sims 4 already running MacBook PLS HELP [ Edited ]

[CharKonink]

@Bluebellflora my nerdy brother just  helped me to try the first resolution on the first page. To play from a new account on my Mac. It works! but I can't play from my saves. what do I do now? it does not pop up in my game.

[Bluebellflora]

@CharKonink

Sounds like you haven't granted all permissions to the external drive and/or Documents folder for the game to access your user data in the original account. You can check this in System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Files and Folders and make sure The Sims 4 has access to removable volumes and your Documents folder.

If you want to carry on playing in the new user account just copy your saves over from the saves folder in your old user account to the saves folder in the new user account.

[RozRed]

I've already posted this somewhere else, but I'm going to post this again in case someone runs into this thread.

For anyone else that had an issue and the solution above didn't work here's something else to try.

1. Check to see if you have any antivirus software that you've downloaded to your Mac (I have Bitdefender)
2. If you do, restart your Mac and immediately attempt to open the Sims4 before your antivirus starts up.
3. You should get the same error message and another message from your antivirus (Bitdefender said that The Sims 4 was attempting to access my files, do I want to allow this)
4. Allow the Sims 4 access on your antivirus and click out of the error message from The Sims
5. Open the game again and the game should run. If the game has the error again, check your antivirus to see if it automatically blocked it and try again.

I hope this helps someone!

[Bluebellflora]

@RozRed

Thanks for this. So antivirus is attempting to overrule the OS permissions the user has granted? Step 3 indicates this as macOS Catalina and later iterations prompts the user to allow the game access to external volumes and the Documents folder upon installation. That's really poor if so. If the user has already granted permission via Gatekeeper, why is antivirus then demanding the same?

[VeeVaughn27]

Thank you!!!! ❤ 

[jaywright77]

I’m having this same issue (sims 4 is already running). I’ve tried moving the folders to my desktop, but my EA folder is saved to an external hard drive. 

I think I remember setting up a sym link. 

How can I fix my game?

[jaywright77]

Hello,

 I’ve been playing SIMS4 on a MacBook. Everything was working fine until recently. 

I keep getting the message that TS4 is already running. 

I’ve tried moving my EA folder to the desktop & relaunching, but my game/EA folder is saved to an external hard drive so a new clean folder doesn’t generate.  I think I remember doing a symlink when I first started. 

I’ve set up a new account on my MacBook & I’m able to start over with none of my saved games and none of my CC/mods. Also, on the new MacBook account, the game is no longer saved to my external hard drive. I don’t want them saved to my MacBook.

How can I fix my game & continue to play from my external hard drive??

[mollymuffin364]

I have this same problem, but Origin is saved onto my internal drive.

I moved all my documents onto an external hard drive so there's plenty of space on my laptop now. 

I've uninstalled and reinstalled Origin now and it still gives me the same message - "sims4 already running"

The last time I was playing - about a month ago - I was having difficulty with Game Progression in Journey To Batuu, so, tbh I'm not surprised. I'm very close to giving up haha

https://answers.ea.com/t5/Game-and-Mod-CC-Issues/Can-t-scramble/m-p/11521438/highlight/true#M14541 

[Bluebellflora]

@jaywright77

You can create a new clean folder even if you have created the symlink https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-Mac/READ-FIRST-Sims-4-Mac-Help-Guides-and-Troubleshooting...

[JE3pGirl]

@norskies This fixed mine. Thank you so much! What a relief. lol