inZOI Time & Aging Explained

Time progression and the aging of your Zois are fundamental aspects of the inZOI life simulation. Understanding how the clock ticks, how Zois move through different life stages, and how you can manage this progression allows for deeper gameplay and storytelling.

How Time Works in inZOI

Time in inZOI flows continuously unless paused, driving daily schedules, events, and the aging process.

Game Clock & Speed

• Clock: The current day of the week and time are displayed in the bottom-left corner of the UI.
• Game Speed Controls: You can control the passage of time using the playback controls (also in the bottom-left) or keyboard shortcuts:
  • [0] or [Esc]: Pause
  • [1]: Slow Speed (1x)
  • [2]: Normal Speed (1.5x)
  • [3]: Fast Speed (3x)
  • [4]: Very Fast Speed (4x+) (Note: Higher speeds might be accessible via UI slider, but direct Zoi control may be limited) Using faster speeds accelerates all in-game processes, including need decay and aging.

Length of Day Setting

You can customize how long an in-game day lasts in real-time:

1. Go to Options (Esc key).
2. Select the Simulation tab.
3. Adjust the Length of Day slider.
   • Default: 96 real-life minutes per in-game day.
   • Range: Adjustable from 48 minutes up to 24 real-life hours per in-game day. Shorter day lengths make Zois age faster relative to your playtime, while longer day lengths slow down aging significantly.

Aging Mechanics: Life Stages

Zois in inZOI don't age continuously day by day but rather transition through nine distinct life stages.

The Nine Life Stages

1. Newborn: The very beginning of life.
2. Toddler: Learning basic movement and interaction.
3. Child: Attending elementary school, developing values.
4. Adolescent: A transitional phase between child and teen.
5. Teenager: Attending high school, forming more complex relationships.
6. Young Adult: Gaining full independence, starting careers/university, forming serious relationships.
7. Adult: Mid-life stage, focusing on career and family progression.
8. Middle-Aged: Experiencing later adulthood.
9. Senior: The final stage, focused on retirement and legacy.

Note: Newborn, Toddler, and Adolescent stages are experienced through aging; you cannot start a new Zoi in these stages via Create-a-Zoi.

Automatic Aging & Lifespans

• Fixed Duration: Each life stage has a set duration (measured in in-game days). Once a Zoi completes the days for their current stage, they automatically age up to the next one.

• Default Lifespan: The approximate duration for each stage is:

  Life Stage	Duration (Days)	Cumulative Days
  Newborn	1	1
  Toddler	2	3
  Child	7	10
  Adolescent	5	15
  Teenager	4	19
  Young Adult	10	29
  Adult	20	49
  Middle-Aged	16	65
  Senior*	Up to 35	~100

  *Seniors may pass away from Old Age naturally before reaching the 35-day maximum for the stage.

• No Progress Tracker: Currently, there is no in-game UI element showing how many days are left until the next age transition.

Appearance Changes with Age

Zois undergo visual changes as they age:

• Height & Posture: Grow from Child to Young Adult, potentially stooping slightly as Seniors.
• Facial Features: Mature over time.
• Aging Signs: Wrinkles and graying hair become apparent in Middle-Aged and Senior stages. These are fixed visual characteristics for each stage.

Managing Aging

You have control over how aging affects your Zois and the game world.

Disabling Aging

To prevent Zois from aging up:

1. Go to Options > Simulation.
2. Toggle Aging (My Zois) to Disable to stop your currently played household from aging.
3. Toggle Aging (Other Zois) to Disable to stop all non-played Zois in the city from aging. (This feature was added in the April 4th, 2025 hotfix).

Adjusting Aging Speed

• Speeding Up: Combine faster game speeds ([3], [4]) with a shorter Length of Day setting (e.g., 48 minutes).
• Slowing Down: Use normal or slow game speed ([1], [2]) and increase the Length of Day setting (e.g., 4 hours or 24 hours).

Gameplay Unlocks Through Aging

Aging isn't just cosmetic; different life stages unlock crucial gameplay features:

Age Group	Key Unlocks & Abilities
Newborn	Assignable Traits, initial Family Relationships.
Toddler	Basic Skill learning begins, independent movement, limited interactions.
Child	Develops Values, attends Elementary School, gets a Smartphone, wider social interactions, experiences Random Events.
Adolescent	Transitional stage, likely expands on social interactions and school experiences.
Teenager	Attends High School, can form Business Relationships, eligible for part-time jobs.
Young Adult	Gains access to all core features: selects Ambitions & Desired Life, can attend University, full career access, full Romance & Marriage.
Adult	Can graduate University, peak career progression potential.
Middle-Aged	Continued career and family development, may face mid-life related events or considerations.
Senior	Option to Retire from jobs, focuses on legacy, potentially different social interactions.

Understanding the flow of time and the progression through life stages allows you to plan your Zois' lives, achieve their goals, and experience the full spectrum of simulation that inZOI offers. Whether you let time flow naturally, speed it up, or stop it altogether, managing time and aging is a key part of crafting your unique stories.