How to Install Plugins on Your SCP: Secret Laboratory Server (LabAPI & EXILED)

Plugins are one of the best ways to make your SCP: Secret Laboratory server stand out. They can add new game modes, admin tools, custom roles, and plenty of quality-of-life features. This guide shows you how to install, configure, and remove them.

There are two plugin frameworks, and every plugin is built for one of them:

LabAPI is the official plugin loader made by the SCP: SL developers. It is already included with the server, so there is nothing extra to install.
EXILED is a popular community framework. It has to be installed on your server first before its plugins will work.

Check the plugin's download page to see which framework it targets, then follow the matching section below.

⚠️ Important Warning: Always make sure your server is completely stopped on your MintServers panel before uploading plugins or editing config files. Also, only install plugins from sources you trust, because a plugin runs code on your server.

Installing LabAPI Plugins

Download the plugin's .dll file from its Releases page. Do not download the Source Code option. If the plugin's page lists any dependencies, download those files too.
Log into your MintServers panel and click the Stop button to safely shut down your server.
Navigate to the Files tab on the left-hand sidebar.
Use the interactive file manager to open the LabAPI folder:

        📁 server (or your main server directory)
                📁 .config
                        📁 SCP Secret Laboratory
                                📁 LabAPI
                                        📁 plugins (upload plugin .dll files here)

                                        📁 dependencies (upload dependency .dll files here)

                                        📁 configs (plugin configs are created here)

Open the plugins folder and upload the plugin's .dll file.
If the plugin needs dependencies, upload those .dll files into the dependencies folder.
Navigate back to the Console tab and click Start. Keep an eye on the console while the server boots, because any problems loading your plugin will show up there.

💡 Pro Tip: Some plugins list another plugin as a requirement. That other plugin is installed in the plugins folder just like any other plugin, along with its own dependencies. Never put it in the dependencies folder.

💡 Global And Port Folders
Inside plugins and dependencies you may see a folder named global and a folder named after your server's port. Many plugin instructions tell you to use one of them, so follow the plugin's own instructions if it mentions a folder. If there are no subfolders, upload straight into plugins or dependencies.

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Finding Plugins

The official SCP: SL plugin registry lists LabAPI plugins, along with their downloads and dependencies. Plugins also live on GitHub, where the README on the plugin's page explains anything special it needs before you install it.

Always match the plugin to your game version. A plugin built for an older version of SCP: SL may fail to load or cause errors.

Configuring A Plugin

Most plugins create a config file the first time they load successfully, so start your server once after installing a plugin. To change the settings:

Click the Stop button on your MintServers panel.
In the Files tab, open the configs folder inside LabAPI.
Find the folder named after your plugin. It may sit inside a folder named after your server's port.
Open the config file, adjust the settings, and click the Save Content button.
Navigate back to the Console tab and click Start.

Config files use the YAML format, so spacing and indentation matter. Every plugin also gets a properties.yml file, which has a setting to switch that plugin on or off.

Installing EXILED Plugins

EXILED plugins need the EXILED framework to be installed on your server first. It has its own folder, which sits directly inside .config and not inside the SCP Secret Laboratory folder.

Stop your server and open the Files tab.
Check if you already have an EXILED folder inside .config. If you do not, download the latest release from the EXILED GitHub page and install it by following its instructions. Make sure the release matches your current game version.
Upload the EXILED plugin's .dll file into the Plugins folder:

        📁 server (or your main server directory)
                📁 .config
                        📁 EXILED
                                📁 Plugins (upload EXILED plugin .dll files here)

                                📁 Configs (plugin configs are created here)

Navigate back to the Console tab and click Start. The plugin's config will appear in the Configs folder after it loads.

Removing A Plugin

Stop your server.
Open the folder the plugin is in (LabAPI/plugins or EXILED/Plugins) and delete its .dll file.
Start your server again.

🛠️ Troubleshooting Plugin Issues

Plugin does not load or shows errors in the console: Check that the plugin is made for your framework (LabAPI or EXILED), that it supports your current game version, and that all of its dependencies are uploaded.
Plugins stopped working after a game update: Look for a newer release of the plugin. EXILED and its plugins can take a little while to catch up after an SCP: SL update.
Config error in the console: The YAML formatting is likely off. Rename or delete the config file and start the server so it generates a fresh one with default values.
Can't find the LabAPI folder: Make sure you have finished the first-time setup described in our Create Server guide. Then start the server once, stop it, and look again.
A specific plugin is not working: Plugin authors know their plugins best, so we recommend first reaching out to the plugin's developer, or finding a well-regarded alternative for your game version.

With your plugins installed, your server is ready to stand out from the crowd! Need to set up admins to manage them? Check out our Become Admin guide. If you need a hand getting a plugin uploaded correctly, no worries! Just open a support ticket and our team will be happy to help you out.