Sims 4: All Skill Cheats (Max Skills Instantly)

Updated July 20266 min readBy the HowToPlayHub team

Grinding a skill from 1 to 10 takes Sim-days. Skill cheats collapse that into a single line of text — perfect for testing a build, jumping straight into a career, or skipping the grind on a skill you have maxed a dozen times before. This guide covers the exact format, every common skill code, and the syntax mistakes that make cheats fail.

Quick answer

Enable cheats with testingcheats true, then set any skill using stats.set_skill_level Major_[SkillName] [level] — for example stats.set_skill_level Major_Painting 10 maxes Painting. Major skills cap at 10; toddler and minor skills use a lower cap of 5 and a different prefix. The syntax is case- and underscore-sensitive, so one typo makes the cheat fail silently. You enter skills one at a time; there is no single max-everything command.

01The Skill Cheat Format

All skill cheats follow one pattern. Open the console (Ctrl+Shift+C on PC, all four shoulder buttons on console), then:

Type testingcheats true and press Enter to enable cheats.
Use the format stats.set_skill_level [SkillType]_[SkillName] [level].
Press Enter — the selected (active) Sim's skill jumps to that level immediately.

Example: stats.set_skill_level Major_Painting 10 sets Painting to the maximum level 10. Major skills cap at 10; toddler and some minor skills cap at 5.

02Major Skill Cheats (Cap 10)

These use the Major_ prefix. A selection of the most-used codes:

stats.set_skill_level Major_Painting 10 — Painting
stats.set_skill_level Major_HomestyleCooking 10 — Cooking
stats.set_skill_level Major_GourmetCooking 10 — Gourmet Cooking
stats.set_skill_level Major_Writing 10 — Writing
stats.set_skill_level Major_Programming 10 — Programming
stats.set_skill_level Major_Gardening 10 — Gardening
stats.set_skill_level Major_Charisma 10 — Charisma
stats.set_skill_level Major_Handiness 10 — Handiness
stats.set_skill_level Major_Logic 10 — Logic
stats.set_skill_level Major_Fitness 10 — Fitness
stats.set_skill_level Major_Guitar 10 — Guitar (also Piano, Violin, Pipe Organ)

03Minor, Child & Toddler Skill Cheats

Smaller skills and those for younger Sims use different prefixes and caps:

Minor skills (cap 5) use Minor_, e.g. stats.set_skill_level Minor_Dancing 5 for Dancing, or Minor_LocalCulture from packs.
Child skills (cap 10) use Skill_Child_, e.g. stats.set_skill_level Skill_Child_Creativity 10 (also Mental, Motor, Social).
Toddler skills (cap 5) use Skill_Toddler_, e.g. stats.set_skill_level Skill_Toddler_Potty 5 (also Communication, Imagination, Movement, Thinking).
Pack skills follow the same pattern with their own names, e.g. Major_Wellness (Spa Day), Major_Veterinarian (Cats & Dogs).

04Common Mistakes & Tips

Skill cheats fail silently — no error appears — so check these if nothing happens:

Forgot the enabler: you must run testingcheats true first in the session.
Wrong capitals or underscores: the syntax is case- and underscore-sensitive. Major_painting will not work — it must be Major_Painting.
Wrong prefix: using Major_ for a toddler skill (which needs Skill_Toddler_) fails.
No single max-all cheat: you must set each skill individually — there is no vanilla command to max every skill at once.
Lowering a skill: the same command works to reduce a skill — just enter a lower number.

FAQ

How do you max skills in Sims 4 with cheats?

Open the console with Ctrl+Shift+C, type testingcheats true, then use stats.set_skill_level Major_[SkillName] 10 for any major skill — for example stats.set_skill_level Major_Painting 10 maxes Painting. Major skills cap at 10, while toddler and some minor skills cap at 5. You set each skill individually; there is no command to max every skill at once.

What is the skill cheat format in Sims 4?

The format is stats.set_skill_level [SkillType]_[SkillName] [level]. Major skills use the Major_ prefix and cap at 10, child skills use Skill_Child_, and toddler skills use Skill_Toddler_ and cap at 5. The syntax is case- and underscore-sensitive, so Major_Painting works but major_painting does not. You must run testingcheats true first.

Why are my skill cheats not working in Sims 4?

The usual causes are forgetting to enter testingcheats true first, or a typo in the capitalisation or underscores — the cheat fails silently with no error. Make sure it reads exactly like Major_Painting, not Major_painting or Major Painting. Also confirm you are using the right prefix: toddler skills need Skill_Toddler_, not Major_.

Is there a cheat to max all skills at once in Sims 4?

No — the base game has no single command to max every skill simultaneously. You must enter stats.set_skill_level for each skill one at a time. Some third-party mods add a max-all option, but in the vanilla game you set each skill individually using the Major_, Skill_Child_, or Skill_Toddler_ prefixes.

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Note: The Sims 4 receives regular patches that can change cheats, mechanics, and lifespan values, and many features come from paid packs — cross-check current details in-game for your version and DLC.

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