IW4x (Modern Warfare 2, 2009) — Windows Setup
Read this first
- You must own Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009) on Steam and have it installed.
- This guide uses the official IW4x Launcher.
Official quickstart: https://docs.iw4x.io/get-started/quickstart/#installing-iw4x
1) Locate your game folder
Default Steam paths (yours may differ):
- C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2
- C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 (2009)
You’re looking for the folder that contains iw4mp.exe (or the Steam MW2 2009 files) and main/.
2) Download the IW4x Launcher (Windows)
- Direct link: https://github.com/iw4x/launcher/releases/latest/download/iw4x-launcher.exe
- Source/Docs: https://docs.iw4x.io/get-started/quickstart/#installing-iw4x
3) Install with the launcher (recommended)
- Move
iw4x-launcher.exeinto your MW2 (2009) game folder from Step 1. - Double‑click the launcher to start installation.
- Follow the prompts; the launcher will download and install required IW4x files.
- Use the launcher to start IW4x Multiplayer going forward (it can also keep files updated).
4) Join servers
-
Server browser: Launch IW4x and use the in‑game browser to find and join servers.
-
Direct connect: Press
~to open the console, then run:/connect ip:port
Replace ip:port with the server address you want to join.
5) Troubleshooting tips
- “Game not found” or wrong path: Ensure you placed the launcher in the actual MW2 (2009) folder and not a parent directory.
- Antivirus/SmartScreen prompts: Click “More info” → “Run anyway” and add an allow‑list exception if needed.
- Stuck on updates: Close the launcher, verify your Steam MW2 (2009) files, then relaunch the IW4x launcher.
- Still stuck? See the official quickstart linked above for platform‑specific notes and support.
References
- Quickstart: https://docs.iw4x.io/get-started/quickstart/#installing-iw4x
- Windows launcher (latest): https://github.com/iw4x/launcher/releases/latest/download/iw4x-launcher.exe