Want to use cheats in Sims 4, but they aren’t working? Learn how to enable cheats, enter cheat codes, and fix common issues on PC, Mac, PS5, and Xbox.
There are two kinds of The Sims 4 players: the ones who enjoy starting with a tiny starter home, a nearly empty bank account, and a Sim who can barely cook without setting the kitchen on fire, and the ones who look at that starter home and immediately think, “I need 500,000 Simoleons.”
Thankfully, The Sims 4 cheats are built right into the game.
Whether you want to add money, increase a Sim’s skills, change their career, fill their needs, build without normal placement restrictions, or simply fix something that has gone wrong in your save, the Sims 4 cheat console gives you a quick way to do it.
The process is slightly different depending on whether you play on PC, Mac, PlayStation, or Xbox, but the basic idea is always the same: open the cheat box, enable testing cheats, and then enter the Sims 4 cheat code you need.
This guide explains exactly how to turn on cheats in The Sims 4, what testingcheats true does, which useful commands you can use afterward, and what to check when Sims 4 cheats are not working.
One important warning before you start: on PlayStation and Xbox, using cheats that require testingcheats disables Achievements and Trophies for the current save. If you care about achievements, make a separate save before experimenting, as explained in EA’s console cheat guide.
Getting Cheats Ready in The Sims 4
The basic process is simple:
- Open the Sims 4 cheat console.
- Turn cheats on with
testingcheats true. - Enter the cheat code you want.
- Submit the command and check the result.
You do not need a mod for the normal built-in cheats covered in this guide. These are part of the game’s own built-in cheat system.
The important thing is to understand that opening the cheat console and enabling cheats are two different steps.
Opening the console only gives you a place to type commands. Entering testingcheats true enables the testing-cheat functionality used by many of the more advanced Sims 4 cheat codes.
Once you understand that distinction, it becomes much easier to figure out why a particular cheat is not working.
Step 1: Load the Household You Want to Change
Start The Sims 4 and load the household where you want to use cheats.
For most gameplay cheats, it is easiest to enter Live Mode first. This puts you directly into the household where you can test the command and immediately see whether it worked.
For example, if you want to use a Sims 4 money cheat, load the household that should receive the money.
If you want to use a skill cheat, make sure the Sim you want to change is part of the active household.
And if you are about to make a significant change to a long-running save, save your game first.
This is particularly useful with legacy households, heavily decorated lots, large families, or Sims you have spent dozens of hours developing.
You do not want to spend an entire evening building a beautiful family home, experimenting with cheats, and then realize you would rather return to the version you had before the experiment.
Tip: The Sims 4 now includes AutoSave and Save Reminders across all platforms, giving you additional ways to protect your progress. The July 2026 update introduced these features, and an August 2026 patch further adjusted the Save Reminder defaults and AutoSave feedback.
Step 2: Open the Cheat Console
Use the shortcut for your platform:
| Platform | Cheat console shortcut |
|---|---|
| PC | Ctrl + Shift + C |
| Mac | Command + Shift + C |
| PlayStation | L1 + L2 + R1 + R2 |
| Xbox | LB + LT + RB + RT |
A text box should appear at the top of the screen.
That box is the cheat console, sometimes called the cheat box or cheat bar.
On PC and Mac, EA uses the keyboard shortcut to open the cheat dialogue box, while on consoles all four shoulder buttons are used together, according to the EA cheat guide.
Tip: Press the buttons together rather than one at a time. If the cheat box does not appear, try the shortcut again while you are actually in the game rather than sitting on a menu.
Step 3: Turn Cheats On
With the Sims 4 cheat console open, type:
testingcheats true
Then press the appropriate confirmation button.
On keyboard, this is normally Enter.
This activates the testing-cheat functionality that many of the more useful commands rely on. EA’s current skill-cheat instructions follow this same process before entering a skill command.
You may also see testingcheats on in console instructions. The important thing is that testing cheats must be enabled before using cheats that require them.
Tip: If a Sims 4 cheat code appears to do nothing, one of the first things to check is whether you actually entered testingcheats true before entering the main command.
Step 4: Enter the Cheat You Want
Once cheats are enabled, enter the command for whatever you want to change.
For example:
motherlode
Press Enter, and your household receives 50,000 Simoleons, as documented in EA’s cheat guide.
This is probably one of the easiest ways to understand how the Sims 4 cheat system works.
You open the console, activate testing cheats, enter the command, and check the result.
If your Sim has just moved into a tiny starter house and you suddenly decide they deserve a mansion with a pool, motherlode is probably the command you were looking for.
Tip: You do not have to use cheats only for huge changes. Many players use them occasionally to remove a frustrating obstacle without completely changing the way they play.
Turning Cheats On Depending on Your Platform
The basic steps above work across platforms. The main difference is the button combination used to open the cheat console and, on consoles, the button used to submit commands.
If you need the shortcut again, refer to the table above.
PC
Using Sims 4 cheats on PC is straightforward because you have a physical keyboard.
- Load your household.
- Enter Live Mode.
- Press
Ctrl + Shift + C. - Type
testingcheats true. - Press Enter.
- Enter the cheat you want.
- Press Enter again.
- Check the result.
For example:
motherlode
PC players can use the cheat system for money, skills, careers, needs, relationships, and Build/Buy cheats, with EA’s current skill-cheat instructions demonstrating the same console process for individual skills.
Tip: Once testing cheats are enabled, you can continue entering supported commands without repeating the activation process.
Mac
Sims 4 cheats on Mac work almost exactly like PC.
The only important difference is the shortcut:
Command + Shift + C
Then follow the same process:
- Open the cheat console.
- Enter
testingcheats true. - Submit it.
- Enter the cheat you want.
- Submit the command.
Tip: If the console does not appear, make sure you are pressing Command rather than Control.
PlayStation
On PlayStation, use the four shoulder buttons together to open the cheat console.
- Load your household.
- Enter Live Mode.
- Press
L1 + L2 + R1 + R2. - Enter
testingcheats true. - Submit the command.
- Enter the cheat you want.
- Submit it.
EA documents this process in its console cheat instructions.
Important PlayStation Warning
Using testingcheats on a console disables Achievements and Trophies for the current save. It does not disable them across every save you have, as EA explains in its console cheat guide.
Tip: If you have an achievement-focused save, keep a separate cheat-enabled save for experiments.
Xbox
Sims 4 cheats on Xbox follow the same general process.
- Load your household.
- Enter Live Mode.
- Open the cheat console.
- Enter
testingcheats on. - Submit the command.
- Enter the cheat you want.
- Submit it.
The Xbox shortcut for opening the console is shown in the platform table above.
Important Xbox Warning
Using testingcheats on Xbox disables Achievements for the current save, as noted in EA’s console cheat guide.
So if you are working toward achievements, do not casually activate testing cheats in that save just because you suddenly want a little extra money.
Tip: Keep your normal progression save separate from your chaos-and-cheats save.
What testingcheats true Actually Unlocks
It is easy to think of testingcheats true as the Sims 4 cheat code, but that is not quite how it works.
Think of it as opening access to a wider set of testing and gameplay commands.
Once it is enabled, you can use commands for things such as money, skills, careers, needs, relationships, and Build/Buy mode.
The exact cheat you use depends on what you are trying to accomplish.
Give Your Household More Money
Money is probably the first thing many players think about when they hear Sims 4 cheats.
For a quick cash injection, use:
motherlode
This adds 50,000 Simoleons.
You can also use:
kaching
or:
rosebud
Both add 1,000 Simoleons.
There is also:
money [number]
which lets you set the household’s funds to a specific amount.
For example:
money 100000
sets the household’s money to 100,000 Simoleons, as documented in EA’s cheat guide.
When a Money Cheat Makes Sense
A Sims 4 money cheat is not only for creating absurdly wealthy Sims.
It can also be useful for storytelling.
Perhaps your Sim has inherited a house but you want the household finances to reflect that story. Perhaps you downloaded a beautiful Gallery build that is too expensive for the current household. Or perhaps you are testing a build and need enough money to actually place the objects you want.
The game does not require every playthrough to follow the same rules.
Raise a Sim’s Skill
Skill cheats are another major reason players search for Sims 4 cheat codes.
The general format is:
stats.set_skill_level [skill] [level]
For example:
stats.set_skill_level major_videogaming 7
sets the Video Gaming skill to level 7. EA’s current Video Gaming guide documents this format.
The final number represents the level you want your Sim to reach.
EA uses the same basic structure for other skills, although the skill identifier changes.
Skill cheats can be useful when you have already played through the same progression several times and want to get back to the part of the story you actually care about.
For example, if your storyline is about a Sim becoming a professional chef, you might not want to spend another several evenings repeating the early skill levels before getting to the career story.
Tip: Check the exact skill identifier before entering the command. The structure is similar across skills, but the name itself changes.
Child Skill Cheats
The same idea also applies to child skills.
EA documents commands such as:
stats.set_skill_level skill_child_motor 2
for a child’s Motor skill.
The same structure can be adapted for other child skills such as Creativity, Mental, and Social by changing the skill identifier, as explained in EA’s child skills guide.
This can be especially useful when you are playing a family-focused save and do not want your story to spend hours waiting for a child Sim to reach a particular milestone.
Change a Career
Career cheats can be used to move a Sim up or down a career path.
For example:
careers.promote [career name]
can promote a Sim.
You can also use:
careers.demote [career name]
to move them down.
The exact career name needs to match the career command used by the game, so if a Sims 4 career cheat does not work, check the command and spelling carefully.
Career cheats are particularly useful for storytelling.
Maybe your Sim has finally earned the promotion you think they deserve but you do not want to wait through another round of workdays.
Or perhaps you are creating a family where one Sim is supposed to be successful while another is intentionally struggling.
Cheats let you set up that situation quickly.
Fill Your Sims’ Needs
Need management becomes especially useful once your household starts getting busy.
For example:
sims.fill_all_commodities
can fill the selected Sim’s needs.
There is also:
stats.fill_all_commodities_household
for the household.
This can save you from watching six Sims simultaneously complain about hunger, sleep, hygiene, and fun while you are trying to get one actual storyline moving.
It is particularly handy with large households, families with children and toddlers, or gameplay where you are concentrating on one Sim and do not want to micromanage everyone else.
Tip: Think of Sims 4 needs cheats as a time-saving tool. They are useful when your story is the interesting part and routine need management is getting in the way.
Build and Buy Cheats
Cheats become especially useful when you are building.
One of the most popular is:
bb.moveobjects
This gives you much more freedom when placing objects.
You can also use:
bb.showhiddenobjects
to reveal hidden objects and:
bb.enablefreebuild
to enable building in certain restricted areas.
These are often called Sims 4 build cheats or Build/Buy cheats.
If you have ever tried to place a sofa exactly where you want it, only to have the game insist that it is apparently three pixels too close to something else, you already understand why builders love these commands.
Tip: bb.moveobjects is powerful, but use some common sense when combining objects. A build can look perfect in Build Mode and become difficult to use once your Sims actually start walking around it.
When Cheats Don’t Work
The most frustrating part of using Sims 4 cheat codes is typing what looks like the correct command and getting absolutely nothing.
Before blaming the game, work through these checks one by one.
1. Make Sure the Cheat Console Is Actually Open
If the console never appeared, the command was never entered.
Use the platform shortcut from the table earlier in this guide and try again.
On a controller, make sure you are pressing all four buttons together.
On PC or Mac, make sure you are using the correct keyboard combination for your operating system.
2. Enable Testing Cheats First
Try:
testingcheats true
Then enter the command you actually want.
Some cheats require testing cheats to be enabled before they will work. EA’s current skill-cheat instructions follow this sequence.
If you skip this step, a command can look perfectly correct and still fail.
3. Check the Spelling
Sims 4 cheat codes are not normal English sentences.
A missing underscore, incorrect skill identifier, or incorrect career name can make a command fail.
For example, this:
stats.set_skill_level major_videogaming 7
is different from simply typing:
videogaming 7
Use the complete command structure.
When copying commands from another page, also watch for accidental spaces or punctuation.
4. Check Whether the Cheat Needs a Number or Name
Some cheats need additional information.
For example:
money 100000
needs a number.
A skill cheat needs a skill identifier and a level.
A career command needs the appropriate career name.
If a command expects a particular value and you leave it out, the game may not know what you want it to do.
5. Check Mods After Game Updates
If you use Sims 4 mods or custom content, temporarily testing without them can help identify whether a mod is interfering with cheat behavior.
This is especially worth checking after a major game update.
Mods can be extremely useful, but they also add another layer of variables when something suddenly stops behaving as expected.
If a cheat worked yesterday and stopped working immediately after an update, check whether the game itself, a mod, or custom content has changed.
A Useful 2026 Save and Performance Note
The Sims 4 also continues to receive performance and stability improvements.
In July 2026, EA introduced Memory Boost across all platforms, along with AutoSave and Save Reminders. EA says Memory Boost improves memory management and can reduce lag, loading times, and memory-related crashes, with the biggest improvements potentially noticeable during longer sessions, with large households, highly decorated lots, and older saves. You can read the details in EA’s Memory Boost update.
An August 2026 patch also updated the Save Reminder default to Every 2 Hours and improved visual feedback around AutoSave when leaving Build Mode or traveling.
These features do not change how you enter Sims 4 cheats, but they are useful to know if you are playing with a huge legacy save or a lot that has accumulated years of Sims-related nonsense.
If your household contains eight Sims, a house packed with objects, dozens of relationships, and enough clutter to make Build Mode look like a storage warehouse, keeping your save protected becomes even more important.
One Thing Console Players Should Know Before Cheating
If you play The Sims 4 on PlayStation or Xbox, this is the warning worth remembering.
Using cheats that require testingcheats disables Achievements and Trophies for the current save, as explained in EA’s console cheat guide.
It does not mean every save on your account suddenly loses achievements.
This is why separating saves can be useful.
Imagine you have one save where you are carefully completing achievements and another where you want to turn a broke Sim into a millionaire before lunchtime.
Keep them separate.
A simple approach is:
- Save your achievement-focused game.
- Create a separate save.
- Enable cheats there.
- Experiment as much as you want.
- Return to your clean save whenever you want to continue achievement-focused gameplay.
It is much easier than realizing later that your carefully planned achievement run has been affected.
Tip: If you are unsure whether you will want achievements from a particular save later, play it safe and keep a clean version before enabling testing cheats.
Turning Cheats Off Again
If you want to stop using testing cheats, open the Sims 4 cheat console again and enter:
testingcheats false
Then submit the command.
This turns the testing-cheat functionality off.
You can close the cheat console afterward using the same shortcut you used to open it.
There is an important detail here, especially for console players.
Turning cheats off does not restore Achievements or Trophies that were disabled for that save.
Once you have used the relevant testing cheats on a console save, simply typing testingcheats false does not turn that save back into an achievement-enabled save, as explained in EA’s console cheat guide.
That is another reason why saving before you start experimenting is such a good habit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use The Sims 4 cheats without mods?
Yes.
The standard cheats covered in this guide are built into The Sims 4 and do not require a mod or custom content.
That means you can use built-in money cheats, skill cheats, career cheats, needs cheats, and Build/Buy cheats without installing anything extra.
Will turning cheats off restore achievements?
No.
If you are playing on a console and a save has had Achievements or Trophies disabled by testing cheats, entering testingcheats false does not restore them for that save.
If achievements are important to your playthrough, keep a clean save before enabling testing cheats.
Why does a Sims 4 cheat require a skill name or number?
Some commands need extra information so the game knows exactly what you want to change.
A skill command, for example, needs both a skill identifier and a target level.
That is why:
stats.set_skill_level major_videogaming 7
contains more information than simply entering a skill name.
If the command requires a number, career name, skill identifier, or another value, leaving it out can cause the cheat to fail.
Can cheats affect my Sims 4 save?
Cheats can make significant changes to your household, Sims, careers, skills, money, needs, and builds.
That is not necessarily a problem—changing the game is exactly why many players use them—but it is worth saving first if you care about the current state of your household.
For console players, the bigger consideration is the effect of testing cheats on Achievements and Trophies.
Should I save before using Sims 4 cheats?
Yes, especially before experimenting with unfamiliar commands.
A backup save is useful if you change something and later decide you prefer the original version of your household or build.
It is particularly sensible for legacy saves, large households, heavily decorated lots, and long-running stories where you have invested a lot of time.
The Bottom Line
Learning how to turn on cheats in The Sims 4 is much easier than memorizing every cheat command.
The basic routine is:
- Open the cheat console.
- Enter
testingcheats true. - Enter the cheat you want to use.
- Submit the command and check the result.
The platform shortcuts are different, but you only need to remember the one for the device you actually play on.
From there, you can use Sims 4 cheats to add money, increase skills, change careers, manage needs, or make Build Mode considerably more flexible.
The most useful Sims 4 cheat codes depend on what you are actually trying to do.
Need money? Try motherlode.
Want to set a specific household balance? Use money [number].
Trying to skip another week of skill grinding? Use a skill cheat.
Need to move a Sim through their career faster? Use a career cheat.
Managing a household where everyone seems determined to become hungry at exactly the same time? Needs cheats can save you the headache.
Building your dream house and fighting the placement system? bb.moveobjects is your friend.
Just remember the big console warning: testing cheats can disable Achievements and Trophies on your current save.
The best way to use cheats is not necessarily to turn every Sim into a millionaire with level-10 skills. Sometimes the most useful cheat is the one that removes a boring obstacle so you can get back to the part of The Sims 4 you actually enjoy.
Want to build a mansion? Build it.
Want to rescue a struggling household? Rescue it.
Want to turn a normal family into complete chaos for no reason? That is also a perfectly respectable Sims afternoon.
Just save first.
Then make the mansion. Fix the needs. Promote the Sim. Build the ridiculous kitchen.
And, if necessary, give Bob Pancakes the life he somehow keeps avoiding.
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