Your teen Sim wants to go out at night, but there is no “Sneak Out” button anywhere. That is because sneaking out in The Sims 4 needs the High school Years expansion pack, and it only works after your teen has accepted an invitation to go out. Once they have said yes, click the ground or an openable window, such as the EZ Exit Window from High School Years, and choose to sneak out instead of asking a parent. If nobody catches your teen, they leave the lot for a few hours and come home with a Confident moodlet. If they get caught, they are told off and have to stay home.
Sneaking out at a glance
| Pack needed | The Sims 4: High School Years (expansion pack) |
| Who can do it | Teen Sims in your active household |
| What starts it | An invitation from another teen, or “Ask about College Parties…” on the phone |
| When invites come | From 6 PM, until 9 PM or 10 PM depending on the event |
| How to leave | Click the ground or an openable window, like the EZ Exit Window |
| Time away | About 2.5 to 4.5 hours (a sleepover lasts 14 to 15 hours) |
| Success | Stealth Master moodlet (Confident, 4 hours) |
| Caught | Caught in the Act moodlet (Embarrassed, 4 hours), and the teen cannot leave |
What you need before your teen can sneak out
Sneaking out is not in the base game. It came back to the series with High School Years, which also added the EZ Exit Window to Build mode. The Parenthood game pack does not add sneaking out. It adds curfews, which is a related but separate system (more on that below). If you are unsure which packs you own or what each one adds, our full list of Sims 4 packs has every pack in one place.
Your Sim also has to be a teen. Children, young adults, adults and elders do not get invitations to sneak out.
Most important of all, your teen needs a reason to leave. There is no free “sneak out” action you can use any time. The option only appears after your teen has accepted an invitation to an event.
How to sneak out in The Sims 4, step by step
- Get an invitation. From 6 PM, another teen may call and ask your Sim to hang out. You can also open the phone’s social menu, call another Sim and choose Ask about College Parties…. They either say there is no party tonight or invite your teen along. You can only ask once per night, per teen.
- Accept with OK. The game then tells you your teen needs to find a way there. They can ask for permission, or try to leave and hope no one catches them.
- Decide: ask or sneak. If you ask a parent or grandparent and they say yes, your teen simply leaves with no risk. If they say no, or you skip asking, your teen has to sneak out.
- Pick an exit. Click the ground, or click the EZ Exit Window if you have placed one, and choose to sneak out.
- Hope for the best. There is a chance your teen gets caught on the way out. If not, they leave the lot and the event plays out off screen.
- Come back home. Your teen returns a few hours later. They can also be caught sneaking back in, so the risk is not over until they are inside.
How to set up the EZ Exit Window
The EZ Exit Window is a High School Years window that Sims can open and climb through. Find it in Build mode with the other windows. The key rule is that it must sit next to a walkable spot. Outside the window there has to be somewhere your Sim can land, like a patio or a floor platform. If there is no walkable ground on the other side, the game does not treat the window as an exit.
You do not have to use the window at all. Clicking the ground works just as well for sneaking out. The window is mostly there for the look and the story of a teen climbing out of their bedroom at night. The Quick Tips channel shows the window setup in this short video:
Which events your teen can sneak out to
| Event | Days | Calls come | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| College Party | Thursday to Sunday | 6 PM to 10 PM | 3.5 to 4.5 hours |
| Hanging Out with Friends | Every day | 6 PM to 9 PM | 2.5 to 3.5 hours |
| Loitering | Every day | 6 PM to 9 PM | 2.5 to 3.5 hours |
| Pop Concert | Friday to Sunday | 6 PM to 10 PM | 3.5 to 4.5 hours |
| Rated R Movie | Every day | 6 PM to 9 PM | 2.5 to 3.5 hours |
| School Game | Friday to Sunday | 6 PM to 9 PM | 2.5 to 3.5 hours |
| Sleepover | Every day, but only with no school the next day | Different from the others | 14 to 15 hours |
Your teen only gets an invitation if they have no other plans for the time they would be away.
What happens if your teen gets caught
If your teen is caught leaving, they are reprimanded and cannot go. They get the Caught in the Act moodlet (Embarrassed, 4 hours). They can also be caught on the way back in, so a clean exit is not a guarantee.
If your teen gets out and back unseen, they earn Stealth Master (Confident, 4 hours). On top of that, every event ends with its own moodlet, whether your teen had permission or not. A good night can bring moodlets like Good Times (Happy) or Fitting In (Confident). A bad one can end with Peer Pressure (Tense), Kicked Out (Embarrassed) or Up Late (Uncomfortable).
The night also affects your teen’s bond with the friend who invited them. A good event gives a medium relationship boost, and a bad one costs a medium amount. Your teen may also pick up a short sentiment with that friend, such as Lasting Memories or Trusting on the good side, or Lame Adventures on the bad side.
Sneaking out and curfew (Parenthood)
Curfew comes from The Sims 4: Parenthood, not High School Years. With Parenthood, parents set a curfew on the bulletin board: 7 PM, 9 PM or 11 PM. It lasts until 6 AM, and adults can also remove it, but not while it is in effect. The clock on the board turns yellow, orange and then red as curfew gets closer and passes.
About 20 minutes before curfew, a child or teen who is away from home gets a text from a caregiver telling them to come back. Breaking curfew slowly lowers the Sim’s Responsibility character value. If they are caught, the parent can choose if, when and how to confront them. There are no police in The Sims 4 who bring Sims home, unlike in The Sims 3.
Tips for a smoother sneak out
- Ask first if you want zero risk. If a parent says yes, your teen goes with no chance of being caught, and still gets the event moodlet.
- Keep the evening free. Invitations only come when your teen has no plans during the event time.
- Weekends bring more options. The College Party, Pop Concert and School Game only show up on certain days, mostly Friday to Sunday.
- Save sleepovers for nights before a day off. Teens only get sleepover invitations when there is no school the next day.
- Use it for the Live Fast aspiration. The first milestone of this High School Years teen aspiration, Trouble Maker, includes “Sneak Out to a Party”.
Sneak out option not showing? Try this
- No invitation yet. This is the most common cause. The option to sneak out only appears after your teen has accepted an invitation. Wait for a call after 6 PM, or use “Ask about College Parties…” on the phone.
- Wrong age. Only teens can sneak out.
- Pack missing or disabled. Check that High School Years is installed and turned on in your game.
- Window has no landing spot. The EZ Exit Window must be next to walkable ground, like a patio or platform. Or just click the ground instead.
- The call went to another teen. If the call goes to one teen in your household, only that teen can attend. The Sims Wiki lists this as a likely bug.
Frequently asked questions
Which pack do I need to sneak out in The Sims 4?
High School Years. Parenthood adds curfews, but not sneaking out. The base game has neither.
Do I need the EZ Exit Window to sneak out?
No. After your teen accepts an invitation, clicking the ground also gives the option to sneak out. The window is an extra way out, as long as there is walkable ground next to it.
Can children or adults sneak out?
No. Sneaking out is a teen feature. Curfew from Parenthood applies to both children and teens, though.
Can I follow my teen when they sneak out?
No. The events are rabbit holes, so your teen leaves the lot and the night happens off screen. They come back with a moodlet that tells you how it went.
What happens if my teen gets caught sneaking out?
They are reprimanded, cannot leave, and get the Caught in the Act moodlet (Embarrassed, 4 hours). They can also be caught when they come back home.
Does sneaking out count for an aspiration?
Yes. The Live Fast teen aspiration from High School Years has “Sneak Out to a Party” in its first milestone, Trouble Maker.
