Buy & Build Mode Hotkeys
| F1, F2, F3 | Live Mode (Normal Gameplay), Buy Mode, Build Mode |
| H | Switch to Hand tool, allowing you to grab objects |
| B | Brings up the Wall tool to build… Walls |
| Ctrl (Hold) | While using Wall tool, hold control to delete walls and rooms. |
| Shift (Hold) | While using Wall/Room tool, this will toggle between the two |
| E | Eyedropper. Copy an object quickly |
| K | Sledgehammer – allows you to click to destroy objects |
| R | Design Tool. Recolor Objects to create Color Schemes |
| + (Numpad) | After selecting an object, but before placing it, pressing + on the number pad will cycle through color options for that item, allowing you to find what looks right for that room. |
| G | Toggles Grid |
| Shift (Hold) | Hold while placing Buy/Build Mode object to place more of the same object without having to select it again |
| Del or Backspace | Delete Object |
| , | Rotate selected object left |
| . | Rotate selected object right |
| Hold Alt w/ Object | While holding an object, this allows you to position it anywhere as opposed to on the Grid |
| F5 toggle | This will let you position objects relative to the grid, but at 1/2 to 1/4 the usual distance. Good for precision. |
| Control + F | While laying floor. Do 1/4 of a Tile at a time (little triangle) for artsy Design |
| Hold Alt while Painting | Fills a straight Wall with the selected Wall Pattern |
| Hold Shift: Walls and Floors | Will fill an entire room with the selected Floor or Wall Pattern |
| [ | Make brush size smaller while painting terrain. Also cycles through square/circle brushes. |
| ] | Make brush size larger while painting terrain. Also cycles through square/circle brushes. |
| ; | Makes brush softer when painting terrain |
| ‘ | Makes brush harder when painting terrain |
| Ctrl | Hold while painting terrain to erase and change terrain to default. |
| Ctrl + Y | Redo |
| Ctrl + Z | Undo |
| Delete | Use while object is selected to delete/sell it |
| T | Switch to top-down view. You can press it again to go back to your previous view |
| L | Change lighting from Morning to Afternoon, Evening and Night to preview how things look. Does not change actual time. |
| U | Push, then click house to relocate the entire structure on the lot. It may be moved or rotated. |
THE SIMS 4 POSSESSED CHILD
Mastering Free Camera Mode for Virtual Filmmaking
Tapping Tab on your keyboard activates Free Camera Mode, vanishing all interface panels and granting unrestricted freedom for dramatic cinematography. Glide smoothly through rooms with W, A, S, and D, lower camera height with Q, and elevate with E. Holding Shift accelerates movement, while spinning the mouse wheel adjusts focal length for striking lookbook portraits.
Essential Build Mode Precision Shortcuts
For passionate builders, shortcuts unlock architectural precision. Holding Alt frees objects from rigid grid snapping, enabling smooth placement and 360-degree rotation. Pressing 9 and 0 adjusts object elevation in mid-air, while the bracket keys [ and ] resize items from miniatures to giant landmarks. Mastering these quick shortcuts saves immense time and elevates your building creations into professional showpieces.
Taking advantage of these camera controls and building shortcuts makes designing expansive family mansions and capturing authentic domestic screenshots an effortless, deeply rewarding creative endeavor for every passionate player.
From constructing cozy starter cottages to filming dramatic lookbook trailers, mastering these keyboard controls grants you absolute creative control over your virtual worlds.
