Tutorial: How to Install TS3 with DXVK, Sims3SettingsSetter (S3SS), and ReShade in 2026
This is a long-overdue update of my previous, now obsolete tutorial on how to use DXVK and ReShade (d3d9). If you do not use ReShade, you can still follow this guide up until where it is to be installed.
At the time of writing (April 2026), this guide is compatible with and corresponds to Step 1 to 3 of The Sims 3 Performance & Bug Fix Guide 2026, featuring an extra step on how to install ReShade.
If you followed any other guide (including my own) on how to install DXVK and/or ReShade, it is strongly recommended that you start from scratch, meaning you should uninstall DXVK AND Reshade completely. Believe me when I say this: it will save you a lot of time, frustration, and make your life so much easier.
For the purpose of this tutorial, I am on Steam version 1.67.2.024037 on Windows 11, but it should work for discs 1.67 and EA App 1.69 versions, too. This guide does not cover GShade.
Without further ado, let's begin!
Backup your files, even the entire folder (EA Games\The Sims 3\Game\Bin or steamapps\common\The Sims 3\Game\Bin) if you want to be extra safe; you will thank yourself later. If you do not wish to backup the entire folder, at the very least backup the following:
Keep them somewhere secure, for your peace of mind (and sanity).
Firstly, to fully uninstall DXVK, you should remove the following files:
d3d9.dll (if you hover your cursor over the file, it will read: Company: DXVK)
dxvk.conf
TS3.dxvk-cache (or TS3W.dxvk-cache)
Secondly, remove remnant files of previously installed ReShade (you did create a backup, right?):
d3d9.dll (located at the Bin folder, if you hover your cursor over the file, it will read: Company: crosire)
ReShade.ini
ReShade.log
⚠️There are a couple more steps. Please follow the instructions here.
Get the latest version here on GitHub:
Click on the version that has the 'Latest' tag next to it (2.7.1 as of now), scroll down to 'Assets', and click on dxvk-x.x.x.tar.gz to download DXVK.
Open dxvk-x.x.x.tar.gz, click on x32, and locate d3d9.dll from within.
Download a copy of dxvk.conf from this page by clicking on the tiny icon on the right.
Drag both d3d9.dll AND dxvk.conf to the Bin folder (EA Games\The Sims 3\Game\Bin or steamapps\common\The Sims 3\Game\Bin); that is where TS3.exe and TS3W.exe are located.
Open dxvk.conf with Notepad or Notepad++, 'Ctrl + A' to select all, and hit delete. Yes, delete everything inside. Once you've emptied the file, enter the following:
Copy your Options.ini from your backup folder (you did make a backup, right?) into your Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3 folder.
Because we have 'tricked' the game into recognising our modern GPU as a GTX 580, we must edit one single line within the Options.ini to keep our preferred in-game settings intact.
Hit 'Ctrl + G', type in '150' to go to that line, and replace it with:
lastdevice = 0;10de;1080;65535
'Ctrl + S' to save.
⚠️Thanks to DXVK, from now on whenever there's a GPU driver update, we no longer need to keep the 'lastdevice' line up-to-date to prevent your in-game settings from being reset. You can leave it alone forever, once and for all. The last digit of '65535' is a placeholder value for driver versions and remains constant as long as you are using DXVK.
Launch the game to confirm that DXVK is working. By default, the debug HUD should show up in the top left corner of your screen. What's more, your graphics settings should not have reset.
If you're still not convinced that DXVK is working, go to your Bin folder and look for a file called: TS3_d3d9.log or TS3W_d3d9.log and inspect its content:
If you see these correctly documented in your log file, DXVK is working as intended.
⚠️ NB: This newer version of DXVK no longer generates a cache file by default, meaning that there will not be a TS3.dxvk-cache or TS3W.dxvk-cache any more.
Get the latest version here on GitHub:
Click on the version that has the 'Latest' tag next to it (1.5.0 as of now), scroll down to 'Assets', and click on Sims3SettingsSetter.asi to download S3SS.
An ASI Loader is required for S3SS to function properly, and now so we need to install it.
However, if you use any of the listed LazyDuchess mods:
Mono Patcher Library;
Pixel Shader Modding Framework;
Shadow Extender (TS3);
or Split Level Light Fix,
you should already have an ASI loader (in the form of wininet.dll) located inside your Bin folder, and you can use that instead.
As you can see in the screenshot below, LD's Shader Framework came shipped with an ASI loader, as the other 3 mods do.
If you do not use any of the mods listed above, or that you wish to get a newer version of ASI loader for the game, you can get it from here (Ultimate ASI Loader by ThirteenAG):
To install, drag Sims3SettingsSetter.asi AND wininet.dll to your Bin folder.
And that is S3SS and its prerequisite successfully installed, now we should launch the game (again) and check if it's working.
Once the game has launched, hit 'Insert' key to toggle on S3SS interface.
⚠️ If nothing happens after pressing ' Insert', remove a folder called 'S3SS' (located at: Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3) and reinstall from Step 2 again.
From S3SS interface, select 'Patches' on the top.
Here I recommend enabling all performances patches, but choose only one flavour for the Smooth Patch: Original or Precise.
Next, click on 'Other/QoL' tab, tick the box next to 'Enable Memory Warning', and increase the warning threshold to 3.8 GB.
Navigate downwards to 'Borderless Window' and choose 'Fullscreen' in the drop-down menu. This will allow you to play in borderless windowed mode.
⚠️ Please note that I do not play TS3 in exclusive fullscreen mode, nor do I recommend doing so; therefore, I cannot provide support for that.
Lastly, don't forget to click on 'File' on the top left corner to save any changes you've made.
Exit the game, it's time to install ReShade.
Download the latest version (with full add-on support) from the official site; it is 6.7.3 at the time of writing.
If you do not download the version with full add-on support, DoF (depth of field) shaders will not work properly upon internet detection.
Select TS3.exe (EA App) or TS3W.exe (disc, Steam), and then choose Vulkan as rendering API, click 'Next'.
If you would prefer not to install any shaders/effects (i.e, you want to keep using your existing ones), click 'Skip'.
On the following page, you'll get to choose to install add-ons. Hit 'Skip', unless you know what you are doing.
Click 'Finish' to complete installation.
At this stage, a new, vanilla ReShade.ini file will be placed in the Bin folder; you may now replace it with the one from your backup folder to recover all preferred settings (such as hotkeys for taking screenshots, directory for shaders etc.). Same thing goes for your reshade-presets and reshade-shaders folder.
Launch the game (for the final time) to check that ReShade has been properly installed.
To toggle S3SS interface, press 'Insert' (or whatever hotkey you've set it to).
⚠️ NB: under ReShade's 'Settings' tab you may need to change 'Input processing' to either 'Pass on all input' or 'Block input when cursor is on overlay' to tweak S3SS settings whilst ReShade's GUI is visible. Otherwise, you'll need to toggle ReShade's menu off first.
That is the end of this tutorial.
Congratulations, you have successfully installed DXVK, S3SS, and ReShade! You may now open dxvk.conf and remove line dxvk.HUD from it.
Whew, what a long tutorial. If you've made it this far, great job. 🎉
Hope you've found this helpful; comment down below, or send me an ask/DM if you've any questions. I'll try my best to troubleshoot with you. Happy simming! ⭐
Credits:
doitsujin for DXVK
ThirteenAG for Ultimate-ASI-Loader
@sims3fiend, just-harry, @lazyduchess, and swiffyjk for Sims3SettingsSetter
crosire for ReShade
@nectar-cellar @desiree-uk and @kevinvoncrastenburg for their help.
These are taxi default replacements made by Vendela for their world Vendon based on the work by Bloom (at least that's where I got them from as far as I remember - it's been a while...). Check out their worlds, which I love deeply! Sadly their blog is gone but the archived link still works and so do the mediafire links. They also created Nordlys, an Aurora Skies edit, which I also can only recommend and Simtorini (as Vendelavendela). Sadly they never finished their Hogwarts world, that one was very promising.
Enough blabber, here are the taxis: DOWNLOAD (mediafire, ad-free). This is a DEFAULT REPLACEMENT, it will make all the taxis look like the ones above. If it doesn't work in your package folder, put it in Overrides.
There are two files:
One will replace the regular taxis your sims use.
The one labeled wtith "NLlightweightLondonCab" will replace the "ghost taxis" that came with Night Life that will just clutter up your roads. Only put that in your game if you have Night Life installed!
If you have had enough of these London cabs, simply take the packages out again. You might need to clear the world caches in order for the original taxis to show up again.
hello! i love your DXVK guide, my game has never been so smooth. However, I was wondering if after I've installed this fix, can I still download the entire store content? This is what I'm referencing: THE SIMS 3 STORE PRE-INSTALLED by nausallien. I've tried installing this (rename sims 3 folder, replace with this new one, then move mods/saves back) however, no store content shows up. Do you know any fix to this, why it isn't working? Again, thank you for your hard work!
Hello, glad to hear you found the guide useful!
I'm not sure why that content doesn't show up. Maybe try to ask them directly, either as an ask or on the post? https://www.tumblr.com/nausallien/774521954145337344/download-the-entire-store-pre-installed
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That means that when you donate, it goes to change.org. Now, this isn't useless — it does mean that the petition gets boosted. However, you're pretty much doing the same thing by reblogging. I am concerned about people donating something like $40 dollars since I'm not sure if they realize it doesn't contribute to the legal fund or not.
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Hey, first of all thank you for your dxvk tutorial <3. I followed it and noticed the biggest difference when it comes to stability, I found another tutorial similar to yours where they did dxvk stuff but instead they edited the EP11 default. ini file for compositercachesize and sim compositercachesize, do you think I could do both, or is it redundant or incopatible? Thank you <3
Hi, short answer: I don't know! Maybe someone reading this can give a more informed reply.
My guess is it only makes sense if you start your game with the EP11.exe/if you play Oasis Landing. I start my game with BG exe so I doubt a change like that would be read by the game.
But you can try and see for yourself if it makes a difference. Just make sure to back up any files you edit so that you can roll back easily!
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