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Can you play The Sims on Chromebook? Here's what you need to know
Chromebooks are known for being affordable, entry-level laptops for everyday tasks, but there are a few games you can play on them. One of which is The Sims, an iconic life simulation video game series. It allows players to create their own universe populated by virtual people called “Sims” and place them in pre-designed homes, guiding them through life’s various aspects, including relationships, careers, and daily activities. Sound fun? Here are all the versions of the Sims you can play on a Chromebook.
QUICK ANSWER
You can install The Sims FreePlay or The Sims Mobile from the Google Play Store on your Chromebook. If you want to play The Sims 4, you will need to use an emulator, as there is no official version for Chromebooks.
KEY SECTIONS
Which Sims games can you play on a Chromebook?
Currently, two versions of The Sims game are compatible with Chromebook: The Sims FreePlay and The Sims Mobile. These games are different from the PC or console versions of the game, as they are mobile games available from the Google Play Store. However, they still offer the basics of a fun Sims experience on the go.
If you’ve set your sights on The Sims 4 or the less recent The Sims 3, you’re out of luck. These versions aren’t available for Chromebooks, mainly due to the Chrome OS’s limitations and the games’ resource-heavy demands. To play either of those games, you will need to use one of the best emulators for Chromebook. Perhaps an official Chromebook version of the game will release eventually as fan demand increases, but for now, there is no official word from EA about a potential release.
How to download and install Sims on a Chromebook
Getting The Sims on your Chromebook just takes a quick trip to the Google Play Store. Launch the Play Store on your Chromebook and search for “The Sims,” and you will see The Sims FreePlay, and the Sims Mobile appears in the results.

Select the one you want to play, or both if you are a Sims fanatic, and click Install.

Wait for the game to install, then double-click the SIms icon on your Chromebook to start playing.
FAQs
You can play Sims 4 on several devices, including Mac and Windows computers or Playstation and Xbox video game consoles.
No, you cannot natively run Windows on a Chromebook, as Chromebooks are designed to run Chrome OS; however, with advanced technical skills, it’s possible to install and run a version of Windows using a workaround, but this is not officially supported and may violate your device’s warranty.
Yes, you can play the Sims 4 on a Mac or Windows laptop that has the following system requirements:
- 64-bit processor
- Intel Core i5 or faster, AMD Athlon X4
- 4 GB RAM
- 18 GB available space
- NVIDIA GTX 650 or better for graphics
There is no official version of The Sims 4 that you can install from the Google Play Store on your Chromebook. As such, you will have to use an emulator to play the game. We can’t tell you the specific ROM, but we can recommend the best emulators to choose from.