What counts as Sims 4 custom content
| Kind | Examples | File type | Folder |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAS (Create a Sim) | Hair, clothes, makeup, skin details, accessories | .package | Mods |
| Build/Buy | Furniture, decor, walls, floors, windows | .package | Mods |
| Lots, rooms, households | Houses and Sims made by other players | Tray files (.trayitem plus others) | Tray |
| Mods | Gameplay changes such as MC Command Center | .package and .ts4script | Mods |
You'll see two art styles:
- Maxis Match (MM): soft, slightly cartoony, made to blend in with the game's own items.
- Alpha: realistic, high-detail textures. Looks sharper, but stands out next to EA items and uses more memory.
Most players keep to one style per household. Creators usually tag posts with MM or Alpha, so searching CurseForge or Tumblr for "maxis match hair" finds the right style fast. Both styles exist for CAS and Build/Buy.
Where to download Sims 4 CC
| Source | What you get | Cost | Know before you go |
|---|---|---|---|
| CurseForge | CC and mods; over 140,000 Sims 4 projects | Free | Announced as the official mod repository with EA in October 2022. The CurseForge app on Windows and Mac installs and updates files for you |
| The Sims Resource (TSR) | The biggest single CC library, mostly Alpha | Free with ads and waits; paid VIP | Free downloads are blocked with an ad-blocker on. VIP removes ads and waits and adds one-click downloads of required items |
| Mod The Sims | CC, mods and tools since the early Sims days | Free | Some creator accounts were hijacked in 2024 and 2026; check that a file was posted by its real creator |
| Tumblr ("Simblr") | Most Maxis Match creators post here | Free | Posts link out to the actual download, often on the creator's own site, Patreon or SimFileShare |
| Patreon | Creator releases | Public posts free | Under EA's policy, early access is allowed only for a limited time; the item must then be free |
| Sims 4 Marketplace (in game) | Official paid Kits and Maker Packs | Paid with Moola | Launched March 17, 2026. Maker Packs hold 3 to 50 CAS or Build/Buy items checked by EA. It sells no mods and doesn't replace free CC |
Avoid sites that reupload other creators' CC behind link shorteners or extra download buttons. They are the most common way people pick up adware or modified files.
How to install Sims 4 custom content
- Download and unzip. The game can't read
.zip,.raror.7zfiles. Use the built-in extractor or 7-Zip. - Open the Mods folder.
- Windows:
Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4\Mods - Mac:
Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 4/Mods
- Windows:
- Move the files in.
.packagefiles can sit up to 5 subfolders deep, for exampleMods\CC\Hair\Creator\..ts4scriptfiles work at most 1 subfolder deep. - Put lots, rooms and households in Tray:
Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4\Tray, with all of an item's files together. - Turn it on. Start the game, open Game Options > Other, tick Enable Custom Content and Mods (and Script Mods Allowed if any file is a
.ts4script), then restart.
On the next start, a window lists the CC and mods the game found. CAS items show a small icon in the corner of their swatch.
Which Tray files belong together
| Item | Files |
|---|---|
| Lot | .trayitem, .blueprint, .bpi |
| Household | .trayitem, .householdbinary, .hhi, one .sgi per Sim |
| Room | .trayitem, .room, .rmi |
A lot or household that came with .package files needs those in Mods. Without them, the CC used in the build or on the Sims will be missing.
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CC not showing up? Fixes
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Nothing shows after a game update | EA turns CC off after every patch. Re-tick Enable Custom Content and Mods and restart |
| Item still zipped | Unzip it; delete the archive from Mods |
| Too many folders deep | Move .package files up to 5 levels or fewer, scripts to 1 |
| Old thumbnails or missing swatches | Close the game and delete localthumbcache.package in Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4 |
| Clothes hidden in CAS | Check the age, gender and category filters; some CC is made for one frame only |
| Item needs a pack or mesh | Download the required mesh or pack listed on the CC page |
| Lot from the Gallery or Tray loads empty | Its CC is missing. Install the creator's CC list, or use Sims 4 Tray Importer to see which files it uses |
| Wrong game | .sims3pack and Sims 2/3 .package files don't work in The Sims 4 |
Keeping a big CC folder fast and tidy
- Sort by type and creator:
Mods\CAS\Hair,Mods\BuildBuy\Decor,Mods\Scripts. You can find broken items quickly after a patch. - Merge with Sims 4 Studio (free, Windows and Mac). Thousands of small files load slower than a few merged ones. Never merge script mods or
.ts4scriptfiles, and keep the originals as a backup. - Find broken CC: move half the folder out, test, keep halving. Better Exceptions by TwistedMexi also lists the CC files on a Sim's current outfit.
- Delete duplicates: two copies of the same item in different folders can show doubled swatches.
- Back up saves and Tray before big changes. Removing CC makes those items vanish from lots and outfits; it doesn't delete the Sims.
Official paid CC: Kits and the Sims 4 Marketplace
Since 2024, EA has also sold content made by community creators. This is separate from free CC and works on consoles too.
- Creator Kits: kits made by CC creators with The Sims team. The first two, Cozy Kitsch and Sweet Slumber Party, launched on November 14, 2024.
- Sims 4 Marketplace: announced March 3, 2026 and launched on PC and Mac on March 17, 2026. It is an in-game store paid with a currency called Moola. Kits are now sold only there, along with packs.
- Maker Packs: sets of 3 to 50 CAS or Build/Buy items by approved creators, checked by EA before release.
- What it doesn't sell: script mods or gameplay mods. Free CC and mods keep working as before, from the same Mods folder.
The practical difference: Marketplace items install and update through the game and are reviewed by EA. Free CC you manage yourself, and you need to keep it updated and check its source.
Is Sims 4 custom content safe?
Plain CAS and Build/Buy .package files have been the safe kind. The danger is script files (.ts4script) and anything that is or contains an .exe.
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| Jan to Feb 2024 | An infostealer hidden in .ts4script files took browser passwords, Discord tokens, Steam logins and crypto wallets. It spread through a fake creator on Mod The Sims and a fake CurseForge upload (F-Secure) |
| Nov 2024 | Two Mod The Sims accounts, including TwistedMexi's, were hijacked; four files got a trojan and were removed in about 90 minutes |
| Mar 2026 | More hijacked Mod The Sims accounts added a downloader script even to object and recolor CC |
- Clothes, hair or furniture should never include a
.ts4script. If it does, delete it. - Download from the creator's own links, not reupload sites.
- Keep antivirus on. EA does not pre-screen mods or CC.
- Marketplace Maker Packs are checked by EA before sale; free CC is not.
Want a different life without a Mods folder?
Custom content is how many players make the game look like their own world. LifeSim is a free life simulator that runs in the browser on a computer or phone, with no download and no packs, and it is set in real places: you can be anyone in any real city on Earth and live day by day. Characters have needs, jobs and relationships, and the townspeople are AI-driven.