HOLYMOD
Guide · ETS2

How to install mods in Euro Truck Simulator 2 step by step

Where each file goes, how to enable mods in the Mod Manager, the load order, and what to do when a mod doesn't show up or the game crashes.

Updated: 23 Oct 2026

Installing mods in Euro Truck Simulator 2 takes a couple of minutes. There are two ways: Steam Workshop, which does everything for you, and manual installation, which is what you need for big mods like ProMods.

Option 1: Steam Workshop

  1. In Steam, open the ETS2 page › Workshop.
  2. Find the mod and click Subscribe.
  3. Launch the game: the mod shows up in your profile’s Mod Manager, ready to enable.

Option 2: manual installation

  1. Always download the mod from its author’s page or an official platform.
  2. If it comes compressed as a .zip or .rar with .scs files inside, extract them. The game reads .scs files (and .zip files with the mod at the root), but not a .zip that contains another .scs inside.
  3. Copy the .scs files into Documents\Euro Truck Simulator 2\mod. If the mod folder doesn’t exist, create it with that exact name.
  4. Launch the game, pick your profile and open the Mod Manager.
  5. Move each mod to the active mods column (by double-clicking or using the arrow) and click Confirm changes.

Load order matters

In the active mods list, the ones higher up have higher priority and override the ones below. As a general rule: small mods (sounds, graphics, tweaks) at the top; big maps and their connectors at the bottom, in the order their author specifies.

Versions and DLC

ETS2 is currently on version 1.61. Each mod states which version it was made for; the Mod Manager shows a warning when a mod declares an older version. Many still work fine, but maps almost never do: use the exact version the author asks for. Also check whether the mod needs any DLC.

If something goes wrong

  • The mod doesn’t show up: it’s usually inside a subfolder, still compressed, or in a mod folder in another location (for example, OneDrive moves Documents).
  • The game crashes while loading: disable half of the mods in the list and keep narrowing it down until you find the culprit; it’s almost always an incompatible version.
  • Nothing works after a game update: wait for the authors to release a compatible version or roll back to the previous version from Steam betas.

Safety

An ETS2 mod is a .scs or .zip file. If you’re asked to run an .exe or disable your antivirus to «install a mod», be suspicious. At Holymod we always link to the original source.

Is a mod not loading or is the game crashing? Follow the guide on fixes when mods aren’t working.