Where to find the edit tools for your Sims

You can edit a Sim at two different points: before you start playing (in Create a Sim mode) or while the household is already in the game (using the mirror or dresser). The easiest route depends on whether you want to change them before they move in or after you've already played with them for a while.

To edit a Sim before starting a new game, click on the household in the main menu, then click "Manage Households" and select the household you want to change. Click the pencil icon next to the Sim's name. This opens Create a Sim mode with that Sim loaded, and you can change anything about them — appearance, clothes, traits, skills, everything.

To edit a Sim who is already living in your game world, have that Sim interact with a mirror or dresser in their home. Select "Change Appearance" from the menu. This opens a simpler version of Create a Sim that lets you change clothes, hairstyle, and makeup, but not deeper traits or skills. If you want to change those things mid-game, you'll need to use a cheat code or a mod.

Key Takeaways

  • You can edit Sims before they move in by opening Manage Households and clicking the pencil icon next to their name.
  • Once a Sim is in the game, a mirror or dresser lets you change their appearance, clothes, and hairstyle without stopping play.
  • Changing traits, skills, or other deep characteristics mid-game requires cheat codes or mods — the mirror method won't let you do that.
  • Create a Sim mode is the same tool whether you're building a Sim from scratch or editing an existing one, so the controls work the same way.

Changing appearance, clothes, and hairstyle

The appearance section is where you adjust your Sim's face, body shape, skin tone, and facial features. Click on the Sim's face in the preview window to open the detailed editor. You'll see sliders for things like jaw width, cheekbone height, and eye size. Drag each slider left or right to change that feature. The preview updates in real time, so you see the change as you make it.

Clothes are organized by category: everyday wear, formal, athletic, sleepwear, and party outfits. Click on each category tab to see what your Sim is currently wearing in that situation. Click on any piece of clothing to swap it out. You can mix and match tops, bottoms, shoes, and accessories however you want — there's no restriction on what goes together.

Hairstyle is its own section. Click on the hair icon to see all available styles. The game shows you the style on your Sim's head before you confirm it. Hair color is separate — once you've picked a style, you can click on the color swatch to choose a different shade or add highlights.

Editing traits and aspirations

Traits are personality characteristics that affect how your Sim behaves and what they want to do. You can pick up to three traits when you first create a Sim, or edit them before the household moves in. Click on the traits section in Create a Sim mode to see the full list. Each trait has a description that explains what it does — for example, "Gloomy" makes your Sim sad more often, while "Cheerful" makes them happy more often.

Aspirations are long-term goals your Sim works toward. Each aspiration has multiple stages, and completing them gives your Sim rewards and special interactions. You pick one aspiration when you create the Sim. If you want to change it later while playing, you can do that through the Sim's phone or computer — go to "Aspirations" and select a new one. Changing your aspiration mid-game doesn't erase your progress on the old one; it just switches which goal your Sim is actively working toward.

Adjusting skills and relationships

When you first create a Sim, you can give them starting skill points in things like cooking, fitness, or painting. In Create a Sim mode, find the skills section and drag the slider for each skill to the level you want (0 to 10). A Sim with cooking skill 5 will cook better meals and fail less often than a Sim with cooking skill 0.

Relationships are trickier to edit mid-game because the game doesn't give you a straightforward menu for it. The simplest way is to use cheat codes if you're comfortable with them, or to play through interactions naturally. If you're editing a Sim before they move in, you can't pre-set their relationships — those build only through gameplay once they're in the world.

Using cheats to edit mid-game

If you want to change traits, skills, or other characteristics after your Sim is already playing in the world, you'll need to enable cheats. Press Ctrl + Shift + C (on PC) or Cmd + Shift + C (on Mac) to open the cheat console. Type "testingcheats true" and press Enter. This unlocks cheat commands for your game session.

Once cheats are on, you can shift-click on your Sim to see a menu with edit options. One of those options is "Edit Sim" — click it to open Create a Sim mode with that Sim loaded, and you can change anything about them just as if you were editing them before they moved in. When you're done, close Create a Sim and your Sim will be back in the game world with all the changes applied.

Cheats turn off when you close the game, so you'll need to enable them again next time you play if you want to use them. Using cheats doesn't break your save file or cause problems — they're a built-in feature the game developers included for players who want more control.

Common mistakes when editing Sims

The most common mistake is not realizing that the mirror method (for mid-game editing) only changes appearance and clothes, not traits or skills. If you want to change a trait after your Sim is in the game, you have to use cheats — the mirror won't do it. This catches a lot of players because the mirror feels like it should be the full editor, but it's intentionally limited.

Another mistake is forgetting to save your changes. If you edit a Sim in Create a Sim mode before they move in, you need to click the checkmark or "Confirm" button to save those edits. If you just close the window without confirming, your changes disappear. The game will prompt you if you try to leave without saving, so pay attention to that warning.

A third mistake is not realizing that some customization options are locked behind game packs or expansion packs you don't own. If you see a clothing item or hairstyle grayed out, it means you don't have the pack that includes it. You can still edit your Sim with what you do have access to.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change a Sim's name after they move in?

Yes. Click on the Sim and select "Rename Sim" from the menu. You can change their first name, last name, or both. The change takes effect when ready in the game.

What happens to my Sim's relationships if I edit them mid-game?

Editing a Sim's appearance, traits, or skills doesn't erase their relationships with other Sims. The relationships stay the same because they're stored separately from the Sim's characteristics. If you want to change a relationship itself, you'll need to play through interactions or use a relationship cheat.

Can I copy one Sim's appearance to another Sim?

Not directly through the game menu, but you can save a Sim's appearance as a template. In Create a Sim mode, once you've designed a Sim the way you want, click "Save Sim" before they move in. Later, you can load that saved Sim and edit them further, or use them as the base for a new household member.

Do I need mods to edit Sims, or is it all built into the game?

All the basic editing tools are built in. You don't need mods to change appearance, clothes, traits, or skills. Mods exist if you want more detailed control or additional options beyond what the base game offers, but they're optional.

What's the difference between editing before and after a Sim moves in?

Before they move in, you have full access to Create a Sim and can change everything. After they move in, the mirror method only lets you change appearance and clothes. If you need to change traits or skills mid-game, you have to use cheats to re-open the full Create a Sim editor.