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Adjusting where the wall is in The Sims 4.
Screenshot via EA

Best Sims 4 Cheats for Building

Your guide to making Build Mode faster, cheaper, and more fun.

Build mode in The Sims 4 is more intricate than any of its predecessors. You can use it to fully design your Sim's home from top to bottom, build outdoor features, and much more. Using cheats in The Sims game series has been around since The Sims 1, so you can take advantage of the best Sims 4 cheats for building by browsing the table below.

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The top Sims 4 cheats for Build Mode

It's not unusual for people playing any The Sims game to break out a cheat code or three. EA actually encourages the use of cheats in The Sims, given that there's a whole page dedicated to them on their official website. It's also ridiculously easy to find cheats for any The Sims game online.

Building a bathroom in The Sims 4.
Screenshot via EA

Using cheats when building your home in The Sims 4 can at least ensure that you don't run out of Simoleons, but other cheats allow you to override the strict building rules of the game. This means that you can design every part of your Sim's home exactly how you wish it to be.

EffectCheat Code
Change the location of an object so it's higher than it currently is. For example, moving a plant from the floor to a table directly above it. bb.moveobjects on, select object, press 9
Change the location of an object so it's lower than it currently is. For example, moving a plant from a table to the floor directly underneath it. bb.moveobjects on, select object, press 0
Edit locked lots. With this cheat, you'll be able to customize the locked lots in your neighborhood. bb.enablefreebuild
Get 1,000 Simoleons.rosebud or kaching
Get 50,000 Simoleons.motherlode
Get an exact number of Simoleons by typing "Money" followed by whatever amount of Simoleons you'd like. Money [insert amount]
Move objects anywhere you want. This overwrites the pre-set rules of object placement in The Sims 4 and allows you to freely position any objects in your sim's home. bb.moveobjects on
Reduce any Residential Lot to zero Simoleons so that you can purchase any home for your new sim family. freerealestate on
Reset any Residential Lot's price back to the original amount. freerealestate off
Show all hidden objects in the Build/Buy catalog. bb.showhiddenobjects
Unlock career-specific objects. These items are locked until your sim reaches the end of various career paths. bb.ignoregameplayunlocksentitlement
Unlock debug objects in the Build/Buy catalog. These are mostly standard neighbourhood features. Therebb.showhiddenobjects
Unlock live mode objects in the Build/Buy catalog. These are mostly environmental objects. bb.showliveeditobjects

Best keyboard shortcuts for Build Mode in The Sims 4

Changing the shape of a roof in The Sims 4.
Screenshot via EA

As well as using the cheats from the table above, you may want to utilize the various keyboard shortcuts that make Build Mode easier when playing The Sims 4. Obviously, these are only suitable for players enjoying The Sims 4 on PC.

EffectKeyboard Shortcut
Build Mode shortcut.F3
Build walls with the wall tool.B
Buy Mode shortcut.F2
Change the color option of the item you're trying to place before you put it down. Numpad and +
Change the lighting. L
Change the shape of the roof you're working on. This shortcut will give you several options to adjust the roof's shape. Shift + C
Copy an object with the eyedropper tool.E
Cover the entire wall/floor with the selected wallpaper/flooring option. Shift (hold down)
Decrease the size of an object. Shift + [
Delete walls and rooms. CTRL (hold down while using the wall tool)
Enable quarter tile placement (place/move objects in smaller parts of one tile on the grid). F5
Enable free object placement (place/move objects anywhere without the limitations set by the grid).ALT
Erase terrain paint. CTRL (hold down)
Get a multiple of the same object you're placing. Shift (hold down)
Grab objects with the hand tool. H
Increase the size of an object.Shift + ]
Live Mode shortcut.F1
Lower an object from its position to the space directly underneath it. Shift + 0
Make your terrain brush harder.'
Make your terrain brush softer.;
Move the camera to a top-down view.T
Place an object off the grid.Hold Object + Alt
Raise an object from its position to the space directly above it. Shift + 9
Recolor an object with the design tool.R
Redo the action you undid. CTRL + Y
Relocate your lot (move and/or rotate).U
Sell an object with the sledgehammer tool. K
Toggle between the wall and room tools.Shift (hold down while in Build Mode)
Toggle the grid on or off. G
Undo your last action. CTRL + Z

If you've used any cheats or shortcuts that affect the placement of an object, you may run into an issue where your Sim cannot interact with the object you've moved. If this happens, something about your build isn't functioning.

The first thing you should check is the rotation of the object to ensure that the arrow is facing outwards. For example, a laundry basket has an arrow that only allows a Sim to access it from one direction. If the basket is in the corner and the arrow is facing the wall, your Sim won't be able to use the basket.

After that, you'll need to move other items around and play with the build to figure out what's stopping your Sim from accessing the item in question.

Turning on cheats in The Sims 4 on PC and consoles

Building a house in The Sims 4.
Screenshot via EA

Cheats are a great way to make your gameplay in The Sims 4 more enjoyable, and turning them on is super easy! Here's how you can enable cheats in The Sims 4 on both PC and consoles:

Step 1: Open the Cheat Dialogue Box

  • On PC - Press Ctrl + Shift + C to bring up the cheat box at the top of your screen.
  • On Console - Hold down all four shoulder buttons (L1, L2, R1, R2 on PlayStation or LB, LT, RB, RT on Xbox) for a couple of seconds to open the cheat box.

Step 2: Enable Cheats

Type in testingcheats true or testingcheats on and press Enter. This will enable cheats, allowing you to use other fun commands in the game.

Step 3: Close the Cheat Box

To close the cheat box, simply press the same combination of keys or buttons you used to open it (Ctrl + Shift + C on PC, or the four shoulder buttons on consoles).

Looking for more The Sims 4 content here at Pro Game Guides? Check out How to do the Sims 4 Satisfaction Points Cheat and Best Sims 4 Mods in 2024.


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