If you’re anything like me, your Mods folder is not “a folder.” It’s a lifestyle.
Thousands of CC files. Script mods. Defaults. Overrides. Carefully organized subfolders. Maybe even merged packages. And the idea of rebuilding that setup on another PC? Absolutely not.
So here’s the real solution: using an external drive to carry your entire The Sims 4 Mods folder with you — and play with the exact same setup on any computer.
Why Use an External Drive for TS4 Mods?
- 💾 Keep all your CC in one place
- 🧳 Travel between PCs without reinstalling everything
- 🖥️ Play on a laptop and desktop with the same setup
- ⚡ Avoid copying 90,000+ files every time
If you’ve ever tried manually transferring a massive Mods folder… you already know the pain.
What You’ll Need
- ✔️ A reliable external SSD (recommended) or HDD
- ✔️ Enough space (at least 100GB if you’re a heavy CC user)
- ✔️ USB 3.0 or higher for faster loading
Pro tip: Use an SSD. Traditional HDDs work, but load times can suffer.
Method 1: The Symbolic Link Method (Best & Cleanest Way)
This is the traditional, stable way to do it — and yes, it works beautifully.
Step 1: Move Your Mods Folder
Move your entire Mods folder from:
Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4 > Mods
To your external drive. For example:
E:\The Sims 4 Mods
Step 2: Create a Symbolic Link
On the PC you’re using:
- Delete the original Mods folder from Documents.
- Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
- Type the following command (adjust the path to match yours):
mklink /D "C:\Users\YourName\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4\Mods" "E:\The Sims 4 Mods"
Press Enter.
Windows will create a “fake” Mods folder that actually redirects to your external drive.
Now The Sims 4 thinks the mods are in Documents — but they’re actually stored on your external disk.
How to Use It on Another PC
- Install The Sims 4.
- Launch it once to generate the folder.
- Delete the empty Mods folder.
- Create the symbolic link again using the same method.
Plug in your external drive… and boom. Same CC. Same mods. Same chaos.
Important Things to Know
- ⚠️ Script mods still need to be enabled in Game Options.
- ⚠️ The drive letter (E:, F:, etc.) must match the command.
- ⚠️ Never unplug the drive while the game is running.
- ⚠️ If the drive isn’t connected, your mods won’t load.
This isn’t complicated — but it does require attention.
Will The Game Launch Slower?
Short answer: It depends.
If you use an SSD external drive, performance is usually very close to internal storage. If you use a slow HDD, you will feel the difference.
For heavy mod users, SSD is absolutely worth it.
Is This Safe?
Yes — symbolic links are built into Windows. They’re not hacks. They’re not mods. They’re a standard file system feature.
Just make sure you back up your save files regularly. Always.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve invested time into building your perfect Sims 4 experience, you don’t need to rebuild it every time you switch computers.
An external drive setup keeps your mod collection stable, portable, and organized — like it should be.
Work smarter, not harder. Your future self will thank you.
Would you try this method? Or are you brave enough to manually move 80,000 files every time?
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