How to join an Assetto Corsa server

To join an Assetto Corsa server, you need to find it in the game or Content Manager and have the right cars and track installed. This guide covers the original Assetto Corsa on Windows, from choosing a server on GS4u to connecting and troubleshooting common problems.

1. Choose a server and check its requirements

Open the Assetto Corsa server list on GS4u. Check each server's status, player count, map and location. Open the details of a server you like and note its name so you can search for it in the game.

Look for the community's website or Discord in the server name or description. Before joining, check:

• which track and cars the server uses;
• where to download any required mods and which versions to install;
• whether you need any official DLC;
• whether Custom Shaders Patch (CSP) is required;
• whether there is a password or any other requirement for joining.

For a server using standard content, you may only need the game and any required DLC. If it uses mods, install the content specified by its community first. These instructions are for the original Assetto Corsa; Competizione and EVO have separate servers.

2. Set up Content Manager

Content Manager is an alternative launcher for Assetto Corsa that makes finding servers and installing mods easier. The free Lite version supports online play, so you do not need to buy the full version just to join a server.

Content Manager is optional. If you would rather use the game's own launcher, skip to “Can I join without Content Manager?” below. You will still need the content required by the server.

1. Install Assetto Corsa through Steam.
2. Download Content Manager from the developer's website.
3. Extract the downloaded archive to a folder and run Content Manager.
4. On first launch, check that it has found your Assetto Corsa installation folder. If the path is wrong or missing, click Change and select the game folder.

To find that folder, right-click Assetto Corsa in your Steam library and choose Manage → Browse local files. Use the game installation folder, rather than the folder containing your settings in Documents.

If Content Manager is already installed and launches your game correctly, move on to the next step.

3. Install the required cars, track and add-ons

Download the content using links provided by the server's community. Check the versions carefully: two tracks with the same name may be different mods or different releases of the same mod.

To install a typical car or track archive through Content Manager:

1. Drag the downloaded archive into the Content Manager window.
2. Open the menu with three horizontal lines in the top-right corner.
3. Under Downloads, check which content has been detected and click Install.
4. Wait for the installation to finish.

If the mod author provides specific installation instructions, or Content Manager does not recognise the archive, follow the author's instructions. Not every package installs in the same way.

Content Manager may offer to download missing content when you select a server. This depends on the server providing the relevant download links. If no download is offered, use the community's links.

CSP is installed separately. If the server or its mods require Custom Shaders Patch, open Settings → Custom Shaders Patch in Content Manager and install the version specified by the community. CSP is not required for every Assetto Corsa server.

If the server requires DLC, check that the relevant pack is installed in Steam. Installing mods does not replace any required DLC.

4. Find and join the server

1. In Content Manager, open Drive → Online.
2. Click the search icon and enter the server name you found on GS4u. For a long name, try a distinctive part of it first.
3. Select the server, checking that its name and track match.
4. Choose an available car. If the server is password-protected, enter the password provided by its community.
5. Click Join and wait for the game to load.

If the community's website has a link for joining through Content Manager, you can use that instead. When your browser asks to open Content Manager, allow it to do so. If the link does not work, search for the server by name under Drive → Online.

Can I join without Content Manager?

Yes. For servers that do not require Content Manager features, use the standard Assetto Corsa launcher: Main Menu → Drive → Online. Search for the server by name, choose a car, enter a password if needed and click Join.

You still need to have the server's cars and track installed. Follow the mod authors' instructions to install any required content; Content Manager usually makes this preparation easier.

What to check if you can't connect

If you are still unsure what is wrong, save the exact error message and ask the server's community for help. The wording gives them more to work with than “I can't connect”.

Browse Assetto Corsa servers on GS4u