While the Steam Workshop is the easiest source, if you need to install manually (for example, to help a friend on Epic Games or to test a beta version of a mod):
To install mods manually for Oxygen Not Included (ONI), you must place the mod files into a specifically created folder within your game's data directory
. This method works for both Steam and non-Steam (e.g., Epic Games Store) versions. 1. Locate the Mods Folder
Navigate to the directory corresponding to your operating system: Documents\Klei\OxygenNotIncluded\mods\
/Users/[USERNAME]/Library/Application Support/unity.Klei.Oxygen Not Included/mods/ ~/.config/unity3d/Klei/Oxygen Not Included/mods/ 2. Create a "local" Folder Inside the folder, create a new folder and name it exactly
(all lowercase) if it does not already exist. This folder tells the game to look for manually installed content rather than Steam Workshop subscriptions. 3. Install the Mod Files Extract the Mod: Unzip the downloaded mod files. Create a Subfolder: Inside your new folder, create another folder named after the mod (e.g., local/MyNewMod/ Place Files: Move the mod's contents (such as ) into this subfolder. Ensure the files are not "double-nested" (e.g., avoid local/MyNewMod/MyNewMod/files 4. Enable in Game Launch Oxygen Not Included and select
from the main menu. Your manually added mods will appear in the list; simply click the checkbox to enable them. Steam Community currently popular for the latest Spaced Out! oxygen not included how to install mods manually
To manually install mods in Oxygen Not Included (ONI), you must place them in a specific local subfolder within your game data directory. This method is essential for users on the Epic Games Store or those using mods from external sources like GitHub. 1. Locate Your Local Mods Folder
The folder location varies depending on your operating system. If the local folder does not exist, you must create it manually. Windows: \Documents\Klei\OxygenNotIncluded\mods\local\
Mac OS: /Users/[Username]/Library/Application Support/unity.Klei.Oxygen Not Included/mods/local/
Linux: ~/.config/unity3d/Klei/Oxygen Not Included/mods/local/ 2. Prepare the Mod Files
Download your desired mod (usually as a .zip file) from a source like GitHub or a Steam Workshop Downloader.
Extract the contents. You should see files like mod.yaml, mod_info.yaml, and often a .dll file. While the Steam Workshop is the easiest source,
Create a subfolder for the specific mod inside the local folder. For example: ...\mods\local\MyNewMod\.
Move the extracted files into this new subfolder. Avoid "double-nesting" (e.g., local\MyNewMod\MyNewMod\files); the game needs to see the .yaml files directly inside your named mod folder. 3. Enable the Mod in-Game How to install a mod with Epic Game Store
Now, let's perform the installation.
You can get mods from:
Make sure you download the correct game version (e.g., “U52” for “Frosty Planet” update).
A manual mod zip typically contains:
| Type | File extension | Installation method |
|------|----------------|----------------------|
| Local Mod | Whole folder with mod.yaml | Place directly into mods folder |
| Steam-style Mod | *.mod file (rare) | Place into mods/Steam subfolder |
Most manual mods today use the Local Mod format.
Inside the mods/ folder (create it if missing), you will see two subfolders:
Action:
Copy your extracted mod folder into the mods/Local/ folder.
Example final structure:
mods/
├── Local/
│ ├── MyManualMod/
│ │ ├── mod_info.yaml
│ │ └── MyMod.dll
│ └── AnotherMod/
│ └── ...
└── Steam/
└── (automatic content)