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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchYes—you can restore Sims 4 saves to a new computer by copying the local saves folder. Install The Sims 4 through the EA app, sign in with the same EA Account, launch the game once, close it, and copy the old folder to Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 4/saves. Keep an untouched backup until the restored save has loaded successfully.
To restore The Sims 4 saves on a new computer, install the game, sign in to the same EA Account, run it once, close it, and copy your old saves folder into Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 4/saves.
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Your EA Account restores access to The Sims 4 and eligible purchased add-ons, but your Sims 4 gameplay saves are local files. Reinstalling the game or signing in alone does not guarantee that your households and worlds will appear. Copy the files manually, and keep the original backup until you have successfully loaded the restored game.
Before you start
- Make sure you can access the old computer, its backup drive, or the cloud folder containing your Sims 4 files.
- Install The Sims 4 on the new computer through the EA app.
- Sign in with the EA Account used to play and purchase the game.
- Do not copy Mods or custom content until the clean game and restored save have been tested.
- Keep an untouched copy of the old
The Sims 4folder.
Step 1: Back up The Sims 4 on the old computer
Back up the complete user-data folder before moving individual files. This gives you a recovery copy if the transfer is incomplete or a file turns out to be damaged.
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Windows
- Open File Explorer.
- Go to
Documents > Electronic Arts. - Copy the entire
The Sims 4folder to another location, such as a USB drive or a separate backup folder. - Rename the copy something clear, such as
Sims 4 Backup.
Mac
- Open Finder.
- Open
Documents > Electronic Arts. - Copy the entire
The Sims 4folder to another location. - Keep the copied folder unchanged as your backup.
The folder you need is the Documents user-data folder, not the folder where the game application is installed. The user-data folder contains your saves, library items, screenshots, settings, Mods, and other personal files.
Step 2: Install The Sims 4 on the new computer
- Download and install the EA app for Windows or Mac.
- Sign in with the EA Account associated with your copy of The Sims 4.
- Open the EA app’s library and install The Sims 4.
- Download any owned add-ons that you want to use.
Purchases and game ownership are associated with the EA Account. Your local Sims 4 save files are separate from that account, so do not assume that a fresh installation will restore your progress automatically.
Step 3: Launch the game once
Start The Sims 4 on the new computer, wait until you reach the main menu, and then exit the game normally. This creates the destination folder structure in Documents.
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After closing the game, confirm that this folder exists:
Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 4Do not copy files while the game is running. Exit The Sims 4 and, if necessary, the EA app before replacing or adding files.
Step 4: Copy the old saves to the new computer
On the old computer or backup, open:
Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 4/savesCopy the contents of the old saves folder into the new computer’s:
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Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 4/savesIf the new computer already has a saves folder, rename it first—for example, saves-new-install—instead of deleting it permanently. Then copy the old save files into the newly generated folder. This preserves the new installation’s files in case you need to compare or restore them.
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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →If the destination does not contain a saves folder, copy the entire old folder into The Sims 4. The final result should look similar to:
Documents
└── Electronic Arts
└── The Sims 4
└── saves
├── Slot_00000001.save
├── Slot_00000002.save
└── ...Step 5: Check the restored game
- Launch The Sims 4.
- Select Load Game, rather than starting a new game.
- Look for your old households, worlds, and save slots.
- Load the most recent save and confirm that the expected Sims and lots are present.
- Play briefly, save under a new slot if possible, and exit normally.
Do not overwrite or discard your original backup until you have confirmed that the restored save works.
Moving saves between Windows and Mac
EA’s documented PC-to-Mac method uses removable storage. Copy the old saves folder to a flash drive, connect the drive to the Mac, and paste it into:
Finder > Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4 > savesRun the game once on the Mac first so that the destination folder exists. The same general process works from Mac to Windows: transfer the folder, launch the game once on Windows, and place the files in the Windows Documents path.
A USB flash drive is optional but useful when the old computer is still available and you do not want to upload the files. Ordinary save files do not require a particular brand, capacity, or transfer speed. A portable external SSD is a sensible alternative if you are also moving a large Mods folder, many screenshots, Tray content, or several complete backups, but an SSD is not necessary for the saves alone.
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What should you transfer besides saves?
| Folder | What it contains | Should you copy it immediately? |
|---|---|---|
saves |
Gameplay progress and saved worlds | Yes—this is the required folder for restoring progress. |
Tray |
Saved households, lots, and builds in your personal library | Optional. Copy after the clean game and save work. |
Mods |
Mods and custom content | Optional. Copy last, and check compatibility with the current game patch. |
Screenshots |
Personal screenshots taken in the game | Optional. Copy if you want to preserve them. |
Separating these folders makes troubleshooting easier. If you copy an outdated or incompatible mod at the same time as the save, it becomes harder to tell whether the save or the custom content caused a problem. Test the game with no Mods first, then add other folders one at a time.
Using OneDrive instead of a USB drive
OneDrive can be used as a general file-transfer and backup method if you already synchronize your Documents folder. It is not the same as EA cloud saving: OneDrive copies files between devices, while the EA Account handles game ownership and downloads.
- On the old computer, allow OneDrive to finish synchronizing the relevant Documents and
The Sims 4folder. - Confirm that the folder is available in OneDrive on the new computer.
- Install and launch The Sims 4 once on the new computer, then close it.
- Copy the old
savesfolder from OneDrive into the new computer’s activeDocuments/Electronic Arts/The Sims 4folder. - Keep a separate local backup before replacing any newly generated files.
OneDrive’s backup and recovery features can help recover deleted or overwritten files, but synchronization can also propagate an unwanted change. Wait for syncing to finish and verify the files before treating the cloud copy as your only backup.
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If you do not have a USB drive, a general cloud-storage service such as Google Drive or Dropbox can transfer the files. The safest approach is:
- Close The Sims 4 on the old computer.
- Compress the old
savesfolder—or the completeThe Sims 4backup—into a ZIP file. - Upload the ZIP file.
- Download it on the new computer and extract it.
- Launch the game once on the new computer, close it, and place the extracted files in the destination folder.
Keep the downloaded ZIP as an additional backup. Cloud storage is a manual transfer method here, not evidence that The Sims 4 is synchronizing saves through EA.
If your saves do not appear
Work through these checks in order rather than repeatedly overwriting the backup.
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1. Check the active Documents folder
Confirm that the files are in the folder the game is actually reading:
Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 4/savesOn Windows, OneDrive folder backup can redirect Documents to a OneDrive location. You may therefore have more than one Documents folder containing a The Sims 4 folder. Do not create another folder based on guesswork; inspect the active Documents location and verify where the game-created folder appeared after the first launch.
2. Check the copied files
- Make sure you copied the contents of the old
savesfolder, not only a shortcut or an empty folder. - Check that the files retain their original names and
.saveextensions. - Make sure the files are not still inside a ZIP file or an extra nested folder.
- Close the game before copying and relaunch it after the transfer.
3. Reset the user-data folder and test a clean restore
If the game still shows no saves or fails to load, use a controlled reset:
- Make another copy of the transferred
The Sims 4folder. - Rename the current
The Sims 4folder to something such asThe Sims 4 - transfer test. Do not permanently delete it. - Launch The Sims 4 and exit it after it creates a clean
The Sims 4folder. - Copy only the old
savesfolder into the clean folder. - Launch the game and test Load Game.
If the clean restore works, add Tray, Screenshots, and other folders separately. Copy Mods last, and test with custom content disabled or absent until you have confirmed that each item is compatible with the current game version.
4. Isolate a potentially damaged save
If the game fails after restoring the saves, preserve the complete backup and temporarily remove the saves folder from the test installation. Then copy individual save files back one at a time, launching and testing after each addition. If the problem returns immediately after a particular file is restored, treat that file as the likely source of the problem and keep it separately.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteThis process can identify a problematic file, but it does not guarantee that a corrupted save can be repaired. A known-good backup is the safest recovery option. Never delete the only copy of a save that may contain important progress.
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Common mistakes to avoid
- Expecting the EA Account to restore local saves: account access and game ownership are not the same as save-file synchronization.
- Copying into the installation directory: saves belong in the Documents user-data folder, not beside the game executable.
- Copying Mods first: an incompatible mod can make a working save appear broken.
- Deleting the new folder immediately: rename it so you can recover files if needed.
- Overwriting the only backup: preserve an untouched copy until the restored game has been tested.
- Ignoring OneDrive redirection: verify the active Documents path before creating a second Sims 4 folder.
Quick checklist
- Back up the old
The Sims 4folder. - Install The Sims 4 through the EA app on the new computer.
- Sign in with the same EA Account.
- Launch the game once and close it.
- Copy the old
savesfolder toDocuments/Electronic Arts/The Sims 4/saves. - Open Load Game and test the restored save.
- Transfer Tray, Screenshots, and Mods only after the save works.
- Keep the old backup until the migration is complete.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Sims 4 saves automatically transfer through the EA Account?
No. The EA Account restores access to The Sims 4 and eligible purchased add-ons, but Sims 4 save files are local user data that should be backed up and copied manually.
Can I move Sims 4 saves from Windows to Mac?
Yes. Launch the game once on the new computer so it creates the Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 4 folder, then copy the old saves folder into that location.
What USB drive do I need to transfer Sims 4 saves?
No particular USB capacity or brand is required for ordinary save files. A USB flash drive is simply an optional way to transfer the folder. A portable SSD is more useful when moving large Mods, Tray, Screenshots, or backup folders.
Why are my Sims 4 saves not showing on the new computer?
First verify the active Documents path, especially if OneDrive backs up Documents. Then check that the files are in The Sims 4/saves, retain their .save extensions, and are not trapped inside an extra folder or ZIP file.
Should I copy my Sims 4 Mods folder with my saves?
Test the clean game and saves first. Add Tray and Screenshots afterward, then add Mods one at a time after checking compatibility with the current game patch.
The Bottom Line
The essential transfer is simple: create a backup, generate the new computer’s Sims 4 folder by launching the game once, and copy the old saves folder into the new Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 4/saves location. The EA Account restores the game and owned content—not necessarily your local saves—so retain the backup until you have loaded and tested your progress.
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