Like other Bethesda games, Starfield also has a huge modding community that provides quality-of-life upgrades to straight-up no-brainer additions.
Do note that you can always use cheats and console commands to customize and tailor your Starfield experience how you see fit.
However, there are some things that even cheats cannot do. For that, you are going to need the best mods in Starfield.
From changing the outlook of your menu, and running the game on 120FPS, to removing the stamina and Credit limits, there is hardly anything you can not do with mods.
If you do not know where to start, let us guide you through how to install and use the best available mods in Starfield.
How to install mods in Starfield
With Starfield’s giant moded community, there are many resources you can use to mod the game. We suggest using the most trustable one NexusMods and their own Mod Launcher Vortex.
The benefit of using these is that the community upvotes the best ones and can share their feedback on game-breaking ones so you will know what you are getting into beforehand.
Please note before using mods to make sure they will not break your game which can make you lose all the progress so far.
Certain mods will activate Starfield’s Mod mode which disables achievements so if you are an achievement hunter make sure to use something to avoid that.
Additionally, ensure that the mods you are going to install are compatible with your device as well as other mods you are using.
Mods downloaded through Nexus Mods generally have a compatibility section that states any mods that it is incompatible with. Lastly, this method works if you have Steam access only.
Now that disclaimers are out of the way, let’s look into how you can install mods in Starfield.
Head over to the NexusMods website and make an account to download a mod of your choice. You can download each mod manually with the instructions provided by the creator but the problem is that you will have to keep track of what they work with or not by yourself.
It is a tiring process, to say the least, but thankfully there is a Mod Manager called Vortex that does that for you and is already connected to NexusModds.
It will allow you to keep the mods in one place, share which ones work together, and also enable, disable, update, and uninstall them as you see fit. To use it just download it from the NexusMods website under the Get Mods tab and connect it to the same account.
To get mods in Vortex, simply click the mod you want to download and click the Vortex button next to its name. It will be automatically downloaded and added to your Vortex app for viewing.
Lastly, if you do not want to download each mod manually, you can download available collections for Starfield which will include a bundle of mods that you can later edit through Vortex.
Best mods to install right now in Starfield
If you want to install mods in Starfield, here is a compiled list of the best 20 unique Mods that you can get to improve your gaming experience.
Achievement Enabler
If you are an achievement hunter or simply trying out new things, Achievement Enabler will help you get those pesky hard-to-get badges that dampen the experience.
It is the first mod you should download simply because it will not disable achievements while using other mods.
Typically, when you use Console Commands in Starfield, your current save will be tagged modded, disabling the achievements. Using the Achievement Enabler Mod prevents it from doing so.
We suggest saving your files before trying out the Mod so as to not lose any progress in case the mod interferes with it.
Better Sprint Costs
Sprint Cost in Starfield is indicated by the Oxygen you have left in your system, the white meter on the bottom left menu.
It is an interesting mechanic that adds to the gameplay but having no other means of commuting on ground level, it becomes exhausting to manage.
Better Sprint Cost Mod allows you to adjust the Oxygen cost of your sprint. It has multiple options ranging from 25% to 100% decrease so you can choose the version you are looking for.
While others significantly reduce the stamina cost, the 100% version will completely remove the mechanic making Sprinting free.
BetterHUD
Starfield’s menu is actually pretty decent compared to other games with this level of complexity. It can however become cluttered and distract you from what you were actually looking for.
BetterHUD changes the XP indicator location to not obstruct your vision and allows you to make alterations to your Dot Crosshairs, Enemy Health bars, and Hit Markers to name a few.
Note that it is incompatible with other HUD-changing mods like Tactical Crosshair, Removed Hit Markers, Move or Disable XP Bar, and No Enemy Healthbars so make sure to read the updated compatibility sections as provided by the Mod Owners.
Cleanfield (No Intro Videos)
Starfield has a lot going on in its menus, the Mods are trying to make it a little better for the general player base.
Cleanfield Mod, as the name suggests, cleans out Starfield’s main menu. From disabling Logos and intro videos to Epilepsy and Seizure Warnings.
It allows you to remove a lot of settings you deem unnecessary. It also includes Vortex and MO2 Support if you are looking for the option in other mods.
Dark Mode for Terminals
Starfield offers a lot of darker menus as default but most of the content is displayed on a blinding bright screen.
For those with light sensitivity issues or who simply prefer a darker appearance of the game, Dark Mode for Terminals is an excellent mod to look into.
It makes Kiosks, startups, and Terminals use the dark theme and can support the Large Menu Fonts under the Accessibility Tab in Options.
It is a work in progress and will include the Mission Boards, icons and more so be on the lookout if you are into that as well.
Easy Digipick (Lockpick)
Starfield has a lock-pick mini-game that allows you to access doors, terminals, computers, and much more during your play-through.
The locks can range from Novice to Advanced difficulty and you can even invest Skill Points into it to get into locked content.
Sure you can learn to use Digipick locks in Starfield but it won’t make the process anymore easier.
Easy Digipick (Lockpick) Mod allows you to simplify the whole procedure making quick work of these mini-games. Additionally, it scales with your perks so it won’t hinder your experience within the game.
Easy Speech
Passing the Persuasion Checks in Starfield is a challenge most would like to avoid. To persuade the NPCs you will need to make the correct choices to fill in the Persuasion bar.
If you fail to complete it, you won’t get another chance and will have to use whatever alternative route the game provides.
Easy Speech Mod allows you to adjust the Speech Checks according to what you are looking for.
If you want to make a slight improvement you can use the Easy option and with the Hard option will be able to bypass it completely.
If this particular process is ruining your Starfield experience, Easy Speech Mod will streamline the process for you.
Enhanced Dialogue Interface
Another Mod for Starfield’s Interface but this time it targets the dialogue boxes specifically. The speech boxes are pretty typical and in a generic subtitle style for readability and text clarity.
If you want to add some aesthetic value to your conversations than look into Enhanced Dialogue Interface Mod.
It has multiple modes that can allow you to change the text background, fonts, font color, and even font alignment.
It also has presets available with the option of customizations so feel free to experiment and tailor the Starfield experience to yourself.
Experimental Combat and Stealth AI Overhauls
Starfield’s enemy AI is decent but most times it lacks the punch that gives you the satisfaction of killing an enemy.
The gaps in combat leave a lot more to be desired but don’t worry as there is a Mod available that can make the experience much more immersive.
Experimental Combat and Stealth AI Overhauls Mod makes the necessary changes to the enemy and even the companion’s AI to make them smarter.
It makes the enemy aware of their low health, directing them to be more careful while encountering you, alerts surrounding enemies if a dead body is spotted, and even makes them prioritize moving in groups.
We believe it should have been part of the game but are glad that there is something to fill in the gaps left in the combat department.
Icon Sorting Tags – Starfield Edition
Starfield is a loot goblin’s oasis with so much to look for and take back to your treasure hoards, that it becomes a little difficult to keep track of everything.
There is nothing to indicate the purpose, rarity, and use of an item in the main menu, and requires you to either interact with it or use another source to find its usability.
Icon Sorting Tags – Starfield Edition Mod adds a unique touch to the Inventory UI that adds icons, glyphs, and short descriptions to all items in Starfield.
You can see if they can be crafted into something, their quality, what abilities they provide and their effects among much more. The items described in the Mod include weapons, armor cargo, etc.
The best thing is that it supports all the languages that Starfield supports so you don’t have to restrict yourself to any language for the mod.
Intensefield
This is another best mod that targets combat in Starfield, particularly the unsatisfying AI and squishy enemies.
To raise the stakes, Intensefield Mod can not only increase the health and damage of the enemies but make you take more damage as well.
You can change damage multipliers, increase their damage per level, and even increase the detection cone from the normal 160 to 190 degrees.
It makes the game extremely hard so make sure you are not starting out without any prior experience or upgrades.
More Subtle Scanner Sounds
When you pull out your hand scanner in Starfield, it makes a high-pitched noise that can be irritating considering how much you will use the scanner.
There are 45 scanner sounds and a lot of them have high-pitched frequency which created the problem in the first place.
More Subtle Scanner Sounds Mod replaces the default menu sounds for the scanner with less subtle ones that don’t cause irritation or pain while using the tool.
Neutral LUTs – No Color Filters
While playing Starfield you might have noticed that certain areas of the game have blue or green tints for the cinematic feel Bethesda was going for. It adds to the experience but can cause the blacks to fade out and also affect visibility in some areas.
Neutral LUTs – No Color Filters Mod simply removes the color filters applied giving it a more natural tone.
It can create an excellent viewing experience if you like to play on the big screen making the blacks deeper and the lighting more natural.
Another great thing is that it does not require any pre-installs to function so you will only need the file you download.
Scanner Encumbrance Display
The simplest additions can have the biggest impacts. The bottom left menu while playing Starfield, highlights the important things you need to keep track of like the O2 levels, your location, temperature, gravity, etc. The one thing it is missing is how much mass you are carrying.
Scanner Encumbrance Display Mod makes this quality of life change in Starfield where it displays the Inventory Space on the circular menu. It displays the mass in place of the gravity indicator and combines it with the Temperature on the left side.
Encumbrance is something you will frequently deal with as looting is an integral part of the game so with the Inventory Space displayed up front just saves the extra steps.
Ship Skip
Starfield covers a huge premise where you will be required to move around planets, and galaxies and board onto spaceports and space stations. All of these activities have animations that do take a little time but can get in the way especially if you are moving around too much.
Ship Skip Mod will remove the docking, undocking, landing, and takeoff animations in Starfield making the process much faster. When you click to take-off or dock, it skips over the cut-scenes and you will resume directly to gameplay.
Smooth Ship Reticle (120FPS Smooth UI)
Despite the scale of the game, Starfield runs at 30fps only which can make certain areas not run that smoothly. The difference is there but you adjust it too quickly and hardly notice the lower refresh rate.
Certain areas where the difference is pretty visible are the menu screen and other UI. Smooth Ship Reticle Mod will basically boost this lower refresh rate up to 120 FPS across the board.
This will allow the interface to run quickly and smoothly, with little problems. It however requires you to install mod managers like Vortex to function so keep that in mind if you are going to install it.
Starfield Upscaler
Starfield despite its size is not the most system-optimized game out there. With demanding console and PC requirements, it can definitely benefit from performance enhancers for sure.
Starfield Upscaler replaces the FSR2 image optimizer with the DLSS/XeSS one in Starfield. This will allow you to put the Intel and NVidia processors to good use.
Please note that DLSS3 is not supported by the plugin and RTX cards are required to make the shift.
StarUI Inventory
Going back to the Inventory Mods in Starfield, if you don’t want to add anything new to the already cluttered view then it would help you to just make everything more compact.
With so much to look at in the inventory screen, finding the right item takes time and frankly can be a bit annoying.
The StarUI Inventory Mod makes it so that the items in your inventory are displayed in compact tabular form in Starfield.
Let it be clear, this is easily the best mod you can install right now for Starfield. The display contains their names on one side with stats and other details in the columns in front making everything not only visible but more accessible.
You will be able to compare the stats of multiple items at once without needing to make one-on-one comparisons.
The best thing is that certain keys will be able to perform specific functions like navigation, transfer, and buying or selling items. It will run at a higher refresh rate with language compatibility for all available Starfield languages.
Undelayed Menus
It is surprising how animation canceling or removal is not a default option in Starfield considering how many Mods cater to these issues.
As the name suggests, Undelayed Menus Mod removes the loading animation for tasks in Starfield. This will enhance responsiveness and generally improve the user experience and menu delays.
Unlimited Traders
The thing is that buyers and sellers have a trading limit that they will not cross, making you wait around or look for another trader in the area.
To deal with this you can use the Unlimited Trader Mod which can remove the threshold limit for Traders in Starfield.
It refreshes the Credits and the items of certain traders in the game as there are too many to account for. All the Trade Authority, Well Work, and New Atlantis ones can be modified using this, the rest may or may not have this option.
