Summary
The Sims 4got off to a rocky start. Many fans lamented the loss of beloved features and the underwhelming nature of new ones. It tookmany years of content patches, updates, DLCs, and expansion packsfor the game to finally be as rich in content as its predecessors, and fans can only hope that the launch ofThe Sims 5doesn’t repeat the same mistakes.
Given how longThe Sims 4has 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 ofThe Sims 4is 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 May 28, 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 theirThe Sims 4experience 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.
13Smarter Save Menu: Searchable Saves
Downloads: 3,855
Players can have multiple instances of theirThe Sims 4playthroughs saved throughout their client, which is neat as this allows players to switch between their games as they see fit. However, theSmarter Save Menu: Searchable Saveswill 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 Saveslets 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.
12Custom Gameplay Suggestions System
Downloads: 5,136
Strategy games are often popular for having loading screens with some tips and tricks, but ina game likeThe 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 toCustom 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 usingthis website.
11Better BuildBuy: Organized Debug
Downloads: 1,207,956
The Build and Buy Mode are two of the best features in anySimstitle, especially inThe Sims 4where 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 whereBetter BuildBuy: Organized Debugcomes in.
The mod offers a straightforward premise: make the Build and Buy Modes more accessible. When viewing the interface, players now havevarious 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.
10Sociable Sims
Downloads: 173,762
In most interactions inanyThe Simsgames, 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 =inThe 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 whereSociable Simscomes 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.
9Mini Weather Controller
Downloads: 45,434
While it is always sunny inThe Sims 4base game, players withSeasonsexperience 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 tochange the weatherand 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.
8Show Sim Info
Downloads: 97,376
There are tons of pre-made Sims in the world and out within a save file. Whenever players have theirSims visit public venuessuch 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.
7Interaction Sorter
Downloads: 28,130
The Sims 4interaction menu can be hard to navigate due to the amount ofsocial interactionsavailable. 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.
6Sky Loading Screens
Downloads: 120,411
Theloading screens inThe Sims 4are something that fans will see over and over again, given how this game ignored the open-world elements ofThe Sims 3in favor of smaller and more contained areas. Rumors are thatThe Sims 4did 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.
5Custom Color Loading Screen
Downloads: 122,390
It’s a shame that the loading screens forThe Sims 4didn’t carry over the same variety and character present in the loading screens of pastSimsgames. It may sound like an unnecessary gripe, but this issue is just part of an underlying problem many people have withThe 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.
4Dark 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 thatThe Sims 4doesn’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 ofThe Sims 4into 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.
