Downloading Mods for 'Sims 4' Is Actually Really Easy

Electronic Art's Sims 4 has been a longtime staple for gamers of all ages looking to either enjoy a peaceful evening or create some chaos. As of 2021, more than 33 million people play the life simulator game — a record high since it was released in 2014.

The game already has a variety of content and downloadable content (DLC) for players to create their own world, but mods can make the average Sims 4 playing session that much more exciting. Here's how to download mods for the title.

Many PC games have the option to install "mods," or custom content. The custom content is usually created by players and added to enhance one's playing experience in one way or another.

If you watch gaming creators on YouTube, many add mods to the games they showcase to create unique content. These are separate from DLCs, which are created by the game's original developers and are often offered as paid add-ons to a title.

In Sims 4, mods can do everything from giving a player full control over what happens to each of their Sims next, to offering new clothing and customization for characters.

Mods are often free and available to download online. This, of course, means that the files you're downloading aren't cleared by the developers, so be sure you're only downloading mods from trusted sources, so as to decrease your chances of accidentally installing a virus to your computer.

Before you can add mods to your game, you'll have to first find the mods you want added to your file and download them to your computer. Certain mods will have specific install instructions to ensure they work properly, so be sure to read the directions from the site where you're downloading the file.

Once you have the mod you want installed in the game, you'll have to navigate to the mods folder for your Sims 4 file. This can be done by opening your Windows Explorer, or your Finder if you're using a Mac instead of a PC.

Your Sims 4 file will typically be located under "Electronic Arts." From there, navigate to the game title and then "Mods." This is where you will drop the folders for any modifications you want to add.

If the mod is downloaded as a .zip file, you won't need to unzip it to use it. Just drop the entire file into the folder, and it should automatically install the custom content into the game.

To use these mods while you play, you'll also have to make sure you enable custom content in-game. To do this, open Sims 4 and navigate to "Game Options." Under the "Other" tab, ensure that "Enable Custom Content and Mods" is checked.

If you've followed all of these steps, then you should be able to use any custom content in-game. If you're having trouble locating your new content, it might help to restart the game, as it often needs to reboot before the new mods appear.