The Sims 4 is a popular life simulation game that provides players with a unique experience of creating and controlling the lives of their Sims. The game allows players to explore the different life stages of their Sims, each with its own set of unique characteristics and challenges. From infancy to old age, Sims go through various stages of development, and players must keep track of the duration of each stage to ensure their Sims grow and progress accordingly. Understanding the duration of each life stage can be essential for players who enjoy creating legacy families or completing specific challenges.

The Sims 4 has undergone several changes since its initial release, and one of the most significant changes has been the addition of new life stages. As of now, there are 8 life stages in total in The Sims 4: Newborn (replacing Babies), Infant, Toddler, Child, Teen, Young Adult, Adult, and Elder. The game initially started with fewer life stages, and the toddler and very recently on March 14, 2023, with Patch 142, Infant life stages were later added. The lifespan settings for each life stage have also undergone changes over time. Each life stage lasts for a specific number of days, and the balanced time frame between different life stages allows players to experience various aspects of their Sims' lives, from early childhood development to building careers and families.

Updated on August 7th, 2023, by Elara Leclair: With the latest expansion pack, The Sims 4: Horse Ranch, being released, players are now able to add the long-anticipated horses to their household, increasing the available household pet types to 3. Cats and dogs have been previously available since the Cats & Dogs expansion pack. With the changes made to the human life stages, cats and dogs have also previously gone through a life stage duration change, particularly for the long lifespan. Now, this guide includes the lifespan of cats, dogs, and horses on different gameplay length settings and how to view them.

Length Of Every Life Stage

Recently, The Sims 4 added the infant life stage, which has resulted in a re-adjustment of the duration of each life stage, making all three lifespan options (short, normal, long) considerably longer. This update is a great addition for players who prefer to focus on a specific Sim and want to spend more time with them before they age up.

However, for players who like to quickly move through the life stages of their Sims, this change may be seen as a negative one. Nonetheless, there are still ways to age up Sims prematurely, such as using cheats, preparing a birthday cake, or utilizing certain potions. The current length of each life stage, as well as the total lifespan after the "Infant Update" is as follows:

In comparison, the total lifespan before the "Infant Update" was:

Upon comparison, it is clear that the Infant Update had the objective of balancing the duration of the life stages by increasing the number of days for Child and older Sims. The short and normal lifespans experienced only about 20 Sim day adjustments, while the long lifespan has seen an increase of over 180+ days, mainly by significantly lengthening the Young Adult and Adult stages. This extension enables Sims to develop their families without feeling the pressure to rush, especially for players interested in exploring all aspects of the life simulation.

It's important to keep in mind that while the aforementioned durations represent the base options for each life stage, several gameplay factors can positively impact the length of a Sim's lifespan, hence making it last more days. For instance, pregnancy pauses a Sim's aging process until they give birth, which extends their lifespan. Additionally, Sims with traits like "Active" or "Long Lived," or those who drink Cowplant Essence, will live even longer. Although the overall lifespan remains constant, players can also reset the duration of their Sim's current life stage using the Elixir of Youth Potion or similar items. Finally, some occult Sims, such as vampires, do not age beyond the Young Adult life stage and are thus immune to dying from old age.

How To View And Change Lifespan

Within The Sims 4, players have the ability to customize their gameplay experience by adjusting the Lifespan settings. This feature can be found within the Game Options Menu, located under the Gameplay tab. Here, players can select the lifespan that best fits their desired experience, with the remaining days automatically adjusted to reflect this choice. Additionally, players can decide whether or not they want the game to automatically age up other families, whether played or unplayed. If unchecked, no days will be added to the life stages of these Sims until the player actively decides to do so. While it is recommended for a more realistic gameplay experience to have this option checked, it can also be useful to leave it unchecked when focusing on setting up a legacy family tree for story or challenge purposes. Players can also entirely turn off aging.

To check the aging status of their Sims in The Sims 4, players can hover over the panel displaying the Sim's name on the Simology panel. The age bar will fill up as the Sim progresses through their life stages. Additionally, players can keep track of upcoming birthdays of their household Sims by viewing the calendar.

Pet Lifestage Lengths

Every different type of pet has a different lifespan set for them, with cats and dogs being relatively similar, while horses living around double the lifespan of both of the aforementioned pets. This does align well with the real-life average lifespans of these companions, as a horse also typically lives double the years of a dog, while cats live slightly longer than dogs as well. For each animal, the lifespan has been set to about 4x the length for the long lifespan in comparison to the normal one, while the short lifespan is about half.

Players are able to separately enable or disable pet aging through their gameplay settings via the options menu or use purchasable Age Up and Age Down treats to ensure their beloved pets remain ever young if they wish to do so. The remaining duration to the next life stage can be viewed by hovering over the profile icon of the pet on the Relationships menu in live mode or by clicking on their profile. Upon reaching the elderly state, however, this won't be visible anymore. Without any bonus days obtained through certain methods, here are the approximate lifespans of each animal:

Cats

Cats live slightly longer than their dog counterparts with the primary difference noticeable throughout the adult life stage:

Dogs

Dogs have the shortest lifespan when it comes to the currently available household pets in The Sims 4:

Horses

With about double the length of dog lifespans on the normal setting, equestrian lovers will get to spend a longer time with their hooved companions. Currently, it is undetermined how long the elder stage lasts for the horses:

Newborn Sims

The initial life stage in The Sims 4 is the newborn stage, which replaced the baby stage when infants were added to the game. This stage is characterized by a short duration, and the newborn Sims are primarily like objects that require care and attention for their basic needs.

Due to its lack of gameplay functionality, many players choose to age up their Sims quickly from this stage. Although most newborns share similar appearances with minimal distinguishing features, certain occults like Aliens have distinct-looking newborns.

Infant Sims

Infants are a new life stage that comes after the Newborn stage but before the Toddler stage. They were introduced to address the limited functionality of the previous baby stage. In The Sims 4, infants represent the first few months of a Sim's life and require more assistance from older Sims than toddlers do in fulfilling their needs. They come with their own set of traits and quirks (if the Growing Together pack is installed), making them one of the most challenging life stages for caretaker Sims.

As infants learn to crawl, communicate, and transition from infant recipes to solid foods, they will achieve certain moodlets and milestones. Based on how well they have been taken care of, they will age up to Toddlers with different reward traits. Infants have unique interactions and require different furniture compared to toddlers.

Toddler Sims

Toddlers were also not originally included in The Sims 4 but were later added as a new life stage. They have their own unique set of traits and interactions that are exclusive to this stage. Toddlers have a wider variety of food options available to them and can learn how to talk, walk, and potty-train.

Although they are not as demanding as infants, toddlers still require a lot of attention from their caregivers. It is important for parent Sims to focus on teaching them new skills to help them become more independent. However, once they learn to run, toddlers may enjoy making a mess around the house.

Children Sims

The child life stage encompasses a wide range of ages, from approximately 5 years old to pre-teen years. Although they cannot cook, they possess a level of independence as they are capable of tending to many of their own needs, such as eating leftovers or snacks when options are available. Children have their own unique set of skills which must be fully developed before they can begin learning adult skills.

Their aspirations focus on acquiring specific skills and engaging in certain activities. Additionally, they attend grade school and must dedicate time to completing homework and school projects. In the Parenthood pack, players can experience various phases that temporarily affect the child's traits, such as becoming clingy or developing picky eating habits, as well as earning certain character values.

Teen Sims

When it comes to appearance and abilities, teen Sims bear a striking resemblance to Young Adult Sims, albeit with some subtle distinctions. Although they cannot embark on full-time careers like their older counterparts, they are permitted to engage in part-time employment while attending high school.

Additionally, there are limitations on certain romantic interactions for Teen Sims. With the High School Years expansion pack, teen Sims become a distinctive life stage. Players can guide their Sims through their school experiences, including events such as Prom, and pursue exclusive Teen aspirations.

Young Adult Sims

The Young Adult life stage marks the point at which Sims attain complete independence. Unlike younger life stages, players can create and place a Sim in the world without the use of mods or cheats. Sims who have not yet reached this stage require the presence of a Young Adult or older Sim to create them.

Many Simmers choose to primarily play in this life stage due to the Sims' youthful appearance in contrast to adult Sims, and because they have a longer lifespan to fulfill a multitude of aspirations and objectives. The majority of Sims in most worlds are typically Young Adult Sims.

Adult Sims

Apart from physical characteristics such as aging lines around the mouth, eyes, and forehead, there is not much difference between Adults and Young Adult Sims. They share the same activities, skills, and aspirations, with Adults being a natural continuation from the Young Adult stage.

The only significant difference is their lifespan. However, players who own the Growing Together pack will experience a new feature where Adult Sims can have a mid-life crisis, which was previously unavailable in The Sims 4.

Elder Sims

The Elder life stage represents the final phase in a Sim's life. Although they can wear the same outfits as Teens, Young Adults, and Adults, their physical appearance differs significantly, with numerous aging lines, white hair, and a distinct posture. In terms of gameplay, Elder Sims do not offer many unique activities and are therefore perceived as relatively dull and less popular to play by many Simmers.

Unlike other life stages, Elder Sims do not have a specific age-up bar; they will eventually pass away from old age. Certain activities they engage in throughout their lifespan can either prolong or shorten their life expectancy.

The Sims 4 is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, and Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S.

MORE: Challenges To Make Playing The Sims 4 More Interesting