Disabling Mods in Skyrim on Steam: The Ultimate Troubleshooting Guide

As a passionate Skyrim modder with over 1000 hours dedicated to enhancing and troubleshooting the game, I‘ve learned a few key techniques for disabling mods when issues arise. Whether subscribed via Steam Workshop or manually installed, this comprehensive guide will empower you to get flawless control over any mod in Skyrim Special Edition.

Step-by-Step Instructions to Disable Mods

First, let‘s cover the basics of quickly disabling a mod using the Data Files menu:

Here is the simple process to toggle mods on and off:

1. Launch Skyrim through Steam and wait for the game‘s launcher window to load
2. Click on the "Data Files" section on the right side
3. Search and browse for the specific mods (ESP/ESM files) you wish to disable
4. Uncheck the box next to the mod to disable it
5. Confirm and launch the game!

This will instantly prevent that mod from loading but keep it installed for later. Repeat to disable multiple mods contributing to crashes or conflicts.

Fully Removing Steam Workshop Mods

If you subscribed to mods via the Steam Workshop, then the above steps only disable; they do not fully remove the files. To delete a Workshop mod entirely:

1. Open Steam desktop client
2. Navigate to Workshop > Your Workshop Files > Subscribed Items
3. Locate the desired mod and select Unsubscribe
4. Confirm removal of all associated files

This will unsubscribe and permanently wipe the mod if you wish to start fresh. Repeat for multiple problematic Workshop mods.

Manually Removing Mods

For mods installed manually outside of Steam (perhaps from NexusMods), disabling via Data Files won‘t delete anything either. You‘ll need to manually locate and remove their files.

Here‘s how to fully delete manual mod installations:

1. Open your File Explorer and navigate to Steam\SteamApps\common\Skyrim Special Edition\Data
2. Search for and delete any loose files or folders associated with the mod
3. Alternatively, delete the entire Data folder to wipe all mods, then reverify integrity
4. Launch Skyrim via Steam to redownload clean files

And that‘s it! With those steps you have full control to enable, disable, or permanently remove any Steam or manual mods that are causing instability.

Pro Tips for Managing Mods

With hundreds of hours modding Skyrim, I‘ve compiled some key learnings around mod management:

• Use Vortex or Mod Organizer 2 over manually installing mods. This will handle load order, conflicts, profiles and more!
• Check Skyrim SE Modding Subreddit for compatiblity and troubleshooting when CTDs or issues emerge
• Verify Skyrim files via Steam after removing mods to restore altered game assets
• Update SKSE and dependent mods after every Skyrim patch to avoid version mismatches!

Most Popular Skyrim Mods 2023
+---------------------------------------+----------------+
| Name                                  | Compatibility  |  
+---------------------------------------+----------------+
| Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch| All versions   |
| SkyUI                                 | Latest SKSE    |   
| Ordinator                              | Mostly         |
| Immersive Armors                       | Patch Needed   |
| Alternate Start                       | Be Careful!    |
+---------------------------------------+----------------+

Table 1. Top Mods and Compatibility as of Jan 2023

These tools and resources empower you to use mods safely. I can‘t play Skyrim without them! Over time, you will learn best practices that make modding as easy as playing vanilla.

Now enjoy your fresh mod setup and never hesitate to disable or remove those causing chaos. Here‘s to a stable and glorious game! Let me know if any issues persist.