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If The Sims 4 gets stuck while loading one household, test the problem in this order: launch with Mods and Custom Content disabled, recover an earlier save, isolate a corrupted save file, clear the EA app cache, then repair the installed game files. The first three steps target household and save data; the last two target the EA app or game installation.
Important: do not save the household while Mods and Custom Content are disabled. EA warns that doing so can remove that content from the save.
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1. Test the household with Mods and Custom Content disabled
Outdated or broken Mods and Custom Content are a common reason a save or household stops loading after a The Sims 4 update. EA specifically lists failure to boot or load saves as a possible Mod symptom.
- Launch The Sims 4 with Mods disabled.
- From the Main Menu, choose Resume or Load Game, then enter Live Mode.
- If the household loads, close the game without saving. In Live Mode, open the top-right Menu, select Exit Game, then select Exit Game again to confirm.
- Check the lower-left corner of the Main Menu for your current game version.
- Visit each Mod creator’s site and check compatibility with that version. Some Mods need to be replaced or completely reinstalled after a patch.
- Re-enable content through Options Menu > Game Options > Other > Enable Custom Content and Mods, then exit and relaunch the game.
To find the offending file, remove everything from the Mods folder, add files back in batches, and launch the game after each batch. When the loading problem returns, divide that batch into smaller groups until you identify the incompatible Mod or Custom Content item.
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EA’s Mod and update guidance explains this testing process and the danger of saving with content disabled.
2. Recover an earlier version of the save
If the household worked previously and now fails to load, use the game’s built-in recovery points before changing files manually.
- From the Main Menu, select Load Game.
- Select the affected manual-save slot.
- Select Recover Save, represented by the floppy-disk icon.
- Choose an earlier save point and select Play.
Recovery points are available for recent manual saves created through Options Menu > Save or a Save Reminder. The game has only one Autosave slot; each new Autosave replaces the previous one, so older Autosaves cannot be recovered.
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See EA’s save-recovery instructions for the official workflow.
3. Isolate a corrupted save file
Use this method when the game still fails after Mods are removed or when only certain saves refuse to load. Back up the entire The Sims 4 folder first.
- Copy the The Sims 4 folder to a safe backup location.
- In that backup, copy the saves folder.
- Go to Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4.
- Paste the backed-up saves folder there and choose the option to replace the existing folder.
- Start The Sims 4 and test the game.
- If it still will not load, delete the saves folder from the active The Sims 4 folder.
- Copy individual save files from the backup into the active folder, testing the game after each file.
When loading fails, the most recently added save is the likely source of the problem. EA’s procedure says to delete that file from both the active The Sims 4 folder and the backup folder. Keep a separate copy if you want to preserve it for additional troubleshooting.
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EA’s backup and reset instructions also describe starting the game without previous saves and Mods. If the reset version runs normally, the cause is in the old saves, Mods, or Gallery-downloaded content. If it still fails, those files are not the cause.
4. Clear the EA app cache
Clear the cache when the EA app is behaving incorrectly—for example, when downloads or updates stall, games disappear from the Library, or the app gets stuck in Offline Mode. This is not a confirmed repair for a corrupted Sims 4 save.
When the EA app opens
- On Windows, select the three dashes in the far-left corner. On macOS, select Help at the top of the screen.
- Select Help > App recovery > Clear cache.
When the EA app will not open on Windows 10 or Windows 11
- Open Start > All Apps.
- Expand the EA folder.
- Select App Recovery.
- In the confirmation window, select Clear Cache.
Cache clearing cannot fix an EA server outage or a game that is unavailable because EA’s servers are down. Follow EA’s current cache instructions for the supported paths.
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5. Repair the installed game files
If a clean test without Mods and a known-good save still will not load, repair the installed game files through the EA app. EA’s troubleshooting guidance recommends repairing a game that is not loading.
The exact current button path can vary with the EA app interface. Open the EA app, locate The Sims 4 in your Library, and use the game’s available management menu to find the repair option. Do not treat the commonly repeated Library > The Sims 4 > three dots > Repair path as guaranteed: EA’s currently indexed troubleshooting page does not expose that exact UI sequence.
Use EA’s game download, installation, and loading troubleshooting page if the repair option is missing or the repair does not complete.
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What not to try first
- Do not use Save and Exit with Mods disabled. It can remove Custom Content and Mods from the saved game.
- Do not assume deleting
localthumbcache.packageis an EA-confirmed universal fix. EA’s current backup/reset and cache guidance does not prescribe it for every household-loading failure. - Do not expect
resetSimto repair this loading-screen problem. It is for Sims who are stuck or unresponsive after a household loads, not for corrupted saves or households that never reach the game.
When a Sim is stuck after the household loads
Once you can enter the household but an individual Sim is unresponsive, open the cheat window with Ctrl + Shift + C on PC/Mac, L1 + L2 + R1 + R2 on PlayStation, or LB + LT + RB + RT on Xbox. Then enter:
resetSim Firstname LastnameFor example:
resetSim Bella GothTo attempt to reset every Sim in the current game, enter:
resetSim *EA notes that resetSim * may not reset every Sim and can produce a “Sim not found” error. Alternatively, enter testingcheat true, Shift-click the Sim, and choose Reset Object (Debug). These commands do not fix a household that fails at the loading-screen stage. See EA’s reset-Sim instructions.
