You've probably been there. You spend three hours meticulously crafting a Sim in The Sims 4, only to realize three days into gameplay that their walk style is obnoxious or their chin looks weirdly sharp in the sunlight. It's frustrating. Normally, the game locks you out of the heavy-duty physical changes once you leave the initial setup screen. You're stuck with "Change Sim" at a dresser, which only lets you swap clothes or makeup. It's a limitation that feels unnecessary, especially when you're trying to tell a specific story. That’s exactly where create a sim cheats come into play to save your sanity.
Honestly, the most famous one isn't even technically a "cheat" in the sense of breaking the game; it’s more like a developer tool that Maxis left the door open for. We’re talking about the full edit mode.
The Foundation: Opening the Console
Before you can do anything, you have to talk to the game. You do this through the cheat console. On a PC or Mac, you’re hitting Ctrl + Shift + C. If you're on a console like PS5 or Xbox Series X, you’ve got to hold down all four shoulder buttons at once. A little white box pops up in the top left corner. This is your gateway.
Now, listen. Most people think they can just type the cheat and go. Nope. You have to enable the "cheats enabled" state first. Type testingcheats true and hit enter. You should see a message saying cheats are enabled. If you don't see that, something went wrong, probably a typo. The game is picky about spelling but not necessarily about capitalization.
Once that's active, you’re ready for the big one: cas.fulleditmode.
Type it exactly like that. No spaces between "full" and "edit." Hit enter. It’ll look like nothing happened. The box stays there, and your Sim just keeps idling. But the magic has already happened in the game's code. Now, when you Shift-Click (PC) or press A+B/X+O (Console) on a Sim and select "Modify in CAS," you aren't just changing their shirt. You have the power of a digital god again. You can change their traits, their body shape, their age, and even those weirdly specific facial structures that the game usually locks down.
Why create a sim cheats are a total game changer for storytelling
Legacy players know the struggle. You have a Sim who is supposed to be a rugged outdoorsman, but the game's genetics engine decided he should have the skinniest arms imaginable. Or maybe your Sim's "Evil" trait just isn't working for the "Redemption Arc" you have planned. Without these cheats, you're basically stuck with a character who doesn't fit the narrative.
There's a lot of nuance here that people miss. For example, did you know that using the full edit mode to change a Sim's age can sometimes glitch out their career progress if you aren't careful? It's a known quirk. If you turn an Elder back into a Young Adult, the game sometimes gets confused about their retirement status. It’s usually fine, but it’s one of those things seasoned players like Carl from Carl's Sims 4 Guide have pointed out over the years.
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Hidden CAS Unlocks You Probably Missed
It isn't just about changing noses and weights. There's a whole world of hidden clothing items. Usually, these are locked behind career levels. You want that cool astronaut suit but don't want to spend twenty hours climbing the career ladder?
- Open the console.
- Type
testingcheats true. - Type
bb.ignoregameplayunlocksentitlement.
This specific string tells the game to stop gatekeeping the outfits. When you go back into Create a Sim, you’ll see all those career rewards sitting there, ready to be worn. It’s perfect for setting up a scene or a specific character archetype without the grind.
Another one that people sleep on is the "Hidden Objects" cheat, though it's more for Build/Buy, it influences CAS through the items your Sims can interact with. But staying strictly on the topic of create a sim cheats, we have to talk about the "Free Real Estate" of the Sim's body: the occult states.
If you have packs like Vampires or Realm of Magic, sometimes you want to turn a regular Sim into an occult without the whole "getting bitten" or "doing a ritual" drama. While there isn't a single CAS-button cheat to "Make Vampire," using the full edit mode allows you to add the occult "Dark Form" or "Manic Form" more easily once the base state is triggered via other cheats like traits.equip_trait trait_OccultVampire.
The Console Struggle: It's a Different Beast
Playing on a console is... well, it's a choice. I love the big screen, but typing these strings with a controller is a nightmare.
Quick tip: if you're on Xbox or PlayStation, consider plugging in a cheap USB keyboard. It works. It saves you ten minutes of scrolling through an on-screen alphabet. Also, be aware that on consoles, enabling testingcheats true will permanently disable Trophies or Achievements for that specific save file.
PC players don't have this problem. We get to cheat and still get the accolades. Life isn't fair.
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Common Mistakes and Troubleshooting
Why didn't it work?
Usually, it’s because the player typed cas.fulleditmode after they already entered the CAS screen.
That won't work. You have to be in the "Live" world, looking at your Sim walking around, when you type the cheat. Only then do you click on the dresser or the Sim to enter the editing screen. If you're already looking at the outfits and realize you forgot the cheat, you have to exit back to the world, type it, and come back in. It’s a bit of a loop, but that’s how the game’s engine loads the UI permissions.
Beyond the Basics: CAS Modding
If you're on PC, "cheats" often evolve into "mods."
While not a cheat code you type into a box, the MC Command Center (MCCC) by Deaderpool is basically the ultimate version of create a sim cheats. It automates the cas.fulleditmode command so it's always on. You never have to type it again. It also allows for "Copy/Paste" of Sim appearances. If you see a randomly generated NPC that has a great face but a terrible outfit, you can literally copy their facial structure and paste it onto your main Sim.
It’s powerful. It’s also a little dangerous if you don't know what you're doing, as it can bloat your save file if you're constantly running scripts in the background. But for the serious storyteller, it's indispensable.
Navigating the Ethics of Sim Editing
Is it "cheating"?
In a single-player sandbox game, the word "cheat" is almost a misnomer. You're just customizing your experience. The developers at Maxis have even leaned into this over the years, often sharing these codes themselves on social media. They know that the "perfect" Sim is a moving target.
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Sometimes, you realize midway through a "Rags to Riches" challenge that your Sim's traits are making the game literally unplayable because they're "Squeamish" and you're living in a shack with bugs. Using create a sim cheats to swap that trait for "Loves Outdoors" isn't cheating; it's a course correction for your own enjoyment.
Practical Steps for Your Next Session
If you're ready to overhaul your household, here is the most efficient workflow to ensure the cheats actually stick without crashing your game:
- Save your game first. Always. Serious CAS editing can sometimes hang the loading screen, especially if you have a lot of Custom Content (CC).
- Trigger the console and enter
testingcheats true. - Enter
cas.fulleditmodeimmediately after. - Shift-Click your Sim and select "Modify in CAS."
- Check the Age and Traits. These are the indicators that the cheat worked. If the age sliders (Toddler, Child, Teen, etc.) are clickable, you’re in. If they are greyed out, the cheat didn't take.
- Do your edits and save the Sim.
- Exit back to Live Mode and save the game again.
If you find that your Sim's appearance resets after you save, it's usually because of a conflict with an outdated mod or a "Read-Only" save file error. This is rare but happens after major game updates. Always check that your game version matches the current patch notes from EA.
One final thing: don't forget the pets. If you have the Cats & Dogs expansion, these cheats work on them too. You can finally fix that weird tail glitch or change a stray's breed entirely once you've adopted them. It uses the exact same command.
To make the most of your gameplay, try keeping a notepad file on your second monitor or a sticky note on your desk with the specific strings you use most. cas.fulleditmode is the big one, but combining it with motherlode (for the 50,000 Simoleons to afford the new look) or traits.remove_trait [traitname] gives you total control over the biological and psychological makeup of your digital people.
Stop settling for the Sims the game gives you. Open that console, type the codes, and actually build the characters you want to play with. The tools are there; you just have to use them.