The Sims 4 Keyboard Shortcuts & Controls: Complete List for PC and Mac (2026)
Whether you’re just starting out or deep into a multi-generational legacy save, knowing the right keyboard shortcuts in The Sims 4 makes every session faster, smoother, and more enjoyable.
The Sims 4 has 100+ keyboard shortcuts organized across five game modes Live Mode, Build Mode, Buy Mode, Create-a-Sim (CAS), and Camera Mode. The three most important shortcuts to learn first are F1 (switch to Live Mode), F3 (switch to Build Mode), and Ctrl + Shift + C (open the cheat console). On Mac, most shortcuts work identically, with Command replacing Ctrl in some cases.
The Sims 4 is a life simulation game developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts (EA). It has been free-to-play since October 2022 and is available on Windows PC, Mac, PlayStation 4/5, and Xbox. While console players use a controller, PC and Mac players have access to a full set of keyboard hotkeys and controls that dramatically speed up gameplay.
This guide covers every keyboard shortcut in The Sims 4 from basic Live Mode hotkeys to advanced Build Mode controls, CAS shortcuts, camera controls, Mac-specific keys, and laptop tips. A free printable PDF cheat sheet is available to download at the bottom of this page.
General Shortcuts (All Modes)
| Action | PC Shortcut | Mac Shortcut |
|---|---|---|
| Switch to Live Mode | F1 | F1 |
| Switch to Buy Mode | F2 | F2 |
| Switch to Build Mode | F3 | F3 |
| Open / Close the Gallery | F4 | F4 |
| Open / Close cheat console | Ctrl + Shift + C | Cmd + Shift + C |
| Open / Close main menu | Esc | Esc |
| Undo last action | Ctrl + Z | Cmd + Z |
| Redo last action | Ctrl + Y | Cmd + Y |
| Take a screenshot | C | C |
| Record video | V | V |
| Quick save | Not available natively | Not available natively |
| Toggle between Sims 4 and Sims 3 camera | Ctrl + Shift + Tab | Cmd + Shift + Tab |
| Go up one floor | Page Up | Fn + Up Arrow |
| Go down one floor | Page Down | Fn + Down Arrow |
| Walls up | Home | Fn + Left Arrow |
| Walls down | End | Fn + Right Arrow |
Live Mode Shortcuts
| Action | PC Shortcut | Mac Shortcut |
|---|---|---|
| Open main menu | Esc | Esc |
| Find / center on active Sim | Enter | Return |
| Select next Sim in household | Spacebar | Spacebar |
| Pause the game | P or 0 | P or 0 |
| Speed 1 normal speed | 1 | 1 |
| Speed 2 fast | 2 | 2 |
| Speed 3 fastest | 3 | 3 |
| Show Aspiration panel | G | G |
| Show Sim’s inventory | I | I |
| Show Career tab | J | J |
| Show Skills panel | L | L |
| Show Relationships panel | R | R |
| Show Simology (traits) | Y | Y |
| Show Sim’s needs / motives | O | O |
| Go to World Map | M | M |
| Open cheat console | Ctrl + Shift + C | Cmd + Shift + C |
| Switch to Buy Mode | F2 | F2 |
| Switch to Build Mode | F3 | F3 |
| Open Gallery | F4 | F4 |
Build Mode Shortcuts
Basic Tools
| Action | PC Shortcut | Mac Shortcut |
|---|---|---|
| Switch to Live Mode | F1 | F1 |
| Switch to Buy Mode | F2 | F2 |
| Switch to Build Mode | F3 | F3 |
| Hand tool | H | H |
| Wall tool | B | B |
| Eyedropper tool | E | E |
| Sledgehammer / delete tool | K | K |
| Design tool (recolor) | R | R |
| Toggle grid on / off | G | G |
| Switch to top-down view | T | T |
| Undo | Ctrl + Z | Cmd + Z |
| Redo | Ctrl + Y | Cmd + Y |
| Delete / sell selected object | Delete | Fn + Delete |
Working with Objects
| Action | PC Shortcut | Mac Shortcut |
|---|---|---|
| Rotate object left | , (comma) | , (comma) |
| Rotate object right | . (period) | . (period) |
| Freeform rotation (any angle) | Alt + Right Mouse Button drag | Option + Right Mouse Button drag |
| Place object off the grid | Alt (hold while placing) | Option (hold while placing) |
| Move wall-mounted object freely | Alt + Mouse drag | Option + Mouse drag |
| Resize object larger | ] (right bracket) | ] (right bracket) |
| Resize object smaller | [ (left bracket) | [ (left bracket) |
| Place same object again | Shift + click to place | Shift + click to place |
| Cycle through object swatches | + or − (Numpad) | + or − (Numpad) |
| Copy / clone selected object | Alt + drag object | Option + drag object |
| Move object to specific height (with bb.moveobjects) | 9 (raise) / 0 (lower) | 9 (raise) / 0 (lower) |
Working with Walls and Rooms
| Action | PC Shortcut | Mac Shortcut |
|---|---|---|
| Draw wall | Click + drag | Click + drag |
| Draw room (auto-close walls) | Click + drag from corner | Click + drag from corner |
| Delete wall segment | Sledgehammer (K) + click | Sledgehammer (K) + click |
| Move entire room | Click room center + drag | Click room center + drag |
Terrain and Landscaping
| Action | PC Shortcut | Mac Shortcut |
|---|---|---|
| Make terrain brush softer | ; (semicolon) | ; (semicolon) |
| Make terrain brush harder | ‘ (apostrophe) | ‘ (apostrophe) |
| Increase brush size | ] (right bracket) | ] (right bracket) |
| Decrease brush size | [ (left bracket) | [ (left bracket) |
Lighting
| Action | PC Shortcut | Mac Shortcut |
|---|---|---|
| Cycle lighting (morning / afternoon / evening / night) | L | L |
Toggle Grid Size
| Action | PC Shortcut | Mac Shortcut |
|---|---|---|
| Toggle between full and half grid | F5 | F5 |
Buy Mode Shortcuts
| Action | PC Shortcut | Mac Shortcut |
|---|---|---|
| Switch to Live Mode | F1 | F1 |
| Switch to Build Mode | F3 | F3 |
| Rotate object left | , (comma) | , (comma) |
| Rotate object right | . (period) | . (period) |
| Place object off the grid | Alt (hold while placing) | Option (hold while placing) |
| Freeform rotation | Alt + Right Mouse Button drag | Option + Right Mouse Button drag |
| Resize object larger | ] (right bracket) | ] (right bracket) |
| Resize object smaller | [ (left bracket) | [ (left bracket) |
| Place same object repeatedly | Shift + click to place | Shift + click to place |
| Cycle object swatches | + or − (Numpad) | + or − (Numpad) |
| Clone / copy object | Alt + drag | Option + drag |
| Delete / sell object | Delete | Fn + Delete |
| Undo | Ctrl + Z | Cmd + Z |
| Redo | Ctrl + Y | Cmd + Y |
| Move object to specific height (bb.moveobjects on) | 9 (raise) / 0 (lower) | 9 (raise) / 0 (lower) |
Create-a-Sim (CAS) Shortcuts
| Action | PC Shortcut | Mac Shortcut |
|---|---|---|
| Rotate Sim left | A or ← Left Arrow | A or ← Left Arrow |
| Rotate Sim right | D or → Right Arrow | D or → Right Arrow |
| Zoom in | Scroll wheel up | Scroll wheel up |
| Zoom out | Scroll wheel down | Scroll wheel down |
| Hide UI for clean screenshot | Tab | Tab |
| Take a CAS screenshot | C | C |
| Undo last customization | Ctrl + Z | Cmd + Z |
| Redo last customization | Ctrl + Y | Cmd + Y |
| Randomize one specific feature | Shift + click on feature | Shift + click on feature |
| Cycle clothing swatches | + or − (Numpad) | + or − (Numpad) |
| Resize body parts (click and drag) | Click + drag on body area | Click + drag on body area |
| Fine-tune body resize | Shift + drag on body area | Shift + drag on body area |
| Exit CAS without saving | Esc | Esc |
Camera Controls
Default Sims 4 Camera
| Action | PC Shortcut | Mac Shortcut |
|---|---|---|
| Move camera forward | W or ↑ Up Arrow | W or ↑ Up Arrow |
| Move camera back | S or ↓ Down Arrow | S or ↓ Down Arrow |
| Move camera left | A or ← Left Arrow | A or ← Left Arrow |
| Move camera right | D or → Right Arrow | D or → Right Arrow |
| Move camera faster | Shift + W / A / S / D | Shift + W / A / S / D |
| Zoom in | Z or scroll wheel up | Z or scroll wheel up |
| Zoom out | X or scroll wheel down | X or scroll wheel down |
| Zoom faster | Shift + scroll wheel | Shift + scroll wheel |
| Rotate camera | < or > (or , and .) | < or > (or , and .) |
| Rotate camera with mouse | Hold Right Mouse Button + drag | Hold Right Mouse Button + drag |
| Pan camera | Hold Middle Mouse Button + drag | Hold Middle Mouse Button + drag |
| Raise camera height | Q | Q |
| Lower camera height | E | E |
| Center camera on active Sim | Enter | Return |
| Center camera on current lot | Shift + Enter | Shift + Return |
| Go up one floor | Page Up | Fn + Up Arrow |
| Go down one floor | Page Down | Fn + Down Arrow |
| Walls up | Home | Fn + Left Arrow |
| Walls down | End | Fn + Right Arrow |
Sims 3 Camera Mode (Legacy)
| Action | PC Shortcut | Mac Shortcut |
|---|---|---|
| Toggle Sims 3 camera on / off | Ctrl + Shift + Tab | Cmd + Shift + Tab |
| Pan camera in any direction | Right Mouse Button + drag | Right Mouse Button + drag |
| Rotate camera by small angle | Ctrl + Right Mouse Button + drag | Cmd + Right Mouse Button + drag |
| Zoom in / out | Scroll wheel | Scroll wheel |
First-Person Camera Mode
| Action | PC Shortcut | Mac Shortcut |
|---|---|---|
| Enter / exit first-person camera | Shift + Tab | Shift + Tab |
| Look around in first-person | Move mouse | Move mouse |
| Move forward | W | W |
| Move backward | S | S |
| Move left | A | A |
| Move right | D | D |
| Zoom / scope in | Scroll wheel up | Scroll wheel up |
| Exit first-person mode | Esc or Shift + Tab | Esc or Shift + Tab |
Mac & MacBook Specific Notes
| Situation | PC Key | Mac Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Ctrl combinations | Ctrl + key | Cmd + key |
| Delete object | Delete | Fn + Delete (or Backspace) |
| Page Up (go up floor) | Page Up | Fn + Up Arrow |
| Page Down (go down floor) | Page Down | Fn + Down Arrow |
| Home (walls up) | Home | Fn + Left Arrow |
| End (walls down) | End | Fn + Right Arrow |
| Alt (off-grid placement) | Alt | Option |
| Right-click | Right Mouse Button | Two-finger click or Ctrl + click |
MacBook tip: If you’re on a MacBook without a dedicated Numpad, the + / − swatch cycling shortcuts won’t work by default. Use the in-game UI arrows to cycle swatches instead, or connect an external keyboard with a Numpad.
Cheat Console Shortcuts
| Action | PC Shortcut | Mac Shortcut |
|---|---|---|
| Open cheat console | Ctrl + Shift + C | Cmd + Shift + C |
| Close cheat console | Ctrl + Shift + C or Esc | Cmd + Shift + C or Esc |
Most Used Cheat Codes (entered after opening console)
| Cheat Code | What it does |
|---|---|
| testingcheats true | Enables all cheats run this first before any other cheat |
| motherlode | Adds §50,000 to household funds |
| kaching | Adds §1,000 to household funds |
| rosebud | Adds §1,000 (legacy cheat from The Sims 1) |
| bb.moveobjects | Allows placing objects anywhere, including overlapping |
| bb.showliveeditobjects | Unlocks all world decoration objects for placement |
| bb.enablefreebuild | Allows building on locked lots (hospitals, police stations) |
| death.toggle true/false | Turns Sim death on or off |
| resetsim [FirstName LastName] | Resets a stuck Sim to default state |
| cas.fulleditmode | Enables full CAS editing of existing Sims (including occult) |
| stats.set_skill_level Major_[SkillName] 10 | Maxes out a specific skill |
| careers.promote [CareerName] | Promotes Sim in their current career |
Important: Always type testingcheats true and press Enter before using any other cheat code. Without it, most cheats will not work.
Laptop Controls Note
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Page Up / Page Down missing | Use Fn + Up Arrow / Fn + Down Arrow |
| Home / End missing | Use Fn + Left Arrow / Fn + Right Arrow |
| No Numpad for swatch cycling | Use in-game UI arrows instead |
| Alt key for off-grid placement | Works the same on laptops |
| Right-click on trackpad | Two-finger tap, or enable right-click in trackpad settings |
Frequently Asked Questions – Sims 4 Keyboard Shortcuts
What is the shortcut to open the cheat console in Sims 4?
Press Ctrl + Shift + C on PC (Windows) to open the cheat console in The Sims 4. On Mac, press Cmd + Shift + C. Once the console is open, type testingcheats true and press Enter before entering any other cheat code. To close the console, press the same shortcut again or press Esc.
How do I switch between Sims in Sims 4 using the keyboard?
Press Spacebar to cycle through all Sims in your current household. Each press selects the next Sim in the household panel. To jump directly to a specific Sim, press Enter to center the camera on the currently selected Sim.
What are the most important Sims 4 keyboard shortcuts to learn first?
The five most important shortcuts for every player are:
- F1 – switch to Live Mode
- F2 – switch to Buy Mode
- F3 – switch to Build Mode
- Ctrl + Shift + C – open the cheat console
- Spacebar – cycle through household Sims
Mastering these five alone eliminates the majority of unnecessary mouse clicks during a typical play session.
How do I pause Sims 4 with the keyboard?
Press P or 0 (zero) to pause the game in The Sims 4. To control game speed, use 1 for normal speed, 2 for fast speed, and 3 for the fastest speed.
Are Sims 4 keyboard shortcuts the same on Mac?
Most Sims 4 keyboard shortcuts are identical on Mac. The main difference is that shortcuts using Ctrl on PC use Cmd (Command) on Mac for example, the cheat console opens with Cmd + Shift + C instead of Ctrl + Shift + C. Additionally, MacBook users without dedicated keys should note: Page Up becomes Fn + Up Arrow, Page Down becomes Fn + Down Arrow, Home becomes Fn + Left Arrow, and End becomes Fn + Right Arrow.
How do I place objects off the grid in Sims 4?
Hold Alt (PC) or Option (Mac) while placing an object to move it freely off the grid. This allows natural, non-snapping placement for a more realistic interior look. For even more placement freedom, first activate the bb.moveobjects cheat by opening the console with Ctrl + Shift + C, typing bb.moveobjects on, and pressing Enter this allows objects to overlap and be placed at different heights.
What is the shortcut to take a screenshot in Sims 4?
Press C to take a screenshot at any time during gameplay. Screenshots are automatically saved to Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 4/Screenshots on both PC and Mac. To record video, press V. In CAS (Create-a-Sim) mode, you can press Tab first to hide the UI, then press C for a clean Sim screenshot with no menus visible.
How do I switch camera modes in Sims 4?
Press Ctrl + Shift + Tab (PC) or Cmd + Shift + Tab (Mac) to toggle between the default Sims 4 camera and the legacy Sims 3 camera mode. The Sims 3 camera uses right-click drag to pan and offers a different rotation style that many longtime players prefer. To enter first-person camera mode, press Shift + Tab.
How do I use keyboard shortcuts on a laptop for Sims 4?
All standard Sims 4 keyboard shortcuts work on laptops. The key difference is that laptops without dedicated function keys require the Fn key for certain shortcuts for example, Fn + Up Arrow replaces Page Up (go up a floor), and Fn + Left Arrow replaces Home (walls up). For trackpad users, a two-finger tap replaces right-click for camera rotation and context menus.
What does bb.moveobjects do in Sims 4 and how do I activate it?
bb.moveobjects is a Build Mode cheat that removes placement restrictions for all objects in The Sims 4. With it enabled, you can overlap objects, place items at custom heights using 9 (raise) and 0 (lower), and create built-in furniture effects that are otherwise impossible. To activate it, open the cheat console with Ctrl + Shift + C, type testingcheats true and press Enter, then type bb.moveobjects on and press Enter. Type bb.moveobjects off to deactivate.
How do I rotate objects in Sims 4?
In Build Mode and Buy Mode, press , (comma) to rotate an object left and . (period) to rotate it right. Each press rotates the object 45 degrees. For freeform rotation at any angle, hold Alt (PC) or Option (Mac) and drag with the Right Mouse Button. This is especially useful for diagonal furniture placement.
Is there a shortcut to switch between Sims 4 game modes?
Yes. The Sims 4 uses function keys to switch between modes instantly: F1 for Live Mode, F2 for Buy Mode, F3 for Build Mode, and F4 to open or close The Gallery. These work from any mode and eliminate the need to use the mode-switching buttons in the bottom UI panel.
Download the Free Sims 4 Keyboard Shortcuts PDF Cheat Sheet
Everything on this page all 100+ shortcuts across Live Mode, Build Mode, Buy Mode, CAS, Camera Controls, Mac keys, and Cheat Console compiled into one clean, printable PDF.
⬇ Download the Free Sims 4 Shortcuts PDF Cheat Sheet
Works on PC (Windows) and Mac. Updated for 2026.
Final Thoughts
Learning The Sims 4 keyboard shortcuts is one of the fastest ways to level up your gameplay whether you’re just building your first house or managing a five-generation legacy family. You don’t need to memorize everything at once. Start with the five core shortcuts (F1, F2, F3, Spacebar, and Ctrl + Shift + C), then gradually add mode-specific hotkeys as you spend more time in Build Mode, CAS, or experimenting with cheats.
The difference between a player who clicks through every menu and one who uses hotkeys fluently is significant less friction means more creativity, more time actually playing, and fewer interruptions to your flow.
A few things worth bookmarking from this guide:
- Ctrl + Shift + Tab – switches you to the Sims 3 camera if you prefer that style
- Alt + place – off-grid placement that makes interiors look natural
- bb.moveobjects on – the single most powerful build cheat in the game
- Shift + Tab – drops you into first-person camera mode instantly
- Tab in CAS – hides the UI for clean Sim screenshots
If you found this guide useful, download the free PDF cheat sheet above it contains every shortcut from this page in a single printable reference card, formatted for both PC and Mac.
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