– Applies to the original 32-bit game and the updated 64-bit version –
Installing Store content into your game is always a bit hit and miss thanks to the Launcher. The Launcher is responsible for many borked issues in the game, thanks in part to it’s memory hungry greed. This guide to installing your Sims 3 Store content into your game is based on what successfully works for me – I hope it works for you too! This is a step by step guide so make sure you follow it in order. Please make sure you read through the guide fully before following the steps. You will need to have Firefox installed on your Mac for the smoothest results.
- Close all running applications on your Mac and purge RAM or use a memory freeing app if you have one installed. Even if you have 8Gb + of RAM you need to free up as much as possible before opening the Launcher (the game can only utilise up to 2Gb RAM in OS X).
- Now open Firefox and, if you’ve never bought store content before, go to the Sims 3 website, click on the Store tab and follow the steps to purchase your items. If you are redownloading items, go to your purchased Store items on the Sims 3 website – Store > Purchase History and enter your password when prompted:
- You will now see all your Store content with the default view of 16 to a page (I call this the ‘start’ page). Don’t bother changing this as for security reasons you will have to regularly log back in and will be taken back to the start page every single time. It’s really irritating and unnecessary but there you go.
- You can install items individually but you should be able to install a few at a time. I can install four at a time without any major problems. So, tick the check boxes underneath a row of four items and then click the Download button:
A pop up window will appear, just click Download to continue: 
- This is the really important bit – do not click on anything else after clicking on Download, you MUST wait for the Launcher to wake up and start downloading the items. You will notice that Firefox will have opened another tab which is blank, just ignore this and wait for the Launcher. This is where the problems seem to start, by not waiting for the Launcher to do its thing.
- Tick the check boxes next to the items you’ve downloaded then click install:
- Once installed you’ll see this:
- Click Ok and you will be taken back to the Launcher where you will see the install icons next to the items you’ve just installed:
- Untick the check boxes next to the installed items, go back to Firefox and also untick the check boxes next to the installed items. You can now install the next four items, repeating steps 4 to 9.
Potential issues and tips:
- If the items you selected aren’t all installing into the Launcher just try selecting fewer items to install at once.
- If clicking the Download button in your browser, either in the top right corner for bulk download or under each item for individual download, doesn’t work simply refresh the page and it should kick it back into action.
- If you are getting a black screen between steps 7 and 8 you need to quit the Launcher (you may need to Force Quit if it is unresponsive) and reload it. If it is repeatedly happening you need to navigate to and delete the missingdeps.idx file: Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 3 > DCCache > missingdeps.idx
- Always install Worlds one at a time individually.
Related Pages –
Bluebellflora 
That was really, really helpful. Thanks!
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So pleased, thanks 🙂
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Hello! I just need some help with a little issue I have. I bought the dairy corral and I was excited to use it on my farm! I did all the above steps (it was the only thing I was installing) but when the launcher popped up, it wasn’t in downloads or any other tabs. I tried with all different browsers with no luck. I am not sure if I have done something wrong.
Also I can buy it from the game (I bought the chicken coop in the game and it worked fine) but since you can’t buy all items in game I needed to do it online.
Please help!
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Also. It doesn’t work with any items from the store online.
Please help!
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What if you have to bypass the launcher to play the game? Nothing will download. I do have all the store content in a folder, is there a way to install these?
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Revert back to not bypassing the Launcher just to install it, then change it back again.
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Would love to, and did, after installing base game, but with any of the EP/SPs it restarts my mac. I followed all of your advice to get it working after sitting in a box for three years, so thank you for that BluebellFlora.
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First, thank you for all of your guides!! Without them I would not be able to play the Sims on my Mac. I followed this guide to install content before and it worked great. I’ve since installed University and Ambitions now it’s not working. I have Ambitions, Late Night, Pets and University installed. Now when I try to download the purchased content, I see a late night pop up, then university, but nothing actually downloads. Do you have any ideas what might be causing this?
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Thank you 🙂 You need to apply the fixes related to Ambitions and Late Night, firstly adding the packs to the Launcher then adding the packs to the most recent released pack. For you that would be University.
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Hi,
I followed your steps exactly. But, the items do not appear in the game launcher ‘downloads’ list.
I’m trying to download ‘Monte Vista’ and ‘Roaring Heights’ worlds. I have tried both separately, and neither will show the content in the game launcher.
Any help would be much appreciated,
Thank you
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Hmm…. well, I’m trying to get my stuff from the store to download. Now, when you say don’t click on ANYTHING after initiating the download, does that include the login prompt? I’ve tried a few times, waiting after clicking okay to the login and prompt and just letting it sit without clicking okay. So far, it still never starts the downloads. LMK if you have an answer to this. Otherwise, thank you for your guides! I was stuck not being able to play until I found your guides on the late night/ambitions issues with Macs.
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I got it figured out finally. I had to put my latest EP alias on my desktop and specify that EP as the download app in Firefox. Whew! So excited to finally use this content after all these years, lol.
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Hey I’m having the same issue. How exactly did you do this? My latest EP is Into the Future
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I was trying to install Monte Vista & Dragon Valley. I tried the above steps, but it didn’t work. The launcher started, but nothing would download. Eventually, I found a way to get it to work:
1. Start your launcher first. Don’t download anything until the launcher fully loads.
2. Use Firefox. I tried to use Chrome, but it didn’t work.
3. On Firefox, go to your purchase history and download your content one at a time.
4. When you click download, you’ll get a pop-up asking which application to open it with. Do not select “The Sims 3” that’s on the first list. Instead, select “Choose Another Application” and find the shortcut/alias for your most recent EP (mine was already in the applications folder under “The Sims 3” folder). If you don’t get a pop-up (happens sometimes), try to refresh the page.
5. Click open link. Your content should start downloading in the launcher now.
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