Is Sims 4 CC Safe? (2024)

Yes, the vast majority of Sims 4 custom content is safe for you to download. Bear in mind that some custom content (mods) needs to be updated as game patches are released but you don’t need to be scared of downloading SIms 4 CC.

Sims 4 CC Common Terminology

If you’re new to the Sims franchise and you’ve looked into custom content, you have probably stumbled upon some specific terminology regarding custom content.

Here is the most commonly used terminology when dealing with The Sims 4 custom content.

• CC – Short for Custom Content (clothes, hairs, shoes, accessories, furniture, decorations, doors, windows, floors,…). Depending on the game, they may be tagged as #TS4CC or #TS3CC on various places like Twitter or Tumblr.
• Mods – gameplay enhancements or fixes for various annoying things
• CAS – Create-a-Sim screen, where you choose your Sim’s clothes, traits, name and more
• Mesh – Mesh is a 3D representation of in-game content. It’s the shape of a shirt, skirt, hair, glasses, furniture, shoes, etc.
• Texture – Every mesh has an assigned texture which defines what it will look like in game.
• Recolor – It’s basically changing the texture/color of the item. Some people recolor in-game items, some choose to recolor new meshes. In my Sims 4 downloads I use both existing meshes and my own for recolors.
• Maxis Match – creators use this term when their items match the default in-game colors and styles, for example hair colors match the basic hair colors and they are not as realistic as a lot of CC hair

Does CC Contain Viruses?

In my nearly a decade of downloading custom content for Sims 2 and Sims 4, I have never stumbled upon a virus. Custom content creators just want to spread love for the game by creating cool stuff.

That being said, there might be exceptions but as long as you take precautions, you’re going to be fine. More on that below.

What Are Sims 4 Mods?

Mods are files which alter your Sims 4 game. That can be anything from how the game is lit up, to changing annoying Sim behavior and adding more realistic elements to your gameplay.

There are a lot of mods available and you can pretty much find exactly what you need in most cases.

Most mods are .package files, some mods also include .ts4script file. You don’t need a special external program to run mods, which is definitely an advantage over other modded games – to remove the mod from the game, you simply delete the mod file.

Are Sims 4 Mods Safe?

Generally, Sims 4 mods are safe. However, they might cause some problems. While gameplay mods and little cheats are awesome for some annoying things in-game, having outdated mods might slow down or crash your game.

If you have too many that do similar things, they might be incompatible with one another. In best case scenario one mod will work while the other one won’t, worst case scenario it will crash your game and potentially even corrupt your save file.

If you’re not sure whether you want to try to install a game mod, you can try with small mods. Maybe you have a pet peeve with some of your Sims’ behavior.

Maybe you’re annoyed that your Sim doesn’t take their Outerwear off when indoors with your Seasons Expansion Pack. You can download the “Change into Everyday when inside” mod by LittleMsSam and see how you feel about it.

Start with one small mod!

Safe Sims 4 CC Websites

Here is a short list of websites that I use and generally are safe. Apart from these, I also use Tumblr.

The Sims Resource (TSR)

The Sims Resource (TSR) is a well known site for The Sims custom content. It has has over 5 million items ready to be downloaded, with more being added daily.

In the past, TSR suffered from an overabundance of ads and it made browsing the site not very user friendly. There’s still quite a bit of ads but trust me, it was way worse before.

For ad-free experience you can sign up for a VIP access. There are various options when it comes to this, you can pay just once, every three months, every six months or yearly. The yearly subscription costs just $3/month, compared to $11 for one month.

With VIP access you don’t need to wait for downloads, you won’t have ads and you will have early access to some CC. You can also add multiple items to a “basket” and then download them all at once.

You could try browsing TSR with some type of ad blocker but you might end up waiting for longer periods of time.

How To Download From TSR

Downloading from The Sims Resource is simple. You don’t need an account to download.

• No account – 15 second timer before download becomes available
• Free account – 10 second timer before you can download
• VIP account – one-click download, no waiting

Click on the item you want to download, then scroll down until you see a purple “Download” button. When you click it, you will be redirected to a new page if you don’t have a VIP account with a timer counting down.

If you don’t have an account or you have a free account, bear in mind that if you switch tabs, the download timer will stop until the tab is active again. If you don’t have an account, search and advanced filtering of CC won’t be available for you.

Mod The Sims (MTS)

Don’t let the name fool you, Mod The Sims isn’t actually only for Sims mods. It was one of my favorite websites back when I played Sims 2 and still hosts some great content.

You don’t have to have an account to download the CC or mods. If you’d like to comment on somebody’s creation, you will need a free account.

If you’re logged in, you will be able to choose the Expansion Packs, Stuff packs and Kits that you own, and the site filter will do its thing and only show you CC compatible with your game.

There is no VIP membership. MTS has display ads but they are not too intrusive, I think. You can use an ad blocker.

How To Download From MTS

Downloading from Mod The Sims is very easy. Simply click on the item that you want to download, scroll a little bit down until you see several tabs near the item’s description.

Next click on the Download tab and scroll – you will see a link to the file, its size and when it was last updated. There is no waiting time limit on MTS, so you can download CC rightaway!

SimsFinds

SimsFinds is one of my favorite places. Creators upload their CCs there or link to their personal profiles (websites, TSR, Tumblr, blogger, etc.)

You don’t have to have an account to download from SimsFinds. The website does contain ads but you can use an ad blocker.

SimsFinds also offers Premium membership – no ads, no waiting for downloads, infinite scrolling, additional filtering tools and more. The page loads slower without Premium membership but I’m in no hurry, so I don’t find it annoying.

There’s a timer of 6 seconds before you can download the file.

Honorary mention goes to The Sims Catalog, which is quite similar to SimsFinds. Creators can upload files directly or link to a page.

Aggregator Websites

Sims 4 aggregator websites compile lists of Sims 4 CC posted all over the web. They don’t host the content themselves but rather link to the creators’ websites or their profiles on sites like TSR or MTS.

The creators featured there are usually proven and safe, though some might use Adf.ly links and ads. More on ads below.

Examples of such sites are Sims 4 Updates or Sims 4 Downloads.

This Website

I know that I don’t have a lot of downloads but I’m just one person with limited free time. I can’t compare with the big sites or more active CC creators. However, I’m proud of the CC that I’ve done so far, especially my first ever mesh.

My Sims 4 CC downloads don’t contain viruses, the .zip files are simply there to bundle the custom content and terms of use text file.

Patreon

Some creators share their creations on Patreon. Patrons get early access to newly released CC, although most creators make the content available for public two weeks or so later.

It’s kinda hard to see where to find the downloads at Patreon, so here’s an image what to look for.

How To Safely Download and Install Sims 4 CC and Mods

As I mentioned above, the majority of Sims 4 custom content including mods are safe. If you’d like to install custom content, make sure you have a ‘Mods’ folder in your Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4 directory. If it’s not there, create it.

Here are some general rules of downloading CC:

• Make a backup of your Saves folder (video below)
• Download only from safe Sims sites and creators you know or have good reviews/comments
• If you don’t have all Expansion Packs, make sure the item you’re downloading doesn’t require a specific EP
• If the custom content is a simple .package file, scan it with antivirus and then you can put it in the Mods folder
• If it’s a .zip or .rar file (or similar compressed archive, like .7z), scan it with your antivirus first. 99.99% it will be safe.
• Extract the .package file(s) in your Mods folder

Sims 4 CC doesn’t usually require updating, though if you find problems with a mesh (like parts of hair not showing up, mesh being transparent)., there’s a chance that some official game patch messed something up.

Best way is to check whether the creator has updated their item. If not, don’t hesitate to let them know!

A lot of CC creators make their own custom thumbnails, so they’re easier to distinguish from in-game files. All custom content has a wrench icon in the top left corner.

Ads, Adf.ly and Similar Links

A lot of sites and creators use ads and unfortunately not all of those ads are safe or appropriate.

Adf.ly is a short link service which is a mid-step between the original site and the download location. The site usually displays a full page ad and a skip link at the top. The creators earn a few cents everytime someone uses their shortened link.

Adf.ly assures the users that every ad is checked for malware and viruses but I’m reluctant to download from sites that use Adf.ly. And people have reported that their systems don’t seem to catch some malware and viruses. Similar short linked services include shorte.st, but the most used among CC creators is Adf.ly.

If you really want to download a CC that has an adf.ly link, there is a way you can bypass it. You can either use browser extensions like Adfly skipper (Chrome) or Universal Bypass (Firefox, Chrome, Chromium). If you don’t like to install a browser extension, you can use a website.

I personally use Firefox (and you should too!) so Universal Bypass is my go to. If you don’t like ads in general, install a browser extension uBlock Origin. It’s the best one out there.

If you’d like to support the creator but don’t want to use links with Adf.ly and want to use an ad block, check whether they have a Patreon, Ko-fi or some other means for you to donate.

Installing Sims 4 Mods

Installing mods is the same as installing any kind of custom content. I personally like to keep my mod files in a separate folder in my Mods folder, so that I can quickly remove them if they cause issues.

Use the guide above on how to install mods into your game and use these best practices:

• Make sure the mod is up to date with the most recent game update version
• Create a backup of your Saves folder (how to video below)
• Install one mod at a time
• After installing, check whether the mod is working in game and that the game runs smoothly with no issues
• If the mod is not working or your game suddenly has issues, close the game without saving, and remove the mod from your Mods folder.

How To Organize Sims 4 CC?

I personally like to organize my Mods folder by the type of custom content. My subfolders are named by the type – one word only, no special characters, multiple words or spaces. Inside the subfolders are just .package files, I avoid creating more subfolders.

As I mentioned above, game mods go into a separate subfolder (I named it ‘hacks’ but you can name it whatever you wish). I try to limit what I download (hello 6 GB CC folder for Sims 2!), so my clothes are in a simple ‘clothes’ folder. If you have more downloads, you could separate the folder into ‘tops’, ‘bottoms’, ‘outfits’, etc.

You can see on the above image how my Mods folder is structured. Ignore the file icons, since I have Sims 4 Studio installed, it created specific file icons for the .package file. And if you’re interested what’s in my ‘mine’ folder, it’s all my Sims 4 CC creations!

(And yes, plants have their own folder.)

You could also separate your custom content by the creator name. I find it too confusing, since a lot of the creators make multiple types of custom content and if I’m looking for clothes, it can be a hassle to go through buy mode items.

Some mods or CC might not work inside a subfolder, so if an item you downloaded is not showing up in game, try to place it in the main Mods folder itself.

Help! Sims 4 CC and Mods Broke My Game!

As I mentioned above, that can happen sometimes. Most issues come with incompatible mods or out of date mods. Some regular game updates might break existing mods and in turn either the mod doesn’t work or your game might crash.

How To Update Sims 4 CC and Mods

Updating Sims 4 CC and mods is as easy:

• visit the website you downloaded it from
• check if there has been an update
• download the new file
• delete the old file
• place the new file in the Mods folder

If you don’t remember where you downloaded a certain CC or a Mod, most creators put their name in the filename. If you haven’t bookmarked the creator page, thanks to Google your downloaded CC is quite easy to find.

In the image below, you can see how I took the creators name LazyEyelids and added the name of the item. Sometimes the custom content can’t be found this simple way, so I try to add “sims 4” to the search query and that usually does the trick.

Alternatively you could use the entire package name, i.e. LazyEyelids_ft_straight_blazer.package, but always make sure it’s the creator’s website, Patreon or trusted sites like The Sims Resource.

If you’re downloading a CC and don’t see the creator’s name in the filename, I ecourage you to change it, it’s much easier to reference back!

What If the Mod Is Not Updated?

If there has been a game patch but your chosen mods haven’t been updated yet, the best course of action is to remove the mod from the Mods folder for the time being.

If the mod creator is active, they should update their mods in timely manner. However, sometimes creators stop making new custom content and as such don’t update. Unfortunately you should remove those mods forever and try to find an alternative.

My Favorite Sims 4 CC Creators

Here is a list of my favorite Sims 4 CC creators. I (lovingly) blame them for blowing up my Mods folder. These are creators which you can be sure have safe CC.

• LazyEyelids – I can’t have enough of Anastasia’s clothing
• LittleMsSam – little game mods that make the game better
• Darte77 – I especially love all the men’s clothing
• Severinka_ – gorgeous furniture and decorations
• Nynaeve Design – How many plants and decorations have I downloaded from them? Lots.
• S-Club – gorgeous hair (and more!)
• SIMcredible! – plants (do I need to say more?)
• Kijiko – 3D lashes are a must in my Sims but they have other nice CC as well

This is definitely not the full list of all my downloads. There are many more talented Sims 4 CC creators but these are the ones you find the most stuff from in my Downloads folder.

Sims 4 Mods I Use

• More columns in CAS – I personally use 4-column layout. If you have a big resolution and a lot of CC, use the 5-column one. It will save you a lot of time scrolling!
• Bed Cuddle – I really miss the cuddle animation from Sims 2 and this mod fixes it!
• No autonomous computer – my Sims are absolutely awful when it comes to computers. If they could, they’d spent all day there.
• Change into Everyday when inside
• Ultrasound scan

While this is not a mod like the ones above, I use ReShade to slightly alter the coloring and brightness of my game.

Conclusion

Sims 4 custom content is generally safe to download. Always make sure to back up your game first, then download from safe Sims websites like the ones I mentioned above in this post.

Game mods generally need to be kept up to date, so make a note where you downloaded them from!

If you have any questions regarding The Sims 4 or custom content and mods, let me know in the comments below!