- Enable the Tricks in Settings > Game and activate them from the chat with Enter.
- 24 codes grouped by resources, map, units/buildings and general.
- Mode support: Campaign, Skirmishes, and Custom Games.
- When using cheats, achievements and masteries are disabled for that game.

If you play Age of Empires IV and you feel like adding some spice to your games, the Anniversary Edition brings back classic tricks so you can fill the barn in no time, explore the entire map, or unleash "fantasy" units like the legendary laser astronaut. This guide compiles, organizes, and explains All available codes and how to activate them, with notes on which modes they work in and what implications they have for your achievements.
Before we start, it's a good idea to be clear about a couple of things: the tricks are designed to experiment and have fun alone or against the IAnot for multiplayer competitive, and when you activate them the game is marked. Here we tell you How to enable them, when to use them, and the complete list of codes by category so you can consult them on the fly while you play.
How to activate cheats in Age of Empires IV
To be able to use codes in Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition, the first thing to do is to enable their use in the game menu: go to Settings > Game and check the “Cheats Enabled” box before starting the game. Without that previous step, the commands They will not take effect even if you write them correctly.
Once inside a supported game, open the chat with the Enter key and enter the code that you want to activate. Cheats are case-insensitive, so it's fine if you type everything in lowercase or with "pretty" capitalization.
Cheats are usable only in Campaign, Skirmishes and Custom Games. Not all codes are available in all three modes: some are exclusive to Custom Game, others also work in Skirmishes, and a few in Campaign, below you will see the detailed compatibility for each cheat.
Important: as soon as you activate the first cheat, Progress on achievements, masteries, and challenges is halted in that game. To get them to count again, simply leave the session and start a new one without cheating enabled. This is a measure to maintain the spirit of "clean" progress.
Also keep in mind that cheats that summon units do so through the Town CentersIf you don't have one built, those commands won't work; and if you have several, the result may be linked to the most recent. On the other hand, the codes can be repeated as many times as you like and written is not case sensitive, making it easy to copy and paste them to quickly repeat effects.
List of cheats and codes for Age of Empires IV
The Anniversary Edition incorporates a varied repertoire that covers resources, map, units/buildings and general settings. We've indicated where each command works next to it so you don't waste time trying it in an incompatible mode.
Resources (Campaign, Skirmishes and Custom Games)
These codes fill your stores instantly and are perfect for practice builds or test strategies without waiting, both in Campaign and against AI in Skirmish and Custom.
- I have an app idea: max gold in your stash.
- Full meal deal: maximum food at the moment.
- Knock on wood: maximum wood without harvesting.
- Take it for granite: stone to the maximum immediately.
- Smorgasbord: all resources to the maximum in one go.
Map (Custom Games only)
Ideal for games of tests on new maps or to create custom scenarios without the pressure of fog of war.
- It was known: Removes fog of war.
- It is known: reveals the entire map.
Units and buildings
With this block you can invoke “easter eggs” from the saga, modify properties of structures or convert units as if you were a monk with superpowers, always clarifying in which modes are they supported.
- Photon man (Custom Game & Skirmish): Summons the famous laser-armed astronaut, a classic Age of Empires nod.
- At the core (Custom Game): Spawn one unit of each type in your civilization (excluding “trap” units).
- one of us (Custom Game): Instantly converts selected enemy units to your side.
- Make it quick (Custom Game): Eliminates selected units or buildings at once.
- Anti-poke (Custom Game): Makes your units and buildings invulnerable, nullifies damage received.
- Zeleport (Custom Game): Teleports selected units to any point on the map.
- You monster (Custom Game): Eliminate Gaia, that is, all wild animals on the map.
- Big bad sheep (Campaign and Custom Game): converts all the sheep into wolves.
- This is fine (Custom Game): Set fire to selected buildings.
General and quality of life
Tricks designed to speed up tests, manage interfaces or even change iconic sound details from the saga, with variable compatibility depending on the mode.
- Inna Jiffy (Custom Game and Skirmishes): Instant processes such as building, unit training, or research.
- King size beds (Campaign and Custom Game): Increases population capacity to the maximum available.
- Age me up scotty (Custom Game): Increases Age immediately.
- Another cup (Campaign): Increases overall game speed.
- another round (Campaign): Reduces overall game speed.
- I give up (Campaign and Custom Game): You surrender and lose the game instantly.
- Minimally minimal (Campaign and Custom Game): hide or show interface elements.
- Out with the new (Campaign and Custom Game): Changes the attack alert sound to that of Age of Empires II.
Where and when it is worth activating cheats

If you're looking to practice strategies, learn maps, or experiment with civilizations without the pressure of time, cheats shine in Skirmishes and Custom GamesActivating instant resources or rapid processes shortens rehearsals and helps internalize build orders.
In Campaign, codes are “spices” for replaying missions freely: instantly increasing your age or altering the speed of the game can be useful for study the mechanics of each scenario or see how AI responds to different approaches.
For exploring large maps or practicing expansion routes, “It is known” and “It was known” provide a lot of information, although they are limited to Custom GamesThey're perfect for designing scenarios or checking resource positions before recording a custom game or challenge.
Think synergies: “Smorgasbord” followed by “Inna jiffy” allows you to set up a complete infrastructure in seconds and jump straight into testing. advanced army compositions“Zeleport” is ideal for surgical assaults or last-minute rescues.
Caution with “This is fine” and “Make it quick”: these are aggressive commands that radically manipulate the game state, so they are recommended for spot tests or sandbox scenarios, not to learn fundamentals that you then want to transfer to games without tricks.
Practical notes and useful clarifications
Codes are entered from the chat at any time during the game and are not case sensitiveIf you're going to repeat a trick multiple times, it's convenient to type it in once, copy it, and paste it into the chat to chain effects.
Cheats that create units do so from the Urban CentersIf you don't have any standing, these commands won't execute; if you're researching an Age, access to the production queue may affect summoning, so it's best to have a free Town Center for testing.
Remember that when you activate any cheat, the session is marked and the counting of achievements and masteries does not progressOnce you leave a game with cheats and enter a game without them, your progress will be counted normally again.
Cheats are not intended for competitive multiplayer, and the game itself restricts their use to Campaign, Skirmishes and CustomIts purpose is to provide a fun, testing environment that complements the core experience.
Keyboard shortcuts that make your life easier
They are not tricks, but they are a huge help to play fluently: mastering some shortcuts allows you to reduce clicks and react fasterHere are some useful and easy-to-memorize ones.
- Game settings
- Go to menu: F10
- Fast charge: F9
- Quick Save: F8
- Player Panel: F6
- Manage units
- Select all: Ctrl + A
- Move forward: Tab
- Move back: Ctrl + Tab
- Follow selected unit: Home
- Center selected unit: F5
- Go to villagers on food: Ctrl + F
- Go to villagers in gold: Ctrl + G
- Go to villagers on wood: Ctrl + W
- Go to villagers on stone: Ctrl + S
- Select inactive villagers: Ctrl + .
- Manage buildings
- Select military buildings: F1
- Select economy buildings: F2
- Select technological buildings: F3
- Select distinctive buildings: F4
- Go to the main Urban Center: Ctrl + H
Once you've mastered a few of them, you'll notice your attention shifts from menus to what matters: macro, micro and map readingEven when using tricks in practice games, shortcuts still make a difference.
Quick tips to improve your game
Beyond the codes, it's worth polishing the foundation. Start by increasing your villager population at the beginning: the more you have working, the sooner you'll build. a strong economy and a powerful villageWith a strong base, the army can do it alone.
Choose your civilization according to your level or game plan. If you're looking for a more friendly start, the French civilization It is often considered accessible due to its economic advantages, while England or China may require more patience and practice to adapt to their rhythms.
Be careful not to overuse archers to demolish structures: they work, but they are not always the most efficient. Combine them with tank units and siege specialists to demolish buildings, and reserve troops to repair or capitalize on breaches when walls fall.
Dominate the maps with trading posts and outposts. Seizing these points allows you to access key buildings (economic, military, technological) and earn additional profit in gold or food. A well-read map is half the victory.
Don't always delegate targeting to the AI: giving direct orders to your troops saves you from poor trades and optimizes damage. Deciding which building to fall first or which unit to neutralize prevents unnecessarily prolonged battles.
Taunts, winks and the spirit of the saga
The Anniversary Edition not only brings tricks, it also recovers that mocking touch of Age of Empires with jokes and sound winks. Swapping the attack alert for the Age of Empires II sound of “Out with the new” is nostalgia well done.
The “Photon Man” is perhaps the absolute icon of the saga's tricks, and his presence here bridges the gap between generations. Added to codes like “Big Bad Sheep” or “Zeleport,” you have plenty of ingredients to create crazy sandbox games without losing the game's identity.
Fun usage ideas and combinations
If you want to try late game from minute one, link “Smorgasbord” with “Inna jiffy” and “King size beds”: resources, processes and population ready to set up complete army compositions and test technology transitions without waiting.
To practice blitz sieges, use “It is known” in Custom and plan attack routes; then combine “Zeleport” with a siege force and support units. It’s a great way to rehearse timings and positioning on maps you don't know.
Fancy a weird challenge in Campaign? Activate “Big Bad Sheep” and swap out domestic wildlife for wolves. It will help you rethink escorts and scouting, and also help you assess the importance of security of collection routes when there are predators.
If you're interested in studying animations, queues, and windows, play with "Another Cup" and "Another Round" to speed up or slow down the game. It's a very visual way to detect bottlenecks in your macro or to better understand how the AI operates in each mission.
Compatibility by mode: how to decide what to enable
When in doubt, think first about the goal of the session: if you're going to train macro, focus on "Smorgasbord" and "Inna jiffy" in Skirmishes; if you're interested in map reading, go to Personalized with “It is known/It was known”; and if you want to replay campaigns differently, try the speed and population changes that do work there.
When it comes to creating home challenges or minigames with the AI, unit commands (“Photon man,” “One of us,” “This is fine”) open the door to fun variations. Adjust the AI difficulty and design your own victory conditions. maintain interest and learn while having fun.
With the codes well understood, take advantage keyboard shortcuts and a few solid habits, it's easy to transform the way you practice: Tricks let you skip the wait and focus on what's important, while Skirmishes and Customs act as perfect laboratory for improvement Without pressure. When you return to games without cheating, you'll notice the difference in your execution and strategic reading.
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