The Sims 4 has been steadily receiving massive game updates across the course of 2026, with loads of bug fixes, additions, and changes packed into each one. October 2026 has brought another free base game update with plenty to uncover.
Base game updates are exciting since they provide free content for all, but they can also be a bit tricky to navigate, as many of the additions they include can be tough to find at first. To ensure you don’t miss out on anything, here’s everything included in the October 2026 update for The Sims 4.
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The Sims 4 October 2026 base game update patch notes
The main features included in the October 2026 update for The Sims 4 are new content for elders, an overhaul to the food system, new body toggles, general quality-of-life updates, and plenty of bug fixes. Here’s a full breakdown of the patch notes.
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New elder content
This update features an array of new items designed for elder Sims. You can technically use them on adults, young adults, and teens too, but they’re specifically made with elders in mind. Items added to the game include:
- CAS items
- Two hairs
- Quiff Side Part
- Half-Down Waves
- Four clothing items
- Polo Shirt with Cardigan
- Long Dress with Lace and Buttons
- Sleeveless Blouse
- Long Skirt with Pockets
- Five recolors
- High-Waisted Jacket
- Long Blazer
- Granny Dress
- Open Cardigan
- Loose Pants with Crease
- Two hairs
- Build Mode items
- Light of Yesteryear (Sconce)
- The Needlepoint Nook Chair (Armchair)
- The Glowlden Goose (Table light)
- Heritage Home Drapery
- Heritage Home Drapery – Wide
- Heritage Home Drapery – Extra Wide
- Petals & Proverbs Plaque
- Granny’s Roost Rug
- The Floral Fossil (Sofa)
- The Early Bird Bed (Double bed)
- Bloom & Gingham Delight (Wallpaper)
To showcase all of the new items featured in this update and make them easier to find and use, there’s also a new Styled Room and a few Styled Looks you can dress your Sims up in.
Muscle and weight toggles
There are now a few different muscle and weight toggles you can use to control your Sims muscle and weight changes. Under the Gameplay tab in Settings, you can find toggles for both that apply to the game overall. Or, if you’d instead like to alter this behavior on an individual basis, you can click on a Sim of your choosing, find the Sim Physique section, and choose to turn each one on or off.
Food overhaul
The overall culinary and food system received a bit of an overhaul with this update. There are quite a few changes to this system, all of which are designed to make it smoother and easier to navigate. Here’s a breakdown of the updates to it.
- Food pricing and calories have been updated for the base game and across all packs to make both more consistent and sensible.
- Sims now autonomously prefer to eat leftovers when they are hungry, and there are leftovers available in the fridge or on a counter.
- The Family Recipes feature from the Businesses & Hobbies expansion pack has been expanded upon with over 375 pre-existing dishes across the base game and other packs.
- The “Open” option on the fridge now always shows up on the first page of options.
- Sims can now “Quickly Decorate” baked goods if they’re placed in spots that are tough to reach.
Quality of life improvements
This update also includes an array of specific quality of life improvements for various game features. Here’s a breakdown of each one.
- Televisions can now be locked just like computers can.
- Uncategorized interactions that are considered to be self-interactions have been moved into a new “Sim Options…” category to make finding what you’re looking for easier.
- The Save Backup experience will now better track time when players don’t play for an extended period of time between sessions.
Bug fixes
The rest of the October 2026 update is dedicated to all kinds of bug fixes. We’ve listed a few of the biggest ones here, but for a comprehensive list, you can check out the official patch notes.
- Sims are now more likely to stay seated at the table while eating as intended.
- An endless loading issue caused by the Move Objects cheat has been fixed.
- Sims can now properly order food and drinks from bartenders even if they’re busy doing other tasks like socializing.
- Infants can now fall asleep properly even if their energy need isn’t very low.
- An infinite white screen loading issue affecting some save files has been fixed.
- Sims will no longer place food in weird places.
- A variety of fixes were applied to help dining with Dine Out work better.
If you’re looking for some tasks to keep you busy while you explore the new update, there’s plenty to choose from. Consider working on finding all Power Shifts, completing the Feeding Frenzy quest, collecting all Gibbi Point Butterflies and Moths, and pulling the sword from the stone.
