[INSTRUCTIONS] How to troubleshoot and test a broken game
If your game is displaying any of the following behaviours please read on for basic troubleshooting steps: bouncing in the Dock then disappearing EA App minimising after pressing play then reappearing and the game not loading black screen crashing freezing eternally loading freezing sims but time progressing any unusual and unexpected behaviour Repair the game: Make sure the game is not running. Open EA App, click on Library in EA App, then click on the 3 dots in the top right corner of the game and select Repair. Once it has finished repairing attempt to launch the game. If it still doesn't work your next step is to try a clean Sims 4 folder. Testing a clean game: You need to test a fully clean game without any of your current user data. User data are all the files and folders in the Sims 4 folder located in Documents > Electronic Arts. The files and settings stored in this folder make your game unique to you but they can also be the cause of a game not working, typically due to out of date or conflicting Mods, corrupted saves, or other potentially broken files. This screenshot shows the contents of the Sims 4 folder with the most important data highlighted in red: Make sure the game is not running then rename the Sims 4 folder. This can be renamed to anything, just add OLD to the folder name for example. Renaming the folder forces the game to create a new one when you next launch it. None of your user data will be in the new Sims 4 folder the game creates but is still safe in the Sims 4 folder you renamed. Launch the game. If it successfully launches to the main menu start a new save, create a household and place them in-game. If your game has normally been breaking in build or live mode at this point, play for a bit in this new save, trying to reproduce the scenario that your game broke previously. If it starts breaking again create a new thread in the Mac Sims 4 Tech forum or post in an existing thread if you have been directed here for troubleshooting. Make sure you include a clear explanation of when your game breaks, what happens, and what troubleshooting steps you have tried. Screenshots of error codes and copy/pasted text from the most recent lastCrash and LastException files are also very helpful. If your game works in the new save it's time to test the user data in your old Sims 4 folder. We do this in several steps in a precise order to try and narrow down the problem based on the issue you were having. Make sure you have the game fully closed before testing. Delete the new save you just created. COPY a save from the old Sims 4 > saves folder you renamed into the new Sims 4 > saves folder the game has created. Launch the game and attempt to load the save. If it loads great! Quit without saving and move to step 2 and gradually add your user data into the new Sims 4 folder. If it will not load the issue is with the save file. Quit or Force Quit the game, do not save. The save file may be corrupted due to whatever reason, sometimes this can be because your save may depend on specific Mods or CC to properly load. If this is the case download a new copy of the Mod from the creator and put it in the new Mods folder then relaunch the game. If it works great, move onto step 2. If it doesn't work head over to the Mods forum for further help. Start moving the rest of your user data from your old Sims 4 folder into the new Sims 4 folder, removing the existing files and folders the game has just created. You do this in small batches, loading and quitting the game after adding each batch to test the game is still working. Start by adding the rest of your saves then move onto the Tray folder, then add the Options.ini file, then Screenshots, then Recorded Videos, then VideoCameraStates, then Custom Music, then ConfigOverride, then UserSetting.ini, then accountDataDB.package, then the content folder. All other files and folders can be ignored. Lastly, if you are a Mods user, move over your Mods in small batches (the 50/50 method), do not move the entire Mods folder in one go and ALWAYS make sure the Mods are compatible with the current version of the game. Test the game after adding each batch of Mods. If your game breaks after adding a batch remove that last batch, trash the localthumbcache.package file, then add the Mods in one by one, testing after adding each one. When it breaks again you know the issue is with the last Mod you added. Remove it, trash the localthumbcache.package file again then head over to the creator's website for an updated, compatible Mod, if one exists. If it doesn't DO NOT put that Mod back in your game. For further help with Mods visit the Mods forum. !! Mod users - read this: Some Mods also add or replace files in the core game installation. A clean Sims 4 folder will not touch these files. The only way to fix these files back to the Maxis files is to either manually replace them or repair your game. If the Mod adds files to the game installation you must follow the Mod creator's instructions for disabling the Mod which will hopefully remove the files. If no instructions are available either remove them manually, if you know where they are, or completely uninstall and reinstall the game via EA App. Explanation of important files and folders in the Sims 4 folder: Really important folders in red and highlighted in the screenshot above. accountDataDB.package - contains data for in-game events launched by the Sims team ConfigOverride - if you have edited the core graphics files and stored a copy here, your game will default to the system graphics files within the app if you trash this folder or its contents Content - this is where SDX files are stored until the next patch Custom Music - if you have custom music in your game it is stored here Mods - if you play a modded game this is where your CC and Mods are saved and most likely the culprit of a broken game, especially after a game update lastCrash.txt - files that are sometimes created by the game when it crashes. You may be asked for this if a helper/EA is trying to pinpoint the cause lastUIException.txt - sometimes created when the game encounters an error. You may be asked for this if a helper/EA is trying to pinpoint the cause Options.ini - your in-game graphics and UI settings. This should be trashed to test a laggy game to rule out too higher graphics settings Saves - contains all your saves Screenshots - your in-game screenshots when pressing C Tray - contains the files that make up the Lots/Households/Rooms you have saved to your in-game Library UserSetting.ini - in-game account settings, UI settings, tutorial settings. Delete if having Pack Selection setting issues. VideoCameraStates - your in-game stored camera positions (CTRL + 5,6,7,8). Trash this if your camera is jumping around and misbehaving.
Sims4 Freezing on Macbook after Jan 2025 Update
My Macbook, MacOS Monterey 12.7.6, keeps freezing every time I try to play. My EA/Origin app is working fine and all the loading screens go through so I can get to my save. However, after 2-5 seconds of play, the game completely freezes up and all I can do is "Force Quit". I have no mods or custom content. I do use cheats, like motherlode, moveobjects, ignoregameplay, etc., but that's all. I do own many game packs purchased and downloaded directly through the EA app. I have also tried repairing the game in the app, but this does nothing. Can't find a solid fix for this, if anyone has any ideas. I have seen some other people having similar problems since the update, but can't find a solution. Wondering if it's something about the update that EA needs to fix? I don't know, but I just want to play my game lol. All ideas welcome! Edit: I am able to create a new save and play that just fine, but when I try to go back to my original save, it just freezes. I don't want to lose all the progress of my old save, but I'm not sure what to do. Edit 2: I was able to play my new save for awhile, but now the game just crashes every time I open it. Gets stuck on the initial loading screen and doesn't even reach the main menu. *crying*
Sims 4 won't launch - Tried everything - I have no Mods
Hi There, I have the EA app and when I click on Sims 4 to play, It minimises the EA app, the Sims 4 app bounces like its going to open, then it disappears and takes me back to the EA app. This happened all of a sudden and had made no changes that I am aware of from when I last played. I have no Mods or anything like that installed. I have tried the following a number of occacains in a number of orders and still does network Repair Sims 4 Delete Sims 4 then re-install EA app recovery and clear the Cache Delete the EA app and reinstall Delete my Macbook Cache Restarted my Macbook Gave EA app access to full hardrive
Sims 4 won't open!
I just got a new computer and re-downloaded all my Sims 4 games/packs. When I click "play" (either within the EA app or by clicking on The Sims 4 application) the Sims 4 opens, then immediately closes and redirects me back to the EA app. Please help! I got this new computer to play the Sims and I can't!
the base game is broken completely
i am truly so tired of these forced updates that only break the game even further. as a true fan of the game it's so disappointing when the game you love so much continues to be broken over and over by cheap lazy updates. sims team, it's getting old. stop the updates ps. i have NO mods in my game so please miss me with that
Game not loading and responding
as I was playing my sims just stopped responding to the commands and I couldn't even change the sim if I clicked on it. I started a whole new game file game was working perfectly fine and now all of a sudden that game file won't load. I opened another game file and that one works fine for now. I repaired the game numerous times I even uninstalled the game nothing seems to work. I even removed all my mods and same results.Sims 4 won’t launch after update on mac
Hi there! My game won’t launch on my Mac after the update. I have uninstalled and reinstalled. Mods are gone. I’ve tried repairing the game. I’ve been searching for answers for 8 hours, nothing is working. Mostly what I’m seeing is for PC and I play on my Mac. Has anyone figured out what to do and how to fix? The game Main Menu opens fine, but then I get the spinning plumbob of death forever. Help please
THE SIMS 4 UPDATE STALLING ON MAC
I tried to update my Sims game, but it is stuck downloading. I have tried to restart and cancel the download, but the issue is still unresolved. I've cleared my cache, restarted my computer, removed my mods and CC, and NOTHING has worked!!! I would really love to get back to my gameplay, but I am unable to fix this issue. I can't reach the loading screen or anything until I get past this update stall!!!
