The Sims 4 does not launch on macOS Apple Silicon – silent exit, no error
I am reporting a persistent issue with The Sims 4 on macOS (Apple Silicon) where the game does not launch at all and exits silently with no error message, crash dialog, or visible log.
System information
- Device: MacBook Pro (M1)
- macOS: 26.2 (25C56), updated to 26.3 (Tahoe)
- EA App: latest version
- The Sims 4: latest version
- Mods / CC: none (never installed)
- Expansion packs / DLC: none (base game only; clean, vanilla installation with no additional content)
Problem description
When launching The Sims 4 (via EA App or directly from the application bundle), nothing happens.
No window opens, no error message appears, and no crash report is generated.
The process starts and immediately exits.
Troubleshooting steps already performed (in order)
Basic / common steps
- Restarted the Mac multiple times
- Logged out and back into EA App
- Restarted EA App background services
- Cleared EA App cache (App Recovery)
- Ran EA App in offline mode
- Repaired The Sims 4 via EA App
- Fully uninstalled and reinstalled EA App and The Sims 4
- Verified no mods or custom content are present
- Deleted all Sims 4 user data (removed Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 4)
- Updated macOS from 26.2 to 26.3
macOS permissions, storage & security
11. Verified Privacy & Security settings
12. Ensured EA App and The Sims 4 have required file access
13. Ensured iCloud-stored game data is fully available locally (Keep Downloaded)
14. Removed quarantine attributes using xattr -cr
15. Verified code signing (codesign --verify --deep --strict, no errors)
16. Verified binary architecture (universal: arm64 + x86_64)
17. Tried launching with and without Rosetta
Advanced / terminal diagnostics
18. Launched the game directly from the executable
19. Ran DYLD_PRINT_LIBRARIES=1 for diagnostics
Output is always:
Launch - 1
cp: logReader.html: No such file or directory
The process exits immediately with no further output and no crash report.
Current status
- The Sims 4 never reaches UI initialization
- No crash logs are generated
- The issue persists after macOS update and full reinstall
- The installation is a clean, vanilla base game (no mods, no DLC)
- The binary is valid and correctly signed
- This appears to be a macOS Apple Silicon–specific silent launch failure
Request
Please confirm whether this is a known issue with The Sims 4 on macOS 26.x (Apple Silicon), advise if there is a workaround or fix in progress, and escalate this as a compatibility issue if needed.
12. Ensured EA App and The Sims 4 have required file access
Can you confirm the access the game has please.
13. Ensured iCloud-stored game data is fully available locally (Keep Downloaded)
This isn't always enough. Have you tested with iCloud Drive syncing disabled? If you don't want to do that then create a new user account on your Mac with no Apple ID and iCloud sign in and launch the game in that account. Do not copy any of your user data over.
14. Removed quarantine attributes using xattr -cr
No need to ever do this.
Please confirm whether this is a known issue with The Sims 4 on macOS 26.x (Apple Silicon), advise if there is a workaround or fix in progress, and escalate this as a compatibility issue if needed.
No, it is not a known issue and sounds like an issue locally for you. Your description sounds like the typical permission issues users report, whether that is because the game does not have the access it requires or antivirus or EPP software is blocking it, or maybe EA App is failing to confirm your entitlement to the game. Try the clean user account with nothing running in the background apart from macOS processes.
