How to install Mods and Custom Content (CC)

This guide is detailed, step-by-step, instructions on how to install mods and CC (Custom Content).

What are Mods?

The word "Mods" is a plural and short term for the word Modification(s). Mods are player created modifications that change the game in some way or another. They modify the game from it's default state to add features, content, and/or game play characteristics and mechanics.

What is CC?

CC is an abbreviation for Custom Content. It's player-made content we can use when we're building like wall colors and patterns and floor styles to build walls and floors with. CC also includes extra items for the CAS (Create a Sim) area of the game: clothing, hair styles, eye shapes and other content we can apply to edit what our Sims look like.

Step 1: Enable Mods in Options

We have to enable mods and CC in the game options in order for them to work.

Launch the game and go in to Options > Game Options > Other and make sure the 2 highlighted options are enabled. If they're not checked click on them to place a check mark in them.



Click the "Apply Changes" button, close that window, and exit the game completely. The game is now set up to run mods and use Custom Content.

- Programs needed

WINDOWS USERS:

https://7-zip.org

Windows has a built-in archive utility, you can use what Windows already has if you choose to.
7-zip has more features is why this guide recommends it. 7-zip is not required.
You can download 7-zip from the link below the image. 32bit version is recommended regardless of your system. 64bit systems will run 32bit programs.

MAC USERS:
https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/zip-and-unzip-files-and-folders-on-mac-mchlp2528/mac

Step 2: Prepare to install

Prepare to install your mods and CC by opening File Explorer (Finder on a Mac) and going to the Mods folder where the Mod and CC files are required to be.

Press WinKey+E on your Windows keyboard, Command+N on a Mac.
This will open File Explorer (Windows) / Finder (Mac).

Windows Users: Paste the following line in the address bar and press the Enter key:

%USERPROFILE%\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4\Mods

Mac users will have to navigate there manually.

You should be in the Mods folder now.

Your address bar should say the same things as the orange highlighted area below. This is where Mod and CC files need to be installed to for them to work. Leave this folder open while you do the next steps.



The Mods folder will have a Resource.cfg file in it. Leave this file there. Don't do anything with the Resource.cfg file. That file tells the game to look in this folder for your mods and CC. It needs to be there.

- Where to get Mods/CC

There are many websites that host available mods and cc we can download including Patreon Pages. Here are a few of the trusted and most common sites they're gotten from. Browse the sites listed below for mods or use a search engine to find a mod or CC that fits what you'd like to install.

Note: If you can't find what you're looking for maybe nobody else thought of and created it. It might not exist. You can always ask the community if they know of a mod or content you're looking for if you can't find it. Use the forums. There are forum links you can use to ask questions about mods and CC in the "Get Help" section of this guide.

BEFORE YOU DOWNLOAD MAKE SURE IT'S FOR THE SIMS 4

These sites may have content for The Sims 1, 2, and 3. Only content for The Sims 4 will work in the Sims 4.

Curseforge:
https://www.curseforge.com/sims4/mods
Read the article about Curseforge the developers wrote in support of it here.

NexusMods:
https://www.nexusmods.com/thesims4
(account required to download from here)

ModTheSims:
https://modthesims.info/downloads/ts4/

TSR (The Sims Resource):
https://www.thesimsresource.com/downloads/browse/category/sims4-mods/

If you have links to other (trusted) sites and Patreons

Please share them. I'll update this guide to include them.

You will find a lot of websites that have Sims 4 content if you search for them.
Use your own judgement. If you question it or don't trust it don't download from that site.
The sites above are safe, Patreon pages are also safe to download from.
(Safe does not mean every mod you find on the pages this guide shares is bug and error free)

Step 3: Install your Mods and CC

- How to Install a .package file

We're going to install this women's top in this tutorial for example purposes from The Sims Resource (TSR) website.



A direct link to this CC as of the time day I'm writing this tutorial is HERE[www.thesimsresource.com] if you want to follow this tutorial using the exact content I'm using.


To download something you find and want to use from the TSR website find the download button and click on it:


Download the file to anywhere on your computer that you like. It's recommended you stay organized by downloading the archive (zip, rar) and package files to a different folder than the Mods folder. You can download them to the Mods folder if you like. It's not going to effect the game if zip or rar files are in the Mods folder. They can stay there if that's where you choose to download them to.

Copy the package file to the Mods Folder

In this example the file downloaded is named

SimsHouseWOMEN'S T-SHIRT WITH MESH_TSR22dec.package

Since the download was a .package file all you have to do is copy the file to the mods folder.
If you've downloaded it directly to the Mods folder you're already done with this step.

You can rename the file so it's not an annoyingly long file name if you want. I do this often. I renamed this file to be:

flaming_tshirt.package

- How to install an Archive file (zip, rar)

The game cannot read files inside an archive (zip, rar, et cetra) so we have to open the archive with 7-zip or your preferred file archive program and copy the files from the archive to the mods folder.

Retain the structure that's in the archive. Open the archive by double-clicking on it, click inside the window and press CTRL+A to select all of the contents in it then drag and drop the files from 7-zip to the Mods folder.

Done.

Now when you launch the game you should get a prompt listing the files that are not part of the default game. Close that window and play.

Get Help

Please note and be aware that:
- OFFICIAL STEAM AND ELECTRONIC ARTS (EA) SUPPORT WILL NOT HELP WITH MODS OR CC.
They will only provide support for the base game. Not for mods and cc.

- IF YOU'RE EXPERIENCING AN ERROR OR BUG WITH A SPECIFIC MOD OR CC CONTACT THE AUTHOR OF THAT MOD OR CONTENT
The author of that specific content is the only person that can do anything about it.

- THESE ARE ALL COMMUNITY FORUMS POPULATED BY FELLOW SIMMERS.
These links are a great source for info, discussion, and help but they are not official tech support.

Sims 4 Steam Community:
https://steamcommunity.com/app/1222670/discussions/

Carl's Guides - This place is an encyclopedia for The Sims 4:
https://www.carls-sims-4-guide.com/

Carl's Guide Forums:
https://www.carls-sims-4-guide.com/forum/

Curseforge Forums:
https://bukkit.org/forums/

Nexus Mods Forums:
https://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?/forum/2414-the-sims-4

[zomb💥‼]

thank you SO MUCh!!! i couldn't find the folder and you SAVEd me!@!!!!JAISJDI

[HarmonikaGuy]

11/10 tutorial

[Jack Schitt]

Create a Mods folder if you don't have one, Azar.
First, though, check to see if you have Microsoft OneDrive running. Disable it if you do. That takes files and folders from their original location = the game can't load/run stuff that isn't where it's supposed to be.

OneDrive comes installed and running by default. Check to be sure. That may be where your Mods folder went...

[Azar]

What do I do if there is no mods folder?

[Jack Schitt]

Yes. Photo ops.

[YourFriendDoge]

The "different" kind of special? Right?

[Jack Schitt]

Not all heroes wear capes. Almost all of them wear their underpants on the outside.
I've tried it and felt special but it wasn't a heroic kind of special.

[Jsslade]

IT DOES WORK! Not all heroes wear capes, I guess. Now, shut up and take my points!

[Jsslade]

I'm betting all-in this won't work even though I followed everything correctly.

[PandrCrossan]

But, thanks for the help!