How do you move objects freely in The Sims 4?

How to move objects freely in The Sims 4

In Build Mode, hold Alt (Option on Mac) while you move an object to place it off the grid. To place objects anywhere, even overlapping or through walls, open the cheat console and type bb.moveobjects on. Press F5 to snap objects to half or quarter tiles. On console, press L2 or LT to change the placement mode.

Pack: Base game.

Steps

PC and Mac

Open Build Mode and pick up the object.
Hold Alt (Option on Mac) while you move the mouse. The object moves freely instead of snapping to the grid.
Click to place it.
To place objects anywhere, open the cheat console with Ctrl + Shift + C (Cmd + Shift + C on Mac).
Type bb.moveobjects on and press Enter. Objects can now overlap other objects, go through walls and float in midair.
To turn it off, type bb.moveobjects off.

PlayStation and Xbox

Open the cheat console: L1 + L2 + R1 + R2 together on PlayStation, or LB + LT + RB + RT together on Xbox.
Type bb.moveobjects on and confirm.
Open Build Mode and select the object.
Press L2 (PlayStation) or LT (Xbox) to switch between full tile, half tile, quarter tile and free placement.
Place the object.

Controls

Action	PC	Mac	PlayStation	Xbox
Place off the grid	Hold Alt	Hold Option (Alt)	L2 to change placement mode	LT to change placement mode
Half or quarter tile steps	F5	F5	L2	LT
Show or hide the grid	G	G	See the in-game Controls list	See the in-game Controls list

Alt or the cheat: which one do you need?

Alt only frees the object from the grid. The object still cannot overlap other objects or walls.

bb.moveobjects on removes the placement rules. Use it to overlap furniture, put clutter on top of a fridge, or build custom pieces. Hold Alt as well for exact placement.

This is a Build Mode cheat. It does not need testingcheats true, and on console it does not turn off trophies or achievements.

Half tiles and quarter tiles

Press F5 in Build Mode to place objects at half or quarter tile steps instead of full tiles. Press it again to go back.

To lay floor a quarter tile at a time, press Ctrl + F while you use the floor tool.

Rotating objects freely

To turn an object to any angle, hold Alt while you rotate it with the mouse. Our guide to rotating items covers every platform.

Common problems

"Can't intersect with other objects" message

Alt does not allow overlaps. Turn on bb.moveobjects on to place objects on top of each other.

Sims can't use an object after I placed it

Overlapping can block the spots where Sims stand or sit. Move the object a little, then test it in Live Mode.

The grid does not show

Press G in Build Mode to show or hide the grid.

Alt does not work on Mac

Hold the Option key, which is the Alt key on Mac keyboards, while you move the mouse.

Cheats on this page

Open the cheat box with Ctrl + Shift + C on PC, Cmd + Shift + C on Mac, or all four shoulder buttons on PlayStation and Xbox. See every Sims 4 cheat.

bb.moveobjects on Lets you place objects anywhere in build mode: overlapping other objects, through walls, or in midair. More on bb.moveobjects

In the Sims 4 database

More how-to guides

Play your Sims somewhere new

LifeSim is a free life sim in your browser, set in real cities. It can bring in a household from your Sims 4 Tray files or a save: import a Sims 4 household. It doesn't change your Sims 4 game.

Sources

Checked on November 5, 2026.

Questions

How do you place objects anywhere in Sims 4?

Type bb.moveobjects on in the cheat console. Objects can then overlap other objects, go through walls and float in midair.

How do you turn off the grid in Sims 4?

Press G in Build Mode to hide the grid. Hold Alt while you place an object to stop it snapping to the grid.

How do you change grid size in Sims 4?

Press F5 in Build Mode to place objects at half or quarter tile steps. On console, press L2 or LT to change the placement mode.

How do you freely rotate objects in Sims 4?

Hold Alt while you turn the object with the mouse. On PlayStation hold L1 + R1, and on Xbox hold LB + RB, then use the right stick.