The Sims 4 cheats: best cheat codes for PS4, Xbox One and PC

The Sims 4 cheats - A sim tries to watch TV while others express surprise at him
Image credit: EA

Using The Sims 4 Cheats can really spice things up, especially if you've been playing for years and things are starting to feel stale. 

While there's undoubtedly plenty to do in the base game, sometimes it's just much more fun to take things into your own hands in The Sims 4. And that's where cheats come into play. 

By using cheat codes, you can set up your own unique challenges, have better control over storylines, add more complex functions to existing in-game mechanics, or simply remove obstacles in build-buy mode to make life a limitless sandbox without having to worry about the silly grid rules. Even if you don't have a set goal in mind, everyone can benefit from having bonus Simoleons to burn through.

And hey, who doesn't want a well-rounded Sim with talents as a rocket scientist, gardener, violinist, and flower-arranger? No one, that's who.

To help you bypass the tedium of testing cheats out for yourself, we’ve gathered the best Sims 4 cheats for the PS4, Xbox One, and classic PC versions of the game so you can enhance the game with sneaky cheat codes no matter which platform you use.

The Sims 4 cheats for console and PC

The Sims 4 cheats: How to open the Sims 4 cheat console

The Sims 4 cheats - A group of sims party on the beach

Image credit: EA

In order to enter any of the cheats we've included here, you'll first have to open the Sims 4 cheat console. Opening the Sims 4 cheat console is pretty straightforward on all platforms.

PC
On PC, hold in Ctrl, Shift then press C. A white bar should appear in the top-left hand corner of your screen, allowing you to type.

Mac
On Mac, hold in Command, Shift then press C. A white bar should appear in the top-left hand corner of your screen, allowing you to type.

PS4
If you're playing The Sims 4 on PS4, then you need to hold all four shoulder buttons at once. The same white bar will appear in the top-left hand side of your screen and allow you to type.

Xbox One
If you're playing The Sims 4 on Xbox One, then you also need to hold all four shoulder buttons at once. The white bar will appear in the top-left hand side of your screen and allow you to type.

The Sims 4 cheats: Testingcheats true

The Sims 4 cheats - A sim tries to flirt at a bar without success

Image credit: EA

It's worth noting that in some cases, and many cases for consoles, you will be required to enter the cheat 'testingcheats true' in order to use other cheats. It's worth entering first, just in case. However, if you want to turn this function off then simply enter 'testingcheats false' into the command console. 

'Testingcheats true' also unlocks some cheats without filling in the command console. For example, clicking on a Sim will allow you to do things such as alter their needs or fill their motives. On PS4 this can be done by holding O and pressing X, while on Xbox One this can be done by holding A and pressing B.

Also, activating cheats on console will render Xbox Achievements and PlayStation Trophies obsolete - but a pop-up will appear on the screen letting you know. 

The Sims 4 cheats: Debug cheats

The Sims 4 cheats - Two sims talk fashion at a clothing store

(Image credit: Electronic Arts)

A while ago, The Sims 4 received a redesign which brought with it a new set of cheats players can utilize. 

By entering the following cheats into the cheat console (with 'testingcheats true' enabled), you will be able to access debug items:

  • bb.showhiddenobjects
  • bb.showliveeditobjects

This should allow you to access debugs items. In other words, you should be able to access items typically locked.

To access these items, type 'debug' into the search bar under build mode. You'll then see a bunch of items that usually you can't access, primarily public lot items that you can't access on your home lot - maybe you want a public toilet in your bathroom? We're not here to judge.

This cheat is also particularly useful for skills such as fishing as you can simply place a fishing sign in your backyard and practice your casting in the grass. 

The Sims 4 cheats: Build mode cheats

The Sims 4 cheats - A building layout seen roofless from above

Image credit: EA

Enter any of the following codes into the cheat console to activate the cheat associated.

  • bb.moveobjects on/off - Merge objects and place them anywhere without restrictions
  • bb.showhiddenobjects - Shows all previously hidden items such as buried objects
  • bb.ignoregameplayunlocksentitlement - All building items are unlocked

Additionally, with 'testingcheats true' enabled you can use some simple cheat shortcuts.

  • Shift + C + click on roof - Customize your roof
  • Shift + ] - Increase size of selected object
  • Shift + [ - Decrease Size of selected object

The Sims 4 cheats: Skill cheats

The Sims 4 cheats - Three sims consider art on their easels

Image credit: EA

You can increase your Sims skills pretty simply with cheats. All you need to do is enter 'stats.set_skill_level (skillname) (level from 1-10)'. 

So if I wanted to make my Gourmet Cooking level 9, for example, I would enter stats.set_skill_level Major_GourmetCooking 9.

Here's a list of all the skill names you need to know:

  • Major_Fishing
  • Major_Mischief
  • Major_Guitar
  • Major_Reaping
  • Major_Programming
  • Major_Gardening
  • Major_GourmetCooking
  • Major_Comedy
  • Major_Charisma
  • Major_Writing
  • Major_VideoGaming
  • Major_Violin
  • Major_RocketScience
  • Major_Painting
  • Major_Piano
  • Major_Logic
  • Major_Handiness
  • Major_HomestyleCooking
  • Major_Bartending
  • Major_Dj
  • Skill_Fitness
  • Skill_Child_Social
  • Skill_Child_Motor
  • Skill_Child_Creativity
  • Skill_Child_Mental
  • Statistic_Skill_Toddler_Communication
  • Statistic_Skill_Toddler_Thinking
  • Statistic_Skill_Toddler_Potty
  • Statistic_Skill_Toddler_Movement
  • Statistic_Skill_Toddler_Imagination

The Sims 4 cheats: life and death cheats

The Sims 4 cheats - Two sims contemplate kissing each other

Image credit: EA

Master the art of life itself with these tried and tested cheats to make you truly invincible. Trigger special deaths , resurrect your friends, and spawn yourself a bunch of triplets - even without The Sims 2's Tombstone of Life & Death, these cheats are the definition of god-mode.

Life cheats

  • sims.add_buff buff_pregnancy_trimester1 - Make Sim pregnant in first trimester
  • sims.add_buff buff_pregnancy_trimester2 - Make Sim pregnant in second trimester
  • sims.add_buff buff_pregnancy_trimester3 - Make Sim pregnant in third trimester
  • sims.add_buff buff_pregnancy_inlabor - Make Sim go into labor (will have a fake birth if you buy a bassinet)

To have twins (or more) you first need to get your Sim’s ID by entering ‘sims.get_sim_id_by_name (Sim's name here)’ into the cheat console. This will give you a long number to write down. 

Next, activate the cheat console and type in ‘pregnancy.force_offspring_count (Sim ID here) (number of babies wanted)'.

Death cheats

  • sims.add_buff buff_death_electrocution_warning - Death while fixing electrical item
  • sims.add_buff buff_death_elderexhaustion_warning - Death after working out
  • sims.add_buff buff_mortified - Death by embarrassment
  • sims.add_buff buff_motives_hunger_starving - Death by starvation
  • stats.set_stat commodity_Buff_BurningLove_StartFire 7 - This increases the chances of starting a fire by 15%, keep using it to make sure Sim starts a fire and then perishes in it
  • sims.add_buff buff_Hysterical - Death by laughter
  • sims.add_buff buff_Enraged - Death by rage
  • traits.equip_trait Vampire_Sun - Kills vampires and normal Sims
  • traits.equip_trait poison - Death by poison
  • traits.equip_trait Ghost_Frozen - Turns Sim into Ghost if they died in cold weather
  • traits.equip_trait Ghost_Overheat - Death by overheating

When someone dies, you can press 'Shift' and click on the Grim Reaper to add him to your household. You then can play as the Grim Reaper.

The Sims 4 cheats: interaction cheats

The Sims 4 cheats - Three sims look at the camera while one considers boxers

Image credit: EA

Once you have activated 'testingcheats true', its probably a good idea to also activate Create-A-Sim abilities by entering 'cas.fulleditmode' into the cheat console. This will allow you to alter objects and Sims in the world during livetime rather than having to be playing as the desired Sim and editing them from the CAS menu.

To bring up the following options on PC, hold Shift and click on the Sim or object. 

If you're playing on PS4, press and hold O, then press X, then click on the object or Sim. For Xbox One, press and hold B, then press A, followed by clicking on the Sim or object.

Clicking on a Sim will allow them to be modified. You can do pretty much anything except for changing their name and inherited traits, such as resetting them, adding them to a different family, and fully replenishing their Needs bars.

Clicking on an object will allow it to be rest, while dirty items can be made clean - or vice versa, in case you want your Sims to live in a pigsty you evil overlord, you.

Finally, clicking on the mailbox brings up the option to reset it and clicking on the ground allows you to teleport your Sim to that area.

The Sims 4 cheats: Relationship cheats

The Sims 4 cheats - Two sims dance

Image credit: EA

Enter any of the following codes into the cheat console to activate the cheat associated:

  • modifyrelationship [First name of the first sim] [Last name of the first sim] [First name of the second sim] [Last name of the second sim] [Number] Friendship_Main - Increase or decrease friendship between two Sims. The number is a percentage. To decrease, add minus ahead of the number.
  • modifyrelationship [First name of the first sim] [Last name of the first sim] [First name of the second sim] [Last name of the second sim] [Number] Romance_Main - Increase or decrease romance between two Sims. The number is a percentage. To decrease, add minus ahead of the number.

The Sims 4 cheats: miscellaneous cheats

The Sims 4 cheats - A group of sims lounge in and around a pool

Image credit: EA

Enter any of the following codes into the cheat console to activate the cheat associated:

  • motherlode – 50,000 Simoleons
  • kaching/rosebud – 1000 Simoleons
  • FreeRealEstate [on/off] – Enter during neighborhood screen and it makes all homes free
  • fire.toggle [on/off] - Allow or disallow fires
  • Death.toggle – Disables Death
  • resetSim [FirstName] [LastName] – Resets Sim
  • headlineeffects[on/off] – Hides all Plumbobs, thought bubbles etc
  • households.autopay_bills - Pays bills automatically
  • ui.dialog.auto_respond - Makes dialog choices automatically
  • aspirations.complete_current_milestone - Completes current aspiration milestone
  • careers.demote[name of career] - Demotion in chosen career
  • careers.promote[name of career] - Promotion in chosen career
  • careers.remove_career[name of career] - Abandon career
  • crafting.shorten_phases - Faster crafting
  • sims.fill_all_commodities - Fill commodities for one Sim
  • stats.fill_commodities_household - Fill commodities for all Sims in household
  • sims.modify_funds [amount] - Add specified amount of funds
  • sims.remove_all_buffs - Removes moodlets
  • sims.spawnsimple[number of Sims desired] - Spawns specified number of Sims
  • sims.give_satisfaction_points[number of points desired] - Award satisfaction points to Sims
  • bb.moveobjects - Move objects outside of their set range (eg. let items overlap)

Vic Hood
Associate Editor, TechRadar Gaming

Vic is TechRadar Gaming's Associate Editor. An award-winning games journalist, Vic brings experience from IGN, Eurogamer and more to the TechRadar table. You may have even heard her on the radio or speaking on a panel. Not only is Vic passionate about games, but she's also an avid mental health advocate who has appeared on both panels and podcasts to discuss mental health awareness. Make sure to follow her on Twitter for more.

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