First of all, make sure your Mac meets the minimum requirements:
- Minimum OS – macOS El Capitan (10.11) Metal compatible*
- CPU – Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4Ghz or better
- RAM – At least 4Gb RAM
- Hard Drive – At least 15Gb of free space with at least 1Gb additional space for custom content
- Video – NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT, ATI Radeon HD 2600 Pro or better. Video RAM (VRAM) of 256 MB or better
- Input – Keyboard and Mouse
- Online Requirements: Internet Connection required for product activation
However, these are the recommended requirements which are more relevant when you start adding in Expansion Packs, Stuff Packs and Game Packs:
- Minimum OS -macOS El Capitan (10.11) Metal compatible*
- CPU – Intel Core i5 or better
- RAM – 8Gb RAM
- Hard Drive – 18Gb Hard Drive space
- Video – NVIDIA GTX 650 or better
- Input – Keyboard and Mouse
- Online Requirements: Internet Connection required for product activation
*If your Mac is a 2011 or earlier model it is not Metal compatible. You will need to run the Legacy Edition of the game. YOU DO NOT NEED TO DOWNLOAD THE LEGACY EDITION IF YOUR MAC IS A 2012 MODEL OR LATER.
You should also read the specific system requirements for each pack before purchasing as some packs have higher requirements than others. I keep an up to date list of individual pack requirements here.
The only way to get The Sims 4 for Mac is to download it through Origin. If you already have the PC version through Origin the Mac version will also be available to you at no extra cost. If you have bought the PC version on disc no problem, simply install Origin, enter your product code and the Mac version will be available to you to download (more detailed instructions can be found here).
Installing Origin and The Sims 4:
- Download and install Origin from here. If your Mac tells you it can’t install it because it’s from an unidentified developer follow these steps from Apple to bypass Gatekeeper.
- Open Origin and log in with your EA username and password. If you would like to keep any game installers that you download (so you don’t have to re-download them in the event of having to uninstall and reinstall your game), click on Origin > Preferences in the top menu bar then click on Installs & Saves in the Origin window. Make sure that Keep legacy game installers is turned on in the options. This is advisable because the game installer for The Sims 4 is nearly 9Gb, that’s a big download! You can also change the file path if you want to save it in a different location.
- Next find The Sims 4, pay for it and download it. Please note that Origin Access is not available for Mac users, you must buy the game outright. The trial version is also for Windows users only. Once purchased it should automatically install itself, if not you can click the Install button. The game will now always be in your Games Library in Origin.
- If you have bought the PC disc version you can register the product code on your Origin account. Please follow the instructions here on how to do so.
- If you are running macOS 10.15 Catalina or later and are prompted to allow access for Origin and the Sims 4 during the installation process make sure you allow it. The game must have permission and access to certain folders to properly run and load your data, this includes your Documents folder.
Once installed you don’t need to open Origin every time you want to play the game. Just double click The Sims 4 icon in your Applications folder. Origin will automatically open to validate the game.
If you have been previously playing the game in Windows, and you want to move your saves over to your Mac installation, simply copy and paste the Windows Sims 4 Saves folder (Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4 > saves) into the Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4 folder on your Mac. Do the same with the Tray folder for all your Library items (houses, Sims etc.)
Bluebellflora 
Hello!
Once I get around to actually installing TS4 on my mac partition, would you be interested in getting a copy of a mods guide (similar to my TS3 one of course)? I’ve already had a few questions about it on my tumblr, but I still want to make sure that all the directories are the same and such.
Just thought I’d ask if you wanted a copy of it so I can upload it somewhere. 🙂
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Oh yes please! I’ve had people asking too. There are currently issues with mods which EA are promising to patch….. at some point.
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Awesome!
I’ll probably work on that tomorrow so I can test out a few that I’d like to add to it, so I’ll let you know where I upload it. 🙂
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Fabulous – thank you! Do you still have my email address?
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I don’t think so. 😦
Are you able to send an anonymous message to my Tumblr just with the basics? I don’t think actual links/emails work.
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Is your email address the one you’ve used on here? I can email that one if you like 🙂
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Yes it is! I wasn’t sure if you had access to that or not hehe.
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I’ll email you know 😀
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hi i got a problem. it says that the code has already been used. how can i solved this?
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You need to be logged in with the same user account you registered/bought the game through.
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Hi I’ve installed the disc version in my pc. Is it possible to move the game to my mac without re-downloading from origin.
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No, you must download and install the Mac version.
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how do i download the sims 4
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Via Origin
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Hi i was wondering if the Sims 4 work with Mac El Capitan 10.11.3
I was wondering because me and my parents are planning to buy Sims 4 as a family game, but we cannot use the PC we have at home, as it has important information that we dont want to lose, just incase something happens with the sims 4. So please reply as soon as possible, as I am planning to get it quite soon and i need help 🙂 Thank you!
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I’ve no idea, you haven’t told me what Mac you have :p
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I have installed Sims 4 on my origin, however, it won’t let me open the game. Help please!
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Does your Mac meet the minimum system requirements?
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I tell my game installers to be saved. It says they’ll be saved /Library/Application Support/Origin/DownloadCache. I then start downloading The Sims 4. However nothing Sims 4 will get saved there. Sims 3 installers will go there, but not 4 that I’ve noticed.
However if you check Library/Application Support/Origin/CatalogCache and Library/Application Support/Origin/LocalContent ; there are Sims 4 files in both places. I’m assuming one of those two must have the actual installers there, but it doesn’t look right. Any idea of what the installers might be called so I can try searching those two folders?
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The installers not showing up is a known issue now unfortunately and happens to both Sims 3 and Sims 4. The disk image will show up in the DownloadCache folder during the download process but disappears during the install process.
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So the only way to save the installers would to download one thing at a time, and make sure they don’t install? Or is it too late for me to do that now?
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Yes, but you’d have to be quick to stop the download before it starts installing.
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I am downloading the game on friday, just wanted to make sure I wouldn’t spend money on something that didn’t work on the mac. Thank you.
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You’re welcome. Hope it works ok!
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hi, i’m a new sims lover and i was wondering if the origin is the best website to get the sims 4 for macbook pro? and if there are any problems that people have encountered?
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Origin is the only way to get it for your Mac.
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Would Sims 4 work well on a regular Macbook? I’ve seen lots of reviews for how it can work on a Pro, but I wasn’t sure if it would work on the older Macs.
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Which MacBook model exactly?
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I know this is a super late question but I hope you see it anyway. I have a regular 2017 12-inch MacBook (not pro or air), and it meets the recommended requirements but I’m still worried it won’t run TS4 very well. I played 2 when I was younger all the time and I’d love to get back into the sims world but I don’t want to spend so much on something if it won’t work well (like many people who have come to this post). It just doesn’t look like it can handle such intense gaming. On top of that, I’m an engineering student and I need to instal some relatively hefty programs (matlab, solidworks, revit, etc) that also require boot amp. I’m afraid all of these programs combined with sims on boot camp will take a toll on my laptop and slow it down. Do you think it will slow down my laptop overall? Also do you think my dinky laptop can handle such massive programs all together? One last question:
Is it safe to download from Origin or am I risking viruses? Thanks so much if you see this lol.
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You have the least powerful Mac and want it to run some pretty heavy duty programmes! I wouldn’t even try to run the game on it. It’s very underpowered so the OS will throttle power and make it super laggy. You will also probably drastically shorten the life of your Mac as it doesn’t have a fan so has no way of cooling itself down. Consequently, power is again throttled to avoid it overheating. They’re lovely machines but not designed for gaming or a heavy duty workload. Sorry 😦
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Thank you so much for your response and advice! It’s disappointing that I can’t play on it but at least I know before destroying it!
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It’s a good machine and the OS will do a good job of keeping temps. down but it just lacks any sort of oomph.
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Will the sims 4 work on iMac?
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No idea, there are many different configurations of iMac since Apple launched them in 1998.
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I have recently brought the new Mac Pro – I was wondering if I downloaded the version that is linked to this website (price £34.99), would it work on my Mac?
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Mac Pro or MacBook Pro? If it’s the MacBook Pro then 13″ or 15″? If it’s the 15″ which one?
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Hi, I have a MacBook Air and my friend have PC, I was wondering if we could share one game througt one EA acount, in fact If it is possible to have one game for one price on two devices? Or downloading the Origin on mac always costs money?
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When you buy a game through Origin it is tied to the Origin ID, not the computer. You can download it on more than one computer but you can only play it on one computer at a time as it requires you to be signed into Origin to play.
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Hi I just bought a Mac book pro 13” and I can’t download the sims 4 that I have on my pc I got the membership with origin and just started playing the sims but it doesn’t allow me to do it on my Mac it doesn’t even give me the option to download the game
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Make sure you have all platforms selected in your games library.
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I’ve tried everything and the game is just gray when I go to click it I only get details game properties and hide and favorite that’s it no download or install? Or does the pc digital version not work for Mac
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The Windows version only works on Windows, the Mac version only works on Macs. That’s why you have to make sure you have all platforms selected in your Origin games library so you can see your purchased Windows and Mac games. Did you buy the full version of the game or play it through Origin Access on your PC? Because Origin Access is not available on Macs so you would need to buy the full copy of the game.
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Well I only got the origin access and ply the game like that so then I need to buy it. Ok. But when I try to purchase the game it says I already have it in my game library. How do I make sure I have all platforms selected
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Click on your games library in Origin then Filter in the top left corner.
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Ok I’ll try it but it just keeps saying I already have it unless I create a new origin acct ?
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Maybe you should contact EA customer support. As I have no experience of Origin Access I’m afraid I don’t know what to do about purchasing a full game after using Access. Live chat is the best way, make sure your country is set to USA – https://help.ea.com/en/
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Model Name: iMac
Model Identifier: iMac12,2
Processor Name: Intel Core i5
Processor Speed: 3.1 GHz
Number of Processors: 1
Total Number of Cores: 4
L2 Cache (per Core): 256 KB
L3 Cache: 6 MB
Memory: 4 GB
Boot ROM Version: IM121.0047.B1F
These are the specs for the Mac I am currently using. Currently in the process of upgrading the Software version.
My issue at this time seems to be actually installing Origin. I’ve tried this over 30 times now and the installer launch CRASHES immediately after hitting Agree in the user agreement pop up. After trying to get it to pop up again, the Origin icon bounces like twice then nothing happens. Is the Mac I’m on too old? It’s a 2011 model. Please help!
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What version of macOS are you running? Origin needs 10.9 Mavericks or later.
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“At NO EXTRA COST”? HA! Then how come Origin is asking me to BUY the Mac version?
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Hey! Okay, maybe a weird question but I am new to MacBooks and I have trouble downloading my game. I’ve installed origin and all and I logged in, but every time I try to download my game (which is 14,9GB because of all my expansions) it says my hard drive doesn’t have enough space but my Mac is just a few days old so I still have more than 200GB free. Where do I need to place the game in order for it to download? I’m getting to frustrated cuz I don’t know what to do 😦
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Check the installation location settings in Origin. Check your internal storage too in About This Mac > Storage
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I have the same problem and can’t get past it
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what if u have the macOS 10.14.6 ?
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how do i download sims 4 with no sign u!!! Cus i really want to know this information I’m waiting to get this game for I’m 9 year old daughter like i only 16 i don’t know how to do this i just really want to know how to download this game like i really want to download Iftars for her but i trying to figure that out .If you find out how to do plz contact me on anything like Facebook snapchat or anything i just really want to download this game for my 9 year old daughter!!
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