Official Controls and Hotkeys to make the most out of your Sims 1 and Sims 2 Experience!
EA and Maxis released an official Hotkeys and Shortcuts list for The Sims 1 and Sims 2 Rereleases, available January 31st, 2025 for Windows PCs.
To refresh the memory, there's now an offiicial controls guide for using your Keyboard and Mouse to play The Sims 1 and The Sims 2. You can find out all the ways to navigate Live Mode, Build Mode, Buy Mode and Character Creation as you go through your gameplay.
Official Sims 1 and Sims 2 Controls
The Sims 1 Hotkeys and Shortcuts
General controls
Alt + Enter
Cycle Screen Resolution Scaling
Esc
Cancel
Ctrl + Shift + C
Toggle cheats window on/off
F1
Live Mode
F2
Build Mode
F3
Buy Mode
F4
Enter camera mode (snapshot)
Enter or Space
Accept dialog
Y/N
Select Yes or No option in dialog
Ctrl + S
Save game
Q
Quit
Alt + F4
Save quit
Ctrl + C
Copy text fields
Ctrl + X
Cut text fields
Ctrl + V
Paste text fields
Ctrl + Z
Undo text fields
Ctrl + Y
Redo text fields
House controls
Page Up/Page Down
Next/previous floor
Home/End
Next/previous wall mode
Tab
Switch floors
Camera movements
+/- or mouse scroll wheel
Zoom in/out
</> or Shift + Arrow keys
Rotate left/right
Right-click and/or drag or Alt + mouse or ↑ / ← / ↓ / →
Move camera
Build/Buy Mode controls
F2 or double left-click Buy Mode button
Toggle sorting objects by type or room
</> or left-click and drag
Rotate objects
Delete
Delete object
Hold Shift + left-click
Place multiple of the same object continually (Buy Mode only)
Z/X
Scroll between pages in catalog
Wall/fence tool: Shift + drag
Create a room/fenced area
Wallpaper/flooring tool: Shift
Fill room with wallpaper/flooring
Left-click and/or drag
Place walls, fences, floor tiles, wallpaper and pools. Drag to place multiple.
Ctrl + left-click and/or drag
Remove walls, fences, flooring, wallpaper, and pools. Drag to remove area.
Terrain tool: Ctrl + left-click
Create or remove curved hills (terrain)
Terrain tool: Shift and or Ctrl + left-click
Inverts direction of tool, can also invert creation of curved hills (terrain)
Grass tool: Ctrl + left-click
Remove grass
Live Mode controls
F1 or double left-click Live Mode button
Hide/show main panel
Left-click Sim or object then left-click or right-click
Select and perform interaction
Left-click + drag + release
Click and drag to select interaction, then release
Left-click another Sim
Select interactions done by active Sim to other Sims
Space or N
Switch to next Sim in Household
Left click Sim portrait or right-click Sim
Switch to (specific) Sim
Right click Sim portrait
Lock camera to Sim
Enter or left-click active Sim portrait
Center camera on active Sim
Ctrl + left-click Sim portrait
Edit Sim biography
P or ~
Pause game
1 /2/3
Regular/fast/ultra speed
Camera mode
F4
Enter Camera Mode (snapshot)
Ctrl + ↑ / ← / ↓ / →
Adjust snapshot area
Drag mouse
Select area to snapshot
Left-click mouse
Take snapshot
Misc shortcuts
A
Toggle anti-aliasing
T
Show framerate in-game
S
Toggle shadows
V
Display build version of the game
F5
Access settings/options in-game
F7
SimsWebCam/Stalker camera (removed in later expansions)
The Sims 2 Hotkeys and Shortcuts
General controls
Alt + Enter
Cycle Screen Resolution Scaling
Ctrl + Z
Undo
Ctrl + Y
Redo
Esc
Cancel
Ctrl + Shift + C
Toggle cheat window on/off
F10
Hide/Show UI (User Interface)
F1
Live Mode
F2
Buy Mode
F3
Build Mode
F4
Story Mode
F5
Options panel
Q
Quit
Alt + F4
Save quit
Ctrl + C
Copy text fields
Ctrl + X
Cut text fields
Ctrl + V
Paste text fields
Ctrl + Z
Undo text fields
Ctrl + Y
Redo text fields
Create a Sim controls
< / > or left-mouse-click+ drag Sim
Rotate Sim
Z / X or + / - or scroll-mouse-wheel
Zoom in/out
Build/Buy Mode controls
< / > or right-clickmouse + drag
Rotate object
Delete
Delete object
Shift + left-clickmouse
Continue placing object
[ / ]
Move object up or down wall
M
Move/shuffle object on shelves
< / > or right-clickmouse + drag
Rotate object
Delete
Delete object
Left-clickmouse + or drag
Use tools, drag to affect area
Ctrl + left-clickor drag mouse
Remove walls etc, drag to remove area
H
Hand
E
Eyedropper
J
Sledgehammer
R
Design tools
Wall tool: Shift + drag mouse
Create room
Wallpaper/flooring tool: Shift + drag mouse
Fill room with wallpaper/flooring
Floor tool: < / >
Rotate floor tile
Ctrl + F
Toggle full/quarter tile mode
Wall tool: Shift + drag mouse
Create room
L
Toggle Day/Night
G
45-degree view
T
Top-down View
Terrain tool: Shift
Invert tool
Grass tool: Ctrl + left-click mouse
Remove grass
Movie Making Mode controls
Tab
Enable movie making mode
V
Start/end video capture
B
Pause/resume video capture
Q
Lower camera height
E
Raise camera height
Z / X or + / -
Adjust focal length
C
Take a snapshot
Live Mode controls
F1 or left-clickmouse on Live Mode button
Hide/show main panels
Right-clickmouse after selection
Cancel interaction
Left-clickmouse + drag and or release
Click and or drag to select interaction, then release
Left-clickmouse active Sim
Select interactions to perform to active Sim
Left-clickmouse another Sim
Select interactions done by active Sim to other Sims
Select interaction menu: Tab
Navigate between dialog pages (pie menu pages)
Space or N
Switch to next Sim in Household
Left clickmouse on Sim portrait or right-click mouse on Sim
Switch to (specific) Sim
Right clickmouse on Sim portrait
Lock camera to Sim
Enter
Center camera on active Sim
P or ~ or Pause Break
Pause game
1 /2/3
Regular/fast/ultra speed
Page Up/Page Down
Next/previous floor
Home/End
Next/previous wall mode
Right clickmouse and/or drag or Alt +mouse
Move
↑ / ← / ↓ / → W / A / S / D
Move left/right/forward/back
Shift + ↑ / ← / ↓ / →
Move faster
Z/X or + / - or scroll mouse wheel
Zoom in/out
Ctrl + right-clickmouse or middle-clickmouse) + drag
Anybody remember how to turn lots on the main map screen in Sims 2? I tried using the button marked “rotate lot” but it doesn’t seem to do anything and I don’t recall if you were supposed to hold down a key or something?
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1 Comment
Anybody remember how to turn lots on the main map screen in Sims 2? I tried using the button marked “rotate lot” but it doesn’t seem to do anything and I don’t recall if you were supposed to hold down a key or something?
Welcome to Sims Community!
Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas in a safe space.
In order to do so, we've created a simple set of rules that will improve your experience. Simply put, keep it civil.
Your post will/might be rejected if it contains:
User accounts will/might be blocked if we notice:
So, how can you be a power user?
Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please note that we're aware of certain issues with Sign In / Log In and Create Account / Email Confirmation issues. We're working behind-the-scenes on a new Account Creation process. Thank you for your patience and remember - freedom of speech is not freedom of reach