Mod Organizer 2 Downloads & Overwrite Folders (MO2)

Bottom Line: It is 100% safe to delete files inside Mod Organizer 2 downloads. Deleting downloaded mod archives will NOT uninstall active Skyrim, Fallout, or Starfield mods deployed in MO2.

What are MO2 Downloads & Overwrite Folders?

Located inside your Mod Organizer 2 installation directory at Mod Organizer 2/downloads and Mod Organizer 2/overwrite, these folders are created by Mod Organizer 2 (MO2).

MO2 uses:

• downloads/: Stores compressed .7z and .zip mod archive packages downloaded from Nexus Mods.
• overwrite/: Stores temporary files generated by tools like SKSE, FNIS, BodySlide, and Nemesis.

Once a mod is installed into MO2’s virtual file system, the original .7z archive zip file remains saved in downloads/, hoarding 10 GB to 50 GB+ of duplicate storage.

Can You Delete MO2 Downloads?

✅ Yes, it is completely safe to delete.

• Active virtual mods stay safe: MO2 stores installed mods in MO2/mods, completely separate from downloads/.
• Zero game impact: Skyrim, Fallout 4, and Starfield load virtual mods from mods/, ignoring downloads/.

How to Safely Clean Up MO2 Cache

Method 1: Delete Archives inside MO2 Downloads Tab

1. Open Mod Organizer 2.
2. Click the Downloads tab on the right panel.
3. Select installed mod archives, right-click, and select Delete.

Method 2: Manual Directory Wipe

1. Close MO2.
2. Open Mod Organizer 2/downloads.
3. Select and delete all .7z, .rar, and .zip files.

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