Hobbies and Preferences
Complete guide to the preference system and hobby activities in inZOI. Covers all 33 preferences across 7 categories (Fitness, Food, Relationship, Hobby, Reading, Instrument, Activity), how likes and dislikes affect Zoi behavior, preference discovery, interaction with traits and values, autonomy settings, and every leisure activity available in the game.
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How Preferences Work
Every Zoi can have up to 10 preferences total, selected from 7 categories. Each preference can be set to either "Like" (shown as a yellow heart) or "Dislike" (shown as a gray broken heart), and both likes and dislikes count toward the 10-preference limit. So if a Zoi likes Cooking, Painting, and Coffee (3 likes) and dislikes Fast Food and Boxing (2 dislikes), that's 5 of their 10 slots used.
Preferences can be edited anytime through the Zoi Card interface, accessed via the toolbar menu on the bottom right of the gameplay screen. As of the August 2025 update (v0.3.0), newly created Zois no longer have preferences automatically assigned. You set them manually during or after creation.
What Preferences Do
Effect | Description |
|---|---|
Autonomous behavior | When Autonomy is on, Zois gravitate toward liked activities and avoid disliked ones. A Zoi who likes Cleaning will tidy the house whenever the opportunity arises. |
Skill growth | Liked activities level up the associated skill faster than neutral ones. |
Emotional responses | Liked activities produce positive emotions (Tranquil, Concentrated); disliked ones produce negative emotions (Bored, Annoyed). |
Urge triggers | Preferences influence which urges appear. Zois with liked preferences receive more urges related to those activities. |
Social dynamics | Preferences influence how Zois interact with each other and shape their Desired Lives. |
Preference Discovery
Through life experiences, Zois can discover new preferences or have existing ones change naturally. This happens organically as they go about their daily lives. A Zoi who keeps getting forced to cook might develop an opinion about it one way or the other. Discovery means a Zoi could gain a new like or dislike without the player explicitly setting it, adding an element of emergent personality development.
All 33 Preferences
There are 33 preferences across 7 categories. The table below lists every preference available in the game along with its category and a description of what it affects.
Fitness (5 Preferences)
Fitness preferences tie into the Fitness skill and determine which workout activities a Zoi gravitates toward when left on Autonomy.
Preference | Description |
|---|---|
Ball Sports | Affects interest in basketball, soccer, and other ball-based sports at outdoor courts and parks. |
Boxing | Governs attraction to punching bags and boxing equipment at gyms. |
Jogging | Determines whether a Zoi voluntarily goes for runs around the neighborhood or parks. |
Strength Training | Influences use of gym equipment like squat racks, bench presses, free weights, and pull-down machines. |
Yoga | Controls interest in yoga sessions on mats at home or at locations like the Cahaya temple. |
Food (7 Preferences)
Food preferences shape which meals a Zoi gravitates toward when eating and how they react emotionally to different foods. See Restaurants and Dining for details on eating out.
Preference | Description |
|---|---|
Cake | Affects interest in sweet baked goods, pastries, and dessert items. |
Carnivorous Diet | Governs preference for meat-heavy meals. Zois who like this prefer dishes with meat as the main ingredient. |
Coffee | Determines whether a Zoi seeks out coffee from cafes or brews it at home. Related to the Coffee Crafting skill. |
Fast Food | Influences attraction to quick-service meals and convenience foods. |
Spicy Food | Controls interest in spicy dishes and hot meals. |
Street Food | Affects interest in food from street vendors and outdoor food stalls. |
Vegetarian Diet | Governs preference for plant-based meals. Zois who like this prefer dishes without meat. |
Relationship (2 Preferences)
Relationship preferences determine how a Zoi interacts with animals and plants in the world.
Preference | Description |
|---|---|
Animals | A Zoi who likes Animals will interact more with cats and other animals in the world, petting and socializing with them more often. |
Plants | A Zoi who likes Plants will be more attentive to gardening, watering houseplants, and tending to outdoor vegetation. |
Hobby (6 Preferences)
Hobby preferences map directly to the leisure activities available in the game and influence which creative or entertainment pursuits a Zoi chooses during free time.
Preference | Description |
|---|---|
Appreciating Art | Affects interest in viewing art pieces at the Narim Art Gallery in Dowon or at home. |
Dancing | Influences interest in dance activities, connected to the Idol/Performer career paths. |
Gaming | Determines whether a Zoi voluntarily plays video games on a computer, console, or arcade machine. Related to the Programming skill. |
Painting | Governs interest in drawing, doodling, and painting on easels or walls. Levels the Art skill. Paintings can be sold through the Pocket Market. |
Singing | Controls interest in singing at home or at karaoke venues like the Coin Booth Karaoke in Dowon. Levels the Performance skill. |
Taking Photos | Affects interest in photography using a Camera. Levels Media Production. See Photo Mode. |
Reading (4 Preferences)
Reading preferences determine which types of books a Zoi reaches for. Different book types level different skills when read.
Preference | Related Skill |
|---|---|
Art | Reading art books contributes to the Art skill. |
Health | Health books boost the Fitness skill. |
Novels | General reading builds Critical Thinking. |
Self-Help Books | Self-help books increase the Rhetoric skill. |
Instrument (3 Preferences)
Instrument preferences influence which musical instruments a Zoi gravitates toward. Playing instruments levels the Instrument skill and can lead to the Pro Musician ambition.
Preference | Description |
|---|---|
Drums | Drum kits are available at home or at music venues. Children can also access drum kits. |
Guitar | Acoustic and electric guitars can be played at home or used for busking in public. |
Piano | Pianos and keyboards can be played at home. Children can access keyboards. |
Activity (6 Preferences)
Activity preferences cover everyday chores and domestic tasks. A Zoi who likes these will handle them autonomously, which is especially helpful in larger households. These activities level the Housework skill.
Preference | Description |
|---|---|
Bathing | Affects how readily a Zoi takes baths and showers to maintain their Hygiene need. |
Cleaning | Governs interest in tidying the house, mopping floors, and wiping counters. |
Determines whether a Zoi voluntarily prepares meals at home. Related to the Cooking skill. | |
Laundry | Influences willingness to wash, dry, and fold clothes. |
Controls interest in fixing broken objects around the house. | |
Washing Cars | Affects whether a Zoi voluntarily washes vehicles parked at home. |
Interaction with Traits and Values
Traits (based on the Enneagram personality framework) are the primary driver of autonomous behavior, while preferences add a secondary layer of personal taste. A Zoi with the Adventurer trait might naturally seek outdoor activities, but their specific preferences determine whether they gravitate toward Jogging, Ball Sports, or Yoga within that context.
Values develop dynamically through gameplay and further shape which activities feel rewarding. When a Value reaches 60 or higher, it begins actively influencing decisions alongside traits and preferences. The three systems (traits, values, preferences) work together to create each Zoi's unique behavioral pattern.
Autonomy and Preferences
Preferences only affect behavior when Autonomy (Free Will) is enabled. The toggle is per-Zoi; there's no global setting. Press the T key or use the toggle in the bottom UI panel.
White open cat's eye = Autonomy on (Zoi acts independently based on preferences)
Orange closed cat's eye = Autonomy off (Zoi takes no action on their own)
Be careful with Autonomy off. Without it, a Zoi literally does nothing unless you command them. They can starve or collapse from sleep deprivation if you forget about them.
Hobby Activities
Beyond the preference system, here is the full list of leisure activities available in the game:
Creative
Hobby | Description |
|---|---|
Painting | Draw or doodle at a table, or paint on easels and walls. Levels the Art skill. Paintings can be sold through the Pocket Market. |
Photography | Requires a Camera (599 Meow in Build Mode). Levels Media Production. See Photo Mode. |
Media Production | Create and edit videos on a computer. |
Appreciating Art | View art pieces at the Narim Art Gallery in Dowon or at home. |
Music and Performance
Activity | Description |
|---|---|
Playing instruments | Guitar, piano, keyboard, drums. Children can access drum kits and keyboards. See instruments. |
Singing and karaoke | Sing at home or visit karaoke venues like the Coin Booth Karaoke in Dowon. Costs 5 Meow per session. Levels the Performance skill. |
Busking | Perform music in public areas (parks, cafes, plazas, beaches) to earn tips. Crowded spots pay better. |
Stand-up comedy | Perform comedy routines at venues. Levels the Performance skill. |
Dancing | Connected to the Idol/Performer career paths in Dowon's entertainment industry. |
Fitness
Activity | Description |
|---|---|
Gym workouts | Squat racks, bench presses, free weights, pull-down machines, treadmills. See fitness. |
Yoga | On mats at home or at locations like the Cahaya temple. |
Jogging | Run around the neighborhood or parks. |
Boxing | Punching bags at gyms. |
Ball Sports | Basketball and soccer at outdoor courts. |
Available at pools and Cahaya beaches. Added in the v0.3.0 Island Getaway DLC. | |
Hula Hoop | A lighter exercise option. |
Island Getaway Activities
The v0.3.0 Island Getaway DLC added several new hobby activities exclusive to Cahaya:
Activity | Description |
|---|---|
Ride waves at Cahaya's beaches. | |
Explore coral reefs and encounter sea turtles and dolphins in Cahaya's ocean. See Diving and Snorkeling. | |
Cast lines at designated spots across all cities. Fish can be kept or sold. Added in v0.3.0. | |
Farming | Grow crops on agricultural land in Cahaya. See Farming. |
Boat cruises | Rent boats and sail between islands. |
Other Activities
Activity | Description |
|---|---|
Video games | Play on a computer, console, or arcade machine. Levels the Programming skill. |
Reading | Books on a tablet or from a bookshelf. Different genres level different skills. |
Buy and maintain plants, water them, harvest crops. See gardening. | |
Cooking | Prepare meals at home using recipes. Watching cooking shows on TV also helps. See Cooking Skill. |
Coffee crafting | Brew coffee with a grinder and espresso machine. Levels the Coffee Crafting skill. |
Beach volleyball | At Bliss Bay and Cahaya. |
Chess | Play on a chessboard (780 Meow in Build Mode). |
All 13 Skills
For reference, the complete skills list in inZOI: Cooking, Charm, Programming, Gardening, Fitness, Art, Coffee Crafting, Rhetoric, Media Production, Housework, Instrument, Critical Thinking, and Performance.