Sims 4 Broken After Update: How to Fix It
The Sims 4 receives frequent updates to bring players new features, bug fixes, and expansion pack support. However, these updates can sometimes break the game, causing issues like crashes, white screens, missing content, endless loading screens, or mod conflicts.
Recently, my game couldn’t load CAS after an update, and I had a lot of trouble figuring out what was wrong. Luckily, I found a few solutions that helped me get back to playing quickly. If you’re also experiencing the Sims 4 broken after update issue, don’t worry. This guide will walk you through how to fix it step by step.
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What Causes Sims 4 Broken After Update
Before diving into the solutions, it’s important to understand what causes Sims 4 to break after an update. Here are a few:
Outdated Mods and Custom Content (CC) – Mods and CC that haven’t been updated can conflict with new patches. The same applies to broken mods installed in your mods folder.
Corrupted Cache Files – Old or conflicting cache files may cause crashes and performance issues.
Missing or Corrupt Game Files – Updates may fail to install correctly, leading to missing assets.
Incompatible Graphics Drivers – Outdated drivers can cause visual glitches or crashes.
Game Setting Changes – Some updates reset in-game settings, leading to unexpected problems.
Conflicting Save Data – Older save files may not be fully compatible with new patches.
Broken Scripts and Overrides – Mods that alter game mechanics can cause major errors after updates.
Outdated and broken mods are the leading cause of Sims 4 breaking after an update. Since these add-ons alter the mechanics and functioning of the game, they likely affect certain features after an update. This prevents your game from starting correctly.
How to Tell Sims 4 is Broken After Update
If you’re not sure whether your game has broken after an update, here are some tell-tale signs to watch out for:
White Screen: If you encounter the white screen of death when trying to load a new game, it means some custom content is preventing the game from loading correctly.
Stuck on the loading screen: If your game is stuck on the loading screen, it means some game files are preventing the game from launching.
Game Crashes – If your game fails to launch or crashes on the desktop unexpectedly, you’re experiencing the same issue.
Missing or Corrupted Content – Watch out for Sims, objects, or interactions disappearing or behaving abnormally.
UI Glitches – Keep an eye out for menus that appear broken, missing, or unresponsive.
Mods and CC Not Working – Custom content or mods no longer function as expected.
Performance Issues – If you experience increased lag, stuttering, or frame rate drops, your Sims 4 is broken.
Save File Errors – If your game fails to load saves or you lose progress, it’s likely a bug.
How to Fix Sims 4 Broken After Update
There are numerous solutions you can implement to fix the broken after update issue. Below, I’ve compiled a list of all, starting from what actually worked for me.
Solution 1: Remove/Delete All Mods
Since broken mods are the leading cause of your game breaking after an update, the best solution is to remove all the mods from the mods folder. Here’s how to do this:
Open File Explorer on Windows or Finder on Mac.
Navigate to:
Windows: Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4 > Mods
Mac: Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4 > Mods
Rename this folder to something else. Any name is fine as long as it’s not Mods. We’ll call this the Temporary Folder.
Next, launch the game to force it to create a new mods folder.
If the game launches properly without crashing, freezing, or loading the deadly white screen, it confirms you have broken, outdated, or conflicting mods.
If you’re like me and have thousands of custom content and mods, it can be hard to know what is causing the game to break. Luckily, Mod List is a forum where you can check for broken or outdated mods. Similarly, tools like Better Exceptions (by TwistedMexi) or TS4 Mod Checker can scan for outdated or broken mods.
Once you identify them, follow these steps:
Delete all the broken mods from the Temporary Folder. You can download the updated versions from the creator’s platform.
Next, transfer the remaining mods from the Temporary Folder to the new Mods Folder and test out the game.
Alternatively, use the 50-50 rule, where you transfer a batch at a time before launching the game. For example, you can transfer 20 mods to the mods folder and launch the game to see if you’re experiencing the same problem.
Keep track of the batch you transfer. This way, in case the game fails to launch, you know which mods are causing the issue. Delete these immediately.
While this process is long and tedious, it works effectively and eliminates the need to delete all your installed mods.
Solution 2: Delete any CAS Mods Installed
If you want a quicker solution to your Sims 4 broken after update problem, start by deleting any CAS mods installed in your mods folder. Note that this solution only works for players experiencing the white screen of death when trying to open the CAS menu. Here’s how it works:
Open File Explorer on Windows or Finder on Mac.
Navigate to:
Windows: Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4 > Mods
Mac: Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4 > Mods
Search for any CAS mods like these:
MoreCASColumns
MoreCASTraits
Any CAS Backgrounds
Any Slider mods
Stand Still in CAS
Realistic lighting
Basically, you should delete any mods that alter how CAS normally functions.
Next, launch the game to see if the issue is solved.
Solution 3: Repair Your Game Files
One of the quickest ways to fix game issues after an update is to repair the game files. This process ensures that no corrupted or missing files are causing problems. Here’s how to repair game files for different platforms:
EA App: Go to your game library, right-click on The Sims 4, and select Repair.
Steam: Right-click The Sims 4 in your library, go to Properties > Installed Files > Verify integrity of game files.
Mac (Origin): Open Origin, go to your game library, right-click The Sims 4, and choose Repair Game.
Let the process complete, then restart your computer and try launching the game again.
Solution 4: Clear Your Cache Files
Corrupt cache files can cause glitches, crashes, and lag after a game update. Here’s how to clear cache files:
Navigate to Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4
Delete the following files:
localthumbcache.package (important for removing mod-related errors)
Everything in the cache and cachestr folders
Restart your computer and launch the game.
Solution 4: Reset Your Sims 4 User Data (Without Losing Saves)
If the game still isn’t working, try resetting the user folder. Here’s how to reset Sims 4 data safely:
Move the Sims 4 Folder:
Go to Documents > Electronic Arts
Rename The Sims 4 folder to The Sims 4 Backup
Restart the game (this generates a fresh Sims 4 folder)
Test the Game
If it works, move back only essential files from the backup:
saves (your saved games)
tray (houses/Sims in your library)
mods (after verifying they are updated)
Solution 5: Check for Conflicting Settings and Game Options
Sometimes, updates change game settings, which can cause problems.
Disable Mods and CC Temporarily: Go to Game Options > Other, uncheck Enable Custom Content and Mods, restart, and re-enable them.
Lower Graphics Settings: If your game is lagging or crashing, try setting everything to Medium or Low under Graphics Settings.
Solution 7: Reinstall The Sims 4 as a Last Resort
If all the solutions listed above fail, your last resort is to perform a clean reinstall. However, this will only work if you also delete all your mods and download new ones from scratch. This can be frustrating, especially if you’ve spent months gathering custom content and mods for your gameplay. That’s why I recommend doing this as a last resort.
To do this:
Uninstall Sims 4 via EA App, Steam, or Origin
Delete the Sims 4 Folder in Documents (Backup saves first!)
Reinstall the Game and Test Without Mods
Final Thoughts
Sims 4 updates can sometimes break the game, but these troubleshooting steps should help you fix most issues. If the same problem persists, check the EA Help forums and Sims 4 community pages for additional solutions and answers. It’s also important to report any bugs or problems you face to ensure EA is aware and can work on solutions.
Don’t forget to share this post and leave any thoughts and comments below. Happy Simming!
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