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Automobilista 2 install guide

How to Add a Custom Livery in Automobilista 2

Design a custom Automobilista 2 livery with AI, then get it in-game: export a DDS from Ailivery, pair it with a matching XML override, and install both into AMS2's Custom Liveries Overrides folder — with the Ailivery Windows helper or by hand.

Design one with AI Back to Automobilista 2 page
Before you start

What you'll need

Step by step

Install a custom livery in Automobilista 2

  1. 1

    Export the DDS

    Generate and refine your livery in Ailivery, then download the DDS. AMS2 reads the livery as a DDS texture, and the file's alpha channel drives shader effects on the bodywork rather than transparency — so leave it as exported unless you know what you're changing it to.

  2. 2

    Find the livery you're overriding

    The Custom Liveries system replaces one of the car's existing liveries rather than adding a new slot, so you need to know which one. Add the -showliveryIDs launch option to Automobilista 2 in Steam and the game will display each livery's ID in-game — that ID is what your override points at.

    Steam launch option
    -showliveryIDs
  3. 3

    Prepare the XML

    Each override is a small XML file that tells AMS2 which livery to replace and which DDS to load in its place. The Overrides folder ships with example XML files that already carry the commented instructions — copy the one for your car, keep the car-specific block, and point it at your own DDS. The comments are there to be read, not kept.

  4. 4

    Place both files

    The XML and the DDS it references go in the same place. The Ailivery Windows helper can install both into the Overrides folder for you, or you can drop them there by hand — the folder is under your Documents, not the Steam install directory, and exact paths can vary by version.

    Overrides folder
    Documents\Automobilista 2\Vehicles\Textures\CustomLiveries\Overrides\
  5. 5

    Load it in AMS2

    Launch Automobilista 2 and pick the livery you overrode — it will now show your artwork. See the Reiza custom liveries forum thread and AMS2 wiki guidance for current details.

Troubleshooting

If the livery doesn't show up

XML mismatch

The XML has to name the DDS that's actually sitting next to it. A renamed export or a typo in the filename is the usual cause — the game skips the override silently rather than warning you.

Wrong folder

The Overrides folder is under Documents, not the Steam install directory, and the folder is CustomLiveries with no space. Files dropped in the game's own install path are ignored.

Wrong livery ID

An override aimed at a livery ID the car doesn't have simply never fires. Re-check the ID with the -showliveryIDs launch option.

Older install

The documented Custom Liveries system is for AMS2 v1.0.6.2 or later. Earlier versions have no Overrides folder to install into.

FAQ

Automobilista 2 custom livery questions

How do I make a custom livery for Automobilista 2?

Describe the design you want in Ailivery and it paints it onto the car's real paint template — no Photoshop and no UV work. Export the DDS, pair it with an override XML, and drop both in the Overrides folder using the steps above.

Where do AMS2 custom liveries go?

Documents\Automobilista 2\Vehicles\Textures\CustomLiveries\Overrides\. It's under your Documents folder, not the Steam install directory — that's the single most common reason a livery never appears.

Do I need a paint template to start?

Not to design one. Ailivery paints on the car's template for you, so you only deal with the finished DDS. If you'd rather work from a template yourself, see the paint templates guide for how templates work in general.

What is the -showliveryIDs launch option?

A Steam launch option that makes AMS2 display each car livery's internal ID in-game. Because the Custom Liveries system overrides an existing livery rather than adding a new one, that ID is what your XML has to reference.

Can I put my team or sponsor logos on it?

Yes — upload your own logo files and place them exactly where you want on the car. They're composited onto the paint rather than redrawn, so the marks stay sharp. See adding logos to a livery.

Is it free to make an AMS2 livery?

Ailivery is free to start, so you can design and preview a livery before paying for anything. See pricing for how credits work after that.

Get started

Design one with AI

Generate AMS2 artwork in Ailivery, export DDS, and pair it with the XML override.

Create your account AI livery generator for Automobilista 2