The Sims 4 loads a household, world data, custom content, mods, and save history every time you enter a save. One outdated mod or corrupted cache file can stop the loading screen from finishing.
These steps apply to The Sims 4 on Windows through the EA app or Steam, and to Mac.
Does this affect you?
Use this if The Sims 4 hangs on the plumbob loading screen, freezes before a save opens, or never finishes loading into a household.
Remove mods and custom content, then add them back gradually
Outdated mods and custom content are the most common cause, especially after a game patch.
- Close The Sims 4 and the EA app or Steam.
- Open Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4 > Mods.
- Move everything inside Mods to a temporary folder on the desktop.
- Launch The Sims 4 with no mods enabled.
- Try loading the same save.
- If it loads, add mods back in small batches.
- Test after each batch until you find the broken mod or custom content file.
- Download an updated version from the mod page, Discord, or support forum.
Move files instead of deleting them so you can restore working mods later.
Repair the game files
Use this if you do not use mods or removing them does not clear the loading screen.
- In the EA app, open My Collection.
- Find The Sims 4 and open the three-dot menu.
- Choose Repair.
- If you play through Steam, right-click The Sims 4 and open Properties > Installed Files.
- Choose Verify integrity of game files.
- Let the repair finish, then launch the game and test again.
Repair checks the base installation and replaces corrupted or missing files.
Clear the cache files
Cache files can become overloaded after long sessions, updates, or crashes.
- Close The Sims 4 completely.
- Open Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4.
- Delete cache if it exists.
- Delete cachestr if it exists.
- Delete onlinethumbnailcache if it exists.
- Delete files ending in .cache.
- Do not delete saves, Tray, Mods, or settings unless you intentionally backed them up.
The Sims 4 rebuilds these cache files automatically. The first load afterward may take longer.
Save-specific checks
If one old save will not load but a new empty save works, the save file itself may be damaged or too heavy from many hours of play and patches.
Copy saves from Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4 > saves to a separate backup folder occasionally. The game does not make obvious backups in a way most players can rely on.
Expansion and game pack conflicts are less common than broken mods, but they can appear after a content update. Testing a fresh save helps separate install trouble from save-specific trouble.
Sources
- EA Help – The Sims 4: Troubleshoot Loading Issues (2025)
- EA Help – Repair The Sims 4 Using the EA App (2025)
- The Sims Community Support – Managing Mods and Custom Content (2025)