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The Sims 2 Save File Location

Last verified: 2026-10-08

Save file location (Windows (disc / Origin / classic)): %USERPROFILE%\Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2

Quick answer: On PC, The Sims 2 stores your saves at C:\Users\<you>\Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2\ , with each saved town inside the Neighborhoods subfolder (N001, N002, ...). The fastest route is Win+R, paste %USERPROFILE%\Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2 and press Enter. The 2025 Legacy Collection uses the folder 'The Sims 2 Legacy Collection' and the old Ultimate Collection used 'The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection' instead. A neighborhood is a folder, not one file — always copy the whole Neighborhoods folder (and ideally the whole The Sims 2 folder) to back up.
Windows (disc / Origin / classic)
%USERPROFILE%\Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2
Windows (Legacy Collection, 2025 / Steam)
%USERPROFILE%\Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2 Legacy Collection

The Sims 2 saves whole neighborhoods (not single slots) under Documents\EA Games, which is why moving one Sims file to a new PC never works — you need the folder. Here is the exact PC path, the Legacy Collection difference, and how to back it up.

Save file locations

Windows (disc / Origin / classic)
%USERPROFILE%\Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2

Full default: C:\Users\<you>\Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2\ . Your towns are in the Neighborhoods subfolder (N001, N002, ...). Custom content lives in Downloads here too.

Windows (Legacy Collection, 2025 / Steam)
%USERPROFILE%\Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2 Legacy Collection

The re-release writes to this separate folder, with the same Neighborhoods layout. The older Ultimate Collection used 'The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection'.

Cloud saves

The classic Sims 2 has no cloud sync — the Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2 folder is the only copy, so a manual backup is essential before patching, moving PCs, or adding custom content. The 2025 Legacy Collection on Steam may use Steam Cloud, but neighborhoods are large, so keep your own copy regardless.

Cloud save conflict & platform recovery

Common loss: copying a single file to a new PC and finding the town 'missing' — a Sims 2 save is an entire folder, and the game won't see a half-copied Neighborhoods folder.

  1. Always move the WHOLE Neighborhoods folder (or the whole The Sims 2 folder), not individual files.
  2. Match the folder name to your edition on the new PC (The Sims 2 vs The Sims 2 Legacy/Ultimate Collection).
  3. Back up before installing expansions or patches — these can rewrite the EA Games folder structure.
Back up first (Windows) — copy & run

How to open the save folder

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Save problems & fixes

FAQ

Where are The Sims 2 saves on PC?

In C:\Users\<you>\Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2\Neighborhoods. Open it with %USERPROFILE%\Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2.

Why won't my copied Sims 2 save load?

A Sims 2 save is a whole folder (a neighborhood), not one file. Copy the entire Neighborhoods folder, not individual files.

Where does the Sims 2 Legacy Collection save?

In Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2 Legacy Collection (the Ultimate Collection used its own matching folder).

How do I move The Sims 2 to a new PC?

Copy the whole The Sims 2 folder from Documents\EA Games to the same path on the new PC before launching, matching your edition's folder name.

Other games

Need another game or a quick backup? Use the Save Location Finder — pick any game to get its exact save path plus a ready-to-run backup command.