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This guide covers custom content, gameplay Mods, script files, Tray downloads, post-update safety, and the fastest way to find a broken Mod.
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What counts as a Sims 4 Mod?
EA uses Mods as the broad term for player-created additions to The Sims 4. It includes:
- Custom Content (CC): player-created clothing, hair, furniture, objects, and similar assets.
- Game Mods: additions or changes to game functionality, including traits, functional objects, console cheats, and interface features.
Some Game Mods contain script code, while others do not. EA and Maxis do not pre-screen, endorse, or support individual third-party Mods or CC, so download from a trusted creator or established source and follow that creator’s installation requirements. See EA’s official Mods installation guide.
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Before you install: launch the game once
Start The Sims 4 at least once before searching for the Mods folder. The game normally creates its user-data folders after launch.
Close the game completely before copying files. Your save files and Mods are stored separately from the game application itself, so reinstalling the game is not the same as accessing your personal Sims 4 folder.
Where to install Sims 4 Mods
Windows
C:Users[your Windows username]DocumentsElectronic ArtsThe Sims 4ModsmacOS
~/Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 4/Mods/In Finder, open Documents → Electronic Arts → The Sims 4 → Mods. If the Mods folder is missing, create a folder named exactly Mods.
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- The Sims 4 folder under
Program Files - The EA app installation folder
- The Steam installation folder
- The Mac Applications folder containing the game app
Those are installation locations. The game reads Mods from the user-data location under Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 4/. EA and CurseForge document the same destination for manual installation: EA’s installation instructions and CurseForge’s manual guide.
How to download and install a Mod
- Download the files from the creator’s trusted download page.
- Extract the archive. Open the downloaded
.zipor.rarfile with your computer’s archive utility. Do not leave the archive itself in the Mods folder. - Find the actual Sims 4 files. Look for files ending in
.packageand, where applicable,.ts4script. - Copy the extracted files into
Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 4/Mods. - Launch The Sims 4 and open Game Options → Other.
- Turn on Enable Custom Content and Mods.
- If the Mod contains a
.ts4scriptfile, also turn on Script Mods Allowed. - Select Apply Changes if the button appears.
- Fully restart the game. The settings do not take effect until The Sims 4 is relaunched.
Only Mods containing script files require Script Mods Allowed. Ordinary CC and non-script .package Mods need the general Custom Content and Mods setting, but enabling both settings is appropriate when installing a collection that includes script Mods. EA’s update guidance confirms the Game Options → Other path; CurseForge’s manual instructions list both settings.
Which files belong in the Mods folder?
The two common file types are:
.package
.ts4scriptA gameplay Mod may require both, for example:
ExampleMod.package
ExampleMod.ts4scriptKeep all required files together and do not rename them unless the creator says it is safe. A missing companion file or dependency can make a Mod appear installed but fail in-game.
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How deeply can script Mods be nested?
Script Mods can be placed directly in the Mods folder or in one subfolder:
The Sims 4ModsExampleMod.ts4script
The Sims 4ModsExampleModExampleMod.ts4scriptThis is too deeply nested for a script Mod:
The Sims 4ModsGameplayExampleModExampleMod.ts4scriptThe game searches only one folder level deep for script Mods. A script Mod may appear in the startup list but still fail to function if it is buried more deeply. MC Command Center’s installation documentation explains this limitation.
For maximum compatibility, use the folder structure specified by the creator. Keeping each Mod’s .package and .ts4script files together also makes updates and troubleshooting easier.
Where to install downloaded Sims, households, rooms, and lots
Downloaded Sims, households, rooms, and lots are not installed like ordinary CC or gameplay Mods. Their Tray files go in the Tray folder.
Windows
C:Users[your Windows username]DocumentsElectronic ArtsThe Sims 4TraymacOS
~/Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 4/Tray/Tray downloads commonly contain files ending in:
.trayitem
.bpi
.hhi
.rmi
.sgiPut .package and .ts4script files in Mods, and Tray files in Tray. Mixing these locations is a common reason a download does not appear in the Gallery or Create a Sim.
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How to check whether a Mod installed correctly
After restarting, The Sims 4 may show a startup list of installed Custom Content and Mods. Confirm that the expected files or creator name appear. A startup-list entry proves the game detected a file, but it does not guarantee that the Mod is compatible or placed at a usable folder depth.
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Test new Mods in a separate household or a backup save where possible. Check the creator’s documentation for required packs, dependencies, supported game versions, and special installation steps.
What to do after a Sims 4 update
Game updates can disable Mods and can also make previously compatible files conflict with changed game code. Never assume a Mod still works just because it worked before the patch. Check the creator’s update notes against your installed game version.
The latest published PC/Mac update identified for this guide is July 21, 2026: PC version 1.126.58.1030 and Mac version 1.126.58.1230. Compare your installed version with the number in the lower-left corner of The Sims 4 Main Menu. See the EA July 21, 2026 patch notes and EA’s Mods and updates guidance.
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Safe post-update procedure
- Start The Sims 4 with Mods disabled.
- Choose Resume or Load Game and test the game in Live Mode.
- Do not save while CC or Mods are disabled.
- Exit without saving through the Live Mode menu in the upper-right: Exit Game → Exit Game.
- Check each creator’s site for compatibility with the current update.
- Return to Game Options → Other and re-enable Enable Custom Content and Mods.
- Turn on Script Mods Allowed if you use script Mods.
- Apply the changes and fully relaunch the game.
EA warns that saving before re-enabling CC and Mods can cause missing content to be removed from the saved game. The warning does not mean that every save is permanently destroyed merely because Mods were temporarily disabled; the important precaution is not to save that altered state.
Recent 2026 CC problems
The March 17, 2026 update caused pack-specific CC to fail to load and could prevent other CC from loading. EA issued a fix on March 18, version 1.122.212.1030 on PC and 1.122.212.1230 on Mac, followed by another CC launch-crash fix on March 23, version 1.122.218.1030 on PC and 1.122.218.1230 on Mac. These incidents were game bugs and were not proof that every affected CC file had been installed incorrectly. See the March 17 update, March 18 fix, and March 23 fix.
Troubleshooting Mods that do not appear
Work through this checklist in order:
- Confirm that the archive was extracted; a
.zipor.rarfile alone is not an installed Mod. - Search inside the extracted folders for the actual
.packageor.ts4scriptfile. - Confirm that the files are in the correct user-data folder, not the game’s installation directory.
- Check that Enable Custom Content and Mods is on.
- Check Script Mods Allowed if the Mod includes
.ts4script. - Restart the game after changing either setting.
- Check whether the creator supports your current game version.
- Install every required companion file or dependency.
- Remove duplicate old and new versions of the same Mod.
- Check that a script file is no more than one subfolder below Mods.
If the game recognizes the file but the feature does not work, read the creator’s installation and compatibility notes. Some Mods require a specific expansion pack, a separate library, or a particular version of another Mod.
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Troubleshooting crashes, error codes, and strange behavior
Possible Mod-related symptoms include:
- The game fails to boot.
- A save will not load.
- CC clothing or objects display incorrectly, such as a hat floating above a Sim.
- Gameplay Mod interactions do not work.
- Sims route incorrectly or repeat an action continuously.
- A Sim’s or object’s interaction menu fails to open.
EA identifies error codes 102, 123, 125, 127, 129, and 131 as commonly associated with game-script problems, where a script Mod may be involved. Error 110 commonly appears after an update and can be caused by outdated Mods. These codes are clues, not proof that one particular Mod is responsible. Review EA’s troubleshooting guidance and the creator’s support information.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsUse EA’s 50/50 method to find a broken Mod
When removing individual files is impractical, use the 50/50 method:
- Remove all Mods from the Mods folder. Keep a backup copy elsewhere.
- Launch the game and confirm whether the problem disappears.
- Put back roughly half of your Mods.
- Launch and test again.
- If the problem returns, split that problem group in half.
- Continue narrowing the group until you identify the offending Mod or combination.
EA recommends removing Game Mods before Custom Content, because Game Mods are more likely to affect game functionality. Test one change at a time once the suspect group is small. Also check for outdated dependencies, duplicate versions, and Mod conflicts rather than assuming the newest file in the folder is the only cause.
OneDrive and cloud-synced Documents
On Windows, the Documents folder may be managed by OneDrive. If your Sims 4 user folder is inside a synced location, Mods can encounter permission or file-writing problems. MC Command Center documents PermissionError: [Errno 13] Permission denied when OneDrive prevents configuration files from being written.
If this happens, check where your Sims 4 folder is actually located and whether OneDrive controls it. MC Command Center recommends keeping the Mods folder on a physical local drive or disabling the relevant syncing, subject to your backup needs.
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EA does not set a fixed maximum number of Mods. However, a large collection can increase memory and CPU use, affect performance, and lengthen startup. The startup notification can also take longer because it lists installed files.
To stop the list from appearing:
- Launch The Sims 4.
- When the Mod list appears, uncheck Show at Startup in the lower-left corner.
This hides the notification; it does not remove or disable the Mods. Keep your own inventory of installed files so you can update and troubleshoot them after patches.
Quick Recap
PC and Mac installation mistakes to avoid
| Outdated claim | Correct practice |
|---|---|
| Mods go in the game’s installation folder. | Use the user-data folder under Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 4/Mods. |
The downloaded .zip can be copied directly into Mods. |
Extract .zip and .rar archives first. |
| Every Mod requires Script Mods Allowed. | Only Mods containing script files require that setting. |
| Script Mods work in any number of nested folders. | Keep them in Mods or one subfolder deep. |
| Sims and lots go in Mods. | Put their Tray files in the Tray folder. |
| Mods stay enabled after every update. | Re-check both settings and verify compatibility after patches. |
| Saving with Mods disabled permanently destroys every save. | Do not save before re-enabling content, because missing content can be removed from the saved game. |
| Console players can install these Mods. | EA supports The Sims 4 Mods on PC and Mac, not PlayStation or Xbox. |
Quick installation checklist
- Launch The Sims 4 once to create its user-data folder.
- Open
Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 4/Mods. - Extract downloaded archives.
- Copy
.packageand required.ts4scriptfiles into Mods. - Keep script files in Mods or one subfolder deep.
- Put downloaded Sims, households, rooms, and lots in Tray.
- Enable Enable Custom Content and Mods.
- Enable Script Mods Allowed for script Mods.
- Apply changes and restart the game.
- After updates, test without saving, check creator compatibility, and re-enable Mods only after verification.
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