How To Switch to the Manor Lords Beta Branch on Steam

Early EARLY access!

Manor Lords Screenshot
Image via Hooded Horse

Manor Lords launched in early access last year and has since gone through several major updates including an engine switch to Unreal Engine 5. Before each major update, players can try out the new features, systems, balancing changes, and content by accessing the Beta branch on Steam. This allows players to discuss the new content and provide valuable feedback before everything is added to the main build. Here is how you can switch to the beta branch of Manor Lords on Steam.

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Switch to the Manor Lords Beta Branch

Before switching to the Beta branch, the developers recommend backing up your local save files to avoid any data loss while you try out the upcoming content.

Manor Lords Save File Location

The save files for Manor Lords can be found in the following location on PC:

C:\Users\[Windows Username]\AppData\Local\ManorLords\Saved\SaveGames

Back up everything in the SaveGames folder for future use.

Switch to the Beta Branch

After backing up the progress, we can easily switch to the beta branch through Steam.

  • Open your Steam library and right-click on Manor Lords
  • Click on Properties and select the Betas tab
  • Here, enter the following code under Private Betas:
veryNiceBasket
  • (This code will likely update when a new update goes into the beta branch later.)
  • Click the blue button that appears below it, and you will be added to the beta branch.
  • Steam will download a few more files (around 1 GB in my case) from the beta branch, and you should be ready. If an automatic update does not trigger, restart the Steam client.
  • In the Betas tab, the correct beta branch should be selected next to Beta Participation, “pre_release” in this case.

After this, launching the game will show the correct game version at the bottom right in the main menu.

Opt-Out of Beta Branch

We recommend opting out of the beta branch once the update goes live for the main build. This is fairly straightforward, and you want to select “None” in the dropdown next to Beta Participation in the Betas tab for Manor Lords in Steam.

That’s all there is to it and we’re excited to try out all the new systems in the upcoming major update. Whether you’re jumping into the beta branch, or want to wait, make sure to read up on how the Butcher’s Workshop functions to generate sausages!

Ali Hashmi

Ali Hashmi is a games journalist, reviewer, and guides writer with over eight years of experience covering the gaming industry across news, reviews, features, walkthroughs, and technical guides. He currently writes for Prima Games and GTA 6 Bible, and has previously contributed to Dot Esports, WhatIfGaming, GameTyrant, and The OuterHaven. With a background in Computer Science and years spent covering PC gaming, Ali has developed a strong focus on performance analysis, optimization, troubleshooting, and in-depth game coverage alongside traditional reviews and features. A longtime fan of action games, Ali spends most of his time obsessing over stylish combat systems, difficult boss fights, immersive sims, and retro shooters that feel like they were pulled straight out of the late ‘90s. When he isn’t replaying Dark Souls for the hundredth time or climbing Ascension levels in Slay the Spire, he’s usually hunting for the next indie game to recommend to everyone around him. His coverage regularly includes AAA releases, indie games, Soulslikes, survival titles, live service games, and technical PC focused guides.