INDEPENDENT THE SIMS 4 GUIDES

Cheat, build, create a life

Practical guides for every part of The Sims 4 — money cheats and the full code list, build mode, careers, family and pregnancy, mods and CC, skills and the Grim Reaper. The base game is free, so dive in.

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// At a glance

The Sims 4 at a glance

DeveloperMaxis
PublisherElectronic Arts
Base gameFree-to-play since 2022
PlatformsPC · Mac · PlayStation · Xbox
GenreLife simulation · sandbox
Win conditionNone — play your way
// Start here

The Sims 4 guides

From the famous money cheat to building your dream home and raising a family. New guides added regularly.

// Patch notes — what changed lately
  • PATCHJun 30, 2026Patch 1.125.59 — Major quality-of-life update: smarter autonomous phone calls now require friendship before NPCs reach out, new Festival Notifications settings panel, fewer irrelevant interruptions, freelancer Sims no longer receive gig pop-ups from careers they are not enrolled in, core autonomy and CAS changes (may break some mods — update script mods after patching), Mac saves now stored outside Documents to avoid cloud-sync conflicts, and 70+ general bug fixes across base game and multiple packs.
01
Reference

Emotions guide

How the moodlet system works, all moods with triggers and skill bonuses, auras, dangerous emotions, and mood cheats.

9 min read · Jul 3, 2026READ →
02
Buying Guide

Best expansion packs

Every expansion pack tiered by buying priority — essential first buys, strong second-wave picks, and what to skip.

10 min read · Jul 2, 2026READ →
03
Occult

Vampires & werewolves

How to become a vampire or werewolf, rank up, unlock powers, manage fury, and cure both — requires the DLC packs.

9 min read · Jul 1, 2026READ →
04
Cheats

Money cheats

Motherlode, rosebud, kaching and the money command — every working money cheat explained.

6 min read · Jun 26, 2026READ →
05
Reference

All cheat codes

The full list — money, build, CAS, skills, careers, needs and relationships, all in one place.

8 min read · Jun 26, 2026READ →
06
Family

How to have a baby

Try for Baby, the Science Baby route, pregnancy day by day, twins, and giving birth.

7 min read · Jun 26, 2026READ →
07
Money

How to make money fast

The best cheats and the top legit earners — painting, writing, gardening and more.

7 min read · Jun 26, 2026READ →
08
Mods

Install mods & CC

Enable mods, find the Mods folder, .package vs .ts4script, and fix CC after patches.

7 min read · Jun 26, 2026READ →
09
Build Mode

Build mode guide

Rooms, walls, bb.moveobjects, rotating and resizing, hidden items — for new builders.

7 min read · Jun 26, 2026READ →
10
Careers

Best careers & list

Highest-paying jobs, active vs rabbit-hole careers, freelancing, and how to get promoted fast.

8 min read · Jun 26, 2026READ →
11
Cheats

All skill cheats

The stats.set_skill_level format and every skill code to max any skill instantly.

6 min read · Jun 26, 2026READ →
12
Family

How to age up

Birthday cakes, the crib option, age-up cheats, all eight life stages, and lifespan settings.

6 min read · Jun 26, 2026READ →
13
Reference

Traits & aspirations

How trait slots and aspirations work, the best picks, reward traits, and editing cheats.

7 min read · Jun 26, 2026READ →
14
Relationships

Romance & relationships

Build romance, marry, WooHoo and Try for Baby — plus the modifyrelationship cheats.

7 min read · Jun 26, 2026READ →
15
Death

Grim Reaper & death

All the ways Sims die, pleading with Grim, the Death Flower, and how to resurrect a Sim.

7 min read · Jun 26, 2026READ →
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// FAQ

Quick answers

Is The Sims 4 free to play?

Yes — the base game of The Sims 4 has been free to download and keep on PC (EA app, Steam), Mac, PlayStation and Xbox since October 2022. The free base game includes Create-A-Sim, Build Mode, careers, and the core life simulation. Expansion packs, game packs, stuff packs and kits remain paid add-ons that layer extra worlds, careers and features on top of the free game.

How do I open the cheat console in The Sims 4?

On PC press Ctrl+Shift+C, on Mac press Command+Shift+C, and on PlayStation or Xbox hold all four shoulder buttons at once. A text bar appears at the top of the screen — type your cheat there and press Enter. For most advanced cheats, type testingcheats true first to enable them. Note that enabling cheats disables achievements for that save session.

What is the money cheat in The Sims 4?

The famous one is motherlode, which adds §50,000 to your household funds each time you enter it and can be stacked for more. For smaller amounts, rosebud and kaching each add §1,000. To set an exact balance, use money followed by a number, such as money 1000000. Open the console first and the cheat takes effect immediately.

Can I play The Sims 4 on console?

Yes. The Sims 4 is available on PlayStation and Xbox as well as PC and Mac, and the free base game applies on all of them. Cheats work on console too — you open the console by holding all four shoulder buttons. Most guides on this site apply to every platform, with only the cheat-console shortcut differing between PC, Mac and console.

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