The Sims 4: Must-Have User Interface Mods

Summary

• The Sims 4 UI mods enhance gameplay with features like searchable saves and custom gameplay suggestions.
• Better BuildBuy: Organized Debug lets players easily find items in Build/Buy mode.
• Dark Mode UI transforms The Sims 4 interface for a more comfortable gaming experience.

The Sims 4 got off to a rocky start. Many fans lamented the loss of beloved features and the underwhelming nature of new ones. It took many years of content patches, updates, DLCs, and expansion packs for the game to finally be as rich in content as its predecessors, and fans can only hope that the launch of The Sims 5 doesn’t repeat the same mistakes.

Given how long The Sims 4 has been out, it’s only natural that dedicated Simmers have worked on their mods to augment, improve, and enhance everything in the game. The UI of The Sims 4 is clean and functions well enough, but some modders have improved the UI in their own way. These range from purely cosmetic additions to all-out overhauls that change how players interact with the UI.

Updated February 2, 2025, by Rhenn Taguiam: As additional expansions reveal more opportunities for players to enrich the life (and afterlife) of their Sims, franchise fans might be eagerly awaiting as to what other things the expansion has to offer to improve their experience. However, fans who want to enhance their The Sims 4 experience even further may be interested in adding User Interface Mods to make the game more accessible to them. Some must-haves include a more dynamic Save Menu, being able to gather tips when players feel stuck in their gameplay, a more efficient take on the Build/Buy menu, and better social interactions.

Downloads: 3,855

Players can have multiple instances of their The Sims 4 playthroughs saved throughout their client, which is neat as this allows players to switch between their games as they see fit. However, the Smarter Save Menu: Searchable Saves will give players a better approach to their saving and loading system.

Whereas the classic Save/Load Menu will just have players scroll through oblivion to find a specific instance based on memory, the Smarter Save Menu: Searchable Saves lets players use a search bar to navigate their playthroughs. They can use the top-left search bar to write a save name or a household name, making it much faster for players to go back to a specific save or jump from one household to the next.

12

Custom Gameplay Suggestions System

Downloads: 5,136

Strategy games are often popular for having loading screens with some tips and tricks, but in a game like The Sims 4, it’s reasonable to think that loading screens are too fast, so players might not even get to read the advice. Others feel that the advice itself is too sparse for such a vast game. Thanks to Custom Gameplay Suggestions System, players can get a nifty set of suggestions and even instructions for whenever they get stuck. On top of all this, players don’t necessarily need a loading screen for the tips to load.

When activated, players can now click a Sim, get Actions, and select “Get a Gameplay Suggestion” to receive a context-infused suggestion. This takes into account the situation prior to the Action, and even the Sim’s overall background. Alternatively, players can “Get Suggestion From Specific Set,” where they can select a situation that gives a more specific set of advice. Players can even contribute their own sets of suggestions and instructions using this website.

11

Better BuildBuy: Organized Debug

Downloads: 1,207,956

The Build and Buy Mode are two of the best features in any Sims title, especially in The Sims 4 where expansions, content packs, and mods can give players a whole host of furniture and other decorations. Unfortunately for players, the rather convoluted setup of the default Build/Buy interface can make it difficult for them to look for specific items. They might miss out on a nifty tool or furnishing because they haven’t been able to see it properly. This is where Better BuildBuy: Organized Debug comes in.

The mod offers a straightforward premise: make the Build and Buy Modes more accessible. When viewing the interface, players now have various filters to refine their search processes, including ways of expanding the catalog as well as showing or hiding items from various installable content. There’s even a way to use different lighting and cinematic cameras to check how items appear in various conditions.

10

Sociable Sims

Downloads: 173,762

In most interactions in any The Sims games, players can choose the general “gist” of how their Sims interact with other Sims around them – but never the specific method of interaction. While moods and emotions have become common =in The Sims 4, the base game hasn’t been able to give players the opportunity to see how their Sims truly act in social situations. This is where Sociable Sims comes in.

Thanks to this mod, Sims can now get more variety out of their text messages and phone calls. Say goodbye to basic interactions and enjoy different kinds of good news, gossip, and even anonymous calls. Sims can also enjoy up to 26 new interactions that are organized in a pie menu. They can choose to engage in spicy gossip, share their personal aspirations, establish deeper bonds with others, and even express a wider range of emotions.

9

Mini Weather Controller

Downloads: 45,434

While it is always sunny in The Sims 4 base game, players with Seasons experience all kinds of weather. Every season has common weather, such as snow or rain. The weather has many effects on Sims, like getting their clothes wet or giving them emotional buffs. However, sometimes the weather causes Sims more trouble than players want. The lot51 created a mod that allows players to change the weather and seasons whenever they want.

The mod introduces a new item called the Mini Weather Controller. It looks like a thermostat and can be mounted on the wall. In a save, players will get five options that affect the season or weather. Even the wind can be adjusted to their liking.

8

Show Sim Info

Downloads: 97,376

There are tons of pre-made Sims in the world and out within a save file. Whenever players have their Sims visit public venues such as parks and bars other Sims will spawn on the lot in response to their presence. The Show Sim Info mod gives players the power to click on a Sim to pull up their info.

The info includes their name, age, traits, Skills, and more. Players can also view a Sim’s household information and important relationships. Clicking on a Sim will also pull up the option to view all Sims in the game and on the lot or search for them by name. It is very handy for storyline purposes or to find a particular Sim.

7

Interaction Sorter

Downloads: 28,130

The Sims 4 interaction menu can be hard to navigate due to the amount of social interactions available. The pie menu was updated to include more categories, but it still takes several clicks to find certain interactions. The Interaction Sorter mod allows players to hide, move, and categorize interactions as they please.

Players can also search for interactions using a huge interaction database. They can sort their pie menu based on the base game categories or create new categories. The mod also includes alternative categories to which players can assign interactions.

6

Sky Loading Screens

Downloads: 120,411

The loading screens in The Sims 4 are something that fans will see over and over again, given how this game ignored the open-world elements of The Sims 3 in favor of smaller and more contained areas. Rumors are that The Sims 4 did this to integrate some form of online play, but the disastrous launch of SimCity and its always-online feature forced EA to move toward a single-player route instead.

The Sky Loading Screens are a great way to make these loading screens slightly more bearable, even if the effect is purely cosmetic. Instead of seeing the same blank, uninteresting loading screen over and over again, players can look at some nice scenes and vistas.

5

Custom Color Loading Screen

Downloads: 122,390

It’s a shame that the loading screens for The Sims 4 didn’t carry over the same variety and character present in the loading screens of past Sims games. It may sound like an unnecessary gripe, but this issue is just part of an underlying problem many people have with The Sims 4. The title plays everything safe, unlike the other games that had some weird, fun, and sometimes unnerving aspects.

Players who are tired of seeing the same soulless loading screen can download a mod that adds more color. It’s a simple yet welcome change for veterans who may be bored of seeing the same UI elements over and over again.

4

Dark Mode UI For The Sims 4

Downloads: 143,119

Dark Mode has become all the rage in technology. Phones, browsers, and even video games strive to make things easier on users’ eyes by toning down the bright elements of the UI. It’s a shame that The Sims 4 doesn’t have a dark mode baked into the experience, but that’s why mods are so special for some players.

This particular mod transforms the UI of The Sims 4 into a dark mode variant. It’s a massive achievement and doesn’t have any oddities that one would expect from a mod that changes a fundamental aspect of the game.

3

CASUnlocks

Downloads: 279,699

Create-a-Sim is a mode that players can get lost in for hours on end. The idea of creating a person from scratch is wildly engaging, and The Sims 4 ensures that players can gain a ton of mileage from this mode as they try to sculpt every aspect of their Sim’s face.

With CASUnlocks, players can customize everything about their Sim via hidden options that are naturally woven into the UI of this mode. It’s a welcome addition for players who want to customize everything about their chosen Sim from the get-go, instead of dropping into the world and completing the rest of the work later.

2

More Columns In CAS

Downloads: 2,842,126

This great UI mod augments Create-a-Sim by adding more columns. This allows players to browse more options without having to scroll down as much, which can get pretty grating if players have all the extra content along with fan-made items.

It’s a simple mod, but fans can’t do without it once they get used to the functionality added by this mod. It’s always nice to download a simple mod that lets players navigate the game more easily without changing things too much. The More Columns in CAS mod certainly accomplishes this.

1

UI Cheats Extension

Downloads: 3,047,605

The cheats in The Sims series are all memorable in their own right, and the UI Cheats Extension allows players to use these cheats without having to open the console menu. It’s a simple change, yet it stands on its own as one of the most popular UI mods for The Sims 4.

It’s a simple but genius change that fans will appreciate if they don’t want to be coy about using cheats. After all, players are free to do whatever they want with their copy of The Sims 4, and cheats can heighten the fun factor of this game for some.