Adoption is a family-building feature in inZOI that allows Zois to add children to their household without going through pregnancy. It was introduced in the v0.2.0 update on June 13, 2025, alongside Create a Child with Medical Help and non-marital birth. The stated design goal, per game director Kjun, was to "simplify the system by minimizing the required conditions" so players have more freedom in how they build families.
Adoption does not require marriage. Single Zois, unmarried couples, and same-sex couples can all adopt. The process was originally accessible only through a computer or laptop, but the v0.3.0 update (August 2025) extended it to the smartphone as well. There is no adoption agency building to visit, no waiting period, and no interview process; the adoption completes instantly once confirmed.
How to Adopt
Adoption can be initiated from two places: any in-home computer or laptop, and the Zoi's smartphone (added in v0.3.0).
Using a Computer or Laptop
Click on a computer or laptop in the household.
Select "General Action" from the interaction menu.
Choose "Adopt a Child" from the submenu.
Select the desired age of the child: Newborn, Toddler, or Child.
Click "OK" on the confirmation pop-up.
Click "Adopt" to finalize. The child immediately joins the household.
Using a Smartphone
Starting with v0.3.0, the Adopt a Child service is also available through the smartphone. Open the phone, navigate to the relevant service app, and follow the same selection process (choose age, confirm). This allows Zois to initiate adoption from anywhere, without needing to return home to use a computer.
Requirements
The following conditions must be met before a Zoi can adopt:
Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
Age | The adopting Zoi must be a Young Adult or older. Children, Adolescents, and Teenagers cannot adopt. |
Property | The Zoi must own or reside in a property that meets minimum housing requirements. A household without a valid home lot cannot adopt. |
Household Size | The household cannot exceed 8 Zois. If the household already has 8 members, the adoption option is blocked. This is the same cap that applies to pregnancy and Create a Child with Medical Help. |
Marriage | Not required. Single Zois, unmarried partners, and same-sex couples can all adopt. |
Cost | Adoption itself has no Mew cost. Unlike Create a Child with Medical Help (which costs 1,000 Mew), adoption is free. |
Adoptable Age Groups
When adopting, players choose one of three life stages for the child. Teenagers and older cannot be adopted through the adoption menu.
Age Group | Duration Before Aging Up | Notes |
|---|---|---|
1 in-game day (approximately 48 real minutes at the default day length since v0.4.0) | Requires immediate temperature monitoring. Cannot be held or fed; stays in crib. | |
2 in-game days (approximately 96 real minutes at the default day length since v0.4.0) | Needs formula feeding, diaper changes, and close supervision. Can learn basic skills. | |
Child | 7 in-game days (approximately 336 real minutes at the default day length since v0.4.0) | More independent; attends school, can socialize, and develops skills. Longest pre-teen stage. |
The adopted child's appearance, traits, and personality are randomly generated. Unlike children born through pregnancy or Medical Help, adopted children do not inherit genetic traits from the adopting parent. If you want the child to resemble the parent(s), Create a Child with Medical Help is the better option.
Caring for an Adopted Child
Once an adopted child joins the household, they function identically to a biological child of the same age. The same parenting interactions, needs, and care requirements apply. There is no gameplay distinction between an adopted child and one born through pregnancy or Medical Help.
Newborns
Adopted newborns appear in a crib and cannot be held or directly fed. The primary care task is monitoring the baby's temperature. Newborns age into toddlers after just 1 in-game day (roughly 48 real minutes at the current default speed since v0.4.0), so this stage passes quickly. For detailed newborn mechanics, see Newborns and Toddlers.
Toddlers
Toddlers require hands-on care. Their needs deplete faster than other age groups, and parents must regularly feed them formula, change their diapers, and engage them socially. Toddlers can begin learning basic skills and can interact with toys. If a toddler's needs (especially hunger) drop too low, the Child Protection Agency may intervene and permanently remove the child from the household. Hiring a babysitter through the Pocketmarket phone app can help cover care while adult Zois are at work.
Children
Children are the most independent of the three adoptable age groups. They attend school, build relationships, and develop skills on their own. Parents can still interact through playing, teaching, and socializing. The Child stage lasts 7 in-game days, giving the most time for parent-child bonding and skill development before the Zoi ages into Adolescence.
Family Tree Integration
The adopted child immediately appears in the household's Family Trees viewer as a son or daughter of the adopting Zoi. Parent-child bonds, sibling relationships (if other children are present), and lineage connections display exactly as they would for biological children. The adoption is permanent; once confirmed, the family relationship cannot be undone. The game displays a "CANNOT CHANGE PREVIOUSLY SET FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS" message if a player attempts to modify family connections after the fact.
Orphan Scenarios
If both parents of an adopted child die while the child is still a dependent, the child may be removed from the game rather than reassigned to another household. This applies to biological children as well and has been flagged as a community concern on the official inZOI forums. The community has proposed solutions such as an orphanage system, automatic guardian assignment, and an adoption pool for orphaned Zois, but none of these have been implemented yet.
Adoption vs Pregnancy vs Medical Help
The v0.2.0 update introduced three distinct paths to having children. Each has different requirements and outcomes:
Feature | Adoption | Pregnancy | Create a Child with Medical Help |
|---|---|---|---|
Cost | Free | Free | 1,000 Mew |
Marriage Required | No | No (since v0.2.0; previously required marriage) | No |
Same-Sex Couples | Yes | No (requires one male and one female Zoi) | Yes |
Single Zoi | Yes | No (requires two Zois) | Yes (solo option available) |
Genetic Inheritance | No (randomized traits) | Yes (inherits from both parents via genetics) | Yes (inherits from one or both contributing Zois) |
Age Selection | Yes (Newborn, Toddler, or Child) | No (always begins as Newborn) | No (always begins as Newborn) |
Waiting Period | None (instant) | 3 in-game days of pregnancy | None (instant) |
Access Method | Computer, laptop, or smartphone | "Suggest Having a Baby" social interaction between Zois | Computer, laptop, or smartphone |
Create a Child with Medical Help
Also added in v0.2.0, Create a Child with Medical Help is a separate feature accessed through the same computer or smartphone menu. It allows a Zoi to create a child that inherits genetic traits, unlike adoption which produces a child with randomized appearance and personality.
Detail | Description |
|---|---|
Cost | 1,000 Mew (in-game currency) |
Solo Option | A single Zoi can create a child using their own genetic traits alone. |
Partner Option | Two Zois (regardless of gender or marital status) can partner up. The resulting child inherits genetic traits from both parents. |
Result | A Newborn that inherits the parent(s)' facial features and physical characteristics. |
Marriage Required | No. Unmarried couples and single Zois can both use this feature. |
Medical Help Parentage Issue
When unmarried Zois use Create a Child with Medical Help, only the Zoi who initiated the procedure is registered as the legal parent in the Family Trees. The consenting partner is not recognized as a parent, even though both contributed genetic traits to the child. KRAFTON has confirmed this is intentional design for unmarried applicants, not a bug. The system treats only the applicant as the legal parent regardless of whether the couple is same-sex or opposite-sex. Players who want both Zois recognized as parents must be married before using the feature.
Known Limitations
Limitation | Details |
|---|---|
Irreversible decision | Once adoption or Medical Help is confirmed, the family relationship cannot be undone. The game's "CANNOT CHANGE PREVIOUSLY SET FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS" restriction prevents any modification to established parent-child bonds. |
Household cap | The maximum household size of 8 Zois applies to all methods of adding children. If the household is full, adoption, pregnancy, and Medical Help are all unavailable. |
No teenager adoption | The adoption menu only offers Newborn, Toddler, and Child. Teenagers, Adolescents, and older Zois cannot be adopted. |
Orphaned children may be deleted | If both parents of any child (adopted or biological) die while the child is still a dependent, the child is removed from the game rather than placed with a relative or into an adoption pool. This behavior also occurs when the Child Protection Agency intervenes due to neglect. |
No appearance customization at adoption | The adopted child's appearance is randomly generated at the time of adoption. Players cannot preview or choose the child's look beforehand. However, as of v0.7.0 (March 2026), baby Zois can be customized in the Edit Appearance menu after adoption. |
Remarriage family bug | A known bug causes family members (including children) to disappear from the household when a Zoi remarries multiple times. KRAFTON recommends avoiding repeated remarriage, especially when children are involved. |
Update History
The adoption system has been refined across several patches since its introduction:
Version | Date | Changes |
|---|---|---|
v0.2.0 | June 13, 2025 | Adoption introduced alongside Create a Child with Medical Help and non-marital birth. Accessible via computer or laptop. |
v0.3.0 | August 20, 2025 | Adopt a Child service added to the smartphone, allowing adoption from anywhere without needing a computer. |
v0.4.0 | October 2025 | Bug fix for toddler portraits in the adoption UI. New interactions added for newborns and toddlers (Give Formula, Do Baby Stretches). |
v0.7.0 | March 26, 2026 | Baby Zoi needs rebalanced. Newborns are now born without teeth and gain them as they grow. Baby Zois can be customized in the Edit Appearance menu. New quick cleanup interaction added. |
Tips
Adopting a Child (7 in-game days before aging up) gives the most time to develop the parent-child relationship and invest in the child's skills before they enter Adolescence.
Adopting a Newborn provides the full childhood experience from the very beginning but requires immediate care. The Newborn stage itself lasts only 1 in-game day, so have a crib ready before confirming the adoption.
Create a Child with Medical Help is the better choice if you want the child to inherit specific physical traits from one or both parents. Adoption produces a child with completely randomized appearance and traits.
Both adoption and Medical Help are available regardless of the Zoi's romantic situation, making them ideal for single-parent household gameplay.
Since v0.3.0, you can adopt via the smartphone rather than walking home to use a computer. This is especially convenient when you want to adopt while a Zoi is already out in the city.
Hire a babysitter before adopting if both adult Zois in the household are employed. Toddlers' needs deplete quickly, and neglect can lead to the Child Protection Agency removing the child permanently.
If you plan to adopt multiple children, space the adoptions out. Caring for two toddlers simultaneously is demanding, and a full household of 8 Zois prevents further adoption.
As of v0.7.0, you can customize an adopted baby's appearance through the Edit Appearance menu. This is useful if you want the child to match the household's aesthetic even though adopted children do not inherit genetic traits.