How To Reset Sims 4
The Sims 4 might have been released in 2014 but it’s still the best Sims game (and best life simulation game!) to date with new expansion packs and game packs releasing each year.
It’s a large game – it has to be said.
And if you’ve got multiple expansions and game packs for The Sims 4, or even Sims 4 mods, you might be running into performance issues and technical problems with the game, such as gameplay bugs, lagging, or startup issues.
If that’s the case, resetting The Sims 4 might be the solution. It’s one of several methods that might fix your Sims 4 game, so it’s worth trying each one.
This guide is here to help. Below we run through the following:
- How to reset The Sims 4
- How to update The Sims 4
- How to repair The Sims 4
For good measure, we’ve also provided simple step-by-step instructions with each fix. So make sure to keep reading!
How To Back Up Sims 4
Before resetting Sims 4 or tinkering with the files, it’s vital to back up your Sims 4 game.
This will eliminate the risk of losing your save files, game data, files, and so on, so it’s the most important thing to do first!
How to back up Sims 4:
- Go to the “Documents” folder on your computer.
- Locate the “Electronic Arts” folder, then right-click on it and select “Copy”.
- Paste the “Electronic Arts” folder to another location, such as an external hard drive or on cloud storage.
- Wait for the copying process to complete (this might take several minutes, depending on the size of the file.
- (Optional) Rename the folder to “Sims 4 Backup” or something you will remember to distinguish it from the original folder.
By following these steps, you will have a backup copy of your entire Sims 4 game, including your save files, mods, and custom content.
So if anything goes wrong with your game or you need or want to restore your game, you can simply copy the backup folder and paste it to replace the default existing folder.
This will restore all of your saved games, mods, and custom content.
How To Reset Sims 4
Resetting Sims 4 is essentially deleting and reinstalling the game. Similar to resetting a phone or other device, it involves deleting all the files, including the save files, game files, and the game itself.
As a result, resetting Sims 4 is a last resort if you’ve tried other solutions (such as updating Sims 4 and repairing Sims 4, listed below) and your Sims 4 game still isn’t working as it should.
Just make sure to back up The Sims 4 (using the steps above) before resetting the game if you want to keep your save files and other important game data.
How To Reset Sims 4 On Windows
- Go to My Documents.
- Locate “The Sims 4” folder.
- Delete it.
- Empty your Recycle Bin.
- Restart your computer.
- Reinstall Sims 4.
How To Reset Sims 4 On Mac OS X
- Open the Finder.
- Open the Documents folder.
- Locate the “Electronic Arts” folder.
- Locate “The Sims 4” folder.
- Delete the folder.
- Empty your Trash.
- Restart your computer.
- Reinstall Sims 4.
How To Update Sims 4
It might seem obvious, but updating your game may fix some of the issues you might be experiencing with The Sims 4.
For that reason, updating The Sims 4 is worth trying before resetting the game!
How to update Sims 4:
- Open the Origin client on your computer.
- Log in with your EA account that you created for The Sims 4.
- Click on “My Game Library”.
- Locate The Sims 4 from the list.
- If an update is available, an “Update” button will be displayed next to The Sims 4 icon. Click on the “Update” button to start and download the update (this might take a while, depending on the size of the update and the speed of your internet connection).
Take note that if you have Sims 4 expansion packs, game packs, or mods installed, then you may need to update them as well to ensure they are compatible with the latest version of the game.
Doing this may also fix any issues you are experiencing with The Sims 4.
How To Repair Sims 4
Repairing your Sims 4 game is another possible fix for performance issues and technical problems that are also worth trying before resetting the game.
Repairing the game is a process that checks and verifies the installation files to see if any files are missing or broken.
How to repair Sims 4:
- Exit and close the game.
- Open the Origin client on your computer.
- Click on “My Game Library”.
- Locate The Sims 4 from the list.
- Right-click on The Sims 4 icon and click on “Repair Game” from the drop-down menu (this might take a while, depending on your game files).
- Relaunch the game and see if the issues have been fixed.
Take note that repairing the game will only fix issues with the game’s installation files. So it won’t delete your save files, expansion packs, and game packs, or any mods that you may have installed.
Conclusion
To summarize, resetting The Sims 4 is a simple enough process that should be used as a last resort if you have tried other fixes, such as updating The Sims 4 and repairing your game files, but you are still experiencing performance issues and technical problems.
Resetting The Sims 4 essentially involves deleting the game and reinstalling it.
As a result, make sure to back up your Sims 4 files before resetting the game in case you want to restore your Sims 4 save file as well as other installed content.
Before resetting The Sims 4, however, you can also try updating the game (including your expansion packs, game packs, and mods) and repairing the game files.
These processes might fix any issues or bugs you are experiencing, which will make it no longer necessary to reset The Sims 4.
