Mods are a great way to enhance your single player GTA V experience, but they do carry some risks. Use this guide to make sure your GTA V modding is as safe as possible, both for your computer and your GTA Online account — and note that it applies to story mode/single player mods only! We don't endorse modding when you are playing GTA Online with others.
Avoid Malware
First, before you download any mods, you should take steps to protect yourself from malware. Your computer should be protected by anti-virus and anti-malware software to scan files you download.
Mods from Nexusmods.com and GTA5-Mods.com are among the safest, because the websites scan for malware as the mods are uploaded. Still, no matter where you download a mod from, look through the comments to make sure other players aren't reporting issues.
Malware is possible mainly in .asi and .dll mods, so be especially careful when downloaded these.
Basic Modding Tools
Next, there are a few modding tools you should have on hand:
- Script Hook V lets you use custom scripts. Many script mods for GTA V depend on you having Script Hook V. Custom scripts will be disable when you enter GTA Online.
- OpenIV is a tool to modify rpf files. A new feature also allows you to place all of your mods in a separate folder away from your base game. If you keep your mods in a folder within the directory, you can edit them without concern.
- Similarly, GTA V Mod Manager creates a separate folder for mods and also gives you options to ensure mods are disabled when you go online.
