Install World of Tanks mods without a ban: res_mods and the Mod Hub

World of Tanks is a live, competitive game with a Fair Play Policy, so the first rule of modding it is not technical: use approved mods and you keep your account, use prohibited ones and you risk a ban. This guide covers installing mods safely through the Mod Hub and modpacks, where the res_mods folder fits in, and which mod types to avoid.

Know the legal line before you install anything

Wargaming bans mods that automate play or reveal information you should not have. The Fair Play Policy lists the prohibited functions, and they include bots and auto fire-extinguisher scripts, foliage-stripping "tundra" mods, and 3D hit skins that show exact module and crew positions through a tank's armour. The safe categories are interface, statistics, sights, contour icons, and cosmetic hangar mods. When in doubt, do not install it.

The easy, safe route: the Mod Hub

The Mod Hub is Wargaming's own portal of approved mods. Anything there is policy-compliant by definition.

Open the Mod Hub and find a mod you want.
Use its install option, which places the mod into the correct res_mods version folder for you.
Launch the game and confirm the mod loaded.

This is the lowest-risk way to mod the game, because you never have to judge a mod's legality yourself.

Installing a modpack

Modpacks bundle many popular mods behind one installer, and good ones label which options are allowed. Aslain's modpack is the long-running community standard.

Download the modpack installer from its official source, matching your game region if it asks.
Run it. It detects your installed game version automatically.
Tick the mods you want. Reputable modpacks flag anything that is prohibited or region-specific.
Finish, and the installer writes everything into the right res_mods folder.

Understand the res_mods folder

Manual installs go into a res_mods folder in your game directory, inside a subfolder named for the exact game version, for example res_mods\1.x.x.x. The game only loads mods from the folder matching its current version.

After a patch, the version folder changes, so mods placed in the old one stop loading.
This is why mods "break" on update day and why installers re-detect your version each time.
To remove a manual mod, delete its files from the version folder.

Which legal mods are worth starting with

If you are new and want safe, high-value additions, these categories are all policy-compliant and widely used.

XVM: the big interface overhaul, adding detailed player panels, battle stats, and a reworked HUD. Most other interface mods assume you have it.
Session statistics: tracks your performance for the current play session, which is useful for improving without leaving the game.
Contour icons: redraws the tank silhouettes in panels and on the minimap so you can read enemy types at a glance.
Sights and crosshairs: alternative aiming reticles with clearer reload and aim-time information.
Hangar and cosmetic mods: purely visual changes to the garage and tanks, with no gameplay effect at all.

None of these reveal hidden information or automate play, which is exactly why they stay on the right side of the policy.

Common gotchas

A mod stopped working after an update. The version folder changed. Reinstall for the new version through the Mod Hub or modpack.
You got warned or banned. A prohibited mod slipped in. Stick to the Mod Hub and policy-compliant categories.
The modpack offers illegal options. Some list region-specific or banned mods. Read the labels and leave those unticked.
Files in res_mods do nothing. They are in the wrong version subfolder, or the folder name does not match the running build.

Where to go next

For the wider picture of the World of Tanks scene and what OpenMods catalogues, see the World of Tanks overview.