If you ask a question you're only stupid once, so....

[Wulybugher]

When you launch Skyrim there is a Data Files Option and I could activate my mods there. Now the question. How do you activate your mods for Fallout 4?

 

[joemitchell320]

using a mod manager or the in-game mods menu

[Athanasa]

You're not stupid for asking, you're brave. The stupid option is when you've identified the lack of required knowledge... And then done nothing about it.

 

Joe's answer is both correct and incorrect. Mod managers help to download mods (in-game menu seems to rely on Bethesda.net or something, never used it myself) but there are also numerous other steps required to get mods to actually activate.

 

I'm pretty sure there were some .ini edits to make, and a while back you had to prefix every mod in the loadorder with a * as well. I'm not sure what the required settings are currently, so you're probably better off quickly googling "how to enable modding in FO4".

[Genaxx]

The manual way like Athanasa said;

 

After you have downloaded your mods and put them in the Data folder go to;

 

C:\Users\_____\AppData\Local\Fallout4\Plugins.txt

 

Right click and uncheck read only on that file then edit it to add any esp files you have to the list like so;

 

# This file is used by Fallout4 to keep track of your downloaded content.

# Please do not modify this file.

*ArmorKeywords.esm

*Homemaker.esm

*AWKCRPatch-UFO4P.esp

*Armorsmith Extended.esp

*CROSS_CosmeticFramework.esm

*TrueStormsFO4.esm

*NPCScaling.esm

*DarkerNights-TrueStorms.esp

*DarkerNightsDetection.esp

*Fr4nssonsLightTweaks.esp

The * before the name of the esp will enable it.

After your done, save and set back to read only.

Edited February 8, 2017 by Genaxx