How to Downgrade Skyrim

Skyrim went more than two years without a patch. Then it got two in one week: version 1.7.99 on August 20, 2026, and 1.7.104 on August 27.

Each new version needs its own build of SKSE, the script extender that most big mods run on. Until your mods catch up, the quickest fix is to put the game back on the version they were made for.

Back up first. Copy your saves (Documents\My Games\Skyrim Special Edition\Saves) and your game folder before you change anything. A save made on a newer version may not load on an older one. See our backup steps.

Not sure the update is what broke your game? Work through Mods Broke After an Update first.

Pick the version you need

Version	SKSE build	Who it’s for
1.7.104 (latest)	2.3.1	Players whose mods have all updated
1.6.1170	2.2.8	Most mod lists, including Step
1.5.97	2.0.20	Old mods that never got a newer build

Most players want 1.6.1170. It was the live version from January 2024 until August 2026, so nearly every SKSE mod has a build for it. It also keeps your Anniversary Edition content.

Builds for 1.7.104 and 1.5.97 are on the SKSE site. Build 2.2.8 for 1.6.1170 is on the SKSE Nexus page.

The easy way: Best of Both Worlds patcher

The Best of Both Worlds Downgrade Patcher patches your game on your own PC. It needs no Steam console and no Steam login, and Step’s guide recommends it.

1. Download the patcher from its Nexus page.
2. Extract it into your game folder, the one with SkyrimSE.exe in it.
3. Run the patcher and choose 1.6.1170 or 1.5.97.
4. Install the SKSE build that matches your new version.

The patcher only works on version 1.7.104 from Steam. If you held your game on 1.7.99, use the console method below instead.

The manual way: Steam console

Steam keeps old builds of every game, and its console can download them by ID. These three commands fetch 1.6.1170, and they match the IDs in the Wildlander wiki’s guide.

1. Close Skyrim. Press Win + R, type steam://open/console and press Enter.
2. Paste each line into the console and press Enter. Wait for one to finish before you start the next.

download_depot 489830 489831 8442952117333549665
download_depot 489830 489832 8042843504692938467
download_depot 489830 489833 1914580699073641964

3. Find the files in Steam\steamapps\content\app_489830. They land in your main Steam folder, even if the game is on another drive.
4. Copy what’s inside depot_489831, then depot_489832, then depot_489833 into steamapps\common\Skyrim Special Edition. Overwrite files when Windows asks.
5. Install SKSE 2.2.8 and the 1.6.1170 versions of your SKSE mods. For Address Library, that’s the “All in one (1.6.X)” file.

If it crashes on launch

Version 1.7.99 changed the format of a file called ContentCatalog.txt, and 1.6.1170 crashes when it reads the new one. Modders on the Nexus forums fix it by renaming that file.

Press Win + R, type %LOCALAPPDATA%\Skyrim Special Edition and press Enter. Rename ContentCatalog.txt to ContentCatalog.bak, then launch again.

If the game offers to download your Creations again, Step’s guide says to quit through the console instead. Press ~, type qqq and press Enter.

Keep Steam from updating it

Steam has no real off switch for one game, so use all three of these:

1. Change the update setting. Right-click the game in Steam, choose Properties, then Updates, and pick Only update this game when I launch it. Valve’s download and update guide covers this setting.
2. Launch through SKSE. Start the game with skse64_loader.exe or your mod manager. Pressing Play in Steam gives it a chance to update.
3. Lock the manifest file. Open the steamapps folder on the drive where Skyrim is installed. Right-click appmanifest_489830.acf, choose Properties and tick Read-only.

Don’t run Verify integrity of game files. It puts the newest version back. When SKSE and your mods support a newer version, untick Read-only and let Steam update.

Skip the steps next time

We’re building Version Lock, a Windows app that puts your game on the version your mods need in one click. It also holds Steam updates and tells you when SKSE catches up.

Fallout 4 broke too? See the Fallout 4 downgrade steps. For other games, see how to roll back an update.

Last reviewed: October 2026.