Sims 4 on Mac - Unable to Start: The Sims 4 is already running.

[Bluebellflora]

@CrookedTail_19

For this issue you need to move the Sims 4 folder to the desktop from Documents > Electronic Arts then attempt to launch the game so a new one is created.

If it launches ok then copy your saves from the Sims 4 folder you moved to the desktop, into the new Sims 4 > saves folder in Documents > Electronic Arts. Copy the actual save files, don't move over the saves folder.

If you have multiple saves you should copy them individually and test the game loads after adding each one. No need to copy over the save files ending in .ver0, .ver1 etc. as these are backups. Just copy the ones ending .save.

[x4m1r4]

@Bluebellflora I experience the same thing. This one is a little bit confusing.

You're saying, "If it launches ok then copy your saves from the Sims 4 folder you moved to the desktop, into the new Sims 4 > saves folder in Documents > Electronic Arts. Copy the actual save files, don't move over the saves folder."

May I confirm that you're saying that once we moved the folder to desktop (along with the current save files), launch the game, then the game generating a new save file on the Documents > EA > The Sims 4. Then, later on, moved the current save files to replace the new saved file. Am I right? I don't want to lose my save files.

[CrookedTail_19]

@Bluebellflora , thank you so much for spelling it out for my goldfish brain!!! It worked perfectly. I will be singing your praises for the rest of my life!

[Bluebellflora]

@x4m1r4 

The game will not generate a new save file until you choose to save the game, in-game. But the game will generate a new saves folder when you first launch it after moving the Sims 4 folder to the desktop, it will regenerate a whole new Sims 4 folder with mostly empty folders. It is this new folder that I am suggesting you move an old save to.

[Bluebellflora]

@CrookedTail_19

Yay! Thanks

[wolf0708]

does a Mac late 2014 have the requirements? my thing is doing the same thing.

[CarterDepp]

I have been unable to play the sims 4 for quite a long time because when I try to open it through origin on my laptop, a pop up appears telling me that the game is already open. I can tell it is not open and refuses to open since it seems to think I'm already playing. I deleted the sims 4 and origin from my laptop, re-downloaded and the problem continues. I contacted tech support with no solution available. I've seen other people with similar experiences but no one else I've seen mentioned the game "already running" issue.

[Bluebellflora]

@CarterDepp

It's actually quite a frequent recurring issue and seems to happen more often after a game update, no idea why. Can you move the Sims 4 folder from Documents > Electronic Arts to the desktop then see if the game will launch. It will be like new again because all of your saves and other user data is in the folder you moved. If that doesn't fix it try the suggestion in the solution on page 1 and try playing in a new user account on your Mac.

[CarterDepp]

@Bluebellflora Ah! Thank you so much that fixed it! Now i'll be able to play with Paranormal Stuff.

[Diniecita]

I can't play sims 4 on my MAC. It keeps telling me this:

Unable to start:

The Sims™ 4 is already running.

[ed35e0ea:29f00e76:00000000:18a1dd51]

Nothing is running, I've restarted, shutdown, cleared the downloaded cache folder. I don't know much about this stuff. 

I don't play with mods. (Don't know how and I'm scared to add something and mess it all up.) 

What is wrong with this stupid thing??