🏠 Sims 4 Data Transfer Tool 🚚 💨🏠

What is this? ✨

This tool helps you safely move your precious Sims 4 data from one windows computer to another without causing chaos! It's perfect for when you:

• 💻 Got a shiny new computer
• 🛠️ Need to reinstall your game

What it transfers 📦

• 👪 Your saved Sims families and worlds
• 🏘️ Your custom lots and builds (tray files)
• 👗 All your custom content and mods
• 📸 Your screenshots and memories
• ⚙️ Your game options (optional)

What it WON'T transfer 🚫

Don't worry about breaking your game! This tool is smart enough to avoid transferring system-specific files that could cause problems on your new computer, like:

• Configuration logs
• Cache files
• Game version info
• Other technical stuff that should stay on your old computer

How to use it 🔧

First Time Setup:

Never used PowerShell before? No worries! Follow these steps:

1. Download the script (save it as moveSims4data.ps1)

2. Enable PowerShell to run scripts:

   • Right-click on the Start button and select "Windows PowerShell (Admin)" or "Terminal (Admin)"
   • When the blue window opens, type this command and press Enter:

   Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser
   

   • Type "Y" and press Enter when asked for confirmation
   • This only needs to be done once on your computer!

3. Run the script:

   • Navigate to the folder where you saved the script:

   cd C:\path\to\folder\with\script
   

   • Run this command (replace the paths with your own!):

   .\moveSims4data.ps1 -SourcePath "E:\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4" -DestinationPath "C:\Users\YourUsername\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4" -Force
   

Want to see what will happen first? 👀

Add -WhatIf to test the transfer without actually moving anything:

.\moveSims4data.ps1 -SourcePath "E:\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4" -DestinationPath "C:\Users\YourUsername\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4" -Force -WhatIf

❗make sure to replace YourUserName in the example above with your username on your computer❗

Just want to transfer your mods and saves? 🎮

Use these options:

.\moveSims4data.ps1 -SourcePath "E:\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4" -DestinationPath "C:\Users\YourUsername\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4" -TransferMods -TransferSaves -Force

Want to back up your destination folder first? 🔒

Add -Backup to create a backup of your destination folder (where you're copying to) before making changes:

.\moveSims4data.ps1 -SourcePath "E:\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4" -DestinationPath "C:\Users\YourUsername\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4" -Force -Backup

This creates a safety copy of your existing destination folder in case anything goes wrong during the transfer.

Options you can use 🛠️

• -TransferSaves: Only transfer save files
• -TransferMods: Only transfer mod files
• -TransferTray: Only transfer tray files (lots, households, Sims)
• -TransferScreenshots: Only transfer screenshot files
• -TransferOptions: Transfer Options.ini file
• -Backup: Create a backup of your destination folder (not your source folder) first
• -WhatIf: Preview what would happen without making changes
• -Force: Don't ask for confirmation when replacing files

Important Tips 💡

• Close your game before running this script!
• If something goes wrong, check the console for error messages
• For HUGE mod collections (we see you, CC shoppers! 👀), the transfer might take some time - be patient!
• After transfer, start your game and check that everything loaded correctly

Common Issues & Solutions 🔍

• "PowerShell says 'running scripts is disabled'": Follow the First Time Setup instructions to enable script execution
• "I'm getting 'Access Denied' errors": Make sure you're running PowerShell as Administrator
• "I don't know where my Sims 4 folder is": It's usually in Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4
• "My game crashes after transfer": Try running the game without mods first, then add them back in small batches
• "My CC isn't showing up": Make sure the Mods folder transferred correctly and that mods are enabled in your game settings
• "My saves aren't appearing": Verify that the saves transferred to the correct location

Troubleshooting PowerShell 🛠️

• "I can't find PowerShell":

  • Windows 10/11: Right-click Start button → Windows PowerShell or Terminal
  • Older Windows: Search for "PowerShell" in the Start menu

• "What are these weird terms like 'execution policy'?":

  • Windows has security features that prevent running unknown scripts
  • The command we provided temporarily allows YOUR user account to run scripts you've downloaded
  • This is safer than disabling security completely

• "I'm totally confused by all this computer stuff!":

  • Ask a tech-savvy friend to help you run the script
  • Many modders and Sims communities have helpful members who can assist

For Advanced Users 🧠

The script has additional options for performance tuning and custom file filtering. Check the script header comments if you want to tweak these settings.

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Special Thanks ❤️

A huge thank you to my daughter Clara for the inspiration behind this tool! After watching her struggle to transfer her heavily modded Sims 4 installation to a new computer (and seeing how heartbreaking it was when things went wrong), this tool was born to make the process smooth and painless for everyone.

Happy Simming! 🎮✨