Want to write for our blog? Get in touch about becoming a sortitoutsi writer.
If you are having trouble installing our Football Manager Transfer Update or any other Football Manager Database then please read everything below.
The guide is split into two sections, the basic installation instructions, which should be very simple for 99% of users and some common mistakes and issues. Please make sure to read the guide in full and check you're not making any of the common mistakes before commenting asking for help.
Extra: What to do if you're missing January transfers like Ronaldo, Enzo Fernandez etc
If you're missing transfers from January that means your copy of FM isn't up to date. Update it through Steam or whatever other platform you're using. When starting a new save make sure that it says 23.4 in the top right.
If you are using a cracked or pirated version of FM our update will not work, there is no way to make it work, do not ask for help with a cracking or pirated version you will be banned.
How to download and extract the Football Manager Data Update
- First download the Data Update. You will then be presented with a “zip” file to save somewhere on your computer
- Extract the zip file
- Mac: Usually you can just double click on it.
- Windows: Right click on the file and click “Extract All”
- You should then be presented with a folder that contains files named “.fmf”. In some cases you might be presented with just a single “.fmf” file not in any folders.
- Move the “.fmf” files to your “editor data” folder. See below for where this folder is located on different systems
- Make sure to put the “.fmf” files themselves directly in the “editor data” folder. You cannot have any sub folders within the “editor data” folder.
Windows: Where to put Football Manager Data Updates on Windows
The default path on Windows is:
Documents/Sports Interactive/Football Manager 2023/editor data
Obviously change the year to whatever version of the game you're playing.
Mac: Where to put Football Manager Data Updates on Mac
The default path on Mac is:
/Users/yourname/Library/Application Support/Sports Interactive/Football Manager 2023/editor data
Obviously change the year to whatever version of the game you're playing.
This can be difficult to find on Mac using Finder, use the following steps to easily find this folder:
a) Open Finder
b) Click “Go” from the menubar and select “Go to Folder” (alternatively press Shift+CMD+G)
c) Copy in the following: ~/Library/Application Support/Sports Interactive/
d) Open the folder for you game e.g: “Football Manager 2023”
e) Open the “editor data” folder (or create it if it doesn't exist)
f) Move the “.fmf” files into the ”editor data" folder
By default in Finder the path is not shown. Click “View” > “Show Path Bar” in Finder and the full path will now be shown at the bottom of every Finder window.
How to find and change your “editor data” folder in Football Manager
Below you will find the default paths, but not everyone's installation is the same. The easiest way to be sure is to check in Football Manager itself.
- Open Football Manager and click “Preferences”
- Search “Location” at the top and you should see a path, stupidly FM has bad UI and you can't read the whole path.
- Click “Change Folder” and click the dropdown at the top and it should display the whole path.
- If you do wish to change the location you can do so here, but if you're struggling to install a file and asking for help this may confuse the situation.
- There is a reset button to the right of where it says “Change Folder” click this if you're unsure if you've changed it.
Common Mistakes
Not extracting the zip
The “.zip” file should not be in your “editor data” folder. You must extract the zip file. If you are seeing a .zip file in your editor data folder instead of .fmf files then you're doing it wrong.
Do not use sub folders
Your “editor data” folder should never have sub folders.
Sports Interactive/Football Manager 2023/editor data/new leagues/France.fmf BAD
Sports Interactive/Football Manager 2023/editor data/France.fmf GOOD
Sometimes when you download a file it will be organised in sub folders like “Football Manager 2023/editor data” already. Make sure to copy just the “.fmf” and not all the sub folders.
Sports Interactive/Football Manager 2023/editor data/Football Manager 2023/editor data//Data Update.fmf BAD
Sports Interactive/Football Manager 2023/editor data/Data Update.fmf GOOD
Having “public” folders
For some reason some people have duplicate folders under a parent folder called “public”. I'm not sure why this is, but sometimes it can cause problems. Check if you have the files under a folder folder called “Public” or “Public Documents” and move them to the correct path instead.
Here's some examples.
Windows
Users/Public/Public Documents/Sports Interactive/Football Manager 2023/editor data BAD
Documents/Sports Interactive/Football Manager 2023/editor data GOOD
Mac
/Users/yourname/Public/Sports Interactive/Football Manager 2023/editor data BAD
/Users/yourname/Library/Application Support/Sports Interactive/Football Manager 2023/editor data GOOD
- Date Created
- 07 Feb 2023 08:37:48
- Date Updated
- 18 Aug 2023 15:24:10
- Last Comment
- 01 Jun 2026 18:58:49
Comments
You'll need to Login to comment
Craig Rigden
Installed this earlier today for the first time and got this. Just let it do it's thing and it did eventually load. Took maybe 4/5 mins
smartvil
Thx
Shanster14
Hi all, can this be used alongside Daveincid's file? And if yes, what files do I need to add/delete?
M.C
There is a lot of overlap. Exactly how much, I’m not sure - I don’t use DaveIncid’s pack, so not intimately familiar with it.
The Data Update on this site consists of a single ‘main’ file, which is the Changes.fmf, that contains all of the transfer updates, contract updates as well as new players.
The majority of the other files are individual nation files - these typically only contain the promotions/relegations of that nation - and in some cases, new league rules to update the structure of that nation’s pyramid. These should all end with the suffix: (League).
The files that are neither of these things are a variety of targeted alterations - often, it’s obvious from the filename what they are.
Shanster14
Understood, thank you for the reply.
ajcollis92
I seem to be encountering the common issue of the game freezing when loading the game database, ive downloaded the update and deleted all editor files in the folder a couple of times, not sure what ive done wrong.
Marck
I've never had that problem before, but could it have something to do with you saving to OneDrive?
Stevmon
I've tried everything in the list, but I'm starting with the original database with Amrabat, Varane etc when managaing Man United…
What am I doing wrong? I'm on FM 24.4.2 version from Steam.
Saves1990
I also have the problem of being stuck on the ‘loading game database’ page when starting a new game. Any ideas??
Grozy
Hello I can't start the game after I have downloaded the database can you help me?
J-M
Having the same problem
M.C
There should be no reason that the game doesn't, fundamentally, finish loading.
It is true that this particular step will take noticeably-longer than if you are running a Vanilla version. How much longer is hard to articulate - there's a lot of variability depending on PC/laptop specifications and so on.
As an example, on my PC, using a Vanilla database, that step takes about 2-3 seconds (i.e. it is pretty immediate). With the Data Update installed, that same step can take approximately 45-60 seconds - and it spends almost all of that time with the ‘progress bar’ showing at the end. Fundamentally, during this step, the game is reading all of the database changes and processing them. There are a lot of database changes in the update.
If I then enable custom playable nations, that I personally also use, that goes up to 60+ seconds. Essentially, the more custom data you're loading, the longer it'll take. Whether the ratio of ‘Vanilla’ to ‘Data Update’ times are the same for different specification systems, I have no idea.
The initial troubleshooting steps to take are:
1. Ensure the Data Update is installed correctly.
2. Check that only the Data Update is installed/enabled. This is about benchmarking to see if it is strictly the Data Update, or some other files, that are introducing the delays.
3. Whilst it is ‘Loading Game Database’, open up Task Manager and check the status of Football Manager 2024 on the Processes tab. If the CPU/Memory utilisation is actively fluctuating and the process does not show ‘Not Responding’, then the reality is that it is still loading and processing the changes. If the game genuinely stops processing, you'll find it shows ‘Not Responding’ and its consumption of CPU/Memory is likely to drop right down.
Over and above, I'd recommend starting a game without any Editor Data files enabled and record the length of time it takes. This gives you a good benchmark for your system. Then try again with the Data Update (and only the Data Update) enabled and record that length of time. It should finish, but it also should take longer. Ignore the distance the ‘progress’ bar has made - it'll go to the end and then do most of the work. It appearing to be at the end and not completing is not, in fact, a sign that something isn't working. It's just how the game's UI presents this step.
For anyone who believes something isn't working, it's really useful to know (1) specifics of what you are enabling in the ‘Editor Data Files' list, (2) the length of time you have left it on that screen and (3) the outcomes of the core troubleshooting, in particular the status observed of the process under Task Manager.
oscar thurlow
(0)(0)
Alexander Timothy Morris
I tried to download the new database update today.
When I try a new save, it never loads.
My laptop shouldnt be the issue as itr runs fm24 quite easily.
Andreas Roikjer
deleted
WarroF1
My game is stuck on setting up game database after downloading the latest update, the major data update. I have used many data updates from here without any issues and this is the first time I've had a problem.
This isn't the same issue as others have had as I was still able to load the database and choose my active leagues, this is after clicking start game.
In the task manager the CPU/memory usage is fluctuating so it's still processing something but in-game it's been stuck like this for 20 minutes and counting. The hints and tips section isn't moving either, the game is just stuck.
EDIT: I've now removed the files and set up a game without the data update and that still works fine.
JK111289
same too me
Родіон М'ястківський
Is there an active solution to the problem of the game freezing during database updates and when starting a new game? How did you solve this problem?
yourekillingmewiththis
this is my experience as well. it only started after installing the most recent update with the “major attribute update.”
avstu85
I have paid £5 for the attribute data along with the transfer update today and my FM24 doesnt seem to be finding the folder.
I have tried all the trouble shooting options and nothing.
As you can see from the below images - It cant see the files, i have installed it in the correct folder and it has directed to the correct folder in Preferances.
Can somebody please help? It worked fine before i paid the £5.
kieran509
Have you got the files within another file ? below is the bit from the guide :
Do not use sub folders
Your “editor data” folder should never have sub folders.
Sports Interactive/Football Manager 2023/editor data/new leagues/France.fmf BAD
Sports Interactive/Football Manager 2023/editor data/France.fmf GOOD
Sometimes when you download a file it will be organised in sub folders like “Football Manager 2023/editor data” already. Make sure to copy just the “.fmf” and not all the sub folders.
Sports Interactive/Football Manager 2023/editor data/Football Manager 2023/editor data//Data Update.fmf BAD
Sports Interactive/Football Manager 2023/editor data/Data Update.fmf GOOD
gabrielogil31
Guys, I believe this slowdown when creating a new save is due to a new item that was added yesterday called Player History. It's almost three times heavier than the regular Changes file, both in file size and in the number of changes in the database (2,900,000). For the admins out there, do you know exactly what this new file does? And why is it so heavy?
kieran509
yourekillingmewiththis
i removed this file from the update and i was able to load a new game. good suggestion!
Yusufhıh
ben yapamıyorum yardım eder misin bilader ya türküz 😀
Yusufhıh
I'm still the same can you help me
thehet
Indeed - devastating impact to loading times.
Echo the questions asked here.
yourekillingmewiththis
i installed the updated files as normal, but deleted the Classic FM - Player History file before starting a new game.
avstu85
Thanks for the response.
No, I don’t have it under a different folder. I copied everything out of the downloaded ‘editor data’ folder into my own ‘editor data’ folder.
i went through these steps to ensure before posting the message. 🙂.
Phil Batt
Hi all,
Apologies if this is a very noob question - I have tried to read for others.
I struggled initially to get the FMF files to locate but I have that bit nailed now after renaming the folder and choosing the new renamed folder. I select varius FMF from dynamic, to europe, england etc… but I dont seem to have any changes to squads. I looked at Sheffield wednesday and players that moved on two years back were still there, then man city and Walker was still there.
Do I need to do anything or pick a specific FMF to have up to date leagues and teams?