Disabling Seasions But Keeping its Stuff - Want to disable weather or make plants in season year-round? You can do so with my new Seasons Tuner Mod
Improving Sims 4: The past month, I've spent every day tinkering The Sims 4, making quality of life improvements, gameplay changes, and new difficulty settings for the game. If you'd like to learn more about my project, visit the post on Patreon where you can download it now.
Custom Content brings additional hair, objects, and other downloads to the game. Mods expand on the gameplay or alter it in some way.
Note about Mod Help
Do not bother asking us for help with mod/cc issues. Go to the mod author on a forum/site they frequent or where they host their content. The mod author knows their work and can help you better than us, additionally they may appreciate bug reports!
A tutorial teaching players how to install custom content and mods for The Sims 4 via a pair of examples, also seeks to define the different meanings between the two.
About Mods and Custom Content
Mods and Custom Content are wildly popular among Sims 4 players, but if you're new to the franchise you may be unaware what treasures await those who ravenously scour the web for the latest downloads. There is far more free content available to download than is included in the base game and all game/stuff packs combined. In this guide, I'll teach you how to install CC and mods, explain what they are and offer some direction on where to go from here by providing links to sites where you can binge-download CC for your game.
What is CC?
Custom Content is simple compared to mods, thought they can sometimes take as much time to make. CC is hair, textures, objects, and clothing that can be downloaded and easily added to your game. You'll find everything from wall patterns, to dressers, earrings, and beautiful flowing gowns. Since CC creators don't have to think about system requirements like Maxis does, and can also sink more time into each piece, they can make truly beautiful additions to the game that greatly enhance the graphics (especially in the case of hair) and increase the number of options available to the player. More options and better looking swag are what CC is all about.
Modthesims.info is one of the best sites out there for downloading both CC and Mods for The Sims
What are Mods
Mods are game modifications to the Sims 4, pure and simple. Practically any game that is moddable has mods. They may enhance a feature, or introduce entirely new features. Mod creators work hard to make sure their content is stable and adds the functionality that is described when they share it with the Sims community. Some mods greatly enhance gameplay, make minor adjustments to how things work (like how often objects break), or simply fix something that irritates a lot of players. Mod creators sometimes fix bugs before EA does, and may at times be more in tune with the community's desires for how something should work. For example, door locks were released in a patch, but first came in the form of a mod.
None of these things are meant to criticize Maxis/The Sims Studio, who are doing a wonderful job developing a game that's worth modding, but when you have all the hundreds or thousands of people who partake in adjusting the game and creating custom content for it, there's naturally many more hands working to make improvements and content for it.
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Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 4/Mods is the folder you need in order to install mods and cc. Sims/lots go inside the Tray folder.
Installing Mods in The Sims 4
The process for downloading both CC and Mods is the same, so we will cover them both at once. They are installed in Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 4/Mods. Open Windows Explorer or Finder on Mac. Click your Documents folder, Electronic Arts, then The Sims 4. If you have trouble finding it, look for the Users folder on C:, click the User of the PC (in my case, Carl) then proceed to Documents (or My Documents) and go from there. For windows users, Documents is usually on the left in the menu as you can see in the screenshot.
In order to use CC, Mods, and Script Mods, you must first enable them in the game's options menu. For Script Mods to work, the first box must be checked. Read below to learn about Script Mods.
Turn on Mods in the Menu
Since a patch was released, players now need to enable mods through the options menu. Press ESC > Options > Other. From there, select Enable Custom Content and Mods. After a patch, you may need to turn this back on.
Similarly, for Houses that contain CC that you Cannot See in My Library using the Gallery
If you've downloaded a house from a site that isn't from the Gallery, it goes to the Library. Select View Content by > Others from the left side of the window within the My Library section of the Gallery, unless you're the one who made it. Look to the above section on enabling CC in order to see houses with CC in your library properly. On the bottom left of the Libary screen, click advanced and the 'Include Custom Content' checkbox. You'll need to do this if you've downloaded houses that contain CC from other websites. Without doing so, houses that include CC will not appear in your Library..
If you still can't find the house try turning off online features access so that gallery houses will not appear in the list, you'll see much less and it'll be easier to locate. Go to Game Options > Other from the escape menu and toggle this setting. This will in effect turn off the gallery option. This may help finding content you've added to the game, and you can turn the gallery back on afterward. (Thanks for the tip, MrsFlynn!). Otherwise, make sure the home is in the right folder by following the instruction in this guide.
The Mods Folder
Next, find or create the Mods folder. It should already be there, but if it's not you can right click in the white area within The Sims 4 folder and create a folder, being sure to name it Mods. The game automatically recognizes and attempts to utilize anything in this folder. So, once we download CC, we'll copy the files to that folder. Tip: You can have other folders inside the Mods folder, so if you'd like to separate out your CC and Mods in to separate folders, or even categorize them by object/clothing type, you can do so! Additionally, Forum member RandyH notes that it's possible to rename mods so long as you keep the .package at the end of the file name. This can make your organization even simpler, and possibly help you track things down easier. All of this is actually a good idea should you run into a mod or piece of CC that gives you trouble, so that it's easier to find and remove.
Script mods are a special type of Mod that must remain inside a zip file in order to work. You must also go to the game options menu (ESC > Game Options > Other > Script Mods Allowed) to enable them. You can see this section in the menu in the screenshot further up where you also enable normal Mods and CC.
It's worth noting there is another folder here, Tray. That folder contains the households you've created but NOT saved to the gallery. It is also where you install Sims and Lots. This folder is important regardless, so you can avoid creating or downloading them all again.
Installing
Installing is pretty much hands off and you've just got to put them in the Mods folder, but you will sometimes have to deal with zip files. Remember, script mods are NOT unzipped, but everything else should be. Newer mods may have the .ts4script extension which you can leave alone (thanks, DarkWalker). If it's a .package file, you're fine - just right click it and cut or copy it, go to the Mods folder and paste. If it's a zip, click it and look inside. Double click the zip and look at the file type of the file inside - is it a pyc or .package at the end of the file name? If the zip contains a .pyc file, it is a script mod and should remain zipped.* If it's a .package, you need to copy that and any other package files from the zip and copy them to the mods folder. Pictures and instructions inside the zip are usually unnecessary. Sometimes mod creators give you these very instructions - "Extract .package file, copy it to the Mods folder, enjoy"!
* About .pyo files - Files ending in pyo are no longer supported due to an update to the base level of python Sims 4 uses, meaning it is definitely an out of date mod if this is the case.
If you download a Sim or House/Lot from a place other than the Gallery, it will go in the Tray folder, not the Mods folder.
Backing up Saved Games, Mods, and CC
You can backup your Mods and CC just as you can Save files, and it's smart to do this in case of disaster. Copy them to another drive or a USB stick and they're safe from hard drive failure. Head to your Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 4 folder. Right click each of those three important folders - Saves, Tray, and Mods. Copy them then paste in a new location, where you know to find them. Should you have to reinstall the game or wipe everything, you've got a copy of your Sims families, and kept your collection of CC and Mods. These are precious because it takes time to build up a collection, and losing dozens of downloads can be a major nuisance.
Sims 4 Mod Manager
There is an option for those of you who do not want to deal with unzipping files and would like the ability to easily enable/disable mods. Raxdiam's Sims 4 Mod Manager is a solution for that. It's got a lot of features, is fairly easy to use, and if you explore the site you can even find a video explaining how to use it.
Lumialoversims is one of many talented custom content creators for The Sims 4.
The following are sites that are well-known for hosting CC and Mods. I want to say that I'm not responsible for anything you see or that happens as a result of using these sites. I'm putting those we're all most familiar with up top, as they're in general the best places to go to download things for Sims. Many creators have their own blogs, and they're worth following if you like their work. The two big sites up front here host many items though, and should be visited by anyone interested in expanding their game. You can then explore people's tumblr/wordpress blogs and find creators whose work you enjoy, follow them, and enjoy a better Sims game. Some CC creators specialize in hair, others clothing and some make a mix of everything.
There are many, many bloggers I'm leaving out but am just giving you a place to get started. If you like a creator's work, follow them and you'll see their various updates. If you like a particular CC creator, share the link here and give them some exposure. I'll check it out and add some of them to the list, as well.
Note about Mod Help
Do not bother asking us for help with mod/cc issues. Go to the mod author on a forum/site they frequent or where they host their content. The mod author knows their work and can help you better than us, additionally they may appreciate bug reports!
We now have a Youtube Channel with over 50 guides in video format to go along with the huge site I've already created. Check it out and consider subscribing if you like my style.
The Sims 4 Seasons expansion now has options! Want to disable weather or make plants in season year-round? You can do so with my new Seasons Tuner Mod
The past month, I've spent every day tinkering The Sims 4, making quality of life improvements, gameplay changes, and new difficulty settings for the game. If you'd like to learn more about my project, visit the post on Patreon where you can download it now.
Cottage Living Guide! Here is my guide to new features in the Sims 4 Cottage Living Expansion
You can also find handy Cottage Living Cheats
I have much more to come, since you can actually write a few guides about this pack!
Blender has been incredibly useful in video production, so I made my own Physics and Simulation Improvement Addon that lumps a ton of unique tools into one compact interface.
Snowy Escape Cheats
Lifestyles in Snowy Escape
Climb Mt. Komorebi
Sentiments in Snowy Escape
Rock Climbing
Skiing Skill
Snowboarding Skill
I've released a guide to Sentiments in The Sims 4 & Snowy Escape.
There is a new platform tool in The Sims 4. There's also a new Sentiments system, but it'll take some time to create a guide to that. Players can also use rental lots in any world now by changing lot types of builds in manage worlds.
I've created a massive List of The Best Mods in The Sims 4 that should be very helpful to new players and those who have not yet explored modding and how much it can do for your gameplay.
New - Secrets I have a new guide to secrets in the game. If you prefer, you can also watch a video about secrets in Sims 4.
Nifty Knitting is now available. Learn all about the stuff pack on my guide page here.
NEW - Nifty Knitting CheatsNew features in the Sims 4 June 2020
The Sims 4 Eco Lifestyle Guide
Eco Footprint: How it Works
Neighborhood Action Plans
How to Cheat in Sims 4 Eco Lifestyle
Civil Designer Career
Insect Farms & Bio Fuel
Fabrication Skill in Eco Lifestyle
Juice Fizzing NEW
Traits and Aspirations in DLC
Gameplay Ideas for Sims 4 Eco Lifestyle
Updated
Trait Cheats Updated
Traits List Updated
Aspirations List Updated
Readers who use adblock or those who'd like to thank me for my efforts can now pledge $1/$5 monthly via Patreon. This helps a lot with server costs and provides some stability for my business.
This is inspired by a new series in which I start at toddler and gradually take on the major bonuses. Here's a link to the full playlist!
I now have a guide page to Tiny Living Stuff where you can learn about Murphy Beds, the new death, as well as the lot bonuses you'll receive if you manage to keep the size of your lot down with this new pack's Tiny Home Lot Type.
New I now have a guide to Making Super Sims in The Sims 4. Look for a text version within the next 72h. It won't have THAT much more info but it will help out as a checklist.
This was inspired by a series, "Let's Play a Super Sim" in which I start at toddler and gradually take on the major bonuses. Here's a link to each part for people who are interested. You can also see the Let's Play as a Playlist on Youtube.
The Sims 4 Discover University has been announced for November 15 for PC/Mac and December 17 for Xbox and Playstation 4 consoles. Click to learn more about the pack, see my summary of the livestream or read our FAQs below.
Other Guides to Discover University:
New Lot Traits: Study Spot and University Student Hang Out
New: Discover University FAQ: Gameplay Features
New Video The Sims 4 Discover University Gameplay Tips Video
More videos coming soon!
Disclaimer This site is not endorsed by or affiliated with Electronic Arts, or its licensors. Trademarks are the property of their respective owners. The Sims and The Sims 4 Logo are trademarks of Electronic Arts, Inc. Game content and materials copyright Electronic Arts Inc. and its licensors. All Rights Reserved. All original Guides on this site © Carl's Guides
Comments (173)
Hello, I've been trying to fix this issue for weeks now and I can find no solution. Whenever i ask my sims to either propose or ask to be boyfriend/girlfriend, the action comes up, then as the sims complete the action disappears and the only thing the sims do is briskly lift their arms into a T shape for about half a second and then the action is completed. I have updated all of my main mods, and deleted the main ones around 'romance??' to see if that will make a difference but end up re installing them as it does not make a difference. I would hate to have to go through every single mod as I have thousands. Can anyone help me?
Seeing as this interaction is working as normal in my unmodded game it must be one of your mods causing the issue. The only way to solve this is to figure out which mod needs fixing. This is the down side of using mods really. The link takes you to forum posts that will walk you through how to fix issues with mods.
Tips For Trouble Shooting Mods
I don’t have a sims 4 folder on my pc. I’m using a mac, by the way. What should I do?
Mac users should be checking out this guide BluebellFlora- For Mac Users. She really is the best out there for Mac users tbh
Hi, I've been playing the game with mods for a long time, so I tried to download cc too. I correctly placed the ccs in the mods folder and extracted the zipped files, and enabled them in the game, but still I can't see them. I downloaded some clothes and things for the house. Please help me I really don't know what to do!
It may be that the CC isn't in the catalogue where you'd expect it, or you haven't clicked to include CC in your CAS choices
I am more confused than I was before reading this. I have never ever mod anything but GTA V. But that was for the PS3. Please help, I want to put on big boy britches and step up to the plate for modding on a pc. But I don't want to screw up and completely wreck my sims game. I am no computer wiz, as I don't even know how to burn things on my pc yet. I know Copy & Paste, and understood everything so far EXCEPT when I got to reading
Installing
Sims 4 Manager
You don't need the Sims 4 manager to install mods or cc for your game. just download from the modders site and unzip and place into the Mods folder. Then start your game and make sure mods and script mods options are enabled (checked) in the Game Options menu
Umm the uncensored mod? Seems to work completely different, but that was 6 years ago. I looked everywhere (even on youtube), and there was 2 different ways to do it. What is the way to do it now, beings that was 6 years ago? This is the 1st mod I want to install.
Please Help!
sorry to disturb you again
You should be able to find the mod makers instructions from their web site/blog etc. But it should be the same as any other mod, download, unzip and place into the mods folder.
You might find some of these HowTo's and Tips helpful
Custom Content and Mods Tips
hey i can not figer how to donload mods for sims 4
There will be directions on how to download a mod on the modders website. Basically, download, unzip and place into the mods folder inside your TheSims 4 folder. Then enable script mods and cc in the games options when you start up your game.
Can you do an instructional on the stairs? I got mine to a pretty close spiral ( not perfect) but it wont let me place it in the house regardless of the wall heights. It says, " can't intersect with sub-flooring", or something to that effect that means the floor on the next level up. I don't think they would leave the ability to create it that way if its not allowable to be used. You are so good at figuring out all this stuff if anyone can figure it out i am sure you can!
Well, I did what you said. It works. BUT? For the removing The Mosaic? Is it supposed to go into Non Scripted Mods? Because it didn't. It went to
"Custom Content"
Is that bad or good? Please help.
Try not to nest your mods and/or CC more than one folder deep. What you call the folders doesn't really matter but where possible have your mods directly in the Mods folder. Some mods won't work even one folder deep.
hi everyone, i've having a weird problem:
i'm trying to install some mods (some cc).
when i start the game the list of visible mods appear, the cc is in there.
when i'm in buy mode and i type the name of the cc in the search bar, it offers me that cc.
but when i actually click on the items the search bar offers me, then it doesn't find it. it opens the category (for example, the kids room items) where the item should be, and it's not there.
i don't understand what the problem is, clearly the mod is somewhere in there since it's listed at the start and the search bar finds it...
does anyone have an idea?
Try using the filter set to CC on the right hand side. It should show you every bit of CC you have installed and you can pick items from there. Mostly the catalogue will behave just as you've described probably because the filters can't find the exact CC item.
hi, i installed the nyx's werewolf mod, but when i want to explore the deep dark woods to become one, my sim just restarts his animation, i thinked that it doesnt work and i tried with another metod, creating a werewolf in create a sim, it wont work, just happened the same thing and the werewolf options dont even apear has it have to, somebody knows a solution to that?
Sounds like a question for the maker of the mod. Try going back and posting your issue on the modders site
Can someone PLEASE help me figure out how to install and use T.O.O.L mod?
You're best to go back to TwistedMexi's website/blog where you got the TOOL mod from and follow his instructions there.
I'm having trouble with the Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 4/Mods step I go into documents but I don't have the electronic arts folder what do I do
If you have TS4 to play then you must have the 'Electronic Arts' folder somewhere as that is where it is installed. Perhaps you manually installed TS4 in another place instead of the Documents folder?
Love the game it’s so fun to play
Script files DO NOT remain inside of a zip file like stated, they need to be removed and placed no deeper than 1 folder
i have had issues recently where my mods are not showing up even though they are activated in game
Probably best to go back to the modders site and ask any questions about their mod directly. You can try deleting the localthumbcache.package file from your TheSims4 folder and then restarting your game.
Hi I have a white line around the lot in sims 4 build mode, how do I get rid of it please
i cant find out how to download the cc this is not working pls help me!!!!
I NEED SO MUCH HELP PLS I NEEEEED CC THE GAME DOSE NOT GIVE GOOD ITEMS!!!!AHHHHH
help me
You download what you want, unzip it and place it in the Mods folder. Then in-game enable cc and mods.
Just follow the steps in the guide above and you'll be fine.
I installed mc command so that i could have more then 8 sims in a household but everytime i change hair, clothes and so it deletes sims so i only have 8 sims again. do you know how to fix this? (:
Head over to the creator of the mod MCCC and ask there :)
https://deaderpool-mccc.com/#/
what abt console ?? i payed just as much as a pc/mac player so please make it compatible. its surely not impossible cause ive played fallout with mods but ive spent so much on this
This is a comment for EA really, we have no say in making consoles compatible for mods etc.
hey carl, any chance you can make a mod to keep track of in-game days since the start of the save file? similar to the sims 3, how it told you when you hover over the clock.. or calendar.. one of them.
i can file downoald
I've just started playing Sims again, it's been years. I have questions!
On the ts4script files, they need to be in a zip file? I'm really confused on this for the mods as some of them don't download in a zip file.
Also, I have 7zip so I could zip if needed. Do you know if the game recognizes this type of file as a zip file?
Thank you in advance for helping me.
If you create a build and furnish with cc how can you upload to gallery and attach the cc for other players to enjoy? Is it that they need to have the advanced cc option switched on to get them