🛠️ Creating a symlink in macOS to store the Sims 4 folder on an external drive [ Edited ]

[Bluebellflora]

This is not to be confused with installing the actual Sims 4 game on an external drive. The game installation folder is determined in Origin. More information here.

As internal storage gets smaller we're forced to use cloud based solutions to store files and folders or resort to a trusty external drive. Cloud based only storage is not an option for the Sims 4 folder that contains all your saves, Mods, Library items and other user data because the game only looks in one place for your data:

[Your User account] > Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4

If there is no Sims 4 folder in that location the game will create a new one. There is no way around this default Sims 4 folder location unfortunately, it is hard coded into the game. Because of this the only option to store the Sims 4 folder on an external drive is to create a symbolic link, otherwise known as a symlink.

Creating the symlink is relatively easy provided you understand the concept of what a symlink is and why you are creating it. You should also be familiar with Terminal on your Mac and the security and permission systems in place in whichever version of macOS you are running as these dictate the ability for the game to access the external drive and whether your Mac user account has permission to grant the necessary access.

I am not going to write step by step instructions here, the post will be far too long. Instead, you can read the detailed and comprehensive guide I wrote several years ago here https://bluebellflora.com/saving-your-sims-4-folder-to-an-external-drive/

If your symlink is not working it is down to user error. It really is that simple. macOS is a Unix based operating system and as such uses Unix commands which are all provided in the above linked guide.

This thread is for consolidating all posts related to the Mac symlink process here at Answers HQ. If you're a Windows user read Crinrict's excellent guide here https://crinrict.com/blog/2020/02/moving-windows-documents-folder-to-external-drive-via-symbolic-lin... What I have provided below are a few of the common issues people face as a result of not entering the commands correctly or having the correct permissions in place.

Common issues reported and the solution:

Terminal states my access/permission is denied

- check your Mac user account is an Administrator account and not a Standard account.

- check that Terminal has access to external drives, also known as Removable Volumes, and your Documents folder.

- check you have used the correct name for your external drive in the command.

I'm constantly getting "Unable to start... Cannot start because the below file appears to be corrupted" error message

- make sure the external drive is correctly formatted as either APFS or Mac OS Extended (Journaled). If it isn't, reverse the symlink, reformat the drive in Disk Utility and start again.

- check your Mods actually aren't corrupted by downloading a compatible version from the creator.

I keep getting the error message "Unable to start... The Sims 4 is already running" 

- make sure the external drive is correctly plugged in and mounted.

- check the game has permission to access the external drive.

- check Origin has access to the external drive.

Terminal tells me No such file or directory

- did you copy and paste the command from the guide and correctly substitute the name of your external drive? If you didn't copy and paste you may have used the wrong letters in the command. Copy and paste from the guide.

Terminal tells me Directory not empty in Step 1

- Is there already a folder on the external with the same name as the folder you're moving? i.e. have you already copied over the Electronic Arts folder? If there is already a folder with the same name as the folder you're moving, Terminal will return this result.

Terminal tells me File already exists in Step 2 of the guide

- Did you correctly complete step 1 or is there still an Electronic Arts or Sims 4 folder in your Documents folder? If the folder is still there you have not correctly moved it in Step 1.

If you have iCloud Drive enabled to store your Documents folder in the cloud AND Optimise Storage enabled, it will cause issues with the symlink. I strongly advise to disable this iCloud feature otherwise you will have issues, especially if you use Mods. As a reminder, creating this symlink is aimed at people storing their Electronic Arts/Sims 4 folder locally. Using iCloud Drive stores your folder in the cloud and locally. For help with iCloud see this thread https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-Mac/READ-FIRST-Saves-CC-Mods-or-Library-items-disappeared...

[TriniJanee]

Hello,

I went through the process of following BlueBellFlora instructions on how to create an symlink in order to store my games files on a USB since I was running out of space on my MacBook Air. All the steps went perfectly but once I opened Sims I wasn't able to load any of my saved games, I was forced to start over. Please help! 

Also, when I try to reverse the link through terminal I get this message 

'

 ~ % mv ~/Documents/Electronic\ Arts ~/Documents/Electronic\ Arts_bkp

mv: rename /Users/janellejack/Documents/Electronic Arts to /Users/janellejack/Documents/Electronic Arts_bkp: No such file or directory

'

[Bluebellflora]

@TriniJanee

Is the Electronic Arts folder in your Documents folder showing as an alias? Or is it showing as a normal folder? (Step 2, No. 3 here https://bluebellflora.com/saving-your-sims-4-folder-to-an-external-drive/ )

[TriniJanee]

@Bluebellflora Shows up as an alias

[Bluebellflora]

@TriniJanee

And are there save files in it? Something has gone awry in the command not only because your saves aren't loading but also because the message you're getting back from Terminal is telling you it doesn't exist.

Can you post a screenshot of the alias showing the file path in the bottom of the Finder window and also the folder you moved to the external, again showing the file path? And a copy/paste of the Terminal commands you used.

[TriniJanee]

@Bluebellflora 

Yes, when I click on the alias files it does brig me to the External drive and shows all my save files, mods, etc.

Terminal command used to create symlink were:

mv ~/Documents/Electronic\ Arts /Volumes/JJ/

ln -s /Volumes/JJ/Electronic\ Arts ~/Documents/

[Bluebellflora]

@TriniJanee

Bigger pics would help but from what you've posted it looks like you have iCloud Drive enabled and storing your Docs folder. The symlink is for the Documents folder directly on the Mac, not stored in iCloud Drive. See this master thread - https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-Mac/READ-FIRST-Saves-CC-Mods-or-Library-items-disappeared...

[TriniJanee]

@Bluebellflora OMG I feel dumb... You are amazing! It works!! *Happy Dance*

[i7kx8mtg9zmq]

I want to keep my sims 4 and mods/cc in a hard drive so it won't take up that much space in my mac, is this possible? will my saved progress be gone??

[Bluebellflora]

@i7kx8mtg9zmq

Yes but you have to create a symlink to do so - https://bluebellflora.com/saving-your-sims-4-folder-to-an-external-drive/