How Do I Re-Enable Mods in Sims 4 After an Update?

Getting your mods working again in The Sims 4 after a major game update can be frustrating. Many players rely on mods to expand gameplay options or fix annoying issues, so having to scramble to re-enable them is disruptive.

The good news is that getting mods functional again is usually straightforward by following some best troubleshooting practices from experienced Sims modders. This guide will walk you through the latest methods to get mods loaded correctly post-update.

Why Do Sims 4 Updates Break Mods?

Before jumping into the solutions, it helps to understand why updates disrupt mods in the first place. Sims 4 patches often contain code changes to address bugs, balance issues, or prepare for new content. These low-level tweaks can ripple out and impact how existing mods hook into the game.

Specifically, two main causes lead to broken mods after an update:

1. Code conflicts – Many mods directly alter Sims 4 code functions using "script mods". If the base code changes in an update, it can lead to clashes.

2. Cache/thumbnail issues – The Sims 4 maintains various background caches and thumbnails that help with performance. An update can clear these out, causing hitches for custom content relying on now-missing resources.

Fortunately, the Sims modding community has established some robust processes to smooth over these update woes. Let‘s look at the key steps to get your mods humming again:

1. Update Mods to Latest Versions

The first task after a major Sims 4 update lands is to check your mods for new versions. Popular mods like MC Command Center (MCCC), Basemental Drugs, Extreme Violence, and others are usually quickly patched by their developers to address update conflicts.

You can manually check sites like ModTheSims, Patreon, Tumblr, or wherever you downloaded the original mods. But often mod creators will push out updates through their distribution platforms too.

To check for mod updates on ModTheSims:

1. Click your account dropdown > Monitor > Subscriptions
2. View and download any mods showing update notifications

On Patreon, you would navigate to posts from your subscribed creators announcing update patches.

Update Priority Order

When updating multiple mods, follow this order for best compatibility:

1. Major overhaul mods like MCCC, Basemental, etc.
2. General script mods
3. CAS, Build Mode, and UI tweak mods
4. Content mods like furniture, CAS assets, etc.

Gameplay-altering mods hook deepest into the game, so update those first before refreshing ancillary mods.

2. Re-Enable Mods in Game Settings

After updating mods, the next step is toggling the actual in-game settings to reactivate mods:

Path: Main Menu > Options > Game Options Category > Other Section

Enable Custom Content & Mods

• Check this box on to allow the game to load files from the Mods folder generally

Script Mods Allowed

• Check this box on to allow the deeper code-injection mods to work

Once enabled, make sure to restart the game fully to force the changes.

NOTE: If mods were already enabled prior to the update, disable them first before re-enabling. Toggling the settings off and on again clears out any clutter.

3. Remove localthumbcache Files

The Sims 4 maintains background thumbnail and cache files to help load content faster. But these can sometimes get corrupted after updates and slow down mod performance:

- localthumbcache_64.package  
- localthumbcache_32.package

To give the game a clean slate, remove these two files:

1. Exit Sims 4 application fully
2. Navigate folder: Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 4
3. Delete the localthumbcache .package files
4. Restart Sims 4

This forces a rebuild of all thumbnails and caches from scratch using the updated asset data.

4. Test Mods in Batches

If some mods still don‘t seem to be loading correctly after the above steps, use the "50/50 method" to efficiently test in batches:

1. Create two test folders like Mods-A and Mods-B
2. Evenly distribute current mods between the two folders
3. Delete the base Mods folder
4. Enable ONLY the Mods-A test folder
5. Launch Sims 4 and validate game works properly
6. If the game functions fine, it means the conflict lies in Mods-B
7. Switch to testing halves of Mods-B to pinpoint the specific outdated mod
8. Remove or update the conflicting mod, retest, merge folders

While tedious, this binary search method lets you rapidly narrow down any remaining tricky issues.

Summary

After a disruptive Sims 4 update, getting your mods smoothly up and running again comes down to a few key steps:

1. Update mods to latest compatible versions
2. Toggle on mods in game settings
3. Wipe localthumbcache to reset caches
4. Use 50/50 method to isolate any further conflicts

Following this mod troubleshooting flow will resolve the majority of post-update issues. Just be sure to exercise some patience as the modding community releases their refreshed creations.

Have your own tips for managing mods after updates? Share your thoughts in the comments below!