How to Edit Relationships in The Sims 4: Complete Guide to CAS, Cheats, and Customizing Bonds

How do you edit relationships in The Sims 4? Good news: you can change relationships using Create-a-Sim during household creation, or even edit bonds on-the-fly with handy cheats once you’re in your game. If you want to morph two strangers into siblings, turn housemates into spouses, or even fine-tune the “best friend” meter, The Sims 4 offers you solid tools—no mods required. Let’s walk through the essential methods and a few clever tricks to make your Sims’ social lives exactly what you want.

Creating and Editing Relationships in CAS: The Simpler Way

If you’re about to start a new household, editing relationships in Create-a-Sim (CAS) is the quickest, cheat-free way to lay out a family tree. Here’s how it works:

• Open Create-a-Sim and add multiple Sims to your household.
• In the lower-left corner, you’ll spot an icon resembling two people – click it to access the Household Relationships tool.
• Use the dropdown menus to label Sims as spouse, sibling, parent, child, roommate, etc.

The game factors in Sim ages and family structure, so a teen can’t become a spouse to a senior (which, let’s be honest, would make things weird fast). But otherwise, this approach sets up all the basic relationships you’ll need before ever loading into gameplay. It’s efficient. It’s drama-free. And it saves you hours of painstaking social interactions if you already have a family story in mind.

Modifying Relationships During Gameplay With Cheats

Ready for something a bit more powerful than the basic Sims relationship defaults? Once you’re deep into a Save file and want to shake things up, cheats are your golden ticket. With them, you can instantly zap relationships—up or down—as dramatically as you want.

How to Enable Cheats in The Sims 4

First, bring up the cheat console with the following:

• PC: Ctrl + Shift + C
• Mac: Command + Shift + C
• Console: All four shoulder buttons (L1+L2+R1+R2) together

Enter testingcheats true into the box that pops up to unlock advanced commands.

Using CAS Full Edit Mode for Relationship Changes

For the ultimate editing freedom, enter:

cas.fulleditmode

This code lets you re-enter Create-a-Sim with “full edit mode” turned on. Now, when you click on a Sim with Shift and choose Modify in CAS, you’re free to change almost everything—including relationships, family ties, age, and more.

Just be mindful: fiddling with family relationships can cascade through generations. For example, making two Sims siblings may tweak who appears as their parents or children in the household tree. Triple-check your connections before clicking “Save.”

Guide Video: Mastering CAS Relationship Editing

Leveling Up (or Down) With Direct Relationship Cheats

Looking to manipulate how much two Sims like, love, or hate each other—without pausing for dozens of social actions? Direct relationship cheats let you set friendship and romance values precisely, perfect for storytellers and legacy players alike.

How the Relationship Values Work

• Friendship and Romance values each run from -100 (mortal enemies/utter loathing) to +100 (inseparable besties/total soulmates).
• These values affect social titles—so you might see “Acquaintances,” “Best Friends,” “Soulmates,” or even “It’s Complicated” depending on the mix.

Relationship Cheat Code Formats

ModifyRelationship [Sim1FirstName] [Sim1LastName] [Sim2FirstName] [Sim2LastName] [amount] [relationshipType]

• LTR_Friendship_Main for friendship level
• LTR_Romance_Main for romantic relationship

Example: To make Bob Pancakes and Eliza Pancakes best friends, enter:

ModifyRelationship Bob Pancakes Eliza Pancakes 100 LTR_Friendship_Main

Want them to split up for good? Change 100 to -100 and swap LTR_Friendship_Main for LTR_Romance_Main.

For even more codes and variations (including cheats for pets and group introductions), check out the Sims Community’s Ultimate Guide to Relationship Cheats.

Comprehensive Relationship Cheat Explainer

Relationship Labels and the Meaning Behind the Numbers

Ever wonder what makes your Sims “Just Friends” vs. “Good Friends,” or why two flirty Sims are still labeled “Acquaintances”? The Sims 4 uses invisible numerical thresholds behind the scenes. Typically:

• -100 to -70: Despised
• -70 to -40: Disliked
• -40 to 40: Acquaintance
• 40 to 80: Friend/Good Friend
• 80 to 100: Best Friend

To make two Sims best friends forever, the friendship bar should be over 80, plus you must manually ask to become “Best Friends” in-game (via a special social interaction). With romance, a blend of the friend and romantic bars controls the “soulmate” or “awkward ex” status. The system gets surprisingly deep for digital people.

Learn more at TheGamer’s Complete Relationship Cheats Breakdown.

Taking It Further: Gender, Attraction, and Romantic Boundaries

These days, relationships in The Sims 4 aren’t just about who’s who on the family tree. New romantic boundaries let you decide whether Sims get jealous over flirting, kissing, and everything in between. Players can even set attraction preferences (who your Sim is drawn to), toggling romance and “woohoo” options however they see fit.

For those looking to design polyamorous households, open relationships, or unique setups, these features add a powerful layer of control. The settings are found in CAS or via Sim profiles in Live Mode.

Check out the official Gender, Romance & Attraction Guide from EA for tips.

FAQ: Sims 4 Relationship Editing Explained

Can I edit relationships between Sims after household creation?

Absolutely! While Create-a-Sim offers the easiest method for new household setup, once your Sims are in the world, relationship cheats work wonders. Use cas.fulleditmode then “Modify in CAS,” or the ModifyRelationship command to edit ties instantly. Just keep in mind, some changes (like spouses to siblings) may prompt the game to auto-adjust other family links.

What’s the quickest way to make two existing Sims siblings or spouses?

Enable full edit mode (cas.fulleditmode), Shift+Click a Sim, select “Modify in CAS,” and change their familial relationship using the household menu. This is far faster than befriending, moving in, and marrying them the traditional way!

Do I need mods to fully customize Sims relationships?

Nope! For most players, The Sims 4’s blend of CAS editing and cheat codes provides all the flexibility you’ll ever need to set up families, rivalries, or friendships. Mods can offer more nuanced options, but the vanilla game covers the basics (and then some).

Is it possible to edit relationships with pets?

Yes, if you have Cats & Dogs (or other pet packs installed). To increase or decrease a Sim’s bond with their pet, use the ModifyRelationship [SimName] [PetName] [amount] LTR_SimtoPet_Friendship_Main cheat. Want your Sim and their dog to be best buddies from the start? Just set the amount to 100 and you’re set.

How do “Romantic Boundaries” actually affect gameplay?

Romantic Boundaries dictate what actions Sims get jealous about. For example, you could allow flirting but not kissing, or permit everything for a totally open relationship. These toggles help you reflect a range of real-world dynamics—and avoid surprise slaps at a party!

Can I fix a broken or bugged relationship?

If two Sims suddenly appear as unrelated or you hit a bug, cheats can usually put things right. Jump into CAS with full edit mode, adjust as desired, or run the relevant ModifyRelationship command. For rare, stubborn issues, seeking help in The Sims 4 forums can connect you with solutions from experienced Simmers.

Design Your Perfect Sim Saga

Whether you’re aiming for family drama, star-crossed lovers, or a peaceful group of best buds, The Sims 4 puts relationship editing squarely in your hands. With a smart mix of in-game menus and powerful (but safe) cheats, you can sculpt social circles and stories however you like—making it the ultimate sandbox for digital life. So go ahead: craft the rivalries, romances, and unlikely friendships your Sims truly deserve, and watch your world evolve with every new connection.