To enable cheats in The Sims 3, press Ctrl + Shift + C during play to open the cheat console, type a cheat and press Enter; on the 64-bit Mac version the shortcut is Cmd + Shift + C instead. For the deeper debug tools, type testingCheatsEnabled true, which unlocks Shift-click menus on Sims, the mailbox and the ground. This guide covers opening the console on each platform, what testing cheats add, the most useful codes and the fake cheats that never existed.
Cheats are part of the base game of The Sims 3, so they work whichever expansions you own.
Step 1: Open the Cheat Console
- Windows PC: press Ctrl + Shift + C.
- Mac, 64-bit version: press Cmd + Shift + C.
- Mac, older 32-bit version: press Ctrl + Shift + C.
The Mac split comes from community documentation, which traces it to the 64-bit release.
A text bar appears at the top of the screen. Type the cheat and press Enter. Press Esc to close it. The console also accepts pasted text with Ctrl + V, which saves retyping long codes.
EA’s help page on the 64-bit Mac version explains that it is the only version that runs on macOS Catalina and later, so most Mac players today are on it and need the Cmd shortcut.
If the console will not open on Windows: player reports say some keyboards need Ctrl + Shift + Windows key + C. Also check that the game window has focus and that no overlay or background app has claimed the Ctrl + Shift + C shortcut.
Step 2: Turn On Testing Cheats
Many useful tools are hidden behind testing cheats. Open the console and type:
testingCheatsEnabled true
Community documentation says the game also accepts on or 1 in place of true. Type testingCheatsEnabled false to turn it off. Some cheats, including buydebug and familyfunds, only work while testing cheats are on.
Type help in the console at any time to list the commands available in your game.
Step 3: Use the Shift-Click Menus
With testing cheats on, hold Shift and click things to get debug menus. Per community documentation:
- Any Sim: Trigger Age Transition, Add to active household, and Edit Sim in CAS. Our baby aging guide uses the first one.
- Your own mailbox: Make All Happy, Make Needs Static (and Make Needs Dynamic to undo it), Make Me Know Everyone, Force Visitor, Force NPC and Set Career, plus a Supernatural population control option for adding or removing occult Sims in town.
- The ground: Teleport Me Here, which moves your active Sim to that spot.
- Any object: a Delete option that removes even objects the game normally treats as undeletable.
You can also drag need bars and relationship bars up and down with the mouse while testing cheats are on, which is the quick way to fix a hungry or lonely Sim.
The Cheats Worth Knowing
| Cheat | What it does |
|---|---|
kaching |
Adds §1,000 to the active household |
motherlode |
Adds §50,000 |
familyfunds LastName amount |
Sets a household’s funds to that amount (needs testing cheats; use quotes for names with spaces) |
resetSim FirstName LastName |
Resets a stuck Sim and sends them home |
moveObjects on |
Removes placement limits in Build and Buy Mode |
buydebug |
Unlocks a hidden Buy Mode category of debug items (needs testing cheats) |
freeRealEstate |
Lets Sims move into any lot for free |
fullscreen off |
Switches to windowed mode |
For more, see our guides to cheating skills and resetting a Sim.
Be careful with moveObjects: community documentation warns it lets you delete things that normally cannot be deleted, including Sims, the mailbox and the trash can, and some of those are hard to get back.
Fake Cheats to Ignore
Community documentation notes that several cheats listed across the web, including shazaam, forcetwins and rosebud, never existed in The Sims 3. rosebud is from earlier and later games. If a cheat from a random site does nothing, check it against the help list. For twins, our twins guide covers the real methods.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the key to open cheats in The Sims 3? Ctrl + Shift + C on Windows and older Mac versions, and Cmd + Shift + C on the current 64-bit Mac version.
Do cheats need an expansion pack? No. The console and the core cheats are base game. Some cheats only matter with a specific pack, such as discoverAllUnchartedIslands for Island Paradise.
How do I turn testing cheats off? Open the console and type testingCheatsEnabled false.
Why does familyfunds not work? It requires testing cheats to be on first, and household names with a space need quotation marks.
Is rosebud a Sims 3 cheat? No. Use kaching for §1,000 or motherlode for §50,000.
All our Sims guides are listed on the Sims hub.