The Witcher 3 mods: Our best mod recommendations and how to install them in Wild Hunt

How to install mods in The Witcher 3, step-by-step

There are two ways to install mods in the PC version of The Witcher 3 - manually, or through a mod manager.

How to install The Witcher 3 mods manually

In the event you don't want to install another bit of software, doing it manually might be the option for you.

First, find where The Witcher 3 is installed - which is dependant on your platform of choice, such as Steam - and add a new folder called 'Mods'.

Once you've done this, simply put any mods you download into it and they should work. This isn't a catch-all method, but many mods will explain what to do if there is an extra step or two, like extracting files or renaming things.

How to install The Witcher 3 mods using a mod manager

Though you can install mods manually, our recommendation is Vortex, which is the Nexus Mods mods manager. This way you won't have to worry about accidentally breaking the entire game by putting Roach on top of a house or something.

As Nexus Mods is where all of the mods can be found, it makes things manageable for those of us who don't like hacking apart our games. It'll also give you warnings if you're doing something that is inadvisable, so you'll have a nice safety net there.

To install it, simply click on the link above then click on the button that says "Download the latest version now".

Then, scroll down the page a bit until you see the "Main Files" section, it's just below the first screen, so it won't take long. Click on "Manual Download" under where it says Vortex, rather than the custom install location choice.

You can always change the location of the app later on if you'd like anyway. You'll be given a choice between slow and fast downloads. The latter is locked behind a premium account. You can choose to sign up for a premium account if you want to support the app and the site, but you can download it either way.

Once it's downloaded, open up the EXE file and let it run. It'll automatically install upon doing so. Now you need to open it up. Then, login, and select the GAMES tab.

Search for "The Witcher 3" and see if it is in colour. If it is, you can skip the next paragraph, if not, you'll need to set the location manually.

Select the plus sign in the top right corner of the image and then choose "Manually Set Location", then find the game in your files (often a similar pathway to the one in the image).

Once that's done, it's time to actually download and install the mods. The simplest way to do that is to use the links we've provided below. Once they've downloaded, drag them into the MODS tab in Vortex and voila.

Our picks for the best mods in The Witcher 3

This is a list of some of the best The Witcher 3 mods. While there are hundreds out there, these are the ones that most people love to play with. They range from the shallow to the deep, but each of them brings that little something extra to the fray. We've split it into two kinds.

The first are excellent quality of life improvements, and one big overhaul, while the second is full of some of the stranger The Witcher 3 mods.

Increased Creature Loot

Simply put, this mod makes monster hunting a bit more worth your while. It makes each hunt feel less like a game of chance and more like a good way of making money and gathering resources.

It does this by increasing the loot that each creature drops and making it far more likely that you'll get that extra cow hide from the poor cow you just murdered. [Download]

AutoLoot

Picking up things is hard work, especially when The Witcher 3 is absolutely stuffed full of things to pick up, and that's even without mods. This mod makes it so that you'll always be picking up the loot around you.

Better yet, you can download the version that means you don't rob everyone around you as well. That's a nice touch if you're trying not to get into trouble. [Download]

Over 9,000 Weight

Given that we've now added extra loot to the game, and then made it all automatically jump into your satchel, you're going to need stronger back muscles/a bigger sack. Well, that's exactly what this mod does.

Not only is a nice reference to a classic Dragon Ball Z quote/meme, but it's also an absurd amount of weight to be able to carry. Just don't be surprised when you can't find a specific pair of boots or that last pearl. [Download]

Auto Apply Oils

Oils may well be one of the most underutilised aspects of The Witcher 3's combat system. This isn't because they're bad, not at all, it's because we're all kind of lazy and forgetful. You can negate that issue by installing this mod.

It scans the enemies near you and then applies the appropriate oil, which is pretty handy. [Download]

FCR3

This mod is a bit special. FCR3 houses a vast array of tweaks and changes, none of them are particularly huge, but that it was actually developed by one of the senior developers over at CD Projekt Red makes close as close to an official mod we're ever going to get.

It does things like buffing some of the weaker skills and items, rebalancing some of the more powerful abilities; one good example of this giving Geralt the ability to see in the dark at all times by using his Witcher Senses, as all witchers are meant to.

It also increases the damage your allies deal to make them more powerful, and reduces some of the ability maximum levels from 5 to 3, all in the name of making things a bit fairer.

It's extensive, but more of a death by a thousand cuts than a guillotine. [Download]

Fast Travel Anywhere

Honestly, one of the biggest annoyances in The Witcher 3 is the fast travel system. While you can unlock lots of places to do it from, hiking around can feel a little more taxing than it should because you have to go to a signpost to fast travel.

Well, no longer do you have to worry about that, this mod lets you travel from anywhere. [Download]

Our Witcher 3 walkthrough and guide can help you with the main story, including the Wandering in the Dark and Family Matters missions, and eventually, one of several Witcher 3 endings. There's plenty of side content, too, including Witcher 3 Contracts, White Orchard quests, Velen quests, Novigrad quests and Skellige Isles quests. Elsewhere, learn about the best Witcher 3 builds, the best Witcher 3 mods, how to make money in Witcher 3, find Places of Power locations, and learn how to do Witcher 3 crafting and Witcher 3 Alchemy And when you're done with all those - we can help you through expansions with our Hearts of Stone walkthrough and Blood and Wine walkthrough.

The best other mods to consider for The Witcher 3

Once you've installed the above essential mods, there are a host of others we'd recommend checking out:

Henry Cavill and Anya Chalotra

Look, we all know why you're here really. Henry Cavill is hot, we get it. You can look at his bum for as long as you'd like by downloading this mod that turns you into him. It also makes you realise just how obscenely hench the actor is.

So, yeah, Henry Cavill in your game. Enjoy. [Download]

The Witcher 3 HD Reworked Project

This one reworks the graphics of The Witcher 3 massively. Everything in the game is given a shiny new coat of paint and you'll be stunned by just how much prettier the already stunning game can be. Just be mindful of the fact that it'll tax your PC a fair bit, so be kind to your rig if it's older than The Witcher 3 is. There are three parts to this mod, make sure to install them all.

They can all be found with the link, but you need to download them separately. [Download]

The Gwent Card Dealer

If you're not here just for Henry Cavill, then you're probably here for Gwent. This mod gives the Baron's quartermaster myriad Gwent cards to sell you. In fact, they'll have nearly every card in the game.

You can simply by them and start deck building for real. Truly, this is a perfect mod. [Download]

Photo Mode

The Witcher 3 is an intensely pretty game, even more so if you've modded it. Well, this mod lets you really drink it all in by eliminating the HUD and pretty much everything else.

You can finally set up some decent portraits of Geralt, and without worrying about being jumped by a Nekker. [Download]

More Shadows

Very much exactly what it says on the tin, this mod adds more shadows to the world. It makes a lot of areas look more alive, and really makes the towns look stunning at night thanks to the plethora of lamps and torches about the place.

A good shout if you just like looking at the world. [Download]