Sims 4 Mod Manager for Mac

What works on a Mac

Any site offering a "Mac version" of a Windows-only tool is not its author. Stick to the two official pages above.

Set up S4MM on a Mac

1. Open the official download page.
2. Pick the right file. Apple Silicon is for Macs with an M-series chip; Intel Chips is for older Macs. To check, open the Apple menu and choose About This Mac: it shows either a Chip (Apple) or a Processor (Intel).
3. Open the .dmg and drag the app into Applications. Do not put it in the Mods folder.
4. Quit The Sims 4, open the manager and point it at your Mods folder: ~/Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 4/Mods.

The author says all Mac releases are digitally signed. The Mac build has the same job as the Windows one: thumbnails, moving and renaming files, switching them off, a duplicate finder and CurseForge installs. More in S4MM by GameTimeDev.

Set up CurseForge on a Mac

1. Download the macOS build from curseforge.com/download/app.
2. Open it and choose The Sims 4. If the app does not find the game and you add it by hand, select the folder that contains The Sims 4.app, for example the Applications folder in your user folder.
3. Click Install on a mod, or run Scan mods folder to list what you already have.

Mods you got outside CurseForge appear with a folder icon. The app sees them but cannot update them.

The Mods folder on a Mac

A manager is optional. On a Mac the game reads ~/Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 4/Mods. In Finder, choose Go > Go to Folder and paste that path. If there is no Mods folder, EA says you can create one.

• Unzip downloads first. EA's steps say a .zip or .rar must be unpacked before the file goes into Mods.
• Keep script mods (.ts4script) in Mods or one folder inside it. Deeper than that and the game does not run them.
• In the game, open Game Options > Other, tick Enable Custom Content and Mods and Script Mods Allowed, then restart.

The main guide has the full folder rules.

Mac problems and fixes

• Downloaded the wrong S4MM file. An Intel build on an M-series Mac, or the other way round, is the usual reason it will not open. Download the other .dmg.
• macOS is too old. S4MM needs macOS 11; CurseForge needs macOS 12. The S4MM page has a Previous Releases list for older systems, offered as-is.
• Manager shows an empty folder. Point it at the Mods folder inside Documents, not at the game in Applications.
• Mods gone after a game update. The game switches them off on purpose. Re-tick both options under Game Options > Other.
• Looking for a conflict scanner. S4MM has a duplicate finder and an ID conflict check. For files that are damaged or will not load, see finding broken CC.

FAQ