While ultimately players are responsible for their own mod use, Maxis understands that mods are important to how a lot of us play, so this part of the Answers HQ forums is here for your fellow Simmers to help you get playing again when, inevitably, a game update "breaks" some mods and CC (more on why that can't be prevented below).
NOTE: Support in this forum assumes that you are fully patched to the latest Sims 4 update. Also, before asking for support, check the Broken/Updated Mods thread for lists of "broken" (outdated), obsolete, and updated gameplay mods and custom content, see the pinned post in Game and Mod/CC Issues.
Index to This Thread
Current Issues That Are (or Appear) Mod-Related
Tips and Tricksfor Mod Users at Update Time — including how to find what "broke": the 50-50- method of mod testing
Other AHQ Resources
Broken/Updated Mods and CC thread – pinned in Game and Mod/CC Issues – including links to previous threads for even more catching up
If you've come to this thread, it's probably for one of two reason: [1] you use game mods or custom content (CC) and something went wrong in Sims after the game updated or [2] you use game mods or custom (CC) and you heard that you should do something at game update time.
Mods (game mods and CC) aren't created by Maxis — they're created by Simmers, who tie into The Sims 4 game code. When the game is updated, the code that gets updated is going to be the code that some mod out there "talks" to, which means that mod can "break". A mod that uses code that almost never changes will almost never "break". A mod that uses code that gets changed a lot will need updating often. This is nobody's fault: it's just how mods and games work together.
So how does this affect you as a player who uses mods? An outdated mod (one that's fallen behind the code it relies on) can cause you problems. It might only result in last exception (LE) error files and not seem to do anything in your game. It might make parts of the game inaccessible or really weird looking. It might make a save permanently unplayable, especially if you've saved when you exit. It might stop the program or your game (save) or a household opening at all.
So here you are! This thread is here for support in handling your mods after the most recent game update, to help you solve mod problems that come up (and give you extra guidance on what some commons mod-related problems are right now), and as one way for players and modders to pass on news about mods.
The issues listed here are mostly for mods that don't yet have updates, but the list also includes some recent issues that do have fixes. Keeping mods updated will help prevent many issues. Consider catching up on mod news if you've been away from the game for a while. Some other, less common symptoms are listed with mods known to cause them in the current Outdated/Updated Mods thread.
Symptom: Individual lots or worlds fail to load
Known Causes: No single cause, but For Rent has particular issues. See Crinrict's pinned [MASTER THREAD] Crashing and Endless Loading. Also check the current Broken/Updated Mods list and try a 50-50 of your Mods folder.
Symptom: Lagging in Live mode
Known Causes: There are many possible causes, including outdated mods, too many script mods (especially over 250), too many CC files, duplicate mods, too many unhoused Sims being suddenly generated by the game, syncing programs trying to sync, and (depending on your computer specs) having too many Sims, too many lined-up actions, and/or too many interactable objects on a lot. There may also be current unknown causes.
Solutions: Test without mods, in a different lot, and on a new save to narrow the cause down. Exempt all Sims files from syncing and/or pause syncing before playing.
Symptom: Sims won’t move into your Sim’s household in Live mode
Known Cause: Game bug. Use Household Manager.
Symptom: UI issues in Live mode at the bottom right
Known Cause for 1.102 and later: Outdated UI Cheats Extension (weerbesu). Check the current list of broken mods before updating.
Symptom: Can't exit CAS, can't save to Library/Gallery
Known Causes for 1.102: Outdated Color Sliders (thepancake1 and MizoreYukii) and 15 Clubs Per Sim (King Zace). Check the current list of broken mods before updating.
Symptom: Cooking UI is empty; Sims can't prepare meals
Known Causes: Outdated versions of Color Sliders (thepancake1 and MizoreYukii), 15 Clubs Per Sim (King Zace). Updates are available.
Symptom: Simple Living and grocery shopping don't work. Ingredient requirements don't work. New categories for cooking aren't available. Cooking remains possible, though.
Known Causes: various cooking mods, including Srsly's SCCO, which is not yet updated for all new features
Note: Some cooking mods require that you delete food and plates before removing the mod to prevent more serious errors.
Symptom: Aliens (and possibly other Sims) are missing their heads
Known Causes: various outdated CAS default mods, especially eyelash mods
Note: Check default CAS mods for updates and alternatives
Symptom: Toddlers (and possibly other Sims) have distorted faces
Known Causes: various outdated CAS mods, especially no-eyelash mods and presets
Note: Check this sort of CAS mod for updates (after Dec. 5, 2023) and alternatives
Symptom: Horses don't appear in the relationship panel
Known Cause: No More Relationship Culling by Neia
Note: Other mods are available to replace this one
Symptom: Horse interactions not available
Known Causes: various outdated mods, including PlantSim Inheritance v1-A, Be a Little Serious
Symptom: Sims can't ride horses
Known Causes: mods for belly size, mods for pregnancy walk; some have been updated
Symptom: Sims Infants gameplay fails
Known Causes: Fixed Nyx's Enhanced Aliens, Children can live alone after all elders died
Note: There are likely other outdated mods with this symptom
Symptom: Lot fails to load for Live mode gameplay
Known Causes: noextramoneyonpromotion (Bienchen); outdated versions of Meaningful Stories, SNB-Bills
Note: This can be caused by game bugs and by outdated mods, especially complex script mods (mods that include a .ts4script file). The error message is important. Test without mods before posting a thread; include a screenshot of the error message. Note also that in some cases, that household will have become corrupted and you'll need to go back to an earlier version of the save.
Symptom: Game stuck in loading
Note: No single cause. Check the current Broken/Updated Mods list and try a 50-50 of your Mods folder.
Symptom: Sim profile (in Live mode) broken
Known Cause: AD(H)D trait by FiendMods
Note:When a custom trait is removed, Sims will lose the trait and not be automatically given a new one.
Symptom: Sims arms and legs stretch or disappear, and other Sim glitching in Live mode
Known Cause: outdated height sliders
Symptom: Food stall and Festival vendors sell only produce
Known Causes: outdated Custom Food stalls, playable NPC jobs
Note: Possible permanent corruption if you load a save with broken food stalls. Make sure to update any food stalls before playing or remove them before updating.
Symptoms: Sims won't eat; Sims reset when doing homework
Known Cause: outdated CC, including phone mods
Common Issues at Game Updates
Some mods are especially sensitive to game updates. Most of these mods that you can temporarily play without with no harm done to your save. They are also generally quickly updated, so watch for those updates!
Symptom: Blank icons and UI glitching in the CAS, Build/Buy, or Live mode UI; Main Menu and the Gallery showing "wwwwwwwwww" instead of text; Build/Buy GUI missing
Known Causes: outdated Color Sliders (thepancake1 and MizoreYukii), 15 Clubs Per Sim (King Zace), UI Cheats Extension (weerbesu), Better BuildBuy (TwistedMexi), More Columns in CAS (weerbesu), CC wrench icon mods, and other mods that change the UI
Note: Playing without 15 Clubs Per Sim may result in Sims losing club memberships. UI Cheats Extension generally isn't the cause of CAS glitching.
Symptom: All color options are broken in CAS. Color does not change.
Known Cause: outdated More Columns in CAS (weerbesu)
Symptom: The Gallery won't load
Known Causes: outdated Color Sliders, 15 Clubs Per Sim
Symptom: World map has overlying text
Known Causes: outdated UI Cheats Extension, Better BuildBuy, and other mods that change the UI
Symptom: When trying to load a new world, only a white screen is shown
Because some outdated ("broken") mods can actually corrupt your save file, before you let the EA App update your game, back up your Saves folder. If you aren't sure when an update might come out, you might want to get in the habit of doing this regularly.
"Backing up" a folder or file means making a copy of it in a different place. You'll find your save files in Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4 > Saves. You can copy that whole folder to somewhere else — your desktop, say, or a different folder you make yourself, like Documents > Sims Backups, or a USB key. Now you'll have a pre-patch copy to fall back on in case you run into serious problems.
It can be very tempting to just set up a syncing app, like OneDrive, to sync your Documents folder online as a way to back up your saves. Don't do this. The Sims 4 and syncing programs, especially OneDrive, hate each other. You'll run into whole new problems, including things like the app undeleting mods you deleted.
It can also be very tempting to rely on a mod manager to handle your mods folder for you. However, nothing built into mod managers can detect when a mod is outdated, and they won't save a backup for you.
After Sims Updates
Many patches change enough in the game to trigger it to turn off the Options setting that lets the game "see" your Mods folder. If you save like that, everything that those mods effect — your Sims' hair, their kitchen cupboards, their careers and aspirations, their height, etc. — will be stripped from that save and need to be put back in by you. You don't want that. But you also don't want to have that save corrupted unexpectedly by an outdated mod.
So, after the game update,
DON'T delete your Saves backup. You might still need it.
Check to see if mods you use have been reported "broken" (outdated) or obsolete (for example, a bugfix mod that's no longer needed) so you can remove those or wait for them to be updated.
Check to see if mods you use have been updated. Some modders will update very quickly. Others need more time for various reasons, all of which are absolutely okay — the update might be complex, they might prioritize more popular mods than what you use, they might be very busy with other responsibilities, they might be unwell. Please give them space. Too many modders have quit modding because they were tired of being asked "Are we there yet?" by impatient players.
If you really want to play now but mods you use aren't updated yet, consider making a new save that doesn't rely on the outdated mods. Select "New" on the Sims 4 home page. If you have multiple saves after this, you can use "Load" to pick out the one you want to play next.
If you do play your "old" save that relies on mods or use it to test a mod, don't save if you haven't re-enabled mods. To re-enable mods, head to your Settings, under Other. But keep that backup of your Saves folder!
When Problems Happen
If you use mods, someday problems will happen, especially if you use a lot of them. Of course, not all problems after game updates are caused by outdated mods! So this section includes a test for that.
Check to see if mods you use are known to be outdated or have been updated. This applied to all mods — both game mods and custom content. Yes, your Sim's eyelashes can break the whole game! Delete the old mods and replace with updated ones, after checking for new installation instructions. Delete obsolete mods. Delete outdated mods that haven't been updated. (And when you delete that content, also delete the file called localthumbcache.) Often this is enough to solve your problem. If not, keep going!
Check if the symptom you have is commonly mod-related for this patch or a recent patch. You'll find many common symptoms and their causes in the next post.
Test whether the problem was caused by mods. This is called testing "vanilla". To do this, exit the game (if you have cookbook-type mods, delete plates and food first). Go to Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4. Drag your Mods folder to your desktop. Now delete the file called localthumbcache. Restart Sims 4 and check to see if the problem is still there. If it's not, it was probably caused by outdated mods. Either way, exit without saving. (Extra tip: Sometimes deleting an outdated mod and localthumbcache isn't enough to make a problem caused by the mod go away in a save. You can test a new save as well.)
So, now you seem to have, somewhere in that Mods folder, an outdated mod that isn't on the "Broken/Updated" list. Isolate the outdated mod. One way to do that is to do a "50-50" of your mods folder.
How to "50-50" Your Mods Folders
To figure out which game mod or piece of custom content is causing problems, you can test mods in increasingly small batches, systematically.
Drag your Mods folderto your desktop, and delete the localthumbcache file from Electronic Arts > The Sims 4. Start Sims 4 then exit.
Make a test copy of your original Mods folder on your desktop. You'll use the test copy for the 50-50 so that you don't lose the organization of your original folder.
Divide your folder up into batches. You might not need to do much for this step depending on how your Mods folder is already organized.
Some mods depend on other mods to work. That might be a CC mesh or a mods like XML Injector or a core library mod. Make sure those dependencies are with the mods they depend on in each batch. Otherwise, a mod might seem to not work, but it could just be an installation error.
Start with one batch. Copy it into the new Mods folder the game made. Try it out. Is it all okay? If yes, delete it from Mods, delete localthumbcache, and drag that batch to a folder for cleared batches.
If a batch fails, divide it up. Somewhere in that failed batch is a problem. Separate it into smaller batches and test those separately. Remember to keep track of what's already tested and what isn't, and keep deleting localthumbcache. Test these sub-batches and keep making them smaller to narrow down the cause of the problem.
A 50-50 won't always find a mod problem. It will, for example, miss issues that aren't a result of a game patch, like duplicate files, mod conflicts, missing dependencies, having mods you don't have required packs for, and wrong mod installation. However, while you're doing the 50-50, you might notice some of these issues, and it's a great opportunity to make your Mods folder better organized for next time.
An additional note about cooking mods: Some of these have very particular instructions for removing them. Consider removing your Saves and doing any 50-50 testing on a new save or new household if you weren't able to follow those instructions before mod testing.
Still Stuck?
This thread is here to help! You can also start a new thread in this forum. But please be descriptive: To help you, we need to know what symptoms you have in your game and we need to know what steps you've taken to try to isolate the problem.
I have mods and I am unable to click on my sims when they are installed only, yet I have gone through them and can't tell which one is causing trouble. I would like to continue playing with my mods, but I need to be able to make sims interact. I am able to click on objects, just not sims. I will attatch my dxdiag here.
Hi, i read the thread and im not sure if any of the solutions your provide would help me because i tried almost everything and nothing had solved yet, i installed the game two days agol, im new in all of this and it worked well with the mods i installed (every single mod worked and showed well, including live mode) but after the update the mods werent recognized by the game and i mean that even didnt appear at the main page, it is like i never downloaded mods, i tried downloading one mod and happen the same, didnt show up, the game didnt recognize the mod. To clarify my mods option are active and im not sure if ALL the mods that i downloaded two days ago with the new update outdated. If you can help me i would really appreciate that
@Wit_Katt No extra time is needed. The game should see them when you exit and re-enter the game after setting the option. If not, check where your Mods folder is and what's in it. The "How to Use" thread for PC on this topic explains where you should be finding that folder. If you aren't finding it in the right place or it's been emptied, there's a chance a syncing app like OneDrive is causing problems.
Thanks for the help, i tried again and it seems like all is right, so my last option is if can you please explain or maybe a link or something where it explains the syncing app causing troubles? Where can i find it or how it works?
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