The Best Sims 4 Hotkeys and Shortcuts – Complete Guide 2025
If you've ever watched an experienced player in The Sims 4, you've probably noticed how quickly and smoothly they move through the game. Their secret isn't superhuman reflexes: it's knowing the right keyboard shortcuts. Hotkeys are the tool that frees up your creativity from technical restraints. When controlling the game feels like second nature, you can focus on what really matters: crafting stories, building dream homes, and bringing your ideas to life.

Don't try to memorize everything at once. Start out with the basic combinations and add new ones as you go. Soon, you'll find the game is not only faster, but a lot more enjoyable.
Important! All keys and combinations listed are for an English keyboard layout.

General Keyboard Shortcuts
Switching Between Modes
The most important keys every player should know:
F1 – Switch to Live Mode
F2 – Switch to Buy Mode
F3 – Switch to Build Mode
F4 – Open the Gallery
F4 или Escape – Close the Gallery
Tip: Remember this sequence – F1-F2-F3 – as the cornerstone of the game. You'll spend most of your time switching between these very modes, and using hotkeys will save you a massive number of clicks.
Main Functions
Ctrl + Shift + C – open/close the cheat console
Escape – open/close the game menu
F5 – quick exit from the game
Alt + F4 – another way to quit the game (in Build Mode)
Ctrl + Z – undo the last action in Buy and Build Modes
Ctrl + Y – redo an action you just undid
Good to know: Ctrl + Z only works in Buy and Build Modes. It's an absolute lifesaver when you accidentally delete the wrong wall or place something where you didn't mean to. Make a habit of using it right after a mistake and you'll save yourself a lot of headaches.
Managing Floors and Walls
Page Up – go up to the next floor
Page Down – go down to the floor below
Home – bring the walls up
End – put the walls down
Note: You can manage floors and walls in both Live Mode and Buy/Build Modes.

Camera Controls
Why it's important to master the camera early
Good camera control isn't just a convenience – it's a must. Getting the right angle helps you plan interiors, keep tabs on your Sims, and snap great screenshots.
A/D or Left/Right Arrow Keys – move the camera left or right
W/S or Up/Down Arrow Keys – move the camera forward or back
Q/E – adjust the camera height
Shift + any way you move the camera – speed things up (handy for covering big lots or jumping between locations)
Hold the mouse wheel + move the mouse – smooth camera panning
Hold down the Left Mouse Button anywhere + move the mouse – move the camera
Right Mouse Button at the edge of the screen – nudge the camera toward the edge
Rotating and Zooming
< and > or . and , – rotate the camera
Z/X or +/- or mouse wheel scroll – zoom in and out (+ Shift to go faster)
Hold the Right Mouse Button + move the mouse – rotate the camera (+ Shift to go faster)
Ctrl + mouse wheel + move the mouse – rotate the camera by a small angle
Z/X or +/- or mouse wheel scroll – zoom in and out (+ Shift to go faster)
The Sims 3 Camera Controls
For anyone coming over from Sims 3 and missing those classic controls:
Ctrl + Shift + Tab – switch between Sims 4 and Sims 3 camera modes
Right Mouse Button + move the mouse – pan the camera in any direction
Ctrl + Right Mouse Button + move the mouse – rotate the camera by a small angle
Hold the mouse wheel + move the mouse – tilt the camera at different angles, including top-down
Tip: The Sims 3 camera gives you way more freedom when picking your angles, especially for building. Lots of seasoned builders actually prefer this mode.
First Person Camera Mode
This mode is a game-changer for:
— Taking atmospheric screenshots
— Checking out interiors in detail
— Fully immersive gameplay
— Recording videos right from your Sim's point of view
How to turn it on
Shift + Tab – enter first person mode
Escape or Shift + Tab – exit first person mode
First Person Controls
Mouse wheel or Z/X or +/- – zoom in and out
Move the mouse – pan the camera independently of where your Sim is looking
Ctrl – switch the camera to your Sim's actual line of sight
Hold Ctrl – smoother, more limited camera movement
Left Mouse Button – interact with objects and Sims
Right Mouse Button – move through doors and between floors
Shift – temporarily pause camera movement
Tab – hide the game interface for gorgeous shots
Left/Right Arrow Keys – switch between household members and pets

Build Mode
In Build Mode, hotkeys really show what they can do.
Main Tools
E – activate the Eyedropper tool (copying objects)
K – activate the Sledgehammer tool
R – activate the Design Tool (change colors or patterns)
B – open the Wall tool
H – activate the Select tool (regular cursor)
G – toggle the grid on and off
T – switch to top-down view
\ – quickly switch between build categories (exterior trims and landscaping)
Working with the Lot
L – change the time of day
U – move the house or building
Y – rotate or shift all buildings and landscaping on the lot
Planning tip: The U key lets you try out different house placements on your lot without losing your progress. Test out a few spots before you get into landscaping.
Working with Walls and Rooms
Shift + Left Mouse Button with the wall tool selected – create rectangular rooms
P – activate the customizable Room tool, lets you create rooms of any shape
Ctrl + click on a wall or on part of it – delete a wall
Ctrl + Shift + click – delete an entire room
Painting and Floor Coverings
Shift + Left Mouse Button – cover the whole room with the selected material (wall or floor)
Alt + Left Mouse Button – cover just one wall in the room, perfect for creating accent walls
< or > – rotate the direction of the floor pattern
Ctrl + F – make a quarter-tile or switch back to full-size tile
Working with Roofs
Roofs are the trickiest part of building, but hotkeys make the process a lot easier.
Alt + drag the arrow you need – change the size of the roof without changing its height
Shift + C – add extra sliders to the roof
Shift + drag the extra arrow – change the roof just on one side
Tip: Combine Alt for basic shaping and Shift + C for fine-tuning the eaves. This lets you create realistic and varied roofs.
Finishes and Decor
Shift + Left Mouse Button on a wall – place the same element (friezes, trims, foundations, borders, etc.) along a whole wall
Shift + Sledgehammer – remove all the same finishing along one wall
Stairs
Ctrl + placing the stairs – place a staircase to the floor below while staying on the current floor
Planning convenience: This feature is especially useful when working with basements or when you need to precisely plan the position of stairs from the floor above.
Landscaping
Ctrl + painting/erasing – quickly switch between paint and eraser modes
Ctrl + raise/lower – toggle between raising and lowering the terrain
Square brackets [ ] – increase or decrease brush size
Semicolon and apostrophe (; and ') – adjust the brush softness slider
Natural landscaping technique:
Start with a big brush ([) for general shapes
Switch to a small brush (]) for the finer details
Use different levels of softness (; and ') for smoother or sharper transitions
Buy Mode
Buy Mode isn't just about placing furniture, it's about creating a space that feels alive. Hotkeys help make any design idea come to life.
Placing Objects
F5 – toggle between 1/2 and 1/4 grid squares for precise placement
Alt – place objects off the grid to get that natural, "lived-in" look
Alt + move the mouse up/down/left/right – smoothly move wall objects
Adjusting Objects
Square brackets [ ] – make objects bigger or smaller
< and > or . and , – rotate objects
Right Mouse Button – rotate the object (only clockwise in Sims 4 camera)
Left Mouse Button + move the mouse – rotate objects in any direction (in Sims 3 camera)
Alt + rotate in Sims 3 camera – smoothly rotate an object at any angle for a more realistic interior
+ and - (if your keyboard has a Numpad) – scroll through object swatches before placing them on your lot
Object Management
Delete – remove the selected object
Backspace – send the selected object to the family inventory
Shift + placing an object – lets you place the same object again (a lifesaver for making furniture sets or repeating decorative elements)
Extra Features
When the Move Objects cheat (bb.moveobjects on) is turned on:
9 – raise objects
0 – lower objects
For advanced builders: These cheats open up the ability to place objects at different heights, create multi-level setups, and fake built-in furniture.

Hotkeys in Live Mode
Game Speed Controls
P 0 or ~ – pause
1 – normal speed
2 – fast speed
3 – ultra speed
Managing Sims
Left Mouse Click on a Sim's icon or Right Mouse Click on the Sim themselves – switch to any Sim
Right Mouse Click on a Sim's icon – lock the camera to that Sim
M – go to the world map (quick travel) with the selected Sim
Space (spacebar) – switch to the next household member
Enter or N – center the camera on the selected Sim (without locking on)
Shift + Enter – center on the lot (good if you've wandered too far)
Sim Panel
O – open the Needs tab
G – open the Aspirations tab
L – open the Skills tab
J – open the Career or School tab
R – open the Relationships tab
I – open the Inventory tab
Y – open the Simology tab (traits, likes, etc.)
U – open the Clubs tab
B – open the Business tab