How to Use r2modman to Install Thunderstore Mods

The top Google result for “r2modman” is a third-party site, and Thunderstore warns its users about exactly that kind of page. r2modman is the free, open-source mod manager by ebkr for Thunderstore games such as Lethal Company, Valheim, Risk of Rain 2 and R.E.P.O. This guide covers the official download (v3.2.21), how to check that the file is genuine, setup on Windows, Linux and Steam Deck, sharing modpacks, and what to do when your mods stop loading.

Last checked: November 13, 2026.

r2modman download (v3.2.21): official sources only

The current version is r2modman 3.2.21, published on GitHub on 30 October 2026. The previous release, 3.2.20, came out on 22 September 2026. The README on Thunderstore lists only three legitimate places to get it:

1. Thunderstore: the ebkr/r2modman package page in any game community (for example Risk of Rain 2).
2. GitHub: the Releases page of the ebkr/r2modmanPlus repository.
3. r2builds.ebkr.dev: ebkr’s hosted Flatpak repository for Linux and Steam Deck.

Every other site is a redistributor, even if it looks polished or ranks first. The Thunderstore package page currently shows approximately 8.82 million downloads and 158 packages that list r2modman as a dependency. That page is the real hub.

Which file should I download?

On Windows, pick the Setup exe. On Linux, pick the Flatpak or the AppImage. On Steam Deck, the Flatpak is the only option that works in Game Mode. The 3.2.21 release has 14 assets in total, including a release attestation. These are the ones you are likely to need:

You don’t need the files named “Source code”. Those are for developers who want to build r2modman themselves.

How to verify your download (SHA-256 and the immutable GitHub release)

To check a file, hash it on your machine and compare the result with the SHA-256 shown next to the same asset on the GitHub release. If the two match character for character, your file is identical to the one ebkr published.

The full SHA-256 of r2modman-Setup-3.2.21.exe is:

7f881776da0a6f32bf6141a0488a81184623675395071547a3d73f0c68b09696

1. Windows (Command Prompt): certutil -hashfile r2modman-Setup-3.2.21.exe SHA256
2. Windows (PowerShell): Get-FileHash .\r2modman-Setup-3.2.21.exe -Algorithm SHA256
3. Linux or Steam Deck: sha256sum <filename>

Here is a worked example. If certutil prints a hash that starts with 7f881776da0a and ends with 09696, the installer is genuine. A single different character means a different file, so delete it and download again from GitHub.

The 3.2.21 release is built from a GPG-verified commit (b09ec5a). GitHub release assets can still be edited or deleted by users with the right repository permissions, so a hash shown next to an asset is only a useful comparison if the hash itself comes from a trusted, fixed source. If you use the GitHub CLI, you can also check a downloaded file against the attestation with gh release verify-asset v3.2.21 <file> -R ebkr/r2modmanPlus.

What is r2modman?

r2modman is a desktop mod manager for games whose mods are published on Thunderstore. It downloads mods and their dependencies, installs mod loaders such as BepInEx, and keeps each setup in a separate profile. ebkr builds it as r2modmanPlus on GitHub, using Electron, TypeScript and Vue, and releases it under the MIT license.

The key design choice is that mods go into a profile folder, not into the game folder. The game stays vanilla when you launch it from Steam. You get the modded version only when you press Start modded in r2modman. That’s why you can join unmodded friends one evening and run 80 Lethal Company mods the next without reinstalling anything. The name comes from Risk of Rain 2, the first game it supported. Its supported list now covers hundreds of Thunderstore communities.

Is r2modman safe?

Yes, when it comes from the three official sources above. The code is public on GitHub and the releases are immutable and attested. It’s also the manager Thunderstore itself points to.

Most “is r2modman a virus?” reports come from Windows SmartScreen or heuristic antivirus scans flagging a new Electron executable. Those reports rarely come from a real detection. If your antivirus flags a file you downloaded from GitHub and the hash matches, you can add an exception, and the official troubleshooting wiki suggests that too. Don’t add an exception for a file whose hash doesn’t match.

r2modman vs Thunderstore Mod Manager vs Gale

Thunderstore Mod Manager is built on r2modman’s code and distributed through Overwolf with in-app ads. r2modman is the standalone version without Overwolf or ads. Gale, by Kesomannen, is a separate open-source manager built with SvelteKit and Tauri. It can import and export profiles in the r2modman format.

So if someone asks whether r2modman is “the Thunderstore app without ads”, the answer is essentially yes. Gale is the honest alternative to consider. It starts faster and has a lighter footprint because it uses Tauri instead of Electron. r2modman still gets new games added first, and most community guides and Discord help channels assume you use it. If you also mod games outside Thunderstore, a multi mod manager might suit your wider library. For Thunderstore games, r2modman is the reference tool.

How to install r2modman on Windows

On first launch, r2modman asks you to pick a game and then a profile. If your game is on Steam in the default library, r2modman usually finds the game folder on its own. If the game is in another library or on another drive, set it under Settings > Locations > Change game directory. A wrong game directory is the most common reason a fresh install does nothing.

All mods, profiles and configs live in r2modman’s data folder. On Windows the default is %APPDATA%\r2modmanPlus-local\<Game>\profiles\<Profile>. You can open it from Settings > Browse data directory, and you can move it to another drive from the same Settings screen if your C: drive is short on space.

Installer vs portable exe

The Setup exe is the right choice for most people. It adds a Start menu shortcut and handles updates. Updates to the manager download in the background while you use it and install when you close the app. The portable exe needs no installation, which helps on a work or school PC without admin rights. It’s also handy if you want the whole tool on a game drive.

How to install r2modman on Linux and Steam Deck

r2modman runs natively on Linux. The Flatpak from r2builds.ebkr.dev is the recommended install, and it’s also the version that works in Steam Deck Game Mode. The AppImage is the quickest no-install option. The rpm, pacman and tar.gz builds suit people who prefer their distro’s packaging.

Flatpak install (system-wide, needs sudo):

flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists r2builds https://r2builds.ebkr.dev/flatpak/r2modman.flatpakrepo
flatpak install -y r2builds io.github.ebkr.r2modman

AppImage install: download it, make it executable, then run it.

chmod +x r2modman-*.AppImage
./r2modman-*.AppImage

Flatpak without sudo

On a Steam Deck you probably haven’t set a sudo password. Add --user to both commands to install for your account only:

flatpak remote-add --user --if-not-exists r2builds https://r2builds.ebkr.dev/flatpak/r2modman.flatpakrepo
flatpak install --user -y r2builds io.github.ebkr.r2modman

Steam Deck Game Mode vs Desktop Mode

Do the installation in Desktop Mode, which gives you a normal Linux desktop with a browser and a terminal (Konsole). In Desktop Mode you can use either the Flatpak (recommended) or the AppImage. If you also want r2modman in Game Mode, the README says to use the Flatpak. Add it to Steam as a non-Steam game from Desktop Mode so it shows up in your Game Mode library.

When people say “r2modman won’t work in Steam Deck Game Mode”, they usually installed the AppImage. Switching to the Flatpak fixes it. Do the first profile setup in Desktop Mode with a mouse, because browsing the Online tab is much quicker that way.

Forcing Proton

Most Thunderstore games are Windows builds that run through Proton on Linux. r2modman has to know that so it can launch BepInEx correctly. If it treats a Proton game as native, the README gives a temporary workaround: put a file named .forceproton in the game’s install folder.

Some Proton games also need WINEDLLOVERRIDES="winhttp=n,b" %command% in the game’s Steam launch options so that BepInEx’s winhttp.dll proxy loads. If Start modded opens the game but no BepInEx console or log appears, that launch option is the usual missing piece.

Installing your first mods

Pick the game, create a profile, find mods in the Online tab, click Download (dependencies come with it), then press Start modded. That’s the whole process. The details below cover where people go wrong.

1. Select the game. Star the games you play so they stay at the top of the list.
2. Create a profile. Give each setup a clear name, such as “LC friends 2026” or “Valheim solo”.
3. Open Online. Search by name or sort by downloads or last updated. Use the category filter to hide modpacks if you want to pick individual mods.
4. Download. r2modman pulls the required dependencies automatically, including the right BepInExPack for that game.
5. Check Installed. Every mod you added and every dependency appears there with an on/off toggle.
6. Start modded. On a correct BepInEx setup, a console window or a fresh LogOutput.log shows the plugins loading.

You can also launch modded games through Steam by giving Steam the same Doorstop arguments that r2modman passes. The trade-off is that every Steam launch then becomes modded and is tied to one profile. For most players, Start modded is the better habit.

Profiles explained

A profile is a separate folder with its own mods, configs and BepInEx install. Profiles don’t share anything with each other. When a modded setup breaks, making a fresh profile and adding mods back is often faster than finding the bad file in the old one. Keep a small “vanilla+” profile for public lobbies and a large one for your regular group.

Updating mods

Mods with updates appear in Installed with an update prompt, and you can update them one at a time or all together. Mod updates are separate from manager updates, and the manager updates itself when you close it. To pin a mod to an older version, open it in the Online tab and choose the version in the download dialog. This is the tool you need on patch day.

Editing configs in the manager

Configs appear in the Config editor after you’ve launched the game modded at least once, because most BepInEx plugins only create their .cfg files on first run. Open the editor, choose the mod’s file, change values, and save. Your edits stay inside that profile and are included when you export it.

Sharing your modpack with friends

Open Profile > Export profile as code and send the code. Your friend chooses Import / update on the profile screen, then Import from code. For an exact backup, export as a file instead. A code is a short-lived upload to Thunderstore, while a file is something you keep.

For multiplayer, everyone in the lobby needs the same mods at the same versions. That’s especially true for content mods in Lethal Company and R.E.P.O. that add items, moons or monsters. Since r2modman 3.0.25, mods that were disabled in the exported profile stay disabled after import. Your friend gets the same active setup, not one with extra mods switched on.

Once a group’s list grows past 30 or 40 mods, consider publishing it as a Thunderstore modpack. A modpack is a package that lists dependencies at fixed versions. Everyone installs it in one click and gets updates through the normal update flow.

Profile code won’t generate or import

If r2modman can’t create a code at all, the official wiki calls that a definite sign of a bad BepInEx install in that profile. Reinstall the game’s BepInExPack in that profile, or build the setup again in a fresh profile.

If a code from a friend won’t import, check these in order:

1. The code has expired. Ask for a new one or a file export.
2. Your friend exported from a different game. Codes only import into the same game.
3. The code came from an old or unusual manager build. Gale and r2modman codes are designed to work in both, and Gale’s changelog includes fixes for codes that failed to import into r2modman.

Supported games: Valheim, Lethal Company, ULTRAKILL, TABS and more

r2modman supports a game if the game has a Thunderstore community and appears in r2modman’s game selection screen. Support is added release by release. The 3.2.21 changelog, for example, includes “added new games and assets”, and earlier changelogs added titles such as Palworld and Sons Of The Forest. If you can’t find a game, update r2modman before you assume it’s unsupported.

r2modman for Valheim

Valheim is the game where people most often blame r2modman for a problem it didn’t cause. Dedicated servers need their own copy of server-side mods, and many Valheim mods check versions between client and server. If you can join solo but get kicked from a server, compare your profile’s mod list with the server’s before you change anything else.

r2modman for ULTRAKILL

ULTRAKILL mods are mostly cosmetic or quality-of-life changes, so the game makes a low-risk first profile. When a game update moves things around, ULTRAKILL mods often break together. Use the patch-day routine below.

r2modman for TABS

Totally Accurate Battle Simulator has a smaller, older mod scene on Thunderstore. Sort by “Last updated” and check that mods were updated after the game’s latest patch.

Some games don’t use Thunderstore at all. Satisfactory, for example, has its own dedicated manager, so our satisfactory mod manager guide covers that game instead.

Troubleshooting: mods not loading after you press Start modded

When mods don’t load, work through the checks in this order. Confirm that you launched with Start modded, confirm the game directory, run the preloader fix, read LogOutput.log, then try a fresh profile. Running as administrator and adding an antivirus exception are official suggestions too. They help in fewer cases than people expect, so keep them for later rather than doing them first.

Game launches vanilla

“I pressed Start modded but the game launches vanilla” almost always means BepInEx never loaded. Open the profile folder (Settings > Browse profile folder), then open BepInEx/LogOutput.log. No log at all means the loader never injected, so check the game directory and, on Linux, the Proton settings. If a log exists but shows errors, the problem is a specific mod.

Black screen on launch

Go to Settings > Debugging > Run preloader fix, which the official wiki recommends for black screens. Then launch with Start modded again. If the screen is still black, launch with every mod disabled except BepInExPack. If that works, turn mods back on in halves until the black screen returns.

Manager stuck loading

If r2modman hangs on its loading screen, close it completely (check Task Manager) and start it again. If it hangs every time, the official wiki suggests trying it as administrator and adding an antivirus exception. Real-time scanners can lock files that r2modman is writing.

Disable all, then bisect

For a large profile with an unknown bad mod, disable half the non-library mods and launch. If the problem goes away, the bad mod is in the half you disabled. Repeat on that half until one mod is left. With 64 mods, this takes about six launches, which beats reading 64 changelogs.

After a game patch: what breaks and what to do

Game updates break mods because BepInEx plugins patch specific game code. When the developer changes that code, the patches no longer fit. Your setup isn’t damaged; it’s just temporarily out of sync, and the fix is mostly to wait for updates.

1. Export a profile file before anything else. That gives you a restore point with exact versions and configs.
2. Read the log. One broken library mod can take down a dozen mods that depend on it, so fix the first error, not the last.
3. Check for updates in Installed. Popular API and library mods often update within a day or two.
4. Disable rather than delete. Turn the broken mods off and play with the rest until updates arrive.
5. Roll back where it helps. If a mod update (not the game patch) caused the break, install the previous version from the Online tab.
6. Make a fresh profile for the new game version once updates land, and import your file into it instead of patching the old profile.

To stop Steam from patching a game in the middle of your modding week, set the game’s Properties > Updates option to “Only update this game when I launch it”. You still have to update before playing online, but the patch arrives when you choose. The same advice applies to every modded game. Skyrim and Starfield players deal with Script Extender breaks in the same way.

What’s new in r2modman 3.2.21

Version 3.2.21 is a maintenance release with a few user-facing fixes. You get it automatically the next time you close the manager.

The Lovely fix matters most if you’ve switched between Balatro mod setups and found leftovers. The guarded reset matters to everyone. “Reset installation” was one of the easiest ways to lose a setup you’d spent hours building.

FAQ

Is r2modman safe?

Yes, if you download it from Thunderstore, the ebkr/r2modmanPlus GitHub releases, or r2builds.ebkr.dev. It’s open source under MIT and its GitHub releases are immutable and attested. Check the SHA-256 against GitHub if your antivirus flags it.

What is the official r2modman website?

There isn’t a standalone official website. The official homes are the ebkr/r2modman package on Thunderstore and the ebkr/r2modmanPlus repository on GitHub, plus r2builds.ebkr.dev for Flatpak builds.

Is r2modman.com official?

No. r2modman.com, r2-modman.com and r2modman.software are third-party sites, and Thunderstore warns against redistribution sites that claim to be official.

Which r2modman file do I download for Windows?

Download r2modman-Setup-3.2.21.exe (158 MB). Choose the portable exe (157 MB) only if you can’t install software or want to run it from another drive.

How do I install r2modman on Steam Deck?

Switch to Desktop Mode and install the Flatpak with the --user commands shown above, so you don’t need a sudo password. Then add r2modman to Steam as a non-Steam game so it works in Game Mode.

Does r2modman work on Linux?

Yes. There are official Flatpak, AppImage, rpm, pacman and tar.gz builds. For Proton games, you may need a .forceproton file or the winhttp launch option.

Does r2modman work on Mac?

There’s no official macOS build in the GitHub releases. Mirrors that list Mac are wrong.

Is r2modman the same as Thunderstore Mod Manager?

They share a code base. Thunderstore Mod Manager is the Overwolf build with ads, and r2modman is the standalone build without Overwolf or ads. Profile codes work in both.

Why are my mods not working in r2modman?

Usually the game was launched from Steam instead of with Start modded, or the game directory is wrong. If neither is the cause, read BepInEx/LogOutput.log in the profile folder, run the preloader fix for black screens, and test in a fresh profile.

How do I share r2modman mods with friends?

Export your profile as a code and have friends use Import from code on the profile screen. Make sure everyone has the same mod versions. For large or long-term groups, a Thunderstore modpack is easier to keep in sync.

The routine that prevents most problems is simple. Install from an official source, check the hash once, keep separate profiles, and export a profile file before each big update.

What changed

• Nov 13, 2026 First published.

About the article

MN

Written by Marek Novak

Marek handles GTA, strategy and simulation mods and the modding guides, from mod managers to setting up a clean install. He writes for people trying mods for the first time as much as for experienced modders.

• Fact-checked by Hollis Tremaine against the sources listed below before publication.
• Published November 13, 2026

Sources (8)

1. Releases · ebkr/r2modmanPlus (github.com)
2. r2modman v3.2.21 release notes (github.com)
3. r2modman by ebkr · Risk of Rain 2 (Thunderstore) (thunderstore.io)
4. r2modman wiki: Problems starting modded (thunderstore.io)
5. r2modmanPlus wiki: Why aren't my mods working? (github.com)
6. r2modman mirror on SourceForge (sourceforge.net)
7. Gale Mod Manager changelog (thunderstore.io)
8. Kesomannen/gale on GitHub (github.com)

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