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Troubleshooting and FAQ

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Felix edited this page Jul 22, 2026 · 1 revision

Troubleshooting & FAQ

The app can't find my game / mods folder

Folder detection is best-effort. If it fails:

  1. Open Settings → Mods folder → Change… and point at the folder manually.
  2. Typical locations:
    • The Sims: <install folder>\The Sims\Downloads (install folder, not Documents)
    • The Sims 2: Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2\Downloads
    • The Sims 3: Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Mods\Packages
    • The Sims 4: Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4\Mods
  3. Localized installs use translated folder names ("Los Sims 3", "Die Sims 2") — the app knows many of these, but if yours isn't detected, please open an issue with the exact path; those reports directly improve detection.
  4. OneDrive users: your Documents folder may be at C:\Users\<you>\OneDrive\Documents\….

My mods don't show up in the game

  • Sims 4: enable custom content and script mods in game options, then restart the game. Script mods must sit at most one folder deep in Mods.
  • Sims 3: the Resource.cfg framework must exist in the Mods folder. Delete Documents\…\The Sims 3\DCCache\dcc.ent is not needed for .package mods — but scriptCache.package sometimes needs clearing after changes.
  • Sims 2/1: make sure the files are directly in the Downloads folder.

A mod broke my game — how do I find which one?

Use the enable/disable switches: disable all, re-enable half, restart the game, repeat on the half that breaks. Because disabling only renames files, this is completely safe.

Windows says the app is unrecognized / macOS won't open it

The binaries aren't code-signed/notarized yet.

  • Windows: SmartScreen → More info → Run anyway.
  • macOS: right-click the app → Open, or xattr -cr "/path/to/sims_mod_manager.app".

Is this safe? It's renaming files in my game folder!

The app never deletes anything except when you explicitly click Remove. Enable/disable only renames files. Still: back up your Mods/Downloads and saves folders — that's good practice with or without a mod manager.

Is this an EA product?

No. The Sims Mod Manager is an unofficial fan project, not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Electronic Arts Inc. or Maxis.

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