How to Install Sims 2 Mods: Legacy and Ultimate Paths

Where the Downloads folder is

Version	Downloads folder
Legacy Collection (Steam, EA app, Epic)	`Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2 Legacy\Downloads`
Ultimate Collection	`Documents\EA Games\The Sims™ 2 Ultimate Collection\Downloads`
Older disc installs (Windows Vista and later)	`Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2\Downloads`
Mac Super Collection (path as listed on Mod The Sims)	`Library/Containers/com.aspyr.sims2.appstore/Data/Library/Application Support/Aspyr/The Sims 2/Downloads`

The Ultimate Collection folder name contains the ™ sign. Open it in Explorer instead of typing it.
EA's help page places the Legacy user folder under Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 2 Legacy, while players and mod readmes use EA Games. The right one is the folder that holds your Neighborhoods folder.
Start the game once before you add anything, so it creates its user folder. Then make Downloads yourself, with a capital D.
If your Documents folder is synced by OneDrive, the creator of the Legacy Body Shop installer advises moving it out, because syncing can corrupt neighborhoods.

Install a .package mod or CC file

Download from the creator's page. Extract the .zip, .rar or .7z; the game cannot read archives.
Read the readme. Some mods come in several versions, and you must pick one.
Copy the .package file into Downloads. A few subfolders by type, such as Downloads\Mods and Downloads\Hair, make problems easier to trace.
Start the game. When the custom content message appears, enable custom content. TS2 Extender's readme also tells you to enable custom content in the game's settings.
Test on a neighborhood you have backed up.

The Sims 2 has no Mods folder, and .package files made for The Sims 3 or The Sims 4 do not work in it.

Install a .sims2pack file

Lots, Sims and some CC come as .sims2pack files, which need an installer.

Install the Sims2Pack Clean Installer from Mod The Sims.
Open the .sims2pack with it. It lists everything inside, so you can untick CC you do not want.
Install, then start the game.

On the Legacy Collection the Clean Installer looks for the old documents folder. The Body Shop Installer For Legacy Collection by CroconawSims fixes that path and also makes Body Shop run. It is for Legacy only: its page warns it will break other versions.

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Install engine fixes (.asi and .dll files)

Engine fixes do not go in Downloads. They go in the game's program folder.

Version	Program folder
Legacy, Steam	`steamapps\common\The Sims 2 Legacy Collection\EP9\TSBin`
Legacy, EA app	`Program Files\EA Games\The Sims 2 Legacy Collection\EP9\TSBin`
Ultimate Collection	`...\Fun with Pets\SP9\TSBin`

TS2 Extender

From the Releases page, download TS2.Extender.1.0.0.LC.zip for Legacy or TS2.Extender.1.0.0.UC.zip for Ultimate and disc.
Extract it. You get three folders: TSBin, TSData and Documents.
Copy TSBin and TSData into the game's EP9 folder and let them overwrite. The readme's example is ...\steamapps\common\The Sims 2 Legacy Collection\EP9. On Ultimate or disc with an ASI loader already installed, skip TSBin\dsound.dll.
Copy what is inside Documents into your Sims 2 user folder.
Start the game. A splash screen shows it loaded. You can also open the cheat box with Ctrl+Shift+C and type ts2extender to see the version.

Some antivirus programs flag the .asi file. The readme says to add an exception for TSBin.

DXVK

Extract the latest release, open its x32 folder and copy the DLLs into TSBin. To undo it, delete those files.

Mods not showing up?

Check	Fix
Wrong folder	The file must be in `Downloads` next to `Neighborhoods`, not in the install folder
Still zipped	Extract it first
Custom content is off	Enable it when the game asks at startup
It is a `.sims2pack`	Use the Clean Installer
Engine fix vanished	Steam's file check and the EA app's repair put the original files back. Install the fix again
Two mods fight	Scan `Downloads` with HCDU Plus by Pick'N'Mix Mods

Next: the best Sims 2 mods to install, and what works with the Legacy Collection. The main page has a symptom picker for pink flashing and crashes.

FAQ

Where is the Mods folder in The Sims 2?

There is none. The Sims 2 reads mods and CC from a folder named Downloads inside its user folder in Documents. You may have to create it.

Is installing mods different on the Legacy Collection?

The Downloads folder works the same way, but its path is different, engine fixes need their Legacy builds, and the Sims2Pack Clean Installer needs the path fix from the Legacy Body Shop installer.

Do Sims 2 mods work on Mac?

Package mods and CC work in the Mac Super Collection's Downloads folder. Engine fixes such as TS2 Extender and DXVK are Windows files for the TSBin folder.

Why does the game warn me about custom content at startup?

The game asks before it loads custom content. Choose to enable it. If your content still does not show after that, check the folder path.