. It needs the latest Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable and borderless windowed mode — the CET overlay never appears in exclusive fullscreen.
• Launch the game once and bind the CET overlay hotkey it asks for — every CET mod hangs its settings menu off that overlay.
• Install RED4ext, then ArchiveXL and TweakXL: unzip each into the game root. RED4ext adds its red4ext/ folder (plugins load from red4ext/plugins), and the other two are RED4ext plugins that land there automatically.
• Add content mods by file type: .archive and .xl files to archive/pc/mod/, CET mods (.lua) to bin/x64/plugins/cyber_engine_tweaks/mods/, redscript (.reds) to r6/scripts/, TweakXL files (.yaml or .tweak) to r6/tweaks/.
• Verify: press your CET hotkey in game. If a mod does nothing, read its log — CET at bin/x64/plugins/cyber_engine_tweaks/cyber_engine_tweaks.log, RED4ext at red4ext/logs/red4ext.log.

Two formats coexist. REDmod is the official packaged format that deploys through the launcher; manual (legacy) mods are loose files in the game folders — the format nearly every Nexus mod uses, frameworks included.

No. Cyberpunk 2077 has never used Steam Workshop — there is no subscribe button or in-client mod browser on Steam, GOG, or Epic. Official modding runs through the free REDmod DLC, and community mods live on Nexus Mods.

• Download mods from nexusmods.com/games/cyberpunk2077 and install them with Vortex, MO2, or by hand.
• The closest thing to one-click is a Nexus Collection: Vortex installs hundreds of curated mods in a single action.
• REDmod is not a workshop either — it is the official toolset plus the launcher toggle, not a mod repository.

The most recommended mods based on community consensus and GameSpot's 2026 roundup.

Large, maintained collections available on Nexus Mods. These bundle hundreds of compatible mods with pre-configured load orders.

Start small once the frameworks are in: two or three mods, confirmed stable, then grow. Combat overhauls change which builds are viable and rebalance the iconic weapons you are hunting, so reread both pages after modding. Narrative and quest mods also interact with combat balance — plan your loadout around your playstyle.

Follow these steps to avoid crashes and conflicts.

• Backup your save files and game folder before installing any mods.
• Use a mod manager (Vortex recommended for beginners, MO2 for advanced users).
• Install framework mods first (CET, redscript, RED4ext, ArchiveXL, TweakXL), then content mods.
• Read the description and requirements on every mod page — check game version compatibility.
• Deploy / enable mods through the launcher after installation (REDmod compiles on first launch).
• Start a new game or use a clean save when installing large collections for best stability.
• Let Vortex or MO2 handle load order automatically — manual ordering causes conflicts.
• After major game updates, wait a few days for frameworks and popular mods to be updated.
• Keep mod count reasonable — large collections can require 12 GB+ VRAM for heavy visual packs.
• CDPR does not review or support third-party mods. Issues are the responsibility of the user and mod authors.

Official and community resources for Cyberpunk 2077 modding.

• Mods are PC only — PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch 2 players cannot install mods.
• Steam Family Sharing can prevent REDmod installation — the account owner must install it.
• Large visual collections can require significant VRAM (12 GB+ recommended for heavy packs).
• Always verify that a mod is updated for the current game version (2.31+ as of 2026).
• CDPR prohibits commercial use or paywalls for mods (e.g., the VR mod incident in early 2026).
• Some mods may conflict with achievements — check mod descriptions if you care about achievements.
• Uninstalling mods mid-save can corrupt your game — use clean saves or start fresh.
• Phantom Liberty is required by many modern collections — check requirements carefully.

Cyberpunk 2077 has no plugin list to sort like Skyrim: loading order is fixed and alphabetical, and it only matters when two mods edit the same file — whichever loads first wins that file.

• .archive files in archive/pc/mod load in ASCII order by file name — digits and symbols like ! sort before letters, and uppercase sorts before lowercase.
• REDmod folders in Cyberpunk 2077/mods load strictly after all of archive/pc/mod, also alphabetically by folder name.
• To make a retexture win over another mod, rename its .archive so it sorts first — a ! prefix beats everything.
• Vortex and MO2 can set a load order only for REDmod-format mods — loose .archive files have no drag-and-drop order view, and renaming the file is the only mechanism. There is no plugin list to sort, so steer clear of third-party sorting tools.
• Two TweakXL mods editing the same record (two mods changing the same weapon stat, say) have no automatic conflict detector — look for a compatibility patch on their pages.

Patches routinely break mods — 2.3 (July 2025) and 2.31 (September 2025) both invalidated script and CET mods until authors caught up. For crashes that are not mod-related, see the FAQ.

• Launch vanilla first after updating: purge or disable mods in Vortex (or MO2), or temporarily move the mod folders (red4ext, bin/x64/plugins/cyber_engine_tweaks, r6/scripts) out of the game directory — the REDlauncher toggle only disables REDmod mods, so it is not enough on its own for a manual install.
• Update frameworks before content mods (CET, RED4ext, redscript, ArchiveXL, TweakXL) — they usually support a new patch within days.
• Then update content mods: check the Files tab Last updated date and read the Posts tab — an old file with fresh crash reports means wait or drop it.
• Emergency rollback on Steam: right-click the game, Properties, Betas, pick the previous patch — CDPR left a 2_30_old branch when 2.31 shipped. Mods updated for the new patch will not run on the old game, so this suits a finished load order you will not touch.
• Collection users: the list updates when its curator updates it. Check the collection page before debugging individual mods.

All three routes end in the same game folder — the difference is who moves the files and how cleanly you can undo them.

Mods come and go; saves are the one thing you cannot re-download. On Windows they live in %userprofile%\Saved Games\CD Projekt Red\Cyberpunk 2077 — press Windows key + S and paste that path to jump straight there.

• Copy the whole saves folder to an external drive or your own cloud storage before your first mod and before every major framework update.
• Do not treat Steam or GOG cloud sync as your only backup — a broken save syncs just as readily as a good one.
• Test big changes on a fresh manual save, not your 80-hour main file.
• Game will not launch after modding? Purge deployments in Vortex, or clear the mod-owned folders by hand (archive/pc/mod, mods, red4ext, bin/x64/plugins, r6/scripts, r6/tweaks, r6/inputs, engine/config), then verify game files on Steam or GOG.