To ask a Sim to move in in The Sims 4, make sure the two Sims are at least Friends, then click the other Sim and choose Ask to Move In from the Friendly social category. A move-in screen opens where you pick which Sims move, whose home they move into, and how many Simoleons come with them. If you would rather skip the social, you can add any Sim through Manage Households instead.
Both routes are base game, so they work the same on PC, Mac, PlayStation and Xbox. Below we cover the social step by step, the household size limit, what happens to money and the old house, and the Manage Households shortcut. The interaction details are documented by the Sims community rather than in an EA help article, so where they differ we say so.
Step-by-Step: Ask to Move In
- Build the friendship. Community documentation says the option appears once the two Sims are Friends or better on the friendship bar. Our relationship cheats can skip the wait.
- Click the other Sim and open the Friendly category. Community documentation names the social Ask to Move In; some guides call it Ask to Join Household, so look for either.
- Arrange the move. The move-in screen shows both households side by side. Select a Sim’s portrait and click the arrow to move them across.
- Transfer money if you want to. Type an amount in the middle panel and click the arrow to send Simoleons from one household to the other. Funds do not move automatically.
- Confirm with the check mark.
If you are moving in with a new spouse, it is often easiest to do it right after the wedding; our marriage guide covers getting there.
The Eight Sim Limit and Other Rules
- Eight Sims per household is the cap, and community reports confirm the same limit on console. Players report that cats and dogs count toward it, so a family of six with two dogs is already full.
- Children follow their parents. If every teen, young adult, adult and elder leaves a household, any babies, toddlers and children in it have to move too.
- Families can merge fully. Move everyone across and the old household is emptied. Community tutorials describe the game offering to sell the old household’s furniture into the merged household’s funds.
If a big family is pushing the limit, plan births carefully; our guide to twins and triplets explains how multiples happen, so you are not caught out by a surprise baby at seven Sims.
The Shortcut: Manage Households
You do not need a social at all. From the Manage Worlds screen, open Manage Households, select a household and use the two-arrow transfer button, which community guides describe as Transfer Sims between Households. It opens the same side-by-side screen, and it works for any Sims in the world, whatever their relationship. This is also the fix when the social does not appear, and it is the same tool you use to move a Sim out again later, which our guide on kicking a Sim out of your household covers.
Tips Most Players Miss
- Check bills before merging. A bigger household in a bigger house means bigger bills; our money guide has the fastest ways to cover them.
- Move the richer Sim in with their money. Since funds are not transferred automatically, forgetting the middle panel can leave a wealthy Sim’s savings behind in an empty household.
- Save before a big merge. Moving several Sims at once is hard to undo by hand, and a manual save gives you a clean way back.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Ask to Move In missing? Community documentation says the Sims need to be at least Friends, and the household must have room under the eight Sim cap. Use Manage Households if you want to skip the requirement.
Can I move into the other Sim’s house instead? Yes. On the move-in screen you choose which household the Sims join, so your Sim can move to them.
Does the money come with the Sim? Only if you transfer it on the move-in screen. Type the amount and click the arrow.
Can I move a Sim in from Create a Sim? The Manage Households screen is the reliable tool for reshuffling existing Sims between families, and it works whatever their relationship.
Is there a cheat to go past eight Sims? Not officially. Community reports say only mods raise the limit on PC and Mac. More Sims 4 help lives on our Sims guides hub.