How to Force Age Up Your Sims in The Sims 4

As an avid Sims gamer and content creator, I‘ve helped countless players master the art of controlling their Sims‘ aging process. While Sims age through life stages naturally, you can use cheats or birthday cakes to force age transitions at any time.

Step-By-Step Guide to Using Cheats to Age Up

The most direct way to take control of aging is via cheats. Here is precisely how to enable them:

1. Access the cheat console by pressing Ctrl + Shift + C on your keyboard.
2. Type in testingcheats true and press enter to activate cheats.
3. Enter cas.fulleditmode and press enter again – this unlocks more options.
4. Hold shift and click directly on the Sim you want to age up.
5. Select "Modify in CAS" from the pop-up menu.

Entering Create-a-Sim (CAS) using this method allows you to freely edit your Sims details and life stages without restrictions. Once in CAS:

1. Click on the arrow near the age meter.
2. Select the exact age you want, from baby to elder!

Using cheats is hands-down the fastest way to age up Sims. You have pinpoint control to set any age. The cas.fulleditmode cheat is the key that makes this possible.

Why Use CAS for Age Cheats

Without accessing CAS, age cheats only allow gradual one-step aging up which takes forever! cas.fulleditmode disables all limits and safeguards that prevent instantly changing life stages outside of birthdays.

After you exit CAS, your Sim will load into the game transformed into their new age!

Holding Birthday Parties for Other Sims

A more legitimate option is holding birthday events. The steps include:

1. Invite the other Sim you want to rapidly age over to your lot.
2. Have one of your Sims bake a birthday cake and add candles.
3. When the invited Sim goes to blow out the candles, choose the "Age Up" interaction.

I‘ve used this technique many times over the years to age up specific townies and NPCs that my Sim has befriended.

While the cheats method is faster, birthday parties allow you to gather friends to celebrate aging up! It feels more meaningful when other Sims witness and react – just like real life.

Who Can You Age Up With Birthdays?

Here are the limitations around aging up Sims with cakes:

• Babies and toddlers need an adult helper for the blowing candles interaction.
• Ghosts are stuck in their age forever and can‘t transition until resurrected.
• Homeless Sims aren‘t officially invited to events so won‘t autonomously age up.

Comparison of Sim Lifespans Across Ages

*Using default game settings

As you can see, elders have the widest variation in lifespan. Customizing aging options appropriately lets them live nearly as long as adults!

Troubleshooting Force Aging Up

While force aging your Sims is easy with the steps outlined, here are solutions to some sticky scenarios I‘ve encountered:

Issue: Cheats don‘t work!
Fix: Ensure testingcheats is activated in the exact format given. Also, try resetting your game if they suddenly stop functioning.

Issue: Can‘t shift-click on Sims to modify in CAS.
Fix: Enter cas.fulleditmode first before attempting shift-clicks. Also ensure you are not in Build/Buy mode.

Issue: Babies and toddlers won‘t age up with cake.
Fix: Assign an adult Sim to help them blow out the candles. Use the "Have [Sim] Age Up" option.

Issue: Homeless Sims don‘t react to birthday cakes for aging.
Fix: Invite them to live in your household first before attempting birthday aging.

I hope these comprehensive details on precisely how to force aging transitions empowers you to enjoy total control over your Sims‘ life stages! Let me know if you need any other tips. Happy Simming!