Several years into its life, the best Skyrim Special Edition mods caught up to the best in Oldrim modding. Many of our favorites from the original take been ported across, then y'all may recognize some of those on this list.

Merely in that location are enough of newer mods also—a decade into its life, both original Skyrim and the Special Edition you can safely alt-tab out of are still fertile ground for new creations. Skyrim modding still hasn't slowed down with new additions every week.

Skyrim Script Extender has been updated for the Anniversary Edition, and many of the mods that were broken during the changeover are working again now. Yet, one time SKSE is installed, you lot should get into Skyrim Special Edition's properties in Steam and set it to "Only update this game when I launch it" and launch Skyrim with skse64_loader.exe, as otherwise whatever new updates volition break the Script Extender and yous'll have to download a new version of it.

Some of the following Skyrim Special Edition mods tin can be institute on Bethesda'southward site, simply the links nosotros'll mail usually betoken to our get-to sites, NexusMods or AFK Mods.

Mods added in recent updates of this list accept been marked with a ⭐. And if yous're looking to accept fifty-fifty more fun in Skyrim, check out our list of Skyrim console commands.

The all-time Skyrim Special Edition mods

Modernistic managing

Information technology's easy to get carried abroad modding Skyrim Special Edition. To aid you keep track of all your various additions, be sure to apply a modern manager of some sort. Hither are the ones we suggest you try out.

Vortex

For downloading, installing, and managing Skyrim Special Edition mods, we recommend Vortex. It's simple to apply, and it works with a number of other games like the Fallout series, the Witcher series, Darks Souls, XCOM 2, and lots more. Make sure to download the version that lets you pick a custom install installation if you don't have Skyrim on your C bulldoze.

Modernistic Organizer 2

As an alternative to Vortex, Modernistic Organizer two is meant for modders who program to do a lot of experimenting, keeping separate profiles and installing then uninstalling various mods. If yous really intendance about how smashing your folders look, Mod Organizer 2 is probably for you. One downside to Mod Organizer 2 is that if yous plan to mod multiple different games with information technology, switching betwixt them tin can exist a hassle. The easiest way to exercise that is to install it separately for every single game you want to mod.

Patches, UI, and cheats

We all know the reputation Bethesda's games take. Plenty of fans accept taken it upon themselves to fix bugs, optimize systems, and brand user interface more to their liking.

SkyUI

The heavens parted, golden saints sang, and SkyUI was supported by Skyrim Special Edition. This interface replacer makes Skyrim feel similar it was designed for mouse controls, and lets yous filter and sort inventory based on weight, value, damage and the like. Also adds an in-game mod configuration card several other mods rely on. It's essential.

Better MessageBox Controls

Increases the clickable areas of menu items then they're the actual width of the item rather than just an absurd little square in the centre of it. You have no idea how much ameliorate this tiny quality-of-life tweak makes things. It also improves the keyboard controls in a few means. For instance, tab will always take yous back a phase and enter will let you select an option even when you're crafting and would normally have to mouse back over it.

A Quality World Map

Skyrim's map is functional but tedious. A Quality World Map offers multiple ways to fix it. It can supervene upon the map with a much more detailed earth texture, with colors that assistance delineate the carve up areas much more evidently, just there's too an option to take a paper map, with a more Oblivion await, if that's your thing.

Achievements Modernistic Enabler

Merely because yous're modding doesn't mean you're adulterous (necessarily). So why does the SSE disable achievements if you've got mods running? Stick it to 'em past using this plugin from xSHADOWMANx that lets y'all earn achievements even while using mods.

⭐ Proteus

While y'all could switch to another savegame to play your Khajiit archer for a while, Proteus lets you import your characters into an existing world state—pregnant you can switch to a graphic symbol with their own items, skills, and spells, only keep your current quest progression. NPCs who have died remain expressionless, items left in storage can be retrieved, and then on. It also lets you edit NPCs and items, even the weather. Some of what Proteus makes possible is already doable with Skyrim'due south console commands and existing mods, but this brings it all together in a single popular-upwards menu.

Proteus replaces an older version chosen Projection Proteus. The new version runs faster, and when swapping between characters you now switch to their location rather than them beingness summoned to y'all, making for a more GTA five kind of feel. There are a bunch of other tweaks likewise. If you lot've got Project Proteus installed, uninstall and replace it with Proteus instead.

An improved graphic symbol creation menu with numeric displays for all sliders and the ability to choose any colour for your hair, skin, or other tints rather than being express based on race. There's a sculpt style if yous want to become right into messing with the geometry of your head, and y'all can turn the calorie-free illuminating your confront on and off to see how your features volition look in different situations, which is a blessing. (Note that an update to this mod made it uniform with the Anniversary Edition after a long period of not working.)

⭐ Downgrade Patcher

If the Anniversary Edition update is causing your favorite mods grief (we're talking most Simply Knock here), this volition roll you dorsum to Special Edition version i.5.97. There are two versions to download, and the All-time of Both Worlds version lets you keep all the Creation Lodge content added by the Ceremony Edition.

Unofficial Skyrim Patch

This modern is a compendium of hundreds of fixes for bugs, text, objects, items, quests, and gameplay elements assembled past prolific modder Arthmoor. The patch is designed to be as compatible as possible with other mods. If y'all've got a few hours, you can read through the patch notes.

Binaural 3D Environment Sound for Headphones - HRTF

"HRTF (Head Related Transfer Functions) refers to the mode that the curvature of 1's ears are used to localize sound in 3D space." I don't know exactly what that outset sentence ways, just I empathize the second one. Brand SSE more realistic for your ears with this mod, though annotation it only works if you play exclusively in start-person. You may also want to bank check out Immersive Sounds for a huge overhaul of Skyrim's sound furnishings.

Quests and locations

Skyrim may be a huge place, merely modders are e'er finding ways to brand information technology bigger. Nosotros've collected some really impressive location overhauls to expand your Skyrim experience along with some huge quest mods to take you on new adventures.

The Forgotten City

Skyrim's got lots of run a risk, but here'southward most ten hours more than courtesy of writer and developer Nick Pearce. Play detective and solve a murder mystery while exploring a massive, aboriginal metropolis. Information technology's got excellent, honor-winning writing, a non-linear story, fantastic phonation interim by a large cast, an enjoyable original soundtrack, and even a touch on of time travel. Here's our write-up of the Forgotten Urban center Skyrim mod. It's as well been adapted into a standalone game set in ancient Rome.

Legacy of the Dragonborn

Adds a gallery you tin can fill with unique items, a museum to your achievements that is besides a library, a storage facility, a questline of its ain, and a place to larn archaeology complete with its own perks. While in that location is a version of Legacy of the Dragonborn for Oldrim, the v5 update specifically for Special Edition remaps the building to brand it larger and more like a real museum.

Enderal: Forgotten Stories (Special Edition)

This total conversion creates an entirely new globe, very well-nigh the size of Skyrim itself, and populates it with new dungeons, quests, monsters, and fully voiced NPCs. Some of Skyrim's systems take also been tweaked, there's a new custom story to relish, and a good l+ hours of new adventures to be difficult. You lot can read almost the opening hours of Enderal here.

Vigilant SE

Vigilant is a four-part quest mod that adds some Nighttime Souls flair to Tamriel. Later on getting stuck in Oblivion, you'll face off confronting otherworldly monsters and large, Souls-style bosses while exploring areas filled with special items and keys. Across that, the 'Anvil of Zenithar' allows players to craft their own wares later on finishing objectives, besting bosses and reaching new areas. Vigilant Voiced adds voice-acting.

You can also snag the aforementioned modder's Bloodborne-themed gamble chosen Glenmoril.

Moonpath to Elsweyr

Moonpath to Elsweyr was i of the outset quest mods for Oldrim dorsum in the day. Information technology's made its style to SSE now with its ii new regions and custom quests. In Jody'due south Moonpath spotlight he talks to its original creator.

Helgen Reborn

Who'southward going to rebuild Helgen subsequently it got toasted by a dragon at the beginning of the game? You lot are, of course. It'due south a huge, fully voiced quest modern where you lot'll restore the town, choose a faction, and fight in the new arena. Chris wrote nigh Helgen Reborn years ago for Oldrim, so nosotros're psyched to replay it in SSE.

Cutting Room Flooring

Another big mod from Arthmoor restores loads of content that exists in SSE's data files simply wasn't implemented in the game. Numerous locations, NPCs, dialogue, quests, and items have been brought back into the light, and Skyrim is richer for it.

JK's Skyrim

This big construction overhaul mod redesigns all of Skyrim's major cities and some settlements besides. Every metropolis has been reimagined to more than distinctly fit its own theme with new buildings and vendors. Information technology doubles as an immersion modernistic besides, with local banners and guards changing allegiance equally Skyrim's civil war develops.

The Asteria Dwemer Airship

There are histrion home mods to accommodate all tastes, merely the Asteria is a particularly nice ane—a flying ship with all mod cons, past which I hateful storage space and crafting tables. Information technology's permanently docked, however, and can't exist moved around, though it does have a teleporter for a more than immersive culling to fast-travel. If you desire a flyable skyship, try the Dev Aveza.

Visual mods

Even with Skyrim Special Edition, there's notwithstanding plenty of room to make Tamriel prettier. Modders have updated how characters look and added higher resolution textures, amidst other things, to put a new shine on the game.

Climates of Tamriel

Climates of Tamriel is a huge overhaul calculation new atmospheric condition types, new lighting, and clouds. It can make night-time darker likewise for a more immersive adventuring feel. There'southward even a winter version that covers fifty-fifty more of Skyrim in snow.

Realistic Water Two

Realistic Water Two, cartoon and expanding on the work of some earlier h2o mods, adds meliorate ripples, larger splashes, re-textured cream and faster water flow in streams, bobbing chunks of ice, and fifty-fifty murky, stagnant-looking h2o in dungeons. For all your extremely realistic screenshot-taking needs.

Total Character Makeover

Skyrim'due south NPCs already looked dated when the game was first released, and they certainly haven't aged well. The SSE might improve the looks of the earth, but information technology doesn't touch on its citizens, and then this mod from Scaria should be on your list. Information technology gives everyone in the game (including your avatar) a facelift with more than detailed textures that won't kneecap your framerate, without making characters look out of place.

Vanilla Hair Replacer

We can all hold Bethesda's RPGs aren't oftentimes stunners in the pilus department. So many hair mods go carried abroad turning characters into models, though. Vanilla Hair Replacer aims for more lore-friendly changes for Skyrim's default hair choices then NPCs look a less scraggly but however like they hail from Skyrim. Be sure to check the "recommended mods" department of the page to get your characters looking exactly like the ones in the screenshots.

Static Mesh Improvements

While Skyrim Special Edition adds plenty of enhanced visuals, it doesn't practice a thing to meliorate the original game's low-poly meshes. This modern edits hundreds of 3D models placed in thousands of different locations for items like piece of furniture, clutter, architectural elements, and landscape objects to make them look nicer and more realistic.

⭐ Security Overhaul SKSE - Lock Variations

The Security Overhaul Lock Variants and supplemental Security Overhaul Add-Ons mods add a whole bunch of new lock designs for you lot to peer at while you're heroically robbing Skyrim of its every last septim. The locks range from startlingly beautiful to mystically eerie to adequately disgusting, only they're all lore-friendly and wonderfully animated. At that place are even new sound effects to accompany some of the weirder designs.

Glorious Doors of Skyrim

Hear me out. Aside from NPC'south faces, what are you going to accept your nose upwardly against in Skyrim about often? Well yeah, enemies, just also doors! Modder "Hype1" has created lots of new door meshes with glorious 4k textures so y'all'll never be stuck picking the lock on a low-res door again. While you're at it, Book Covers is a mod that will make books every bit beautiful every bit they deserve to exist.

Companions and creatures

Skyrim is an even more than beautiful place cheers to the visual mods and new locations on this list, but you'll want to populate it with interesting people too. These mods add some of our favorite companion characters, and some cool creatures for them to fight too.

Shirley

This companion modernistic is a particularly sweet one, based on pop octogenarian YouTuber Shirley Curry, otherwise known as the "Skyrim Grandma". Created by fans and voiced by Back-scratch herself, the Shirley companion shares Back-scratch'south likeness. Tamriel'due south Shirley has her own lore-appropriate backstory too. After you lot've completed her recruitment quest, Shirley volition bring together y'all, fighting alongside you every bit a barbarian warrior—Curry'southward preferred combat style. Curry has already started playing with the mod herself, which you tin can grab the commencement of in her video series.

Inigo

Maybe you don't think a blue Khajiit who follows you lot around commenting on everything and being sarcastic virtually Lydia is what Skyrim needs, but trust u.s. on this. Inigo has tons of dialogue, some tied to his own questline and more that crops upwardly at appropriate times depending on the location you're at. He can be told where to become and what to do by whistling, and volition follow yous even if you've got an existing companion, chatting away with them thanks to skilfully repurposed voice lines.

Vilja in Skyrim

A sequel to a much-loved Oblivion mod (which Terry Pratchett contributed to), Vilja in Skyrim adds the corking-granddaughter of the original Vilja as a follower. She's an alchemist with her ain questline to follow and a unique organisation to give her orders—essentially spells bound to hotkeys that tin can be used to co-ordinate attacks. Like Inigo she doesn't count toward your follower limit, and if introduced to each other Inigo and Vilja volition even chat amid themselves.

Yennefer of Vengerberg

Volition we ever tire of crossovers between our favorite big RPGs? No, nosotros definitely will not. This follower mod adds a custom-made Yennefer that re-purposes her lines of dialogue from The Witcher iii. She dual wields magic, of grade. Sadly, she isn't eligible for marriage. The aforementioned modder has also fabricated a Ciri follower mod and contributed to mods for Geralt and Triss followers all based on their Wild Hunt selves.

Amazing Follower Tweaks

This extremely pop mod for Oldrim is ane you'll want to catch the Special Edition version of likewise. Information technology lets you micromanage a lot of details most your companions like their gear, how to fight, and which of your many houses to live in.

Convenient Horses

This mod makes having a horse much less of a headache. You lot can have conversations from horseback. You lot can loot and get together herbs while mounted. Your followers tin can even buy and ride their own horses instead of sprinting helplessly behind you.

Diverse Dragons Collection

Despite the Special Edition's visual overhaul, its dragons are nonetheless a bit wearisome. This modernistic, contributed to by a big collection of modders, adds 28 new and unique dragons with different models and textures, and capable of over a dozen new breath attacks and abilities. The dragons come in different ranks as well, to ensure you have a claiming no matter what your level.

Strigoi - Enhanced Vampire Encounters

With Strigoi installed, whenever vampires spawn there'southward a chance to meet some of its new varieties of bloodsucker. These powered-upward undead might turn into bats, throw yous around, or but generally be a lot tougher than regular vampires.

Insects Begone

Why is it e'er spiders in RPGs? Well, it doesn't have to be. Insects Begone replaces all the spiders and chaurus insects with bears and skeevers instead. It also removes decorative spiderwebs and other spider-related decor. If yous tin't deal with all the giant spiders plaguing Skyrim, this mod volition squash them.

Magic, combat, and skills

If existence the Dragonborn isn't enough, these mods give you new abilities to tinker with. Some are mundane skills similar boosted crafting abilities, others are new shouts and spells to play with.

Arcanum: A New Age of Magic

Arcanum is a huge improver to Skyrim'south magic system. It lets you summon tornados and meteors amidst many other feats. Information technology doesn't simply throw all these new skills at you lot as soon as it's installed, though. Arcanum is great for starting a new playthrough of Skyrim with considering unlocking spells is a more than lore-friendly journeying of custom quests, crafting, and adventuring.

Combat Gameplay Overhaul

CGO strikes a dandy balance for those wanting a bit more out of Skyrim's gainsay without turning it into as well much of a fast-paced action game. Information technology adds the ability to dodge roll, which surprisingly looks pretty decent in commencement-person. There's also the ability to switch between i- and 2-handed grips to change how attacks land. Oh, and yous can assault in midair, along with lots of other smaller tweaks.

Modder "DServant" as well created the Archery Gameplay Overhaul which takes a similarly even-handed arroyo to improving bow utilise.

Wildcat - Combat of Skyrim

Wildcat is a much heavier gainsay overhaul, and an extremely pop 1. It makes combat more deadly with increased damage and stamina apply, but that's not all. It also adds an injury arrangement where taking enough damage has a take a chance to requite you a serious injury that could knock y'all down, unequip your weapon, or give you other dangerous effects. Information technology rewards you for properly timed blocks and for attacks of opportunity while enemies are performing other actions too.

For the Thieves Guild and Nighttime Brotherhood members amid usa, Sneak Tools adds extra functionality to beingness skillful at hiding. Instead of only a damage bonus, you tin kill NPCs from behind with daggers, knock them out with fists, and assassinate them while they're sleeping. You tin can douse torches and arrows to better sneak through the shadows and apply a bunch of new arrow types with sneaky benefits.

When you lot're not playing a metal-plated tank, there's less use for smithing. Archers, thieves, and other stealthy characters take no issues finding light armor on their adventures, so there's never been much reason to arrive themselves. This mod by Arthmoor gives slippery sorts reasons to acquire smithing past letting them forge arrows, lockpicks, and guild-specific armor, likewise every bit melt down bulkier armor they'd never really wear into ingots.

Roleplaying, survival, and immersion

Roleplaying and immersion mods are all aimed at making Skyrim Special Edition feel merely a bit more existent.

No NPC Greetings - Reduced Range Greetings

Sick of NPCs repeating the same catchphrase from across the street every time they see you? Sick of guards commenting on your all-time skills, which they somehow know all about merely by looking at you—even Sneak? This mod has a few options for fixing the event, whether you desire to reduce the altitude these barks trigger at, or go rid of them altogether.

Simply Knock SE

Sometimes you lot don't want to break into someone's home and have the local guard after y'all. Instead of lockpicking, this mod gives you lot the pick to just, yous know, knock on the door. If someone is home they might reply, giving yous the option to earn entry with your speech abilities. If they don't answer, then get your lockpicks out. (If this mod causes crashes later on the Ceremony Edition update, bank check the sticky post at the top of this page for a solution.)

Alternate Starting time - Live Another Life

If you're playing Special Edition, you're starting from scratch whether you're a newcomer to Skyrim or a veteran. Why not start your new game equally someone other than the Dragonborn? Alternate Start—again, by Arthmoor—is a roleplaying mod that gives yous choices on how you'd like to begin your next playthrough. Are you a patron at in inn, a company arriving by boat, a prisoner in a jail cell, or a member of a society? You can showtime equally a soldier, an outlaw, a hunter, even a vampire. It's a great way to re-experience Skyrim from a different perspective, and skip the tutorial while y'all're at it.

Open Cities

Information technology'due south a piddling immersion-breaking to enter a urban center through a gate and meet a loading screen. Open up Cities aims for more than of a Morrowind feel: the cities aren't instances, they're function of the larger globe. Stroll right in—or ride in on horseback—without a break in your experience, and these cities will feel more than like real places than loaded-in maps.

Opening Scene Overhaul

This mod, by elderscrolliangamer, changes and enhances Skyrim'due south opening sequence by restoring dialogue that Bethesda chose to cut, but which is nevertheless present in the game files. With that content restored, you'll learn more about the world you're preparing to inhabit by listening in on additional conversations and seeing full sequences that were snipped before release. All-time of all, if you choose to side with the Stormcloaks, you lot'll actually be able to escape Helgen with Ulfric himself at your side.

Human relationship Dialogue Overhaul

This mod by cloudedtruth adds thousands of lines of voiced dialogue for NPCs to make y'all experience similar you have a closer and more personal relationship with followers and friends. Your spouse will no longer sound like a random follower, but address you in a more personal manner, and those you've angered will accept a host of new insults to bung your way.

Frostfall and Bivouac

Looking to turn SSE into a survival experience without having to rely on the Creation Gild's survival style? Then bundle up and wait no further. These mods from Chesko brand the frosty globe of Skyrim more dangerous more immersive and enjoyable with a system that makes you manage your temperature in the cold climate. Hypothermia is an issue, especially if you swim through icy water, and then you'll have to dress warmly, and camping elements include craftable tents, torches, and other gear. There'due south even a crafting skill system.

Likewise, check out Wet and Common cold, which adds conditions-dependent visual effects and sounds.

⭐ Survival Command Panel

If you do want to stick with the Creation Guild survival mode, perhaps because you lot got it as role of the Anniversary Edition, this control console will let you modify how it works. You can plow on and off options like whether you need to slumber to level up, as well as modifying the warmth rating of clothes, including cloaks if you lot've got a modern that adds those.

Positive Undressed Reactions

What could possibly exist more immersive than walking around in your underclothes and being lavished with compliments by strangers? OK, possibly information technology'south non that immersive but it is a fun one. On height of that, this mod likewise uses a very cool new AI-based voice synthesis tool called SKVA Synth to create some of its vocalization lines.