Forum Discussion

Seasoned Novice

2 months ago

Solved

[TROUBLESHOOTING] Sims 4 Crashing since 1/14/25 Update on ARM M series Macs

Hi,

My game has been repeatedly crashing since the update this past week. I'm using a macbook air M3 2024 and am up to date, running Sequoia 15.2. I use the EA app and have lots of packs. It lets me load the game up and play for a while, then crashes at random times, most often when I am trying to travel. It doesn't glitch or freeze at all before crashing, it just exits the game out of nowhere.

I play with basic mods but I have removed them and it still crashes (they are also all up to date). I don't think I use UI cheats, but am not 100% sure. I have repaired the game in the EA App and uninstalled/reinstalled the EA App. I also deleted the localthumbcache and onlinethumbnailcache.

Please let me know what other steps to take, I just want to be able to play without saving every minute!! I'm not great with computers, so layman's terms would be great. Thank you!!😄

crashing

mac

updates

Bluebellflora
17 days ago
- Marking as solution for visibility and ongoing troubleshooting purposes -

For those experiencing this very specific crashing issue please try the following, in this order:

Update macOS to Sequoia 15.3.1 (released 10 February 2025) in System Settings > General > Software Update. This is fixing the issue for most people. If you're running a non-Sequoia version of macOS and don't want to update to Sequoia you could try updating to the latest version of your current OS.

Change your game to windowed mode in the in-game graphics options and see if that stops the crashing. You can drag the corner of the game window once in windowed mode to make it bigger on the desktop.

If it still crashes please rename the Sims 4 folder in Documents > Electronic Arts then launch the game so a new one is created. Quit and COPY your usual save file from the renamed TS4 > saves folder into the newly created TS4 > saves folder then launch the game and test whether the crashing happens. Do not copy or move any other files or folders into the new Sims 4 folder until you have tested the save.

I get this is frustrating and there have been loads of reports of crashing in vanilla games since the first January patch, which made major changes to the graphics in the game, but unless players try these two very basic troubleshooting steps, and report back with their findings it makes it more difficult to pinpoint the issue.

It's also worth nothing that most, if not all of the crashes that seem to have this same set of symptoms, are being reported from users on ARM (M series) equipped Macs. If you can please confirm the model Mac you are using and version of macOS that is also hugely helpful.

Users have posted this issue on the following Macs and OSs:

M1, model unknown, macOS Sequoia 15.3
M1 MacBook Air, macOS Big Sur 11.6 - upgrading to Sequoia 15.3.1 fixed it
M1 MacBook Air, macOS Monterey 12.2.1 - upgrading to Sequoia 15.3.1 fixed it
M1 MacBook Air macOS Sonoma 14.2.1
M1 MacBook Air, macOS Sonoma 14.5
M1 MacBook Air, macOS Sonoma 14.6.1
M2 MacBook Air, macOS Sequoia 15.3
M3, model unknown, macOS Sequoia 15.2
M3 MacBook Air, macOS Sequoia 15.1

M1 MacBook Pro 13", macOS Monterey 12.7.4 - upgrading to Sequoia 15.3.1 fixed it
M2 Macbook Pro 13", macOS Monterey 15.3

M2 Mac mini, macOS Sequoia 15.3 - upgrading to Sequoia 15.3.1 fixed it

73 Replies

Bluebellflora
Hero+
2 months ago
@ncsalley

Follow these steps to launch a new clean game - https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-Mac/READ-FIRST-Sims-4-Mac-Help-Guides-and-Troubleshooting/m-p/4612394#M163

Does it still happen with none of your current user data in the new Sims 4 folder? If it does, move one of your saves into the newly created saves folder. Does it start crashing again?
lobrien22
28 days ago
Same here. I have tried it all and it’s still crashing. Even after the new folder and everything! ☹️
Bluebellflora
Hero+
28 days ago
@lobrien22

Please can you provide more information about your Mac. Instructions on how to do so and what to provide here - http://answers.ea.com/t5/The-Sims-Mac/READ-FIRST-Sims-4-Mac-Help-Guides-and-Troubleshooting/m-p/4612396/highlight/true#M162

Have you tried a game repair?
sw33tpinkbabi
New Traveler
21 days ago
Same here. MacBook Air 2022 M2, macOS 15.3. Since the 1/14 update, my game crashes when I travel to restaurants, cafes, and the gym in Willow Creek. It’s not consistent, it usually crashes the first time trying to go to those places during a game session. When I load back in the game, and repeat the travel, I can get there without issue. I only have one restaurant and it came with Dine Out, and the cafes that are in Windenburg. I never had crashing before this update. I keep my game on for days at a time and it’s only when I shut it down, come back in and travel to those places it crashes the first time. It happens across all saves new and old.
Bluebellflora
Hero+
21 days ago
sw33tpinkbabi

Instead of leaving your game running for days at a time, which is a really bad idea, can you test by launching, playing, quitting, launching, playing quitting, over several gaming sessions and see if it makes a difference?
sw33tpinkbabi
New Traveler
21 days ago
I’ve done that already. It worked perfectly fine until the previous update. The crash is random, I can’t pinpoint it but it only occurs when traveling to venues. I have all base venues, nothing custom and since the update if I travel to one it may or may not crash. I’m going to check my console logs later today and see if I notice anything. Thanks.
Bluebellflora
Hero+
21 days ago
sw33tpinkbabi

Full screen or windowed mode? Try both. There were some reports of crashing in full screen after the earlier January patch
sw33tpinkbabi
New Traveler
21 days ago
Full screen. I’ll try windowed. Thank you.
sw33tpinkbabi
New Traveler
21 days ago
I had a look at the console logs and both crashes reference memory access errors as well. Windowed or full screen mode doesn’t change the results. I’m going to keep testing some venues until it crashes again. Usually once it loads, it wont crash at that specific venue again. Except it did Tues after the latest update. Never residential lots, that’s what is so strange.
I also checked the memory utilization, the game is using about 4Gb out of 8Gb, EA app and system resources using 2Gb, and paging using 1Gb. This is not much different than before the first update.
Kylobe
Seasoned Newcomer
19 days ago
Same issue here. My game keeps randomly crashing. It used to crash very infrequently since the 1/14 update, but over the past couple days its happen within two minutes of gameplay. Mine is practically unplayable. Unlike you, however, I do have mods and CC, but I did test it all and the issue still occurs without it and I tried repairing the game and that didn't work either. As a last ditch effort I tried uninstalling and reinstalling the Sims 4 and the EA app, but that didn't work either. I think it's a bug for those playing on Mac because I'm seeing a ton of Mac players report the same exact issue. Hope EA releases an update to fix this soon, especially with the 25th anniversary update coming on Tuesday.