Want to write for our blog? Get in touch about becoming a sortitoutsi writer.
Plenty of managers are still enjoying long-term saves on Football Manager 2024 while testing or avoiding Football Manager 26. Whether you prefer the older match engine, dislike changes in the new version, or just are not ready to move on, there is one common problem.
Graphics packs are massive! (download here)
Facepacks, logopacks and kitpacks can easily take 100+ GB. Installing the same packs twice for two different FM versions is a complete waste of disk space.
Thankfully there is a simple solution. It is called a symbolic link, often shortened to symlink.
This guide will show you how to use your FM2024 graphics in FM26 without duplicating the files.
What Is a Symbolic Link?
A symbolic link is a special type of folder shortcut. It allows one folder to point to another location on your hard drive. The game thinks the files are inside its own directory, but in reality they exist somewhere else. This means:
- You store your graphics only once
- Both FM2024 and FM26 use the same files
- Updating the pack updates it for both games
- No wasted storage
For this guide, we will assume:
- Your graphics are installed in “Football Manager 2024/graphics/”
- You have a folder called faces
- You want FM26 to use that same folder
If your folder is called logos, kits, or something else, simply replace faces with your folder name.
⚠️ Do not link the entire graphics folder. Link individual folders only. Skins and some UI files are version specific and should not be shared. Stick to faces, logos and kits for now.
Windows Instructions
Step 1: Create the Graphics Folder in FM26 (If Needed):
- Open Search and type Command Prompt, then open the app.
- Paste the following and press Enter:
mkdir "%HOMEDRIVE%/%HOMEPATH%/Documents/Sports Interactive/Football Manager 26/graphics"
💡 This creates the graphics folder if it does not already exist. If you see a message saying the folder already exists, that is fine.
Step 2: Create the Junction Link
- Now paste the following and press Enter:
mklink /J "%HOMEDRIVE%/%HOMEPATH%/Documents/Sports Interactive/Football Manager 26/graphics/faces" "%HOMEDRIVE%/%HOMEPATH%/Documents/Sports Interactive/Football Manager 2024/graphics/faces"
💡 You should see a message saying: “Junction created". If you head to Documents/Sports Interactive/Football Manager 26/graphics you will see a faces folder. It will look normal, but it is actually linked to your FM2024 folder. Anything you add to either folder will appear in both games. Windows shows a small shortcut arrow on the folder icon to indicate it is linked.
Removing the Link on Windows
- If you ever want to remove the link, head to Command Prompt and run:
rmdir "%HOMEDRIVE%/%HOMEPATH%/Documents/Sports Interactive/Football Manager 26/graphics/faces"
💡 This removes only the link, not your original FM2024 graphics.
Mac Instructions
Step 1: Open Terminal
- Press Command + Space and type Terminal, then open it.
Step 2: Create the Graphics Folder in FM26
- Paste the following:
mkdir ~/"Library/Application Support/Sports Interactive/Football Manager 26/graphics"
💡 If it already exists, you may see an error. That is fine.
Step 3: Create the Symbolic Link
- Paste the following and press Enter:
ln -s ~/"Library/Application Support/Sports Interactive/Football Manager 2024/graphics/faces" ~/"Library/Application Support/Sports Interactive/Football Manager 26/graphics/faces"
💡 You will not see a success message, but the link has been created.
Removing the Link on Mac
- To remove the symbolic link later, open Terminal and run:
rm ~"/Library/Application Support/Sports Interactive/Football Manager 2026/graphics/faces"
⚠️ Reminder
It's currently safe to link:
- Facepacks (faces)
- Logopacks (logos)
- Kitpacks (kits)
To create te Symbolic link for logos or kits just replace "faces" with “logos” or "kits" every time it appears on code
- Date Created
- 11 Feb 2026 15:54:11
- Date Updated
- 11 Feb 2026 15:55:09
- Last Comment
- 02 Apr 2026 06:37:33
Comments
You'll need to Login to comment
EndOfDaysX7
I know easier way no more CMD commands and confusing links and file location writing
Joe Avalon
And what would it be please?
Joe Avalon
What should i put for HOMEDRIVE and HOMEPATH? My drive's letter and my directory?
edgardavids8
yes
corin1910
Thank you EdgarDavids, this worked perfectly and helped a lot. Now I am able to play both versions of FM and not worry about disk space. You are a legend on and off the pitch 🙂