01Start from the Lethal Company community
Every r2modman Lethal Company package should come from thunderstore.io/c/lethal-company/, the community the manager reads for metadata and downloads. With the game selected, the Online tab shows each package's description, download count, upvote rating, and dependencies before you commit to anything. The package carrying the blue Pinned tag on the Online tab is the loader pack — BepInEx-BepInExPack — and the version popup that opens after you click Download offers Download with dependencies, which pulls in the requirements a package declares. Install the loader first and launch once so configuration files are generated, then add content. A plain Steam launch runs the unmodded game by design, so a vanilla-looking lobby after installing mods is expected rather than broken.
02Split the list into client-side and lobby-wide
Lethal Company sessions are hosted by one player, so a mod that only one person installed is the fastest way to waste an evening. Sort the group's packages into two piles. Client-side covers interface, audio, and personal convenience changes that alter nothing for anyone else. Lobby-wide covers anything touching spawns, enemies, items, quotas, or networking, and those must be identical on every machine, host included. Ask the host which profile they intend to run and build to that list instead of adding favourites on top. Write the split where the group can see it, because assumptions about which side needs a package cause most failed joins.
03Share one profile instead of a folder of files
Open Settings → Profile → Export profile and press As a code for a short string you can paste into a group chat, or As a file for a .r2z archive you can store and send. Either produces the same result on import. The recipient uses Import profile on the profile selection screen; importing as a new profile lets them rename it, while updating an existing profile replaces its contents and removes anything installed by hand. Manually installed and locally imported mods are never included on import, so anything not published to the community needs its own instructions and its own version note.
04Recover after a Lethal Company game update
A game patch can leave the loader and its dependent packages behind, and the symptom is often a crash or a lobby that loads without mods. Keep the profile export that was working, import it into a separate test profile with Import / Update on the profile selection screen, and update the loader there first. Launch with the loader alone, then re-add shared dependencies, and only then the content packages, launching between each step. If the test profile fails, the working export is untouched and the group can keep playing on the previous version while packages catch up. Record the versions you settle on so the set can be rebuilt later.
05Diagnose the client that cannot join
When one player cannot connect, compare four things on that machine against the host: the game build, the enabled packages in Installed, the package versions, and any config values the group relies on. Then reduce the host and the failing client to the same minimal profile containing only the loader and one shared package. If that works, restore packages in matching batches on both sides until the failure returns. Confirm the failing machine launched through Start modded and that Settings → Directories matches the folder Steam opens from Browse local files, because a wrong path can look exactly like a connection problem.
06Clean up without destroying a working profile
Before deleting anything, use Settings → Directories → Data and profile folders → Browse to see what the manager actually stores. Downloads are cached and shared across profiles, which is why a fresh profile installs quickly; clearing that cache only means packages must be fetched again, and it is not a substitute for a profile export. To isolate a broken package, disable it in Installed and launch, rather than removing several at once. Keep a profile with no packages for comparison, then re-enable packages one at a time until the problem returns. Avoid clearing cached data and editing profiles in the same troubleshooting step, since that discards the evidence you need.
✦ Frequently asked questions
Common questions, answered directly.
Do all Lethal Company players need r2modman?
Not for client-side packages. A shared profile is the simplest way to keep lobby-wide packages and their versions identical across a group, because the export carries names and versions rather than loose files. Anyone joining a modded host usually needs the required set, so align on one export before the session.
Why does my lobby look unmodded?
Check that you used Start modded rather than the normal Steam entry point, that the loader is switched on in Installed, and that Settings → Directories points at the real install. Then launch once and read the first entry in the loader log (Settings → Debugging → Copy log to clipboard); the first error is normally the useful one.
Can I keep two different packs for two groups?
Yes, and separate profiles are the safer way to do it. Each profile keeps its own packages, versions, and enabled state, so switching groups is a profile switch rather than a reinstall. Export both so either one can be rebuilt quickly after an update.
Does a profile export include manually installed mods?
No. Manually installed and locally imported packages are not included on import, even though they are present in the profile that was exported. Anyone who needs those must install them separately at the version your group is using, and check the package licence before redistributing any files.
What should I do before a big update?
Export the working profile as a code or .r2z file, note the package versions, and test the update in a second profile rather than in the one your group plays on. If that profile misbehaves, delete it and keep playing on the original version set.
r2modman manages a game once its Thunderstore community and a compatible loader exist, so the supported list grows with Thunderstore. Packages install per profile, which keeps two different mod sets for the same game apart.
Next: open the Online tab, install the community's loader pack with Pinned beside its name, then add the packages tagged for the game version you are on.