How to play Valheim with mods, on any device
Valheim 1.0 is out. Play your full modpack on a cloud Windows PC with an RTX GPU, from any screen. No mod limits. No new PC.
So, how do you play
Valheim with mods, anywhere?
You need a Windows PC where the mod folder is open to you. Valheim 1.0 came out on September 9, 2026 with the Deep North, the last biome, and modders are already updating their packs for it. Consoles get the update, but not the mods. Cloud gaming services with a fixed catalog lock the game files. Shadow PC is a full Windows 11 PC with a dedicated NVIDIA RTX GPU. Install your mod manager, load your mods, and play from the Mac, laptop or TV you already have.
Why Shadow PC is the best PC to play Valheim
1. Thunderstore, Nexus, r2modman: every mod tool works
To mod Valheim, you add files directly to the game, starting with the BepInEx loader. Catalog cloud gaming services don't let you touch those files. Shadow PC does, because it's a full Windows PC that you set up your way. Install r2modman or the Thunderstore Mod Manager, get mods from Thunderstore or Nexus Mods, and edit config files yourself. Nothing is blocked, and your mod profiles are still there the next time you log in.
2. The Deep North, at full draw distance
In the Deep North, you want to see danger early. Valheim 1.0 added a draw distance setting, so turn it up. You see the snowfields ahead, the frozen sea and the Jotun invaders long before they reach your walls. A dedicated NVIDIA RTX GPU keeps the view wide while your texture and lighting mods run. You stream it to your screen in up to 4K, or up to 5K with Power.
3. Your crew and your worlds, on any screen you own
Up to ten Vikings can play Valheim together. Host your modded world from your Shadow PC while you play. Friends with the same gameplay mods join through Steam. Your world saves stay on your cloud PC, so you can back them up before each big update. Connect from a MacBook, a work laptop, an Android TV box or a browser, and pick up your controller. Your modded Valheim is ready wherever you log in.
The most popular Valheim mods, updated for 1.0
Not sure where to start? These are the most downloaded Valheim mods on Thunderstore. Each one got an update after the Deep North came out. Load them in r2modman on your Shadow PC and build your pack from there.
- 01
Use your cultivator to plant berry bushes, mushrooms, thistle and trees the base game won't let you plant.
2.8M downloads - 02
Adds magic items, rarity levels and enchanting, so every boss kill and chest is a reason to keep exploring.
2.3M downloads - 03
Your gear gets its own slots, and six quick slots keep potions and food one key away.
1.6M downloads - 04
Adds a big set of new weapons and shields to fill the gaps in the base game.
1.5M downloads - 05
Backpacks that improve as you progress, so long trips mean fewer runs back to your chest.
1.2M downloads - 06
New monsters and mini-bosses to fight or tame in the classic biomes, up to the Mistlands.
970K downloads - 07
Plan, copy and share your builds as blueprints, with terrain tools to flatten the perfect spot.
660K downloads - 08
Seasons change the colors of the world over time, from green summer to white winter.
650K downloads
Playing with friends? For most of these mods, every player in your world needs to install them, at the same version. They all run on BepInExPack Valheim, and several also need the Jötunn library. r2modman installs both for you.
Ranked by total downloads on Thunderstore, October 2026. Iron Gate doesn't officially support mods. Check each mod's page for its latest version, and back up your worlds before you update.
How Shadow PC compares for modded Valheim
| Shadow PC | Console (PS5, Xbox, Switch 2) | Cloud gaming catalogs | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstore and Nexus Mods |
Shadow PC
|
Console (PS5, Xbox, Switch 2)
No mods on console
|
Cloud gaming catalogs
No access to game files
|
| Edit config files and back up worlds |
Shadow PC
|
Console (PS5, Xbox, Switch 2)
Config files locked
|
Cloud gaming catalogs
Files locked
|
| Use the same Steam copy as on PC |
Shadow PC
|
Console (PS5, Xbox, Switch 2)
Separate purchase
|
Cloud gaming catalogs
Depends on the service
|
| Play on Mac, laptop or TV |
Shadow PC
|
Console (PS5, Xbox, Switch 2)
Console only
|
Cloud gaming catalogs
|
| Up to 4K on a dedicated RTX GPU |
Shadow PC
|
Console (PS5, Xbox, Switch 2)
Depends on the console
|
Cloud gaming catalogs
Depends on the tier
|
| No hardware to buy |
Shadow PC
|
Console (PS5, Xbox, Switch 2)
A console to buy
|
Cloud gaming catalogs
|
Power is the Shadow PC for big Valheim modpacks
Big modpacks, large bases and the 80+ new building pieces in 1.0 need more power. That's why we recommend Power for modded Valheim: 28 GB of RAM, 20 GB of VRAM and up to 50% more GPU power than Neo, streamed in up to 5K. Load your big modpack, build your longhouse and keep a steady frame rate.
Neo Lite
per month
Perfect for occasional gaming in 1440p with RTX
Up to 120 hours of play per month, sessions up to 4hStream to any device in 1440pInstall your games & mods from Steam, Epic, Battle.net...*Upgrade to Shadow PC anytime as you play more
Power Lite
per month
Up to 50% more GPU power than Neo28GB RAM / 20GB VRAM for better in-game performanceUp to 120 hours of play per month, sessions up to 4hStream to any device in 1440pInstall your games & mods from Steam, Epic, Battle.net...*Upgrade to Shadow PC anytime as you play more
Neo
For the first six months, 45,99$ after.
Perfect for 1080/1440p gaming with RTXStream to any device up to 1440p+Install your games & mods from Steam, Epic, Battle.net...*Multi screen and ultrawide supportNVIDIA RTX and DLSS compatibility
Power
For the first six months, 63,99$ after.
Up to 50% more GPU power
28GB RAM / 20GB VRAM for better gaming performanceStream to any device up to 5K+Install your games & mods from Steam, Epic, Battle.net...*Multi screen and ultrawide supportNVIDIA RTX and DLSS compatibilityGetting started in 3 easy steps
A MacBook, an old laptop, an Android TV box or a Chromium browser: any of them can take you to the Deep North in three steps. No PC to build, no Windows to install, and you keep all your mods.
Go to shadow.tech and select the PC configuration that matches your performance needs.
Install the Shadow app on Windows, macOS, Linux or Android TV, or go to pc.shadow.tech in a Chromium browser.
Start your Shadow PC, install Steam and Valheim, then add r2modman. Load your modpack and set sail.
Valheim 1.0 at a glance
Valheim is a Viking survival game for 1 to 10 players, from Iron Gate Studio and Coffee Stain. You explore randomly generated biomes, build longhouses, sail between islands and summon bosses. After more than five years in early access, version 1.0 came out on September 9, 2026 on PC, Xbox, PS5 and Switch 2, with crossplay. It adds the Deep North, the last biome, its boss Kall Fimbulbringer and 40+ new weapons.
FAQ
Yes. Shadow PC is a full Windows 11 PC, so you install Steam, Valheim and a mod manager like r2modman, just like at home. BepInEx and your mods from Thunderstore or Nexus Mods load into the game as usual. Your mod profiles stay on your Shadow PC between sessions.
Many do, but not all of them. Valheim has no official mod support, and Iron Gate warned that older mods could break with 1.0. Check each mod's page on Thunderstore or Nexus Mods for a version that works with 1.0. Back up your worlds before you update a modded game.
Yes, by default. Valheim 1.0 treats a modded game like a cheated one and blocks achievements. Since patch 1.0.12, Steam players can turn them back on with a special console command. Want to keep it simple? Use a vanilla r2modman profile, with no mods, for your achievement runs, then switch back to your modpack in a few clicks.
Shadow PC is a complete Windows 11 gaming PC hosted in the cloud, with its own dedicated GPU. You install and run any game, app or software, with no restricted catalog.
Yes, while you are playing. Host your world from your Shadow PC, and friends on PC join through Steam if they use the same gameplay mods. Console players can't use those mods. Shadow PC isn't made to run a dedicated server day and night: when your session ends, your world goes offline too.
Yes, with Shadow PC. Valheim has a Mac version, but the most popular mod managers, including r2modman, are made for Windows and Linux. Install the Shadow app on your Mac, then play the Windows version of Valheim with your full modpack on your Shadow PC.
We recommend Power for big modpacks and large bases. It has 28 GB of RAM, 20 GB of VRAM and up to 50% more GPU power than Neo, streamed in up to 5K. Neo is made for 1080p and 1440p gaming. Shadow PC Lite is a good fit for a few hours of play a day, streamed in 1440p.
At least 15 Mb/s. Shadow recommends 50 Mb/s for smooth 1080p and 100 Mb/s for 4K. Ethernet or 5 GHz Wi-Fi works best. Games and mods download on your Shadow PC at up to 1 Gb/s, so your home connection only carries the video stream.