Sims 4 January patch targets save corruption and tagging fixes

The Sim Architect published a detailed preview on January 8 that collects EA’s official notes and expands on what players should expect when The Sims 4 receives update 1.121 on PC and console 2.26 on January 13. The preview highlights a slate of quality-of-life repairs that aim to stop file corruption, restore broken photos and paintings, and correct how items appear in CAS and Build Mode filters.

Top priorities for the patch are two save-corruption issues. One fix targets open-street objects that were being incorrectly "shelved" when players traveled to apartment buildings, a problem that could hide lots or objects from saves. The other addresses a custom-venue schedule bug that could cause infinite loading or return players to Manage Worlds when a Romantic Orientation role was included. Both fixes are intended to reduce crash risks and lost lot data for affected saves.

Photo and painting errors receive extensive attention. The Laundry List notes multiple retroactive and non-retroactive fixes to prevent paint-by-reference paintings, camera and phone photos, and celebrity autographs from appearing blank. Some of these repairs will restore already corrupted instances, while others will only stop future occurrences. That distinction matters when checking older saves: expect some media to be repaired automatically and some to remain unrecoverable.

CAS and Build Mode tagging also see broad reclassification across base game and many packs. The preview lists dozens of hair, clothing, and object reclassifications designed to surface items in the correct filters. Practical gameplay changes include the Lump of Clay now sorting as a Kids Activity and granting Creativity XP to child Sims, and the Stack 'o Books functioning as a real, working bookshelf rather than a decorative prop.

Pack-specific fixes stretch across much of the catalogue, from Get To Work and Cats & Dogs to Snowy Escape, Eco Lifestyle, and beyond. Examples called out include texture fixes for Werewolves offspring, camera-photo behavior corrections, tagging cleanups, and object functionality changes. The patch aims to stitch together a long tail of small but disruptive bugs for players who rely on multiple packs and custom content.

Before the update, back up your saves and, if you use mods, remove or refresh them after updating as needed. Follow EA’s guidance for submitting save files if you encounter crashes or missing lot data so developers can investigate. After the patch, test a copy of a save in Manage Worlds, inspect paintings and phone photos, confirm Lump of Clay behavior with child Sims, and check any previously mis-shelved lots.

Our two cents? Save backups are cheap insurance. Patch day is the perfect time to stage a test save, reintroduce mods slowly, and check the specific items mentioned here so you can get back to storytelling without surprise loading screens or blank selfies.