The Sims 4 Tool Mod: How To Install And Use

The Sims 4 Tool Mod is an acronym for 'Takes Objects Off Lot'. This Sims 4 mod essentially allows you to have more real estate space and place objects in the surrounding areas of your lot, past the pre-set grid. This is a handy mod to have installed if you wish to add or remove scenery that doesn’t mesh well with your builds. To learn how to download it for your game, read on.

• Check out our guide to the Sims 4 more columns mod as well, if you struggle to navigate in the create-a-sim menus and wish you had more columns to display clothing options.

The Sims 4: Tool Mod

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The Tool Mod was created by sim modder TwistedMexi and can be downloaded from their Patreon page here.

The mod has recently been updated to include the new High School Years pack. You'll need to update the Tool Mod if you have not done so already after the new expansion release.

In The Sims 4, build mode is limited to a grid in which you can only build inside. This can limit players if they wish to build a stylised house and change the neighbourhood to match it. With this mod, you can delete pre-placed objects by the Maxis.

A bonus to the mod is the ability to rotate any item on both axes. In The Sims, rotation is usually snapped to the grid, you can smooth rotate with cheats. However, with the Tool Mod, you can rotate an object to any degree at any angle which gives great creative opportunity to sim builders.

The Tool Mod also brings with it the ability to elevate any object off the lot and change apartment windows if you have The Sims 4: City Living installed. You can also use it to decorate balconies that are beyond lot parameters.

• Read our guide to the Grannie's Cookbook mod in the Sims 4, which introduces new cooking recipes and birthday cake designs.

The Sims 4 Tool Mod: How To Install

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TwistedMexi's Tool Mod can be downloaded from their Patreon page here.

The mod will only work if you enable cheats in your game before you use it. To enable cheats, bring up the cheat box and type 'testingcheats true'.

TwistedMexi also has a mod that automatically enables cheats, so you don’t have to type the command repeatedly. This mod can also be found through their Patreon page.

Make sure you have script mods enabled in your Sims 4 game options menu. Also make sure to unzip the file manually without the use of another tool, do this by opening the tool folder and dragging it to your mods folder. This will likely be in the location:

Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4 > Mods

To bring up the Tool options menu in your game, press Shift and click on any surface. To bring up the Tool menu to adjust the position or rotation of an object, press Shift and click on the item in question.

• Check out our guide to the Sims 4 best trait mods which completely overhaul the traits system and add more personality to your sims.

The Sims 4 Tool Mod: How To Move Objects

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To move an object with this mod first, enable cheats in your game. Then press Shift and click on the object you wish to move. Press 'move' from the Tool options and a grid will appear around your object with a green line to symbolise the X axis and a red line to symbolise the Y axis.

A pop-up will also appear instructing you to input a numerical sum for the X and Y axis. To do this, simply count the number of squares above or below and then left or right from where your object is to where you wish it to be. For example, if you wished to move a plant four squares up and one right of where it originally is, you would type 4, 1 in the move object box.

The move object grid is automatically set to green and red. For those with colour blindness or who are visually impaired, you can change the colour of the X and Y axis to another of your liking within the Tool settings menu.

Once you've used the grid to move an object you can use the 'Gravity Pull' feature of the mod to slightly adjust the placement of the item. To do so, ALT click the ground to edge the item forwards, backwards or side to side. This allows smaller adjustments to the item location if it isn’t exactly where you want it.

• For more Sims 4 mods, read our guide to the Sims 4 height slider mod which enables your sims to be different heights.