Every time The Sims 4 patches, your Mods and Custom Content stop working. That is not a bug, and it is not your install breaking — the game switches them off on purpose. The part worth knowing is that EA’s documented recovery has a specific order, and getting one step wrong can strip content out of your saved game.
Here is what EA actually publishes, and the step most advice skips.
Quick answer
- Mods are disabled deliberately at every update — EA says why.
- Launch once with Mods off first and check the game runs.
- 🔴 Exit without saving. Saving first can remove content from your save.
- Then re-enable: Game Options > Other > Enable Custom Content and Mods.
- Error 110 means outdated Mods; 102/123/125/127/129/131 point at script Mods.
- To find the culprit, add Mods back in batches and halve.
Why The Sims 4 Turns Your Mods Off
This is deliberate, and EA is direct about the reasoning: “By disabling Mods when we update, we try to limit any issues or problems with your gameplay.”
The reason it has to work that way is that nobody at EA has looked at your Mods. The policy page states it plainly: “Maxis and EA don’t pre-screen, endorse, or support specific Mods or Custom Content.” A Mod that was fine last week can break after a patch, and EA has no way to know in advance which ones will.
EA also acknowledges the obvious consequence for players: “it can take time for Mod creators to upgrade their content after an update”. Waiting is sometimes the whole fix.
🔴 The Step That Can Cost You Content
This is the important part, and it is the reason to read EA’s order rather than a forum reply.
EA’s procedure starts with a clean launch: “Launch The Sims 4 with Mods disabled. Choose Resume or Load Game and play in Live Mode to make sure everything is working correctly.”
If that clean launch itself fails, the problem is the install rather than your Mods, and the repair route is the same one EA uses for its other titles — our guide to repairing an EA game through the EA app walks through it.
While you do that, your builds and clothing will look wrong, and that is expected — EA notes that “any Custom Content you have installed won’t appear in-game” during this check.
Then comes the warning: “If you select Save and Exit before re-enabling Custom Content and Mods, content may be removed from your saved game.”
Read that twice if you have ever done the natural thing and saved after checking your game still loads. The safe exit is through the Menu in Live Mode, choosing Exit Game and confirming — not Save and Exit.
EA’s Order, Start to Finish
- Launch with Mods disabled and play a minute of Live Mode to confirm the patch itself is fine.
- Exit without saving.
- Check each creator’s page. EA’s wording: “Check the Mod creator’s site to verify that the Mod works with the latest The Sims 4 Update.”
- Re-enable them: “Re-enable Mods through the Options Menu by selecting Game Options > Other > Enable Custom Content and Mods”.
- Exit, relaunch, and check the Mod actually works.
One detail that catches people out on step 3: an updated Mod is not always a drop-in replacement. EA notes that “A Mod may need to be fully reinstalled to be compatible with the latest game patch.”
The Error Codes That Mean “Mods”
Not every Sims 4 error is mod-related, but EA names two groups that usually are.
- Error 110 — “This error code usually appears after a game update, and is caused by outdated Mods.” If you see this straight after a patch, the answer is almost always waiting for creator updates.
- Errors 102, 123, 125, 127, 129 and 131 — “This error code usually appears if there’s an issue with the game’s script, so a script Mod could be the cause.” Script Mods are the first thing to pull here.
How to Find the One Mod That Is Breaking Things
If the game is misbehaving but you have hundreds of files, EA documents a search method rather than telling you to delete everything.
Start broad: “Remove all your Mods from the “Mods” folder and add them back in batches”, launching after each batch. When a batch reproduces the problem, halve it and test again, then keep halving. EA notes the community already has a name for this: “This type of searching is sometimes referred to in The Sims community as the 50/50 method.”
There is a shortcut worth taking first, though. EA advises pulling one category before the other, because “Game Mods, which add features or change the game’s functionalities, are more likely to cause issues than Custom Content.”
Telling Which Kind of Thing Is Broken
EA gives two genuinely useful tells, and they split neatly by category.
For Custom Content, look at your Sims: “if your Sim’s hat is floating above them, it’s usually a sign that something’s wrong with that Custom Content item”.
For Game Mods, watch behaviour instead — EA’s example is that “if they’re walking up walls or have been eating dinner for 24 hours, that may be a clue the Game Mod is causing an issue”.
If you do track one down, EA asks you to tell the creator, with one specific detail: “Be sure to include your current game version number when you let them know.” You will find it on the lower left of the Main Menu.
If the Game Is Just Slow Afterwards
A large Mods folder is allowed but not free. EA’s position is that “We don’t limit the amount you can install, but since Mods may require more memory and CPU resources, running them can impact your game.”
There is one easy load-time win EA documents: the startup pop-up that lists everything you have installed. “When this setting is turned on, it lists the Mods you currently have installed, which can slow down the process of opening up your game.” Untick Show at Startup on that notification and it stops appearing.
For the wider performance picture, our guide to debugging Sims 4 and making it run smoothly covers the non-mod causes.
Before You Download Replacements
Worth repeating EA’s own caution, given that “find an updated version” is the fix for most of this: “When downloading Mods for The Sims 4, be careful to only download from a trusted source or creator.”
Since EA does not screen Mods, the creator’s own page is the only compatibility signal you get.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did the update delete my Mods?
No. They are disabled, not removed. The files are still in your Mods folder.
Can I just re-enable everything straight away?
You can, but EA’s order exists for a reason — check the game runs on the new patch first, and exit without saving before you turn Mods back on.
Why has my Custom Content vanished?
During the Mods-disabled check that is expected; EA states installed Custom Content will not appear in-game. It returns when you re-enable.
What does error 110 mean?
Outdated Mods after a game update, in EA’s own description. Wait for creators to update, or remove the offenders.
How many Mods is too many?
EA sets no limit, but says Mods use memory and CPU and can affect your game.
Is it safe to save while Mods are off?
That is the one thing to avoid. EA warns that saving before re-enabling can remove content from your saved game.
Mod breakage at every patch is one of the things players hope changes next time round — see what is known so far about the Sims 5 release date.
Accurate as of 29 September 2026. Everything attributed to EA here is quoted from the pages listed below. Mod compatibility changes with every patch, so check your creators’ pages rather than this date.
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