[Full Guide] How to Fix Sims 4 Won’t Launch or Crashes on Startup

Aug. 05, 2023 / Updated by Eloise to Gaming Solutions

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Are you obsessed with the Sims 4, the popular life simulation game that lets you create and control your own virtual characters and worlds? If so, you might have encountered a frustrating problem that many Sims 4 players face: the game won't launch or crashes on startup. What causes this problem and how can you fix it? There are several possible causes, such as corrupted game files, outdated or incompatible drivers, mods or CC (custom content), antivirus interference, etc. Fortunately, there are also several solutions to fix this problem and make Sims 4 run smoothly again. By following this guide, you will be able to solve the problem and enjoy Sims 4 without any issues. Sounds good? Then keep reading and find out how to fix Sims 4 not launching or crashing on startup.

Fix 1: Update Graphics Driver

The Sims 4 won't launch or crashes on startup usually because the graphics driver is faulty, incompatible or outdated. The first thing to do when you find game malfunctioned or crashed is to update your graphics driver to the latest version and make sure it matches your system and graphics card specifications. To update your graphics driver easily and safely, we recommend using Driver Talent, a professional and easy-to-use driver updater tool. Driver talent can scan your computer for any driver issues and update your graphics driver automatically with just a few clicks. You don't need to worry about downloading the wrong driver or installing it incorrectly. All the drivers in its database are from official channels.

Download Driver Talent

Step 1: Open Driver Talent and click on the Scan button to detect any driver problems.

Step 2: Click on the Update button next to the graphics driver to download and install the latest version. Alternatively, you can click on the Update All button to update all drivers at once.

Step 3: Once the update process is finished, you need to restart your computer to apply the changes.

Fix 2: Verify Integrity of Game Files

Game files contain the game's code, assets, settings, etc. If some of these files are damaged or deleted by accident, it can affect the game’s functionality and performance. Therefore, you need to verify the integrity of game files and make sure they are complete and intact.

For Origin users:

Step 1: Open Origin and go to My Game Library.

Step 2: Right-click on Sims 4 and select Repair Game from the menu. This will start the verification process and repair any corrupted or missing files.

For Steam users:

Step 1: Launch Steam and go to Library. Then, right-click on Sims 4 and select Properties from the menu.

Step 2: Go to Local Files tab and click on Verify Integrity of Game Files. This will start the verification process and fix any corrupted or missing files.

Wait for the verification process to complete before trying to launch Sims 4 again.

Fix 3: Clear the Game's Cache

Step 1: Press Windows+E to open File Explorer and type %userprofile%\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4 in the address bar.

Step 2: Delete certain files and folders from the Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4 directory.

Note: Before deleting anything, you'd better backup your saves and mods in case something goes wrong.

Step 3: Delete the following files and folders from the The Sims 4 directory:

localthumbcache.package
cachestr folder
cachewebkit folder
lotcacheddata folder
spotlight.package
onlinethumbnailcache folder
socialcache.package
cigen.package

Step 4: Empty your recycle bin as well. Then, you can try launching Sims 4 again and see if it works better.

Fix 4: Disable Mods and CC

Mods and CC (custom content) can enhance the gameplay experience of Sims 4 by adding new features, items, characters, etc. However, they can also cause conflicts and errors that may prevent the game from launching or crashing on startup, especially after a game update. This is because some mods and CC may not be compatible with the latest version of the game or with each other. Therefore, you need to disable mods and CC temporarily to see if they are causing the problem.

Step 1: Rename the Mods folder from the Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4 directory. This will prevent the game from loading any mods or CC that are stored in this folder. You can rename the folder to something like Mods_old or Mods_backup.

Step 2: After renaming the Mods folder, you need to launch Sims 4 without mods and CC and check if it runs smoothly. If it does, then some of your mods or CC are problematic and need to be updated or removed. If it doesn't, then mods and CC are not the cause of the problem and you can restore them by renaming or moving the Mods folder back to its original place.

Fix 5: Disable Antivirus Software

Antivirus software may mistakenly identify a harmless file as a threat and tries to remove it or prevent it from running. This can happen with some game files that are not recognized by antivirus software as safe. Therefore, you need to disable antivirus software temporarily to see if it is causing the problem.

Remember to enable antivirus software again after testing Sims 4, as disabling it may expose your computer to potential threats.

Fix 6: Reset Sims 4

Resetting Sims 4 means deleting all the files and folders that are related to Sims 4 from your computer and letting the game create new ones when you launch it again. This can help clear any corrupted data or settings that may be causing problems for the game. However, this also means that you will lose all your progress and customizations in the game. Therefore, you need to reset Sims 4 as a last resort if none of the previous solutions worked.

Step 1: Launch File Explorer and type %userprofile%\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4 in the address bar.

Step 2: Delete the entire Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4 folder.

Note: Before deleting anything, you can choose to backup your important files in case something goes wrong.

Step 3: After deleting the folder, you need to empty your recycle bin as well. Then, you can try launching Sims 4 again and see if it works.

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Tags: The Sims 4, The Sims 4 crashing, The Sims 4 not Launching,

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