Before your BeamNG Earth install
Start BeamNG.drive at least once and check its version against the release you plan to use. Keep Steam available for the normal Steam setup. Download the player app for your platform, not the BeamMP host ZIP or a source archive.
Leave space for the world-data cache as well as the application. The current README describes a 20 GB default cache cap with a configurable limit, not a requirement to download that much before driving. New places need an internet connection; a previously cached location does not guarantee that online search or route planning will work offline.
Install on Windows
Download and identify the player EXE
Choose the BeamNG.Earth .exe in the official release assets. Save it somewhere you can find again. Confirm the repository and read the release’s compatibility notes before running it.
Check: You have an executable, not a ZIP containing the source tree.
Start Steam, then open the application
The packaged app opens a console, copies the mod into the game’s user files, starts the local world server and launches the game. Review any system prompt rather than treating it as a reason to disable security software.
Check: If the console shows an error, keep the message for troubleshooting.
Confirm the game folder if asked
When the app cannot find your installation, use its folder prompt to select the BeamNG.drive installation. A custom library can require an explicit selection. The game installation and user/mod folder are different locations.
Check: The selected folder is the actual game installation, not merely a downloads folder.
Open the level
In BeamNG.drive, enter Freeroam and choose BeamNG.Earth. Read the first-run welcome screen, select a starting location and wait for nearby ground to load before accelerating.
Check: The level is visible and the loading status responds around your vehicle.
Install with the AppImage
Download the x86-64 AppImage
Use the Linux player asset from the official release. On Steam Deck, begin in Desktop Mode so you can manage the file and see launcher messages.
Allow the file to execute
In the file’s properties, enable executable permission, then open it. If using a terminal, chmod +x followed by the actual AppImage filename grants that permission. Keep Steam running during the normal launcher flow.
Use the launcher path for your game setup
The developer documents native Linux, the Windows game under Proton, and Steam installed through Flatpak or snap. These arrangements use different locations and launch behavior. Follow the current README for the arrangement you actually use.
Check: Do not combine native-game paths with a different Proton or Flatpak installation.
Verify the first session before adding shortcuts
Load Freeroam → BeamNG.Earth and confirm that the app remains available while terrain builds. On Steam Deck, establish a working Desktop Mode session before changing launch shortcuts or moving to another launch environment.
Check: A successful download alone does not confirm that Game Mode or a custom shortcut is configured.
Your first drive: what success looks like
The level appears
BeamNG.Earth is selectable in Freeroam. If it is missing, check the active user folder and whether mods were disabled after a game update; downloading the app again will not necessarily fix a folder mismatch.
The world server connects
Keep the companion application running. It retrieves and prepares the map; opening BeamNG.drive by itself does not start the complete world-data workflow.
Terrain builds before you move
Watch the loading status after spawning. Ground, roads and other scenery may finish at different times. Start with a short drive near the spawn point before jumping to another continent.
The map responds
Press M to open the world map. Search for a nearby place and try a short route before a longer trip. This separates a working installation from a particular location’s data problem.
Troubleshoot the symptom you can see
The level is missing from Freeroam
Check the in-game mod state and which user folder the game uses. Run the app again and review its folder selection or errors. If you have multiple profiles or installations, confirm that the launcher and game refer to the same one.
“Looking for the world server”
Check whether the companion app is still running and whether its console contains an error. A missing connection is different from slow terrain generation. Start through the packaged app again before trying source-only commands from an old tutorial.
Terrain appears slowly or looks blurry
Pause in one location and watch whether progress changes. New areas need data retrieval and processing. If the status names an unavailable data source, record that message; repeatedly teleporting adds new work and makes the symptom harder to isolate.
Linux AppImage will not start
Check its executable permission first, then launch it from a terminal to read the error. Confirm you selected the x86-64 Linux asset and use the current documentation for your Steam installation type.
It stopped working after an update
Record both the game version and app version. Read the release notes, confirm mods are enabled and test a solo session. If only multiplayer fails, compare the host package version before changing a working local setup.
Cache, updates and advanced installation
For an update, read the notes, close the game and launch the new packaged app. Keep multiplayer versions aligned with the host. Avoid using a source checkout as an accidental replacement for the packaged application.
The download-cache settings let you change its size and folder. If moving the cache, follow the developer’s instructions for transferring existing data and applying the location on the next start. Clearing it can force areas to download again, so it is not the first response to every problem.
Source installation is for users prepared to manage Python and project dependencies. Follow the current source instructions, run the installer and keep the source world-server process running during play. Its commands and dependency problems do not automatically apply to the bundled player app.
Questions & answers
Does a BeamNG Earth install require Python?
Not for the normal packaged player app. A source installation has its own Python and dependency requirements.
Can I close the companion app once the game starts?
Keep it running during the session. The world server prepares the data that the mod uses as you travel.
Can I install without Steam detecting my game?
The README documents a game-folder prompt for installations the app does not find. Some multiplayer launcher paths have additional restrictions, especially on Linux.
How long should the first map load take?
There is no dependable fixed duration. Location, available data, cache, hardware and connectivity all affect the first load. Follow the progress and error messages rather than a promised timer.
Do I need to set up multiplayer before driving?
No. Verify a local Freeroam session first. Joining or hosting through BeamMP is a separate step.
Official references
This independent guide explains the developer’s documentation. Game behavior has not been independently tested here; check the release you use for changes.
BeamNG.Earth player documentation ↗Player setup, platform support, updates and cache settings.Official GitHub releases ↗Release assets, supported game version and changes.Controls and troubleshooting ↗Map controls, diagnostic reports and source-install help. Some setup details describe older releases.