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Modding:Installing SMAPI on Android

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Revision as of 16:25, 20 October 2024 by imported>Pathoschild (rewrite page to reflect SMAPI no longer working with newer versions of the game)
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Player's guide to using mods

This page explains how to install SMAPI (the tool which lets you use mods) on Android.

See instructions for: Linux • macOS • Steam Deck • Windows.

Install

Mods are poorly supported on Android and may be a frustrating experience.
To play with mods, installing Stardew Valley on a PC platform instead is strongly recommended (Linux, macOS, Steam Deck, or Windows).

The main issues are:

  1. SMAPI on Android only works up to Stardew Valley 1.5.6.39, and hasn't been updated since then. You can't legally download an older version of the game, so you can't get help doing it in any official community (including Discord, Reddit, or the forums).
  2. You'll also need older versions of mods compatible with Stardew Valley 1.5.6 (see FAQs below), and many newer mods won't work.
  3. Even mod versions for Stardew Valley 1.5.6 may not work on Android, due to differences between the Android and PC versions of the game.
  4. Newer Android versions have stricter storage policies which make accessing the files much more difficult.
  5. As of the upcoming Stardew Valley 1.6: modding unfortunately becomes even more difficult.
    1. The game now uses ahead-of-time compilation (AOT). This matches the game on iOS and nearly doubles performance, but means many mods may no longer be possible (including core frameworks like SMAPI and Content Patcher).
    2. Reinstalling the game or installing SMAPI will delete your saves, so you need to manually back up and restore them each time.

If you really want to use mods on Android, good luck! You can check the tracking ticket in the SMAPI for Android repository for discussion.

FAQs

Why is there a separate SMAPI for Android?

The Android version of the game is very custom compared to other platforms, so the official version of SMAPI isn't compatible. There's a port of SMAPI to Android developed by MartyrPher and later ZaneYork (see main source code and installer source code). It supports most SMAPI mods and content packs (including framework mods like Content Patcher, Farm Type Manager, Json Assets, and PyTK), but some mods may not be compatible.

How do I find the version of a mod which works on Android?

Since you need to use an older version of the game, you'll need older versions of many mods too. Here's how to find a compatible version for most mods:

  1. Try the latest version.
  2. From the Nexus mod page, click the Files tab to find all available versions.
  3. Under "Main Files" and "Optional Files", try the latest file which...
    • says it's for Android;
    • or says it's for Stardew Valley 1.5.6 or earlier;
    • or says it's for SMAPI 3.7.6 or earlier;
    • or was uploaded before 19 March 2024.
  4. Under "Old Files" (if present):
    1. Change the sort to "Date Uploaded" and "Desc".
    2. Try the latest file using the rules from step 3.
  5. Check the archived files (if any):
    1. If there's a "File Archive" button at the bottom of the page, click it.
    2. Try the latest file which matches the rules from step 3. (You can use this script to add download links.)
  6. If you didn't find a matching file, try checking the mod comments or posting a new comment there.

See a very incomplete list of working Android mods.

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