Complete Guide to Euro Truck Simulator 2 Mods

Euro Truck Simulator 2 has been around for nearly five years, and it’s still one of my favorite games due in part to its friendliness to mods. Mods for Euro Truck Simulator 2 cover everything from trailer skins, to brand new truck models, changes to the weather, and even expanded maps. The selection is nearly endless, and while I will be sharing some of my favorite mods with you soon, this article aims to teach you how to install any mod in Euro Truck Simulator 2.

Full Guide For Euro Truck Simulator 2 Mods

Many years ago, I created a YouTube video to explain how to install and activate mods, and while it is not 100 percent accurate anymore, those of you more apt to learn from visuals may want to have a look.

The first step in extending the life of Euro Truck Simulator 2 with mods, is to find mods. I will show you two proven methods for finding good, reliable mods: the Steam Workshop, and a website specializing in collecting mods, https://ets2.lt.

Let’s tackle the easy method first, the Steam Workshop. If you’re at all familiar with how mods from the Steam Workshop work with other games, the concept is the same for Euro Truck Simulator 2. You simply browse the Steam Workshop, either directly inside the Steam application, or via the Steam website. Once you find a mod that interests you, you click the Subscribe button and Steam will automatically download the mod and make it available to Euro Truck Simulator 2. Please be aware that not all mods in the Workshop are compatible with the latest version of Euro Truck Simulator 2, so you’ll want to be diligent and read the description!

For those of you that may not own Euro Truck Simulator 2 in Steam, you can find mods on various websites on the Internet. I personally have had good experiences with ETS 2 mods, a repository that is updated daily with new mods for you to peruse.

How to install Mods

If you’re using mods from the Steam Workshop, you don’t need to do anything special here. Mods that you’re subscribed to will automatically appear in Euro Truck Simulator 2 and are available to be activated. More on that in the next step.

If you’ve found a mod you like on a website, you will have to follow these steps to get it ready for activation in Euro Truck Simulator 2:

• Download the mod to a temporary folder on your computer, such as the Downloads folder or your Desktop.
• Extract the mod file. Typically, mods are in an archive file format, such as .ZIP or .RAR. We suggest the open-source application 7-zip for all your extraction needs.
• Extract any .SCS files into your Documents\Euro Truck Simulator 2\mod folder. The mod folder may not exist, in which case, just create it.

How to activate Mods

Once your mods are installed, either via subscribing in the Steam Workshop, or by placing the .SCS file into the mod folder, you must now tell Euro Truck Simulator 2 to activate those mods, thus making the new content available in your game.

To do this, open the Mod Manager on the Profile screen. You will then be presented with a list of all the mods that Euro Truck Simulator 2 is aware of. If your newly installed mod is not in the list, you did something wrong in the steps above. It is also possible that the mod is not compatible with your version of Euro Truck Simulator 2.

To activate a mod, select it on the left and click the right-facing arrow to move it to the Active Mods list. The status of the mod will now change to a green icon and say “Active”. Some mods must be loaded before others, so make sure you use the Increase Priority or Decrease Priority buttons accordingly.

Once you’re satisfied with the list of active mods, click the Confirm Changes button and continue loading your game.

Read the Manual

Always read the documentation provided by a mod to be aware of any unique requirements. There will often be special instructions regarding things such as:

• Mod Priority
• Version Compatibility
• Where to find the content. For example, what truck dealers sell the new truck
• Any other instructions not covered by this guide

A final word of advice regarding Euro Truck Simulator 2 mods: Don’t load too many mods all at once and back up your profile folder! Mods are written by community members and will have varying degrees of quality. Some mods may break things in your existing profile, so be sure to create a copy of your profile folder, which can be found in your Documents\Euro Truck Simulator 2\profiles folder.