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Can I Stop Aging in Sims 4? A Comprehensive Guide

The short answer is a resounding YES! You absolutely can stop aging in The Sims 4. Whether you want to eternally preserve your perfectly crafted Sim family, focus on building skills without the pressure of time, or just create a world where no one ever gets old, The Sims 4 offers several ways to control the aging process. This guide will walk you through the various methods, providing everything you need to create the immortal Sim universe of your dreams.

Understanding Aging in The Sims 4

Before diving into the “how,” let’s briefly understand “why” and the different aging settings available. The Sims 4 offers three lifespan options:

Short: Sims age quickly, making for fast-paced gameplay.
Normal: The default setting, providing a balanced lifespan.
Long: Sims live significantly longer, allowing more time to achieve aspirations and build relationships.

Regardless of the chosen lifespan, Sims progress through distinct life stages: Baby, Infant, Toddler, Child, Teen, Young Adult, Adult, and Elder. Each stage brings unique opportunities and challenges. Aging can add a sense of realism and urgency to the game, but sometimes, you just want to slow things down (or stop them altogether!).

Methods to Stop Aging in The Sims 4

1. Using Game Options

This is the easiest and most straightforward method to disable aging. It’s available on all platforms (PC, Mac, PlayStation, and Xbox). Here’s how:

Open the Options Menu: Click the three dots ( “…”) located in the top-right corner of the screen while in live mode.
Select Game Options: This opens the settings menu.
Navigate to Gameplay: Click on the “Gameplay” tab.
Find “Auto Age (Played Sims)”: This setting controls aging for Sims in households you actively play.
Set to “No”: Changing this option to “No” will completely disable aging for your active Sims.
(Optional) Set “Auto Age (Unplayed Sims)” to “No”: If you want to stop the entire world from aging, including your neighbor’s families, set this option to “No” as well. This will freeze the age of all Sims in the game except when you are playing them in their household.
Apply changes: This can be confirmed or applied automatically to change the setting.

With these settings in place, your Sims will remain eternally youthful, unless you choose to manually age them up.

2. Using Cheats

For those who prefer a more direct approach, cheats provide another way to control aging. Keep in mind that using cheats may disable achievements/trophies.

Open the Cheat Console: Press Ctrl + Shift + C (on PC/Mac) or all four shoulder buttons simultaneously (on consoles) to open the cheat console.
Enable Testing Cheats: Type testingcheats true into the console and press Enter. This enables advanced cheat functionalities.
Enter CAS Full Edit Mode: Type cas.fulleditmode into the console and press Enter. This allows you to fully edit Sims in Create-A-Sim (CAS), including their age.
Edit in CAS: Now, you can shift-click on a Sim in live mode and select “Edit in CAS”.
Change Age: In CAS, you can manually change the Sim’s age to any life stage you desire, effectively resetting or manipulating their aging.

While this method doesn’t permanently disable aging, it allows you to quickly adjust a Sim’s age whenever needed. Also in CAS, you can manipulate their lifespan which will have the same effect.

3. Using Potions (Reward Store)

The Sims 4 offers in-game potions that can influence aging. These potions are purchased with Satisfaction Points, earned by completing aspirations and whims.

Potion of Youth: This potion, costing 1,500 Satisfaction Points, resets a Sim’s current life stage back to the beginning. For example, an adult Sim will revert to the beginning of adulthood. This can be useful for extending a Sim’s lifespan but doesn’t stop aging entirely.
Age-Away Serum: This potion is awarded after completing the bodybuilder aspiration. This prevents a sim from dying of old age.

4. Using Mods

For PC players, mods provide the most flexible and customizable options for controlling aging. Numerous mods are available that can completely disable aging, slow it down, or introduce new aging mechanics. Be sure to download any mods from reputable sources to ensure they are compatible with your game.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can I stop aging for just one Sim?

While the game options primarily control aging for entire households, you can use cheats or potions to manage the aging of individual Sims. The “Potion of Youth” and the “Age-Away Serum” are two prime examples, or you can use cheats by shift clicking on a sim and choosing the “Edit in CAS” option. Additionally, Mods are a good source.

2. Will unplayed Sims age if I stop aging for played Sims?

Yes, by default, unplayed Sims will continue to age. To stop aging for all Sims in the game, you must set both “Auto Age (Played Sims)” and “Auto Age (Unplayed Sims)” to “No” in the gameplay options.

3. How do I manually age up a Sim after stopping aging?

If you’ve disabled automatic aging, you can age up a Sim in several ways:

Birthday Cake: Purchase a birthday cake, add candles, and have the Sim blow out the candles. This will trigger the age transition.
Manage Worlds: Select manage worlds and then hover over the household. There will be an option to make them have a birthday.
Cheats: Use the testingcheats true and cas.fulleditmode cheats to edit the Sim in CAS and manually change their age.

4. Does freezing aging affect pregnancy?

No. Pregnancy will still progress normally, and the baby will be born regardless of whether aging is enabled. However, the baby will remain a baby indefinitely until you manually age them up.

5. Can I reverse aging in The Sims 4?

Yes, you can reverse aging using the “Potion of Youth” or by using cheats to manually adjust a Sim’s age in CAS.

6. Do pets age in The Sims 4?

Yes, pets also age. To stop pets from aging, you need to download the No Aging Mod, and then you can prevent them from aging. This is found in the mod store online.

7. What happens if a Sim reaches the end of their lifespan with aging disabled?

If a Sim reaches the end of their natural lifespan while aging is disabled, they simply won’t age up to the next stage (or die). They will remain in their current life stage indefinitely.

8. Are there any traits that affect aging?

Yes, the “Long-Lived” trait (purchased with Satisfaction Points) extends a Sim’s lifespan. Additionally, some aspiration rewards can influence lifespan or prevent death from old age.

9. How do I know if aging is turned off?

Check the Gameplay options to confirm that “Auto Age (Played Sims)” is set to “No.” If aging is disabled, you’ll notice that the aging bars for your Sims remain static, and they won’t receive birthday notifications.

10. Does the lifespan setting (Short, Normal, Long) affect Sims who are already in the game?

Yes, changing the lifespan setting will affect all Sims in your current save file, even those who are already partway through their lifespan.

11. What are the risks of using mods to control aging?

The primary risks are compatibility issues and potential game instability. Always ensure that mods are up-to-date and compatible with the latest version of The Sims 4. Download mods only from trusted sources.

12. Can I use aging cheats in The Sims 4 on consoles (PS4, PS5, Xbox)?

Yes, the cheat console and basic cheats like testingcheats true are available on consoles. However, modding is typically not possible on console versions of the game.

13. What are the benefits of turning off aging in The Sims 4?

The benefits include:

Greater Control: You have complete control over when your Sims age, allowing you to focus on specific storylines or challenges without the pressure of time.
Storytelling Flexibility: You can create more complex and extended narratives.
Skill Building: More time to max out skills and complete aspirations.
Relationship Development: The ability to deepen relationships without Sims dying of old age.

14. Are there any drawbacks to turning off aging?

Some players find that disabling aging can make the game feel less dynamic and realistic. The sense of urgency and progression may be diminished. It’s a matter of personal preference.

15. Does stopping aging affect the game’s storyline in any way?

No. stopping aging just stops the sims from growing old naturally. This will allow you to pursue any storyline that you want at your own pace and at your own choosing.

In conclusion, controlling aging in The Sims 4 is entirely possible and offers a wide range of options to suit your playstyle. Whether you prefer to use game options, cheats, potions, or mods, you can create a Sim world where time stands still (or moves at your preferred pace). Have fun experimenting and crafting your perfect Sim universe! There are many great resources out there for those interested in gaming and how it ties into learning. A great resource is the Games Learning Society, which you can find at GamesLearningSociety.org.

Can I stop aging in Sims 4?