You’ve spent hours meticulously crafting the perfect Tiefling. You finally found that one specific hairstyle in Tav’s Hair Salon that doesn't clip through your armor. Then, you hit launch, and there it is: the "Data Mismatch" warning staring you in the face.
Honestly, it’s enough to make you want to throw your PC into the Chionthar.
A tavs hair salon bg3 mod mismatch isn't just a minor annoyance; for many players, it’s the "screen of death" that prevents saves from loading or bricks a multiplayer session. Most of the time, the game is just being a bit of a drama queen about files it doesn't recognize. But sometimes, it’s a sign that your mod load order has reached a state of pure entropy.
Why the Data Mismatch Error Happens
Larian’s launcher is basically a bouncer at a club. It checks your game files against a "vanilla" list. If it sees anything it didn't put there—like 400MB of high-fidelity hair assets—it freaks out.
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It’s often a false alarm. You can click "ignore" and the game might run fine. However, if your hair is showing up as a bald cap or the game crashes at 75% loading, you’ve got a real mismatch on your hands. Usually, this happens because the game updated and your ImprovedUI or Mod Fixer is screaming for an update, or because a "loose file" from a previous patch is hiding in your directory like a stray goblin.
Fixing the Mismatch on PC
If you're on PC, you're likely using the BG3 Mod Manager (BG3MM). If you aren't, you should be. Vortex is okay, but it tends to get "cranky" with Baldur’s Gate 3’s specific file structure.
- Check Your Overrides: Look at the bottom of your BG3MM window. Mods like ImprovedUI and the Mod Fixer usually sit in the "Overrides" section. They don't need to be moved to the active side, but they must be the current versions.
- The "Export" Step: This is the one everyone forgets. You can’t just drag Tav's Hair Salon to the active list. You have to go to File > Export Order to Game. If you don't do this, the
modsettings.lsxfile doesn't update, and the game has no idea the hair salon is open for business. - Hunt Down Loose Files: Go to your game's installation folder (usually
SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\BaldursGate3\Data). If you see a folder named "Generated" or "Public" and you aren't a mod author, delete them. These are often leftovers from old mods that cause major data mismatches.
The Console Struggle (PS5 and Xbox)
Since Patch 7, console players have been able to use Tav's Hair Salon via the in-game mod manager. It’s a huge win, but it brought a whole new set of headaches.
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The biggest issue on PS5 is the "Error installing 1 mod(s)" message. Because Tav’s Hair Salon is a massive file (nearly 400MB), the console often chokes during the download. I’ve seen players spend 20 minutes just spamming the "Download" button.
Believe it or not, the most consistent fix for a console mismatch or download failure is switching to a mobile hotspot. For some reason, the PS5 handles these large mod files better on a 4G/5G connection than on some home Wi-Fi setups. It sounds like tech support voodoo, but it works.
Multiplayer and the "Same Version" Trap
Trying to play co-op with mods is like trying to herd cats. If you and your friend have the exact same mods but one of you is on version 2.1 and the other is on 2.1.1, you’ll get a mismatch.
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The most reliable "nuclear option" for multiplayer?
Have one person—the host—zip up their entire AppData\Local\Larian Studios\Baldur's Gate 3\Mods folder and send it to everyone else. Everyone deletes their own mod folder and replaces it with the host's files. It’s the only way to ensure every single bit and byte matches perfectly.
Actionable Steps to Clear the Error
If you're stuck right now, follow this exact sequence:
- Delete the
modsettings.lsxfile: Find it in%LocalAppData%\Larian Studios\Baldur's Gate 3\PlayerProfiles\Public. The game will generate a fresh one when you relaunch. - Verify Game Files: Right-click BG3 in Steam > Properties > Installed Files > Verify Integrity. This cleans up any corrupted vanilla data.
- Update ImprovedUI: 90% of the time, a UI-related mismatch is actually this mod being out of date.
- Toggle and Save: In the in-game manager, untick all mods, back out to the menu, go back in, and retick them. It forces the game to re-register the load order.
Once you’ve cleared the mismatch, try loading a fresh save first. If the hair works there but not on your 100-hour campaign, the issue might be baked into your save file. In that case, you might need to use the Script Extender to force the game to accept the "mismatched" state.
Next Step: Check your AppData folder for any "Generated" folders that might be lingering from a manual install; deleting these is often the final piece of the puzzle.