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If The Sims 4 won’t open, first check that your computer meets the current requirements, then clear the EA app cache and repair the game. If it still fails, test without Mods and custom content, and reset the game’s user folder only after backing it up. These steps target different causes; no single fix works for every launch problem.
This guide is for The Sims 4 on Windows PC and Mac. The EA app menu paths below may look slightly different depending on its layout; on a game tile, look for either the Manage icon or the three-dot menu. PlayStation and Xbox use different launch and troubleshooting steps, and Mods cannot be installed on those consoles.
1. Check that your computer can run the current game
Before changing files, compare your system with EA’s current Sims 4 system requirements. The minimums are:
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors- Windows: 64-bit Windows 10, 4 GB RAM, 25 GB of free space plus 1 GB for custom content and saves, and a DirectX 11-compatible graphics card. Internet access is required for activation.
- Mac: macOS 10.15 Catalina with Metal support, 4 GB RAM, and 25 GB of free space plus 1 GB for custom content and saves.
Windows 32-bit is unsupported. The Sims 4 Legacy Edition is not a fallback: EA stopped offering it for PC and Mac on December 12, 2022. EA had already ended support for 32-bit Windows and non-Metal Macs at the end of 2019. See EA’s Legacy Edition notice.
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If the game used to launch but stopped after an update, a broken or incompatible Mod is more likely than a suddenly unsupported operating system. Continue with the checks below.
2. Check whether the EA app or the game is failing
Open the EA app and try launching another installed game, if available. If the app itself will not open, or your library will not load, address the app first. If the EA app opens normally but Sims 4 does not, proceed to clear its cache and repair the game.
If EA reports a service outage, wait for service to return: clearing a local cache cannot fix an EA server outage. For an app that opens, clear the cache using EA app menu → Help → App Recovery → Clear Cache. On Windows, the app menu is the three-dash button in the far-left corner; on macOS, use the top-screen menu Help → App Recovery → Clear Cache. If the EA app will not open on Windows 10 or 11, use Start → All Apps → EA → App Recovery → Clear Cache. EA explains the process and the problems it may resolve in its cache-clearing instructions.
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Cache clearing is useful when the app is stuck offline or updating, a download is stuck or waiting, or a game appears to be missing from the Library. It does not remove Sims 4 saves or Mods.
3. Repair the Sims 4 installation
In the EA app, open Library, find the Sims 4 game tile, open its Manage icon or three-dot menu, and choose Repair. Wait for the process to finish, then try launching again. EA’s crash and freezing guidance and EA app troubleshooting guide describe this repair path.
Repair checks installed game files. It does not remove a broken Mod or repair a corrupted save, because those are stored separately in your Sims 4 user folder. If repair completes but the game still will not open, continue rather than repeatedly repairing the same installation.
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4. Test with Mods and custom content disabled
Mods and custom content are available on PC and Mac only. EA disables Mods after game updates because older files may no longer be compatible. A Mod can prevent the game from booting or loading a save; script Mods are especially likely to cause functional problems. If the launch failure began after a patch or after adding content, test this before reinstalling.
- Move the Mods folder out of Documents → Electronic Arts → The Sims 4 (on Mac, use Finder to reach the same Documents path). Put it somewhere safe, such as the Desktop. Do not delete it.
- Start the game and choose Resume or Load Game, then test in Live Mode. Do not save during this test.
- To leave the test safely, choose Menu → Exit Game, then confirm Exit Game again. Do not choose Save and Exit while Mods are disabled: EA warns that content may be removed from the saved game.
If the game now launches, a Mod or custom-content file is likely involved. Check for creator updates that match your installed game version; its version number is shown at the lower-left of the Main Menu. Do not simply re-enable everything after a patch. Once you have verified the unmodded game works and checked compatibility, restore the Mods folder and enable content through Options Menu → Game Options → Other → Enable Custom Content and Mods, then exit and relaunch.
To find a culprit, use EA’s 50/50 method: remove the Mods, add back half, and launch. If the problem returns, halve that batch again; if it does not, test the other half. Repeat until the incompatible file is isolated. Test Game Mods before ordinary custom content. The Mods folder can be created if missing; ZIP or RAR downloads must be extracted before their contents are placed inside it. EA notes that errors 102, 123, 125, 127, 129, and 131 can indicate script issues where a script Mod may be involved, while error 110 is associated with outdated Mods after an update. These codes are clues, not proof that a Mod is the cause.
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If the game eventually loads but the startup Mod notification slows opening, uncheck Show at Startup in the lower-left of that notification. That can shorten the notification step; it will not fix an incompatible Mod.
5. Reset the Sims 4 user folder if the game still will not launch
A clean user-folder test separates problems in saves, Mods, or downloaded Gallery content from problems in the installed game. Back up first: copy the entire Documents → Electronic Arts → The Sims 4 folder to the Desktop and give the copy a clear name, such as Sims 4 Backup. EA’s backup and reset instructions cover this procedure.
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- With the backup safely outside the Electronic Arts folder, remove the original The Sims 4 folder from Documents → Electronic Arts. On Windows, delete it and confirm; on Mac, select it in Finder, press Command+Delete, and confirm.
- Empty the Recycle Bin on Windows or Trash on Mac, then restart the computer.
- Launch the game. It will create a fresh user folder without your old saves and Mods.
If the game works with the fresh folder, the cause is in the backed-up user data—such as a save, Mod, or downloaded content. If it still fails, those old user files are unlikely to be the cause; restore the backup rather than leaving your data displaced.
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To isolate a suspect save, copy the backup’s saves folder into the new active Sims 4 folder and test. If the failure returns, remove that saves folder and copy save files back one at a time, testing after each. The file added immediately before the problem returns is the likely suspect. Keep the untouched backup until your saves and content are recovered.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.6. Address EA app errors and stalled launches
- EC: 109 — App files are corrupted: EA directs users to delete and redownload the EA app from EA.com. If the app launches but behaves incorrectly, cache clearing or reinstalling may be appropriate.
- EC:20:403: This is an Origin error indicating Origin is no longer available for Windows. Install and use the EA app instead.
- EC:10701 — Communication error: EA says the app could not run on port 3216. VPN software or virtual network adapters such as Hyper-V, TAP-Windows, and VMware can interfere. On Mac, EA’s command for identifying listeners on that port is
sudo lsof -i -P | grep LISTEN | grep :3216. Do not terminate an unfamiliar process without understanding what it does. - Download stuck at 4 GB: EA notes that this can happen when the destination drive is FAT32, which cannot handle files larger than 4 GB. Use a suitable destination drive/filesystem rather than restarting the same download repeatedly.
- Create Folder Error during install, update, or repair: This indicates a permissions issue. In File Explorer, right-click the game folder and open Properties → Security → Advanced. Check that SYSTEM has Full control. If it does not, use Security → Edit → SYSTEM → Full control: Allow → Apply.
If the game is stuck on Preparing game, EA’s troubleshooting sequence is to clear the app cache, close background applications that limit performance, check Windows and graphics updates and drivers, perform a clean boot, then retry. If the EA app itself will not launch because of corrupted or missing files, see EA’s EA app error-code guidance. On Windows, EA’s reinstall route is Control Panel → Programs → Uninstall a program → EA app → Uninstall, followed by reinstalling the app. To run it elevated, close the app, right-click its shortcut or executable, and select Run as administrator. Use administrator access only when needed; it is not a universal fix.
7. If it opens and then crashes, or runs poorly
If Sims 4 reaches the menu but crashes or freezes, the failure is no longer a pure launch problem. First test without Mods and with a fresh user folder as above. EA also recommends closing background apps, trying a clean boot, repairing game files, and capping the frame rate or enabling V-Sync in its PC crash and freeze steps.
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Quick Recap
Choose the next step from the result
- EA app cannot open: Clear its cache from Windows Start if available; for EC:109, reinstall the EA app.
- App opens, but Sims 4 does not: Clear cache, repair the game, then test without Mods.
- It launches without Mods or with a fresh folder: Isolate the incompatible Mod, save, or downloaded content; keep your backup intact.
- It still fails with a fresh folder: The cause is more likely the app, installed game files, system compatibility, drivers, or another background/permission issue. Use the EA app error and launch guidance above, and contact EA Help with the error code and system details if needed.
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