Smarter phone use icon

Smarter Phone Use

Better phone autonomy
2.2.1 Updated February 27, 2026
Base Game Compatible

Smarter phone use icon
About Smarter Phone Use

Let your Teens and Geeks still use their phone while walking but in a smarter way! Smarter Phone Use will disable the new route event while your Sims are running/skating/swimming/using vehicles or other walkstyles that may not make sense to casually use your phone.

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2.2.1 Released February 27, 2026 • lot51_smarter_phone_use_v2.2.1.zip

Installation Notes

Unzip and place the package and ts4script in your Mods folder. Make sure you only have ONE copy at a time.

Double check that your unzipped script does not end with a number in the case your destination folder had an existing file with the name — otherwise the script will not load.

If you organize your CC, make sure scripts are not placed more than one folder deep.

See Mod Installation Guide →

Smarter Phone Use Documentation

Parenthood Integration

If a Sim has medium to high Responsibility, any idle that uses a phone (from any pack) will be disabled while they are grounded from the phone. If they have low Responsibility, all phone idles will cause your Sim to be autonomously scolded while grounded. Included is a fix for an EA bug to prevent your Sims from receiving the “breaking grounding” buff even when not using their phone. Related EA Answers HQ Issues: [OPEN] [PH] Sim doesn’t disobey grounding, and still gets autonomously scolded

Smarter Phone Use Rules

In addition to blocking phone idles during certain walkstyles, they have also been disabled for many other situations and specific Sims including: While in Granite Falls, Selvadorada, Magic HQ, Batuu, Sixam, Sylvan Glade, Forgotten Grotto Police Station Criminals, Jungle Adventure Skeletons, Bonehilda, Scarecrow, Flower Bunny, Night Stalker, Yamachan, Guidry the Ghost, Temperance, Father Winter, Strangerville Hermit, Greg the Werewolf Ghosts Vampires in their Dark Form Aliens not in their Disguise Sims with the Technophobe Lifestyle Werewolves in their Beast Form. Sims grounded from the phone

Cross Mod Compatibility

If you have High School Years and are playing with ChippedSims’ School Tweaks mod, phone idles will be disabled if your phone has been confiscated by a teacher! If you have the Lot 51 Plum System Telephone mod, phone autonomy will be disabled if you Disallow Mobile Phone Access by Shift + Clicking a Sim.

Mod Conflicts

This mod will conflict with any other mod that overrides the EA routeEvent_usePhone tuning, including TwistedMexi’s No Texting & Walking mod.

Smarter Phone Use 2.2.1

February 27, 2026
  • Adds integration with upcoming Lot 51 Plum Telephone Company mod.
  • Added Play Games interaction to block list.

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Smarter Phone Use 2.0.1

July 22, 2024
  • User directed “Send Text” interactions in the rel panel should no longer be blocked.

Download Release

Smarter Phone Use 2.0

March 31, 2023
  • This mod is now dependent upon Core Library. Please remove the original script included with Smarter Phone Use 1.0!
  • Fixed an exception that would occur when a Sim that was not instanced would somehow try to run the phone route event.

Download Release