Quick Answer: How to install Sandustry mods?

Steam Workshop Setup

The official Steam Workshop for Sandustry lists over 125 community mods at steamcommunity.com/app/2764460/workshop. To load any subscribed mod, you must switch the game to the mods beta branch in Steam Properties → Betas. The developer has stated the branch is unstable and does not track the latest vanilla build — if you only want to play vanilla, do not switch.

Sandustry mods and technology expansion

Sandustry Wiki/Mods

Modding & Tool Ecosystem

Sandustry Mods &
Workshop Guide

A single-page guide to the two ways the community loads Sandustry mods today: the official Steam Workshop (125+ mods, requires the mods branch) and the third-party Fluxloader. No curated picks, no unverified mod names — just what the developer has documented and where the community actually hosts files.

Open Steam Workshop ↗ Installation Guide

Quick Setup Answer

How to Enable Sandustry Mods

Subscribe to a mod on the official Steam Workshop at steamcommunity.com/app/2764460/workshop, then right-click Sandustry in your Steam Library → Properties → Betas → select the mods branch. Launch the game and your subscribed Workshop mods will load. The developer's own note on the branch: it is unstable, and it does not track the latest vanilla build — if you only want to play vanilla, do not switch to it.

Two Supported Routes

Steam Workshop & Fluxloader

Official · 125+ Mods

Steam Workshop

The developer-documented route. Over 125 mods are listed on the official Sandustry Workshop; subscribing is free and auto-updates, but loading them still requires switching the game to the mods beta branch.

  • ✓ Subscribe once, files auto-update
  • ✓ Single source of truth at steamcommunity.com/app/2764460/workshop
  • ✓ Requires the 'mods' beta branch to load
Workshop Instructions →
Community Loader

Fluxloader

A third-party mod loader that exists alongside Steam Workshop. This page does not document its internal steps — follow the instructions on the Fluxloader site for installation and compatibility.

  • ✓ Third-party loader, separate from Steam
  • ✓ Install per fluxloader.app's own docs
  • ✓ Use only if Workshop mods don't cover your need
Fluxloader Setup →

The Only Mod List We Can Verify

Browse the Steam Workshop

The official Steam Workshop for Sandustry is the only list we can point to without fabricating mod names, authors, or download counts. It currently shows over 125 community mods, and that page — not this one — is the authoritative catalog.

To load any of them in-game you must first switch Sandustry to the mods beta branch (see the install guide below). The developer has warned that branch is unstable and does not track the latest vanilla release.

Open the Steam Workshop ↗

Step-by-Step Tutorials

How to Install Sandustry Mods

Route A

Steam Workshop

The developer-documented path. Three steps — the last one matters.

  1. Subscribe on the Workshop

    Open steamcommunity.com/app/2764460/workshop in the Steam client and click Subscribe on the mod you want. Steam downloads and syncs the files.

  2. Switch to the mods beta branch

    In your Steam Library, right-click Sandustry → Properties → Betas → choose the mods branch from the dropdown. Without this step, subscribed Workshop mods will not load — the developer confirmed this in the v0.5.5 / Update #2 announcement.

  3. Launch Sandustry

    Start the game. It will now be running on the mods-enabled branch. The developer's own note: that branch is unstable and does not track the latest vanilla build, so only switch if you actually want to run mods.

Route B

Fluxloader

A third-party community mod loader — install it per the project's own docs.

  1. Get Fluxloader from the official site

    Visit fluxloader.app and follow the install instructions published there. This page intentionally does not mirror step-by-step paths or directory layouts, because those are owned by the Fluxloader project and we cannot verify them from an official Sandustry source.

  2. Use alongside — not instead of — Steam Workshop

    Fluxloader is a separate route for mods that are not on Steam Workshop. For anything hosted on the Workshop, the Route A steps above are still the developer-documented path.

Community-Reported File Paths

Cross-Platform Saves & Mods Directory

The developer has only officially documented log-file locations (e.g. AppData\Roaming\sandustry\logs on Windows). The save and mod paths below are the standard Unity locations reported by community installs — use them as a starting point, not a guarantee.

Paths are the standard Unity locations reported by community installs — verify on your own machine before editing.

Click any path code block to copy directly to your clipboard:

Platform Mods Root Directory Save Files & Backup Path Special Notes
Windows 10/11 Steam/steamapps/common/Sandustry/Mods/ %USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\Lantto Games\Sandustry\saves\ Press Win + R and paste the save path directly to open in Explorer.
macOS (Apple Silicon / Intel) ~/Library/Application Support/Steam/steamapps/common/Sandustry/Mods/ ~/Library/Application Support/Lantto Games/Sandustry/saves/ Unstick Finder hidden folder view with Cmd + Shift + . if Library is hidden.
Steam Deck (SteamOS / Proton) ~/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/common/Sandustry/Mods/ ~/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/compatdata/2764460/pfx/drive_c/users/steamuser/AppData/LocalLow/Lantto Games/Sandustry/saves/ Steam AppID is 2764460. See our dedicated Steam Deck Handheld Guide.

💡 Need to restore corrupted worlds or transfer progress? Read our comprehensive Sandustry Save File Location & Recovery Guide.

Community Spotlight · Mirrored & Cited

SandustryVault: The Community Blueprint Library

The 200+ blueprint pages on this site are mirrored from sandustryvault.com, with each page naming its original source. Every blueprint entry ships with a copy-paste import string and a 2D layout diagram so you can drop it straight into a save.

Browse Mirrored Blueprints → Visit SandustryVault ↗

Companion Guides

Essential Sandustry Performance & System Guides

Handheld

Steam Deck 60FPS / 40Hz Optimization

Best Proton version, 8W TDP battery cap, trackpad binding, and fixing the Update #2 black video crash.

Read Steam Deck Guide →
Saves & Data

Save File Location & Cloud Recovery

Windows, Mac & Deck exact paths, Steam Cloud conflict resolution, and rolling back corrupted world files.

Read Save Guide →
Productivity

Controls, Hotkeys & Hidden Shortcuts

Master Alt axis-flipping, Shift line drag, and the new 'F' key filter editor to build 3x faster.

Read Controls Guide →
⚠️

Important Version Notice

Sandustry Demo vs Full Early Access Game

If you played the Sandustry Demo, please note that Demo mods and early third-party loaders are not compatible with the full Steam Early Access release. Attempting to port old Demo files to the full version will likely cause start-up crashes. For the full release, use the Steam Workshop plus the mods beta branch.

Help & Troubleshooting

Frequently Asked Questions

What the developer has and has not documented about mods, branches, and file paths.

Why do I have to switch to the 'mods' branch to use Steam Workshop mods?

The official Update #2 (v0.5.5) announcement states that subscribed Workshop mods only load when you opt into the dedicated 'mods' beta branch in Steam. The developer notes the branch is unstable and lags behind the latest vanilla build — if you only want to play the current vanilla game, do not switch.

How do I install mods for Sandustry Early Access on Steam?

Open Sandustry in the Steam client, open the Workshop tab at https://steamcommunity.com/app/2764460/workshop/, click Subscribe on a mod, then switch the game to the 'mods' branch via Library → Properties → Betas. Steam keeps subscribed files up to date; the branch swap is what actually enables them to load.

What is Fluxloader and when should I use it?

Fluxloader (https://fluxloader.app/) is a community-made mod loader for Sandustry. It exists alongside Steam Workshop, not instead of it. For installation and which mods it supports, follow the instructions on the Fluxloader site — this page does not mirror them.

Can I use Sandustry Demo mods on the full Steam Early Access game?

No. The Demo and the full Steam Early Access release have different engine builds. Mods made for the Demo will not run on the full game — start from the Steam Workshop or the Fluxloader site instead.

Where are my Sandustry save files located?

The developer has only documented log-file locations (e.g. AppData\Roaming\sandustry\logs on Windows). The save paths below are the standard Unity locations reported by community installs — verify them on your own machine before editing or backing up.

What should I do if my game crashes after installing a mod?

Unsubscribe from the most recently added Workshop mod and retry. If you're on the 'mods' branch, remember the developer warns it is unstable and may not track the latest vanilla build — switching back to the default branch is the cleanest way to confirm the crash is mod-related and not a branch-version issue.