I still think the interface of Oblivion was better than Skyrim’s. And it’s why I always find myself looking for UI mods to improve my experience in TES V.
I know that many of you share the same woes as myself, so I’ve decided to compile some of my favorite user interface mods to add onto Skyrim that’ll take your game to the next level.
If you want to make your Skyrim game look better and you want your gameplay to be much more fluid, then you’ll want to take a look at these free mods. Most of them should be compatible with each other aside from obvious ones(ie. mods that do the same thing).
So be sure to install as many as you want and compare your gameplay. With enough testing you’re bound to find something in here that you love.
If you’ve ever played Fallout 4 then you know exactly what this mod does.
It basically incorporates the quick loot system to Skyrim, which means you can simply open up a small window beside the body (or container) that you’re clicking and it’ll show you your looting options.
You can choose to take all or simply click on each individual item – it’s up to you.
The only thing that’s certain is that those tedious large pop-ups won’t be an issue anymore if you install this sucker.
Now this mod doesn’t allow you to place your own map markers, but it does add over 700 new map markers to all of the Skyrim maps (including all of the DLC maps).
These markers make almost every single location in the game have a marker, which makes exploring the various regions more handy than ever.
Quick traveling will no longer be an issue if you’re a savvy explorer.
I’m not too keen on just having a couple of camera options to use.
I mean, why wouldn’t I be able to set whichever camera settings make me feel more comfortable? I hate that man!
The Customizable Camera mod is the end to my woes, though.
It incorporates a customizable camera menu to the game, which will let you choose some really specific settings.
Set your vertical and horizontal alignment however you want, and choose which side you’d rather have the camera on. No requirement to keep it directly behind your back anymore!
I have to admit that this mod was originally meant to be used by modders.
But if you like to customize certain aspects of your game, the UIExtensions mod can prove to be quite useful for typical players too.
The mod allows you to select certain options that would otherwise only be possible via debug menus, like re-entering the character edit screen, or browsing the abilities of NPCs.
As I said, these things would mainly be useful for modders(obviously) but they are always cool to have in your game if you don’t mind being a bit of a cheater.
The MoreHud mod allows you to study objects on the ground before picking them up.
I mean, I know that this isn’t too useful on most occasions.
But it will allow you to decide whether to pick up an object or not without having to drop it.
That, alone makes this mod worth it.
Simply point to any object within your FOV and it’ll show a display full of information about it.
I’d advise you to combine this with the Quick Loot plugin, as they work perfectly put together. Gone are the days of opening any menus while looting. Hurrah!
This is the best mod out there if you’re tired of having your items completely disorganized.
And trust me, I’m real tired of it.
With the Categorized Favorites Menu you’ll have the option to put each item into different categories, which can also be divided into further categories if you wish.
The mod will permit you to properly sort items using the “favorite” option of vanilla Skyrim, but enhancing it to make everything much easier to use.
As the name suggests this basically makes every book that you haven’t read “glow” (until you read it).
This is useful for skill books so you won’t open them again and unnecessarily waste time.
It’s also useful for those of you timewasters who like to read most of the books in the game, as it will show at a glance which ones you’ve already perused.
It doesn’t matter where the books are placed – they will glow as long as you have them in your field of view. A neat add-on although not totally required, but still handy nonetheless.
A Matter of Time is a mod that fully enhances the way you perceive time in Skyrim.
You’ll have the option to open up special tools that tell you the time of the day, as well as the position of constellations and stars.
But you’ll also get a cool solar clock to go alongside it!
As if that wasn’t enough, this mod allows the game to display the time of day too, as well as the current date, on the upper left corner of the screen.
Never lose track of time again or bother opening up the “Waiting” menu to see which day it is.
The Immersive HUD mod, also called the iHUD mod, is a fantastic add-on compatible with the SkyUI and the “A Matter of Time” mods.
It aims to remove the HUD whenever you don’t need it, but open it automatically again when you do.
This allows you to get a better look at the scenery without having a bunch of bars interfering with it.
The mod is surprisingly well done too.
It makes Skyrim feel way more immersive thanks to the removal of the display in unnecessary situations.
I’m pretty sure you won’t be able to play the game without this mod once you’ve tried it – your screen will feel too clogged if you ever remove this bad boy.
Warpaints and paints of all sorts now come included in the character creation menu after you’ve installed this freebie.
You’ll have the option to properly customize your character like never before, as this also includes a whole bunch of presets as well as many more sliders to fine-tune your character.
This mod allows you to create beautiful characters as well as the most demonic creatures that you can imagine, much like the character creator in The Sims. Only, Skyrim style.
SkyUI is a complete overhaul of the game’s user interface, allowing you to access more options than ever.
Basically you get to see everything displayed in the clearest way possible from the get-go.
Virtually everything gets improved in the SkyUI, ranging from the item selection menus to the quick selection menus and even some parts of the game map.
It’s fully compatible with most of the other mods on this list, too, so definitely check it out if you’re looking for a one-stop shop to radically enhance Skyrim’s GUI.
Born in the first half of the 90s, video games have been a part of my life ever since I was introduced to Age of Empires I by my dad. I'm a Mass Communications graduate with a specialization in Marketing, as well as a hardcore gamer. My aim is to bring you quality content so you can get the best out of your games and take your experience to the next level!
