Why Isn’t My Baby Aging Up in The Sims 4? A Comprehensive Guide

So, you’re eagerly awaiting your Sim baby’s first steps, or maybe just a bit more interaction than the crib provides, but that little bundle of joy just isn’t aging up? Don’t fret, fellow Simmer! There are several reasons why your baby might be stuck in perpetual infancy. The most common culprits are:

• Aging is Disabled: This is the most frequent cause. Check your game settings! You might have accidentally turned off auto-aging for your played households or even the entire game.
• Game Bugs and Glitches: The Sims 4, like any complex game, can suffer from glitches. A bug might be preventing the aging process from triggering correctly.
• Mod Conflicts: If you’re using mods, one or more of them could be interfering with the game’s aging system.
• Incorrectly Triggering the Birthday: While babies don’t have traditional birthday parties, they do have a “birthday” event the game uses to trigger the age up. Sometimes, this event needs a little nudge.

Let’s dive deeper into each of these possibilities and explore solutions to get your Sim baby growing!

Identifying the Root Cause

Before resorting to drastic measures, it’s essential to diagnose the problem accurately. Here’s a systematic approach:

1. Check Your Game Settings

• Options Menu: In the game, go to Options -> Game Options -> Gameplay. Look for the “Auto Age (Played Sims)” and “Auto Age (Unplayed Sims)” settings. Ensure that “Played Sims” is set to “Normal” or “Long” (or “Short” if you prefer). If “Unplayed Sims” is disabled, this means NPCs will not age.
• Household Management: In Manage Worlds, select your household and click the “…” (More) button. Choose “Manage Household”. Look for the “Auto Age Played Sims” setting specific to that household and make sure it is enabled. Remember, turning off auto-aging globally doesn’t override individual household settings!

2. Rule Out Mod Conflicts

Mods are fantastic for customizing your Sims 4 experience, but they can sometimes cause unforeseen problems. To check for mod conflicts:

• Disable Custom Content: Exit the game and move your entire Mods folder to your desktop.
• Launch the Game: Start The Sims 4. This will run the game without any custom content.
• Check for Aging: Load your save and observe if your baby ages up now. If so, a mod was the culprit.
• Isolate the Problematic Mod: If the baby ages up, exit the game and reintroduce your mods in small batches. After each batch, launch the game and check for the issue. This process will help you identify the specific mod causing the problem. Once identified, remove or update the conflicting mod. The Games Learning Society website highlights the importance of understanding game mechanics, and troubleshooting mods falls into this category.

3. Manually Trigger the Aging Process

Sometimes, the game needs a gentle push. Here’s how to manually age up your baby:

• The Cake Method: This is the most reliable method.

  • Buy or bake a cake. Any type will do.
  • Click on the cake and select “Add Birthday Candles.”
  • Have an older Sim (parent or caregiver) pick up the baby.
  • Click on the cake again and select “Help Blow Out Candles.”
  • The baby will age up to a toddler!

• Sims 4 Cheats: Using cheats should be a last resort, but it can be a quick fix:

  • Open the cheat console: Press Ctrl + Shift + C.
  • Type testingcheats true and press Enter.
  • Type sims.aging off and press Enter.
  • Type sims.aging on and press Enter.
  • Type sims.age_up and press Enter.

  Note: Cheats are risky as they can have unintended consequences, and sometimes they do not work on babies.

4. Consider Game Bugs

If you’ve ruled out the above possibilities, a game bug might be the issue. Here’s what you can do:

• Update Your Game: Ensure you have the latest version of The Sims 4 and any expansion packs or game packs. Developers often release patches to fix bugs.
• Repair the Game: In Origin (or the EA App), right-click on The Sims 4 in your game library and select “Repair.” This will scan the game files for corruption and replace any damaged files.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How many days does it take for a baby to age up in Sims 4 without intervention?

Babies in The Sims 4 typically age up to toddlers after about three Sim days if aging is enabled. The game will usually provide a notification a day or so before the birthday is due.

2. Can I throw a birthday party for a baby in Sims 4?

No, you cannot throw a formal birthday party for babies in The Sims 4. However, you can use the cake method to celebrate and age them up.

3. What if my infant is stuck and not progressing through milestones?

Infant milestones are important for their development. Ensure you are actively interacting with the infant. Things like playing, feeding, and changing diapers help the infant progress through milestones. If your infant is still not progressing, make sure to disable mods to see if it’s an interference issue.

4. My Sims mobile baby isn’t aging up. What should I do?

Sims Mobile and Sims 4 are two different games. If your baby is not aging up in Sims Mobile, ensure you’ve met any required tasks or quests. If it still doesn’t age up, it might be a bug. Contact EA support or check the Sims Mobile forums for solutions.

5. Can turning off aging temporarily cause issues with the baby’s aging process later?

Potentially, yes. While turning off aging is a common tactic, it can sometimes lead to glitches where the game doesn’t properly track the baby’s age when you re-enable it. Try manually triggering the aging process after re-enabling aging.

6. What happens if I age up a baby prematurely using cheats?

Aging up a baby prematurely with cheats can cause glitches. The baby may not have learned necessary skills or received the proper memories. It’s generally not recommended.

7. Do different lifespan settings (Short, Normal, Long) affect how quickly a baby ages up?

Yes, the lifespan setting affects the length of all life stages, including the baby stage. A Short lifespan will result in the baby aging up sooner than on a Normal or Long lifespan.

8. Could my computer’s performance affect the aging process?

It’s unlikely, but a very slow or unstable computer could potentially cause delays or glitches in the game’s calculations. Ensure your computer meets the minimum system requirements for The Sims 4.

9. Is there a limit to how many Sims can live in a household? Could that affect aging?

The maximum number of Sims in a household is eight. While exceeding this limit through cheats might be possible, it can lead to unpredictable behavior, potentially including issues with aging.

10. Does the baby’s mood affect the aging process?

No, the baby’s mood does not directly affect the aging process. However, keeping the baby happy and well-cared for will make the overall gameplay experience more enjoyable.

11. I downloaded a Sim from the Gallery. Could that be causing the aging issue?

It’s possible. If the Sim was created with mods that you don’t have, or if the Sim’s data is corrupted, it could lead to issues. Try creating a new baby in your game and see if that baby ages up normally.

12. What if the “Help Blow Out Candles” option isn’t available?

Ensure that an older Sim (toddler or older) is present and has a good relationship with the baby. Sometimes, the relationship needs to be high enough for the interaction to appear. Also, make sure the baby is not already in the middle of another action.

13. Are there any specific milestones a baby must achieve before aging up?

No, there are no mandatory milestones that babies need to complete before aging up. The aging process is primarily time-based.

14. My baby has a weird name after aging up. Why?

This is a rare bug. Sometimes, the game glitches and assigns a random name to the Sim after aging up. You can fix this by using the “Change Sim” option in a mirror or dresser.

15. I’ve tried everything, and my baby still won’t age up! What now?

If you’ve exhausted all the above troubleshooting steps, your save file might be corrupted. As a last resort, you can try starting a new game. Also, be sure to report the bug to EA so they can work on a fix.

Remember, patience is key! The Sims 4 can be unpredictable, but with a little troubleshooting, you can usually resolve the issue and watch your Sim baby grow into a toddler. Remember to explore and learn about the game mechanics, just like the community at GamesLearningSociety.org.