For PC mods, identify the package format before copying files. A PDML mod is a complete folder with a .uplugin file; a loose PAK download follows a different layout. Use a release compatible with your installed game and follow its author's dependency instructions.
Find the correct PC folder
Open the installation folder through your launcher. On Steam, use Manage → Browse local files. In the table, <InstallFolder> is the folder the launcher opens, not a guessed drive letter.
| Storefront | PDML mods directory |
|---|---|
| Steam or Epic Games | <InstallFolder>/PAYDAY3/Mods/ |
| Xbox app / Microsoft Store on PC | <InstallFolder>/Content/PAYDAY3/Mods/ |
These are PC paths from the community modkit documentation, not console installation instructions.
Install a PDML package
- Close the game. Read the mod's supported version and required dependencies.
- Install a compatible PDML release from the creator link in the documentation. Keep
PDML.uplugin,ContentandResourcestogether insideMods/PDML/. - Start the game and look for Mod Manager in the main menu. If absent, check the storefront path and folder nesting before adding other mods.
- Close the game again. Copy each mod's complete folder beside
PDML, not inside it. Its.upluginbelongs directly inside that mod folder. - Restart, find the mod in Mod Manager and check its advertised effect. Avoid an extra downloaded-archive wrapper folder.
A loose PAK is a different format
For a download explicitly distributed as a loose PAK, follow its author's instructions. The documented usual destination is PAYDAY3/Content/Paks/~mods/; keep matching .pak, .utoc and .ucas files together when supplied. Moving only a PAK into Mods/ does not convert it to PDML. Conversely, do not scatter a PDML package into ~mods.
Dependencies vary: the cited First-Person Body UE5 package requires an existing UE4SS setup. That requirement belongs to that package, not every mod. When switching formats, remove the old version's mod files first so both copies do not load.
If a mod is missing or crashes
UE5 compatibility matters after update 3.8. Close the game, preserve your mod list and author-specified settings, and check the release and dependencies. Test without the suspect mod, then reintroduce compatible mods one at a time. File verification does not replace checking manually added mod files. Use the general crash/support checklist if the unmodified game also fails. This guide follows written creator instructions; no package was installed or safety-tested here.
Sources
Based on official documentation. Gameplay advice is editorial unless a test is explicitly documented.