OneDrive File Issues

Why Are Random Sims Photos Appearing in OneDrive? Fix Sync Issues

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 870 views

Question details

Users are finding thousands of unexpected images from The Sims 3 or The Sims 4 automatically uploading to and cluttering their OneDrive storage.

Product: OneDrive
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Using OneDrive to back up the PC Documents folder while playing The Sims.
Observed behavior: Thousands of game-generated pictures, thumbnails, cache files, and custom content from The Sims are automatically syncing to OneDrive.

Before you start

Before deleting files, verify that you are targeting cache and screenshot folders rather than your main game 'Saves' folder to ensure you do not lose your actual game progress.

Solution 1Recommended

Locate and Delete Unwanted Sims Images in OneDrive

Identify the exact source folder of the images to safely remove thumbnails and caches without disabling your entire Documents backup.

The Sims games store user data, including automatically generated thumbnails, cache folders, and screenshots, directly in your computer's Documents folder. If OneDrive is set to back up your Documents, it will upload all of these temporary game files.

Instead of turning off OneDrive backup completely (which would stop your game saves and important documents from syncing), you can manually clear out the unnecessary cache files.

Open File Explorer or OneDrive Web

Log into OneDrive on your web browser or open File Explorer on your Windows PC and navigate to your OneDrive folder.

Locate The Sims Folder

Go to the 'Documents' folder, open 'Electronic Arts', and then select 'The Sims 4' (or 'The Sims 3').

Identify Cache and Image Folders

Look for specific folders that generate these images, such as 'Cache', 'Cachestr', 'Screenshots', 'Recorded Videos', and 'Custom Content'.

Delete Unwanted Files

Select the unwanted image files within these specific folders and delete them. Be careful not to delete the 'Saves' or 'Tray' folders.

Empty the Recycle Bin

Once deleted, navigate to the OneDrive Recycle Bin and empty it to permanently free up your cloud storage space.

Preserving Game Backups: Avoid disabling OneDrive backup for the entire Documents folder just to stop these images, as doing so will prevent your actual saved games from being backed up safely in the cloud.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does OneDrive automatically backup The Sims 4 cache files?

OneDrive is often configured by default to back up your entire Windows 'Documents' folder. Because Electronic Arts automatically places The Sims 4 user folder (which contains caches, screenshots, and custom content) inside the Documents folder, OneDrive syncs everything inside it.

Can I exclude just The Sims folder from OneDrive sync?

OneDrive does not currently offer a native feature to exclude specific subfolders within a synced parent folder. You either have to back up the entire Documents folder or disable backup for the Documents folder entirely.

Is it safe to delete the localthumbcache and Cachestr files?

Yes, it is completely safe. These are temporary cache files generated by the game to load images faster. If you delete them from OneDrive (and consequently your PC), the game will simply regenerate fresh ones the next time you play.

Will deleting these photos from OneDrive remove them from my local PC?

Yes, if your OneDrive is actively syncing, deleting a file from OneDrive online will also delete the local copy on your PC. For cache files, this is not an issue, but be cautious not to delete screenshots you actually want to keep.

Document & File Issues