Skills

Overview

inZOI features over 30 skills spread across three age groups: toddler, child, and teenager through senior. Each skill progresses through numbered levels by performing related activities. Toddler skills and child skills cap at level 5, while teenager and adult skills progress from level 1 to level 10. Leveling skills unlocks new interactions, enables career promotions, improves the quality and sale value of crafted items, and in several cases produces goods that sell for Meow.

The base game launched with 13 adult skills. The v0.5.0 update (December 2025) added Baking, Drink Mixing, and Crime as new skills. The Island Getaway DLC (v0.3.0, August 2025) introduced Collecting, Fishing, Handiwork, and Swimming. The v0.7.0 anniversary update (March 2026) expanded the Gardening skill with six new farmable flowers, bouquet crafting, and special flower effects at high skill levels.

Skills do not currently decay over time. A Zoi who stops practicing retains their level indefinitely. Some child skills transition into related adult skills when the Zoi ages up, carrying progress forward.

Toddler Skills

Toddlers have four developmental skills. These skills build the foundation for later child and adult abilities and are relatively quick to level compared to older age groups. Each toddler skill caps at level 5.

Toddler skills level up naturally through everyday interactions. Having other household members interact with the toddler through conversations and play accelerates progress. Because a toddler's life stage is short, there are limited activities available, but most routine actions contribute some skill experience.

Child Skills

Children have six skills, each capped at level 5. When a child ages up to a teenager, maxed child skills trigger an "Aptitude" unlock that automatically sets the corresponding adult skill(s) to level 5. This makes childhood an important window for giving your Zoi a head start.

Creativity is the most versatile child skill because it branches into four adult skills at once. Children who max Creativity before aging up start with level 5 in Art, Instrument, Performance, and Media Production simultaneously. This is the single largest head start available from childhood.

Motor Development is the child equivalent of the adult Fitness skill. The fastest way to level it is to have the child use exercise equipment or play at the playground repeatedly. At level 5, Motor Development maxes out and the Zoi unlocks Motor Development Aptitude, which sets Fitness to level 5 when they become a teenager.

Aquatic Adaptability and Curious Mind were added with the Island Getaway DLC (v0.3.0). Aquatic Adaptability lets children swim and engage in water activities, transitioning to the full Swimming skill at the teen stage. Curious Mind covers fishing and mining activities, giving younger Zois a foundation before they gain access to the Fishing and Collecting skills.

Teenager Through Senior Skills

The main skill set becomes available from the teen life stage onward and remains accessible through senior. These skills progress from level 1 to level 10. The following sections detail each skill, its leveling methods, career connections, and practical uses.

Creative Skills

Art

The Art skill is increased by painting on an easel, creating murals, and appreciating art at galleries or around the city. Higher Art levels unlock new painting styles, improve the quality of finished pieces, and increase their sale value. Completed artwork can be sold through the Pocket Market on the smartphone for Meow. Art is one of the core income-generating skills because it produces sellable physical items. Your Zoi's skill level directly affects the quality and price of each painting.

Instrument

The Instrument skill is built by playing piano, guitar, or drums, and by composing music on a computer. Higher levels unlock new songs and improve performance quality. At level 1, Zois can use the computer to compose original tracks in various genres. Composed music can be kept or sold for Meow. Zois with a high Instrument skill can also busk on the street for tips, combining well with the Performance skill.

Media Production

Media Production is leveled by taking selfies, shooting photographs, editing videos on the computer, and posting content online. Higher levels produce better-quality media that can be sold for more Meow. This skill ties into the Photo Mode system and the video editing tools available on computers.

Performance

The Performance skill is built through singing, stand-up comedy, browsing funny websites, and humorous conversations with other Zois. Performance overlaps with the Instrument skill for busking purposes. A Zoi with high Performance can earn tips on the street and is more entertaining at Social Events. Singing quality improves with each level, making public performances more effective.

Social Skills

Charm

The Charm skill is built through love-themed conversations, flirting, reading romance-related books, and browsing online dating. Charm directly affects romantic interactions, making dates more successful and romantic conversations more effective. A high Charm level makes it easier to build relationships with romantic interests and increases the success rate of moves like asking for a first kiss.

Rhetoric

Rhetoric is improved through greeting Zois, having conversations, giving advice, practicing speeches in the mirror, and engaging in debates. This skill affects the success rate of social interactions and is useful for journalism careers. A high Rhetoric level makes it easier to influence other Zois' opinions and emotions. Rhetoric also affects scam success rates in the crime system.

Practical and Life Skills

Cooking

The Cooking skill is increased by experimenting with recipes in the kitchen using the refrigerator and stovetop. As the skill levels up, more complex recipes unlock, food quality improves, and the Zoi becomes less likely to start a fire. Level 0 covers basic meals like pancakes and salad. Level 3 unlocks group dishes such as pizza and cake. Level 5 unlocks steak and fried chicken. Higher-quality meals satisfy the hunger need more effectively. Cooking supports food service careers and restaurant businesses.

Baking

Baking was added in v0.5.0 as a separate skill from Cooking, focused on oven-based desserts and baked goods. It is used to stock items in a bakery business through the "Fill Order" and "Bake" function on the fridge. Higher Baking levels unlock more expensive recipes. Group-sized baked goods sell for significantly more than individual servings, making Baking one of the more profitable crafting skills for business owners.

Coffee Craft

Coffee Craft is developed by brewing coffee using a Coffee Grinder and Espresso Machine. Pod machines do not count toward this skill. Available from the teen stage through elder. At level 0, basic drinks like espresso and americano are available. Higher levels progressively unlock more complex drinks, with specialty beverages like Feline Grace and Non-Alcoholic Cafe Royal available at level 10. Drink prices range from 5 Meow for basic coffees to 15 Meow for level 10 specialties. Coffee expires if left out, similar to food. This skill is directly used in cafe businesses.

Drink Mixing

Drink Mixing was added in v0.5.0. It involves using Drink Dispensers to create mixed beverages, from fruit juices to cocktails. The types of drinks a Zoi can mix depend on their age and the objects available. Teenagers can make non-alcoholic drinks, while adults unlock the full range of cocktails. This skill is used in club and lounge businesses. The v0.5.4 hotfix refined the system by moving mixed drink preparation from standard bar tables to dedicated Drink Dispenser units.

Housework

Housework is developed through cleaning, doing laundry, repairing broken objects, refurbishing old furniture, and crafting furniture from scratch at a Furniture Workbench. A high Housework level makes cleanliness management easier and unlocks the ability to craft furniture items that can be placed through Build Mode. At level 3, the Premium Cordless Vacuum Cleaner unlocks (costing 450 Meow), which covers more area and is significantly more efficient than the regular vacuum. Higher levels continue to unlock better cleaning tools and more complex furniture crafting recipes.

Gardening

Gardening is improved by watering, fertilizing, and harvesting crops. Reading gardening books also helps. Higher levels unlock new plant varieties and improve harvest quality. Each good-quality harvest earns 500 Meow. Bonsai created through gardening can be sold via the Pocket Market. In Cahaya, farm lots can be placed from Build Mode to start a full farming operation with crops that can be used in cooking recipes or sold directly.

The v0.7.0 anniversary update expanded Gardening significantly. Six new farmable flowers were added, and Zois can now craft bouquets and flower baskets. At high Gardening levels, flowers gain special effects that go beyond simple decoration and influence gameplay. These additions tie into the new Flower Shop business type.

Mental and Cognitive Skills

Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking is a broad intellectual skill built through writing, studying for certifications, solving puzzles, reading logic books, and watching debates. It supports several career paths including journalism, law, and academia. Writing manuscripts is one of the leveling methods, and completed manuscripts can be sold as a freelance income source. Critical Thinking also affects scam success rates in the crime system.

Programming

Programming is developed by coding games and applications on a computer or laptop, as well as by playing video games. Digital creations can be sold through the computer for Meow. The skill supports the Developer career at DW Soft (Dowon) and Blue Moon Soft (Bliss Bay). Programming also affects ATM hacking success rates in the crime system, making it relevant for the thief crime path.

Physical and Outdoor Skills

Fitness

Fitness is built by using treadmills, weight machines, yoga mats, jogging, and other exercise equipment. The Fitness skill visibly affects the Zoi's body shape, making them more toned as it increases. Reading fitness books also contributes. Gyms are located at Muscle Beach in Bliss Bay and Harang River Park in Dowon. Equipment can also be purchased through Build Mode for home use. Fitness supports athletic careers such as Idol Trainee at Adam Entertainment and Football Player at Bliss Bay Nautilus. It also affects thief success rates in the crime system.

Swimming

Swimming was introduced with the Island Getaway DLC. Higher Swimming skill levels allow the Zoi to stay in the water longer and better avoid ocean hazards. At level 3, Intermediate Mode unlocks, letting the Zoi stay submerged longer and dive deeper. Swimming can be improved through regular practice in pools and the ocean, or by attending lessons at the Academy (sign up through the computer). Swimming pools are found in public parks and can be built at home through Build Mode. In Cahaya, advanced swimming leads to snorkeling and underwater exploration, with rental gear available at the snorkeling stand on Barat Beach.

Gathering and Resource Skills

Collecting

Collecting is a gathering skill for mining and resource collection, added with the Island Getaway DLC. Higher Collecting levels improve tool efficiency and yield better results. Each mining attempt takes approximately 3 minutes, and both successful and failed attempts give experience. Mined items are added to the Family Collection Log, and completing the log earns additional rewards. Pickaxes (stone, steel, and copper) can be purchased from the Farm Store in Cahaya.

Fishing

Fishing is a skill for catching fish at designated spots in Dowon, Bliss Bay, and Cahaya. Higher Fishing levels improve catch success rates and unlock better fishing rods that can catch rarer fish. Fish can be displayed in aquarium tanks for decoration. Fish fillets are used as ingredients in cooking recipes like Flatfish Sushi and Steamed Fish, creating a natural gameplay loop between Fishing and Cooking.

Handiwork

Handiwork involves crafting tools and jewelry at crafting tables. Items made through Handiwork can be used or sold. Raw gems obtained through mining (via the Collecting skill) can be refined into polished jewels and used in crafting more valuable items. Handiwork also affects thief success rates in the crime system, making it relevant to the crime path alongside Programming and Fitness.

Business and Crime Skills

Business

The Business skill is leveled through managing business operations. It affects overall business performance and entrepreneurial success. Having a high Business skill improves customer satisfaction and revenue. Having relevant production skills (Cooking, Baking, Coffee Craft, etc.) leveled before opening a business is strongly recommended, as low-skill products sell poorly and reduce customer satisfaction, which can cause the business to lose money in the early days when operating fees and employee wages exceed revenue.

Crime

Crime was added in v0.5.0 and currently progresses from level 0 to level 5, unlocking increasingly sophisticated thief and scammer interactions at each level. Thief activities include picking door locks, breaking down doors, opening safes, and sabotaging surveillance cameras. Scammer activities include voice phishing, scamming in-game items, impersonating a charity worker, and holding fake seminars. Thief success rates are influenced by Handiwork, Programming, and Fitness. Scam success rates are influenced by Rhetoric and Critical Thinking. See the crime article for the full breakdown of interactions at each level.

Adult Skills Summary Table

The following table provides a quick reference for all adult skills, organized by category.

How Skills Develop

All skills progress through levels by performing the relevant activity: painting for Art, cooking for Cooking, exercising for Fitness, and so on. You can tell your Zoi is building a skill by the white and blue circles that appear over their head. Each icon in the circle represents a different skill.

Primary activities are always the fastest method. For every skill, there is a core set of actions that provide the most experience per session. For example, the fastest way to raise Cooking is to prepare meals repeatedly, while Instrument levels fastest by playing songs on the piano or guitar.

Skill Development

Books provide a secondary leveling path for most skills. Reading a skill-relevant book at a library, bookshelf, or on a tablet gives skill experience at a slower rate than primary activities, but it can be done while managing other needs like comfort and fun.

TV channels offer a passive leveling method for some skills. Watching the Cooking channel raises Cooking experience, and the Entertainment channel contributes to Performance. This is one of the slowest methods but can be combined with other activities.

Leveling is not linear. The first few levels come quickly, but reaching level 8, 9, or 10 requires sustained effort over many in-game days. The experience required per level increases significantly at higher levels.

Factors That Affect Learning Speed

The Concentrated emotion is the single best boost for skill learning speed. Traits affect which emotions occur naturally, indirectly impacting how often a Zoi enters the ideal learning state. Liked activities are more likely to put a Zoi in a positive mood like Tranquil or Concentrated, creating a feedback loop where enjoying a skill helps you level it faster.

What Leveling Unlocks

Higher skill levels unlock a variety of rewards across multiple categories:

Example Unlocks by Skill Level

Skills and Careers

Most careers have associated skills that speed up promotion. Building relevant skills before starting a career path means faster advancement. For businesses, higher skill levels produce more expensive and profitable items.

Skill Synergies

Several skills work together to create combined gameplay loops that reward investing in multiple related skills:

Skill Cheats

For players who want to skip the grind, inZOI supports cheat commands for skills. To use cheats, navigate to the Psycat's Advice and enable cheats, then press Ctrl + Shift + C to open the cheat console.

The command to set a skill level is:

setSkillLevel [skill ID] [level]

Each life stage (toddler, child, adult) has its own set of skill IDs. The command only works for skills available during the active Zoi's current life stage. Skill IDs can be found in the official cheat guide on the inZOI website. The maximum level you can set is 5 for toddler and child skills, and 10 for adult skills.

Planned Skills

The 2026 roadmap references a Parenting skill tied to the Desired Lives system, but it is not yet available in Early Access. Additional skills may be added with future career and content updates as the game continues development.

Tips

• The Concentrated emotion provides the biggest boost to skill learning speed. Try to maintain positive moods while training by meeting your Zoi's needs first.

• Some skills can be passively leveled by watching relevant TV channels (Cooking channel for Cooking, Entertainment channel for Performance). This is slow but lets you multitask.

• Traits affect which emotions occur naturally, indirectly impacting skill learning rates. Choose traits aligned with skills you plan to focus on.

• Skills are retained across life stages. Skills learned as a teenager carry through to senior, so early investment pays off for the Zoi's entire life.

• Focus on skills tied to your Zoi's career for the fastest work promotions. Check the career requirements panel to see which skills matter.

• For child Zois, prioritize maxing Creativity before aging up. It is the only child skill that branches into four adult skills at once, giving the biggest head start possible.

• If you plan to open a business, level the relevant production skill (Cooking, Baking, Coffee Craft) before opening. Low-skill products sell poorly and can make the business unprofitable in its early days.

• Collecting + Handiwork is one of the most reliable income loops. Mine raw gems, refine them into polished jewels, and craft them into jewelry for sale.

• Swimming pools built at home through Build Mode offer the most convenient way to raise the Swimming skill without traveling to public locations.

• Books and reading provide experience for most skills. Keep a bookshelf stocked with skill-relevant titles so your Zoi can study when other training methods are not available.