The Sims™ 4 FAQ

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PC FAQs

What is The Sims™ 4?

The Sims 4 is the only game where new Sims with unique personalities open up deep, rich, and sometimes weird possibilities in the stories you create. For the first time, it’s not about what they are, it’s about who they are, and they come to life through our brand new creative tools that are powerful, tactile, and easy to use. And, brand new to The Sims 4, players can share their creations with other players directly in the game with our all-new Gallery. The result is a stimulating new gameplay experience that powers a new era for The Sims.

What platform is The Sims 4 available on?

The Sims 4 is now playable on PC, Mac, Xbox and Playstation!

What languages are supported in The Sims 4?

The Sims 4 will support the following languages:

  • English
  • German
  • French
  • Russian
  • Polish
  • Swedish
  • Italian
  • Dutch
  • Norwegian
  • Danish
  • Finnish
  • Brazilian
  • Spanish
  • Czech
  • Chinese
  • Chinese
  • Japanese
  • Korean

What is the Gallery?

The Gallery is a place for you to browse, share, and download additional content created by members of the community without having to leave your game.

To add a household to the gallery from Create a Sim click on the “save household” icon in the top right navigation bar, choose a thumbnail by clicking on the photo icon until one you like appears, then add a description, once completed click the cloud in the bottom left under the description section to upload to the gallery. To save the household to your library click on the folder icon in the bottom right corner of the window.

To add a room to the gallery go into build mode, click on the room you’d like to add to the gallery, in the middle navigation bar click on the folder icon and in the drop down choose “room”, enter a name for the room, to change the thumbnail click on the photo icon till you get an angle that you like best, in the information section select what type of room it is and provide a description, once complete click on the cloud in the bottom left hand corner to share to the gallery. To save the room to your library click on the folder icon in the bottom right corner of the window.

To add a lot to the gallery go into build mode on the lot you’d like to upload, in the middle navigation bar click on the folder icon and in the drop down choose “lot”, enter a name for the lot, in the information section provide a description, once complete click on the cloud in the bottom left hand corner to share to the gallery. To save the lot to your library click on the folder icon in the bottom right corner of the window.

To download households, rooms, and lots from the gallery click on the polaroid icon in the top right to take you to gallery, select “my library” to access content you’ve created and saved, select “community” to access content created by fellow players. In the “community” tab you can filter your search between view content by: all, maxis curated, or following, sort by “newest, popular now, most popular”, category: “all, households, lots, rooms”, packs you own, and advanced. In the top right search bar you can search by item name, EA Account ID, or hashtag.

Is a persistent online connection required to play The Sims 4?

An internet connection is required to activate your game and to access additional content and online features.

Does The Sims 4 require the EA app client to play?

Yes. You will need the the EA app client and an EA Account to install and register The Sims 4. Once installed, you don't need to be online to play.

Will I be able to bring any of my Sims or content from The Sims 3 into The Sims 4?

No. The Sims 4 is built upon an entirely new technology. The content from The Sims 3 will not be transferable to The Sims 4.

Will I be able to use SimPoints to purchase additional content in The Sims 4?

SimPoints will not be supported by The Sims 4, but will continue to be a form of payment for The Sims 3 content in The Sims 3 Store.

What is the rating for The Sims 4?

The Sims 4 is rated T for Teen by the ESRB.

What are the PC requirements for The Sims 4?

PC minimum system requirements

  • OS: 64-bit Windows 10
  • CPU: Intel Core i3-3220 3.3 GHz (2 cores, 4 threads), AMD Ryzen 3 1200 3.1 GHz (4 cores), or better
  • RAM: 4 GB RAM
  • DISC DRIVE: DVD Rom Drive required for installation only
  • HARD DRIVE: At least 25GB of free space including at least 1 GB additional space for custom content and saved games.
  • VIDEO: 128 MB of Video RAM and support for Pixel Shader 3.0. Supported Video Cards: NVIDIA GeForce 6600 or better, ATI Radeon X1300 or better, Intel GMA X4500 or better
  • DIRECTX: DirectX 11 Compatible
  • INPUT: Keyboard and Mouse
  • ONLINE REQUIREMENTS: Internet connection required for product activation.
  • Screen Resolution: 1280x720

PC recommended system requirements

  • OS: 64 Bit Windows 10
  • PROCESSOR: Intel Core i5 (4 cores), AMD Ryzen 5 or better
  • VIDEO CARD: 1 GB of Video RAM, NVIDIA GTX 650, AMD Radeon HD 7750, or better
  • MEMORY: 8 GB RAM
  • HARD DRIVE: 50GB of free space, with at least 1 GB additional space for custom content and saved games
  • DIRECTX: DirectX 11 Compatible

Where can I go to find the latest information about The Sims 4?

You can visit The Sims 4 official website to stay up to date with the latest information.

Where can I view the Player's Guide?

We have put together a handy players guide for you to use as a starting point for your journey into playing The Sims 4. This guide includes information about what The Sims 4 is, tips on creating Sims and builds, information on the gallery, and more!

Can I buy The Sims 4 Bundles online or through the EA app?

The Sims 4 Bundles are only available in retail stores as another way for players to purchase game packs and stuff packs, all of which can already be purchased through the EA app individually.

Why are The Sims 4 Bundles in different territories different?

All the game packs and stuff packs in The Sims 4 Bundles are available separately via the EA app no matter where you live.

Will The Sims 4 Bundles have a disc?

The Sims 4 Bundles in stores will include a code to download the game packs and stuff packs through the EA app.

Mac FAQs

The Sims 4: Now on Mac

When you purchase any edition of The Sims 4, you gain access to both the PC and Mac versions.

If you already own The Sims 4 for PC or just purchased the packaged PC-only version of The Sims 4, you can access the Mac version through the EA app. Please note that The Sims 4 for Mac is a digital-only release. At this time, the installation discs found in all packaged editions of The Sims 4 are not Mac compatible. New players who purchase a packaged PC-only version of The Sims 4 will still be able to redeem the code in the box to access the Mac version through the EA app.

Don't have The Sims 4? Get it here.

Recommended requirements for Mac

Minimum system requirements

  • Mac OS version: macOS 10.15 (Catalina), with Metal support.
  • Processor: Intel Core i3-3225 3.5 Ghz (2 cores, 4 threads) or better.
  • Memory (RAM): At least 4 GB RAM.
  • Hard drive (free space): At least 25 GB of free space with at least 1 GB additional space for custom content and saved games.
  • Graphics card (video): Support for Metal. Intel HD 4000 (Integrated Graphics) or better.
  • Input: Keyboard and mouse.
  • Internet connection: Internet connection required for product activation.
  • Video RAM: 256 MB or better.

Recommended system requirements

  • Mac OS version: macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or later.
  • Processor: Intel Core i5 (4 cores) or better.
  • Memory (RAM): 8 GB.
  • Hard drive (free space): At least 50 GB of free space with at least 1 GB additional space for custom content and saved games.
  • Graphics card (video): Intel HD and Iris Graphics from the HD 4000 series or newer.
  • Input: Keyboard and mouse.
  • Internet connection: Internet connection required for product activation.

I’m a new player on Mac who just bought the packaged PC-only version of The Sims 4

  • Download the EA app at:

www.ea.com/ea-app 2. Create an EA Account or login with an existing EA account. An account is required in order to play The Sims 4. 3. Under the ‘Games’ drop-down menu (top left), click on ‘Redeem Product Code’. 4. Input your The Sims 4 product code, found within the packaging/insert. 5. Once the code is redeemed, The Sims 4 will begin to download in your EA app at Library. 6. Once download is complete, you will be able to launch The Sims 4 and begin playing.

I’m an existing player on PC looking to play on Mac

  • Download the EA app at for Mac at: www.ea.com/ea-app
  • Login with the same EA account that you use to play The Sims 4 on PC. An account is required in order to play The Sims 4.
  • Select on the ‘My Games’ tab and click on The Sims 4 from your library.
  • Click the ‘Download’ button and The Sims 4 will begin to download in your EA app Library.
  • Once download is complete, you will be able to launch The Sims 4 and begin playing.

I want to transfer my saves files from my PC to my Mac

Though The Sims 4 doesn’t support the EA app cloud storage, transferring your save files between the PC and Mac versions of the game is easy. All you need to do is copy the saves directory from one computer to another using a USB drive or any other portable storage device.

  • On your PC, first open My Computer and navigate to the Documents folder. From there, go to Electronic Arts, then The Sims 4 folder.
  • Locate and copy the entire ‘saves’ folder from The Sims 4 folder onto a flash drive.
  • Plug the flash drive into your Mac.
  • On your Mac, open Finder, go to Documents, then Electronic Arts. Inside is folder for The Sims 4 folder.
  • Copy and paste the ‘saves’ folder from the flash drive to the ‘The Sims 4’ folder on your Mac. NOTE: If an existing ‘saves’ folder is already in The Sims 4 folder, please delete or rename it. If necessary, renaming an existing ‘saves’ folder on your Mac will allow you to keep it for later use.
  • Once complete, open The Sims 4 on your Mac and your save files will be ready to load!

I have already installed add-on content to the PC version of The Sims 4. How do I make sure that the same add-on content shows up in the Mac version of The Sims 4?

  • Login to the the EA app client using the same account that you use to play The Sims 4 on PC. An account is required to play The Sims 4.
  • Select on the ‘My Games’ tab and click on The Sims 4 from your library.
  • Click on the ‘More Details’ button and scroll down to locate the content in the appropriate sections (e.g. Game Packs, Add-Ons & Bonuses, etc.).
  • From here, you can select to download and install any add-on content you wish to play with on the Mac version of The Sims 4.

I want to purchase more add-on content from my Mac. How do I make sure that the same add-on content shows up in the PC version of The Sims 4?

  • Login to the EA app client using the same account that you use to play The Sims 4 on Mac. An account is required to play The Sims 4.
  • Select on the ‘My Games’ tab and click on The Sims 4 from your library.
  • Click on the 'More Details’ button and scroll down to locate the content in the appropriate sections (e.g. Game Packs, Add-Ons & Bonuses, etc.).
  • From here, you can select to purchase and install any add-on content you wish to play with on the Mac or PC version of The Sims 4. All purchases made on one system will be available to you on all systems as long as you log in using the same EA account.

Console FAQs

What features are in this version?

The Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions will contain some of the great updates added to the base game since launch, ranging from Ghosts and Pools, to New Careers, Half-Walls, Dishwashers and more. Not to mention, we also added the world of Newcrest to give your Sims space to continue to grow; overhauled the Create a Sim tool to provide expanded gender customization options; and most recently, added Toddlers as a new playable life state!

Will I be able to use in-game cheats?

Absolutely! Players will be able to use nearly every cheat from PC on console.

How will the Gallery work and how can player share user generated content?

The Gallery will not be available in the Xbox or PlayStation versions, but players can still share their experience using the social features that are integrated into those platforms.

Is there a season pass?

There will not be a season pass for downloadable content.

Will downloadable content on console have all the same content as their PC/Mac equivalents?

Yes, the console version of the DLC will have everything that the PC/Mac versions have.

Will downloadable content be priced the same as on PC?

Yes, prices will be on par with those in Origin, not including sales/promotions.

What social features will there be on Console?

Console players will be able to share screenshots, stream gameplay using the platforms’ built-in functionality, and access the in-game game hub.

If I own The Sims 4 on PC or Mac, do my downloadable content purchases transfer to Xbox One or PlayStation 4 versions?

Content purchased is platform specific and will not be transferable to a new platform.

If I own The Sims 4 on PC or Mac, do my file saves and creations transfer to the Xbox One or PlayStation 4 versions?

Save files and creations are specific to the platform they are originally created on and are non-transferable.

What team is developing the game?

Maxis is working with the talented team at Blind Squirrel Games to bring The Sims 4 to Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

Will there be achievements/trophies available?

Yes! We will have trophy/achievement support on both Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

Can I bring my expansions/DLC from the pc to the console?

Content purchased is platform specific and will not be transferable to a new platform.

Will the game be available for Xbox 360/systems of older generations?

The Sims 4 will only be available for Xbox (One/Series X / S) PlayStation (4 / 5)

Are there any differences between the console and computer versions?

The console versions of The Sims 4 will have many of the same great features and updates at launch that are currently on PC, with the exceptions of the Gallery, mods, and social events.

What plans do you have for social events like in-game challenges, and boost weeks?

These will not be supported on console at this time.

Will I be able to use mods?

Mods and Custom Content are not supported on Xbox or PlayStation.

What social features will there be on Console?

Console players will be able to share screenshots, stream gameplay using the platforms’ built-in functionality, and access the in-game game hub.