Where Does OpenMW Register Mods?
OpenMW registers mods as data entries in its config file. Mod files live anywhere you put them; the config points at each folder in priority order.
Last updated
OpenMW inverts the usual mod layout: instead of mods living in one game folder, each mod lives wherever you extracted it, and the engine config lists those folders as data entries in priority order. Groundcover, texture replaces, and quest mods all register the same way.
That design rewards one tidy mods directory with a subfolder per mod, all referenced from the config. The launcher edits the same file, so GUI and hand edits must take turns. Back up the config with the mods, since a folder tree without its registration list is just gigabytes of context free files.
Where OpenMW stores this, by platform
Documents\My Games\OpenMW\openmw.cfg
Lists mod folders as data entries in priority order. Keep one mods directory with a subfolder per mod. Back up this file alongside the folders it references.
~/.config/openmw/openmw.cfg
Same data entry system as Windows. The launcher edits this file too, so avoid simultaneous hand edits.
Frequently asked questions
The mod files exist but the game ignores them. Why?
Open the config and confirm the data entry spelling and order. Missing quotes around paths with spaces break parsing silently. Later entries override earlier ones, so order is the load order.
Can I keep separate mod profiles?
Yes, profiles are just config files with different data lists. Copy the config per character build and swap which one the launcher reads. Content lists and load order stay independent per copy.
Notice an outdated path? Let us know.