To rotate an object in The Sims 3, pick it up in Buy Mode or Build Mode and press the comma key to turn it one way or the period key to turn it the other, or hold the left mouse button on it and drag toward the direction you want it to face. Each step is 45 degrees, so diagonals work out of the box. Hold Alt while rotating to turn the object freely to any angle. This guide covers all three methods, the Mac equivalent, the cheats that remove placement limits, and fixes for objects that refuse to turn.
Keyboard: Comma and Period
Enter Buy Mode or Build Mode, click an object in the catalog or one already on the lot, and while it is attached to the cursor press:
- Comma ( , ) to rotate it one step counterclockwise
- Period ( . ) to rotate it one step clockwise
These are the keys printed with < and > on a US keyboard, which is why older guides call them the angle-bracket keys. Each press turns the object 45 degrees, giving eight orientations. That is a change from The Sims 2, where diagonals needed a cheat (see our Sims 2 rotation guide). Left-click to set the object down once it faces the right way.
Mouse: Click, Hold and Drag
Left-click and hold on the object, then move the mouse in the direction you want its front to face and let go. The object snaps to the nearest 45-degree position. This is the quickest way to spin a single piece of furniture already on the lot; the keys are quicker when you are placing a row of chairs and want them all turned the same way.
Free Rotation With Alt
Hold Alt while rotating with the mouse and the object turns smoothly through 360 degrees instead of snapping. The community wiki documents this as a built-in feature rather than a cheat, and notes it also works when rotating a custom lot you are placing. Builders use it for curved seating, rocks in a circle, or a bed set at an angle in an irregular room. Player guides add that holding Alt also lets you drop objects off the usual grid positions.
On a Mac, the Alt key is the Option key, and player guides say holding Option does the same job.
Objects placed at odd angles can still be used, but Sims need room to route to them. A fridge or bed rotated into a corner may become unusable, so test each one before finishing the room.
Cheats That Help With Placement
Open the console with Ctrl + Shift + C on Windows (our cheats guide covers the console in detail) and try these. The syntax comes from the community wiki’s cheat list:
moveObjects onremoves the footprint check, so objects can overlap walls, other objects and each other. Turn it off withmoveObjects off. The community wiki warns that this cheat accepts only on/off or true/false, not 1 or 0, and that while it is on you can delete things the game normally protects, including Sims and the mailbox. Be careful with the hand tool.disableSnappingToSlotsOnAlt onstopped objects snapping into slots (on tables and shelves) while Alt was held. Per the community wiki, a later patch made this behavior standard, so you should not need it on a fully patched game.constrainFloorElevation falselets you reshape terrain under objects, useful when a rotated piece sits on a slope.allowObjectsOnRoofs onlets you place objects on roofs, which pairs well with free rotation for decorations. Our holiday lights guide shows another use for rooftop placement.
These are all base-game cheats, so they work whether you bought The Sims 3 on Steam, through the EA App, or on disc.
When an Object Will Not Rotate
- Something is blocking the new footprint. A wall, window or neighboring object stops the turn. Move it, or use
moveObjects on. - It is not a Buy Mode object. Walls, floors and terrain paint have no facing, so the rotation keys do nothing.
- A Sim is using it. Objects in use cannot always be picked up;
moveObjects onremoves that limit too. - You are in Live Mode. Rotation happens in Buy Mode and Build Mode. If the game blocks switching modes (during a fire, for example), the community wiki lists
AlwaysAllowBuildBuy on, which needs testing cheats, to allow it at any time.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many degrees does each key press rotate an object in The Sims 3? 45 degrees, so you get eight standard directions. Hold Alt for any angle in between.
Can I rotate objects freely without mods? Yes. Holding Alt while rotating with the mouse is a built-in feature, no mod or cheat needed.
Does Alt rotation work on Mac? Player guides say the Option key does the same thing on a Mac keyboard.
Can I rotate a whole lot or saved house? Per the community wiki, the Alt free-rotation trick also applies to a saved lot while you are placing it, so it is not limited to single objects.
Is rotation the same in The Sims 4? Close, but not identical. See our Sims 4 rotation guide. Every other guide for the series is on the Sims hub.