Skyui Skse64 installation guide

Overview

A guided set of steps for installing SKSE64 and SkyUI, as well as instructions for launching Skyrim with SKSE64. This guide was last updated on May 31, 2024.

Skyrim 1.6.117x Notes

Skyrim was updated by Bethesda to version 1.6.1170 on January 17, 2024. A number of changes to key mods must be made to address the updates made by Bethesda for both the Steam and GOG editions:

1. SKSE must be updated to version 2.2.6 for the Steam edition of the game. GOG users must update to version 2.2.6 for the GOG edition of the game
2. Use the latest version of USSEP if you use this mod.
3. Add the Quest Journal Fix for SkyUI to address changes to the menu structure by Bethesda
4. Update any dll-based SKSE plugins to 1.6.117x versions. Mods that have not been updated must be disabled.
5. If using Engine Fixes (or any other SKSE plugin that requires Address Library), Address Library must be updated to the 1.6.117x version. Also make sure to use Engine Fixes Part 1 version 6.2.

Before You Start

There are a few important things to know before doing anything, especially if you are new to modding:

1. There is no direct dependency between SkyUI and the game version itself, only on a correctly installed working version of SKSE64. This means that SkyUI 5.2 is compatible with ALL versions of the game, as long as the appropriate version of SKSE64 is installed correctly. 99% of problems with SkyUI are due to an incorrect SKSE64 installation, not SkyUI itself. If you are new to modding, please visit Gopher's introduction to SKSE64 and introduction to SkyUI on YouTube.
2. SKSE does not support Epic or Game Pass editions of Skyrim. Only Steam and GOG editions are supported.
3. Understand now that once the following installation steps have been completed, the way the game is launched will change. Steam users will no longer use the Skyrim SE page to launch the game and instead use the SKSE64 launcher. SkyUI will not function if the Steam launcher is used. More information on how to launch the game with SKSE64 and SkyUI in STEP FOUR below.
4. There is much confusion and misinformation over “SE” vs “AE” with the release of the “Anniversary Edition” of Skyrim SE (v1.6.x of the game). The "SE" vs. "AE" marketing-speak is not important, but the game version number is. You will now need to be careful which version number of the game is installed, so that the correct version of SKSE64 is downloaded. Since Steam can update the game in the background, don’t assume you know which version of Skyrim you have installed. More in STEP ONE below.
5. Discontinuing the manual installation of mods to the /Data directory is highly recommended. Installing mods manually is error prone and is not supported in these instructions.
6. Discontinuing the use of the in-game (Bethesda) Mods menu is highly recommended as it will disable SkyUI anytime it is opened in game. If you do continue using it, you must install the SkyUI 5.2 SE Plugin with Master Added for SkyUI to function reliably. This is detailed in STEP THREE below.
7. Beginning the use of a modern mod manager like Vortex or Mod Organizer 2 (MO2) instead of the in-game Mods menu is highly recommended. Once using a mod manager, there is no need to ever open the in-game Mods menu. Vortex also makes installing SKSE64 much easier and less likely it will be installed incorrectly.
   • Vortex can be downloaded here. Vortex Tutorial.
   • MO2 can be downloaded here. MO2 Tutorial.
8. Because SKSE64 must write to the directory path where it is installed, it is highly recommended that the Steam library be installed to a path that does not include /Program Files (x86). /Program Files (x86) is a Windows UAC protected directory that can interfere with the functioning of SKSE. Directions for moving the Steam library can be found here.
9. If you don't have software that can extract .7z archives, download and install a package now. WinRAR and 7-Zip are both good (free) options.

Step One / Downloading SKSE64

1. The first step is understanding which version number of Skyrim is installed so the correct version of SKSE64 is downloaded:
   • For the Steam Edition: Open the Steam game page for Skyrim SE, select the Gear icon > Manage > Browse Local Files. It will open the game folder to /steamapps/common/Skyrim Special Edition/
   • For the GOG Edition: Open the folder where Skyrim was installed, by default set to /GOG Games/Skyrim Anniversary Edition/
   • Open the properties of SkyrimSE.exe, then navigate to the Details tab where it displays the game version. Write the game version number down, you will need to remember it.
2. Navigate your browser to https://skse.silverlock.org/
3. Download the SKSE64 .7z archive that matches the game version discovered in Step 1 and save it to the desktop:
   • Game version 1.6.1179 = SKSE64 2.2.6 for GOG (see notes for MO2 below)
   • Game version 1.6.1170 = SKSE64 2.2.6 for Steam
   • Game version 1.6.659 = SKSE64 2.2.3 for GOG (found on the silverlock “archived builds” page)
   • Game version 1.6.640 = SKSE64 2.2.3 for Steam (found on the silverlock “archived builds” page)
   • Game version 1.5.97 = SKSE64 2.0.20 (see notes below).

NOTES: From now on, any SKSE64 plugins installed must also match the game version number identified in Step 1, or crashes and other undesirable behavior will occur. For example, the mod MCM Helper requires the version that matches the game version number; if the incorrect version of MCM Helper is installed, issues in SkyUI will result.

If using Mod Organizer 2 with the GOG edition of Skyrim, install the GOG plugin for MO2.

If 2.0.20 presents any issues, use 2.0.17 from the silverlock "archived builds" page. 2.0.20 is considered stable but in some rare instances (most likely a conflict or interaction with a particular mod) a CTD could result. 2.0.17 is the stable fallback version of SKSE64 for 1.5.97 if there are any issues with 2.0.20.

Step Two / Installing SKSE64

There are two options for installing SKSE64 depending on whether the Vortex mod manager is being used:

Installing with Vortex

1. Drag and drop the SKSE64 .7z archive downloaded in STEP ONE to the Mods tab in Vortex, then Install, Enable and Deploy
2. SKSE64 is installed!

Installing without Vortex

1. Extract the SKSE64 .7z archive downloaded in STEP ONE to a folder on the desktop then open the folder.
2. Open the Skyrim root game folder:
   • For the Steam Edition: Go to the Steam game page for Skyrim SE, select the Gear icon > Manage > Browse Local Files. It will open the game folder to /steamapps/common/Skyrim Special Edition/
   • For the GOG Edition: Open the folder where Skyrim was installed, by default set to /GOG Games/Skyrim Anniversary Edition/
3. Copy and paste the following items from the extracted SKSE64 archive folder directly into the opened Skyrim root game folder (the folder containing SkyrimSE.exe). Select “Yes” when Windows asks if you want to overwrite. DO NOT copy the below items to the /Data directory in the root game folder.
   • The /Data folder (IMPORTANT: 99% of install problems are due to not properly copying this folder to the Skyrim root game directory)
   • All files with .dll extensions (NOTE: older versions of SKSE64 included skse64_steam_loader.dll, but newer versions no longer require it)
   • skse64_loader.exe
4. SKSE64 is installed!

IMPORTANT NOTE: Many guides recommend typing getskseversion in the console to verify SKSE64 is installed. This is NOT a reliable way to verify SKSE64 is installed, as the SKSE version number will display even if the SKSE64 /Data folder was not properly copied to the root game directory. Only carefully and correctly performing the steps above will guarantee a correct installation of SKSE64.

Step Three / Installing SkyUI

1. Download SkyUI 5.2 from the Nexus page and install using Vortex or MO2.
2. Installing the SkyUI 5.2 SE Plugin with Master Added is recommended to address any issues with the Bethesda Mods menu for those who use it. Again, it is highly recommended a modern mod manager like Vortex or MO2 is used instead of the in-game Mods menu. Be sure to overwrite the SkyUI esp with the corrected version.
3. The Quest Journal Fix for SkyUI is mandatory for game version 1.6.117x
4. Optional but recommended fixes (install with your mod manager):
   • Flashing Savegame Fix
   • Fix Note Icon for SkyUI
   • SkyUI Ghost Item Bug Fix
   • SkyUI Survival Mode Integration
   • Complete Widescreen Fix for Vanilla and SkyUI 2.2 and 5.2 SE
   • Clean Menu (to remove the option for the in-game mod menu from the startup)
5. SkyUI is installed!

Step Four / Launching Skyrim with SKSE64 and SkyUI

1. From now on, skse64_loader.exe must be used to launch the game. Steam users must have Steam open in the background before launching via skse64_loader.exe, or the old Steam launcher will open, which will in turn launch the game without SKSE64 and SkyUI. You may want to consider adding Steam to your startup programs so that it is always open in the background.
2. The options for starting the game via skse64_loader.exe:
   • Double-click the skse64_loader.exe icon in the Skyrim game folder
   • Create a shortcut on the desktop to skse64_loader.exe
   • Add skse64_loader.exe as a non-Steam game (to launch from the Steam app)
   • Add a shortcut to skse64_loader.exe in Vortex or MO2 (recommended)
3. Enjoy Skyrim!

IMPORTANT NOTE: When launching Skyrim with SKSE64 and SkyUI for the first time, be sure to allow all the menus in the MCM to register. This should take only a minute or two, but if for whatever reason registration is slow, type into the console: setstage SKI_ConfigManagerInstance 1

Troubleshooting

I am getting Error Code 1....
Either SKSE64 was not installed correctly, or the game was not started with skse64_loader.exe and Steam open in the background. Please read and follow the above steps carefully.

I am not seeing any changes in game for SkyUI...
Either SKSE64 was not installed correctly, or the game was not started with skse64_loader.exe and Steam open in the background. Please read and follow the above steps carefully.

SkyUI stopped working....
The in-game (Bethesda) Mods menu was opened, which disables SkyUI. Install the SkyUI 5.2 SE Plugin with Master Added.

I have slow opening menus...
This is likely due to one of two reasons:

1. The SKSE64 /Data folder was not correctly installed to the root game directory (the directory containing SkyrimSE.exe), which has resulted in the SKSE64 scripts not being found by SkyUI. You'll know you made this common manual SKSE64 installation mistake if you see /Data/Data/scripts in your folders. Please see STEP TWO above.
2. Some other mod is overwriting one or more of the scripts in the SkyUI_SE.bsa. If this is the case, either uninstall the conflicting mod or extract the bsa's to resolve the loose file conflicts.

I am missing previews when I hover over inventory items...
Check to see if you have the mod MCM Helper installed, and if so, install the correct version of the mod for the game version number discovered in STEP ONE.

I am missing some mods in the MCM...
Type into the console: setstage SKI_ConfigManagerInstance 1. Also check to see if any installed mods require MCM Helper. If so, install the correct version of that mod for the game version discovered in STEP ONE above.

I am experiencing issues with SkyUI and the GOG edition of Skyrim...
If using Mod Organizer 2 with the GOG edition of Skyrim, be sure to install the GOG plugin for MO2.

I am getting errors about the wrong version of SKSE64 plugins...
A version of SKSE64 and/or one or more SKSE64 plugins that do not match the game version number was installed. See STEP ONE above to discover the game version number, and then install the correct versions of the mods. To discover which plugins need fixing, open the skse64.log which can be found in \Documents\My Games\Skyrim Special Edition\SKSE\ and review any lines with errors. If the error is reporting SKSE64 is the incorrect version, please follow the above installation steps carefully.

For more info on SkyUI Error Codes, please see the SkyUI Troubleshooting Page