How to Install Custom Content in Sims 2 (for Windows)

A Whole New Level of Entertainment in Sims 2 is Right at Your Fingertips

Liz Copeland
For those of us who remember the difficulty of placing custom content in The Sims, I have good news. Sims 2 has made it easier for us to enhance our gaming experience by allowing us to place all of our downloads in one folder. It is called, conveniently enough, the downloads folder.

When you installed Sims 2, it may have added this folder. The first step is to determine whether that folder exists yet. It should be in a folder called My Documents. Depending on which version of Windows you are running, it is either on your desktop or on your Start Menu.

In your My Documents folder should be a folder called "EA Games". If you click on it, there should be a folder inside called "Sims 2". Clicking on that brings up several more folders, but the one you are looking for is called "Downloads". This is where all of your custom content should go.

If you do not see the Downloads folder, it is easy to create. Simply click "File" and then "New". A submenu will come up. Click on "Folder". This will generate a new folder. Rename that folder "Downloads". Now you are ready to install your custom content.

Note that when you are missing some of the expansions, using folders inside the Downloads folder can cause your game to not read the contents of those subfolders, so unless you know that your copy of Sims 2 can read subfolders, placing all files in Downloads is your safest bet.

Here are some of the files types that you will come across when you are downloading content for Sims 2.

Files ending in ".zip" need to be opened with an unzipper. Some versions of Windows already have one installed, but the older versions don't. To open these folders, you will need a program called "Winzip". You can use google and find it on the internet.

Files ending in ".rar" need to be opened with a program like "WinAce". Again. google will help you find this program.

Files ending in ".package" should go to your downloads folder directly. These files are found in zips and rars. Sometimes these files are prepackaged in another type of file that ends in ".Sims2Pack". These files will have a different picture and if you click them, they will start a program to install your custom content for you. All you have to do is open the file, click the "Install" button, and then the "Done" button and you're all set. It puts it into the correct folder for you.
There is also a program called Sims 2 File Maid that will unzip, open your rars, run your sims2pack files, and place everything exactly where it needs to go. It can do thousands of files at a time. Just click and drag the folder that you've downloaded all your zips, rars, and pack files into onto the lawn and the maid will do the rest.

Once you have placed the content you want installed into the Downloads folder, all you have to do is restart Sims 2, enable custom content (you only have to do this once, and it walks you through it), and then restart again to see your new Sims objects.

Happy simming!

Published by Liz Copeland

I'm a freelance writer, DMC mentor, and artisan-level embroiderer. I knit, crochet, sew, quilt, and spin my own yarn as well. I'm an instructor for embroidery and other fiber and textile related crafts.   View profile

  • Setting up your downloads folder only takes a minute.
  • Sims 2 is set up to allow custom content.
  • WinZip and WinAce are free programs that you use when opening files downloaded off the internet.
My Documents\EA Games\Sims 2\Downloads could already be on your system waiting for your downloads!

25 Comments

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  • Jillian 8/27/2010

    Mmmk. I clicked a folder named EA games, and it had my sims 2 game in it. So then I put ALL of my custom content in the sims 2 game. Now, I'm going 2 go c if it appears in the game. IT BETTER.

  • Brittany 2/22/2010

    A great site to get custom content is to go under the bing search engine, type in the search box: sims2.com the first link is the best website for content such as lots, clothing, hair, objects and moe!

  • in answer to amy 12/13/2009

    okay, you will probably never see this but anyone else who has that problem, i think you mean your trying to download stuff off the website and it says 'please double click a package to install it' or something. I've had that before and i just tryed to download it again and it worked fine.
    Hope i helped someone :)

  • kate 8/6/2009

    ok so im really confused on how 2 unzipping downloaded object. can someone please help ?

  • lulus 5/6/2009

    ok, heres the thing i just bought a sims 2 free time game and i put the cd into my pc and it says i need a copy of the sims 2? and i don't what that is...

  • Amy 1/9/2009

    i know i put all my downloaded stuff in the right folder but when i double click on them it just comes up on the screen that " please double click your packages to install them..!" x( pls help..!

  • Drew 12/28/2008

    it's telling you what to do....double click the .pkg file for each hack/mod your trying to use and it will install them for you.That .pkg file should be located in your c/administrator(or your name)/my documents/ea games/the sims 2/downloads directory.Go there and double click the .pkg file then start your game and if written properly for your expnasions,the content should be there.Hope this helps

  • Shannii 11/9/2008

    This helped but when i go to install mine I just get OK and then it says double click on the Customs Content Package in order to download!! :(
    HELP!! x[

  • Marge 10/26/2008

    When I try to download something/anything from Sims 2 exchanges, I just get OK and then it says double click on the Customs Content Package in order to download. I am new at this and do not understand.

  • . 8/30/2008

    Well when i open my downloads file it dosent have anything in it! :(

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