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Yes—Sims outside the household you are controlling can age, but whether they do depends on how their household is classified and on two separate Auto Age settings. Check the played-household and unplayed-household controls in Game Options > Gameplay, then check the household’s status in Manage Households.
What “not in world” means for aging
A Sim being outside your currently controlled household does not, by itself, determine whether they age. The relevant distinction is whether their household is marked as played or unplayed, together with the aging options in your save. EA Forums contributor guidance describes separate controls for played and unplayed households; it is community guidance, not an official EA policy statement. See the EA Forums discussion.
How to check the aging settings
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Open Game Options > Gameplay.
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Check Auto Age (Played Households). The setting Only Active Household is the practical choice if you want the household you are currently playing to age while other played households do not. The forum guidance also discusses aging all played households or turning played-household aging off. EA Forums guidance.
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Check Auto Age (Unplayed Households) separately. This setting controls aging for households classified as unplayed; changing the played-household option does not settle what happens to them. EA Forums guidance.
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Open Manage Households and review how the household in question is marked. For rotational play, EA Forums contributor advice is to keep households you intend to play marked as played in My Households, then use Only Active Household so the other played households wait while you play elsewhere.
Labels and behavior can change with updates. These steps reflect community guidance surfaced in October 2026, rather than independently verified official patch documentation.
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- Develop Parenting Skills – Level up your Sim’s parenting skills to satisfy their child’s needs and influence their behaviors. Gain new abilities through experience and choosing when to discipline bad actions, encourage good behavior, or just let kids be kids.
- Shape Your Sim’s Childhood – The decisions you make influence how your Sim parents and leave a lasting impact on their child’s future. Each choice shapes their personality, affects their traits, influences their family relationships, and guides their path into adulthood.
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Played and unplayed households are different cases
| Household status | Setting to check | What the cited guidance says |
|---|---|---|
| Played | Auto Age (Played Households) | Options discussed include aging all played households, only the active household, or none. Choose Only Active Household to prevent other played households from aging while you play the active one. |
| Unplayed | Auto Age (Unplayed Households) | A separate on/off control governs unplayed-household aging. |
The household’s classification matters: a family you expected to follow the played-household rule may instead be handled by the unplayed-household rule if it is marked unplayed. The cited advice for rotational play is available in the EA Forums discussion.
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Neighborhood Stories handles certain autonomous events, such as adoptions and career changes. Its options are separate from age progression, so changing Neighborhood Stories should not be treated as a substitute for checking Auto Age. The EA Forums discussion distinguishes these systems and describes Neighborhood Stories controls at household or group level. Read the discussion.
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- Rule your story: Build a powerful Dynasty, shape shared Values, choose an Heir, or exile family members in a deep life simulation driven by legacy, prestige, and choice.
- Claim the crown: Rise through Nobility by winning the people, pleasing rival Nobles, dueling with swords, or exposing Scandals that can change the balance of power.
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What switching households may not pause
Inactive does not necessarily mean that every form of progression stops. In an EA Forums player discussion, a player reported that a pregnancy continued to birth after they switched households. That is a report of behavior, not a guarantee that every pregnancy will progress the same way in every save or configuration. See the player discussion.
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