Rockstar Editor

Rockstar Editor is the filmmaking suite built into Grand Theft Auto V. It lets players turn recorded gameplay into films by editing camera views, playback speed, visual effects and music, rather than simply sharing the view they saw while playing.¹

The process has three parts: capture a scene, assemble and edit a project, then export the finished video. Director Mode helps set up scenes before recording; the Editor handles the footage afterward.¹⁸

Availability and access

Rockstar Editor is available in GTA V on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.¹¹ Both Legacy and Enhanced on PC include the Editor.⁵

You need Story Mode to open the Editor, even when your clips were recorded in GTA Online. Owning standalone GTA Online is not enough.³

Rockstar removed the Editor from PS4 and Xbox One on February 20, 2024. Clips and projects on those versions were deleted with its removal.⁴

Recording clips and opening a project

You can record gameplay in Story Mode or GTA Online. On PC, hold Alt to display the character-switch recording controls. With default keyboard bindings, F1 starts recording and F2 stops it. Controller users hold down on the D-pad and follow the displayed prompts.²

Action Replay can save a moment retrospectively while the feature is active. For a planned film, record several takes so that a passing pedestrian or unwanted sound does not leave you with only one usable shot.⁶

To edit, return to Story Mode, pause the game and open the rightmost Rockstar Editor tab. Clip Management contains the footage recorded in either mode.² Create New Project assembles selected clips into a timeline; Load Project returns to work already saved.

Cameras, effects and audio

The Editor's camera controls let you change the viewpoint of recorded action. Fast and slow motion change its pace, while filters change its appearance. Radio songs and the game's score provide soundtrack options, including control over score intensity.¹

Camera movement is not unlimited. The camera must stay near the recorded player character. Planning another take or using a different actor can be more useful than trying to move the camera beyond that boundary.⁶

The native tools also include ambient audio tracks, one-shot sound effects, text fonts, copying marker properties and taking Snapmatic photos from the Editor.⁷ These are built-in features; camera-unlocking mods and external editing software are separate tools.

Director Mode is scene setup

Director Mode lets you stage action with story characters, pedestrians and animals.¹ It is where you choose scene conditions such as time and weather, rather than an option to replace the weather in footage you have already recorded.⁶

Exporting and sharing

Export turns an edited project into a finished video, which can be played in the Editor's Video Gallery.⁸ Keep that distinction in mind: recorded clips, an editable project and an exported video serve different purposes.

Uploading videos from the Editor to the Rockstar Games website ended on April 15, 2025. Videos previously hosted there are also no longer available.⁹ Older tutorials and menu screenshots that advertise Social Club uploads therefore do not describe a current website-sharing option. The website change is separate from the Editor's recording, editing and export functions.

Launch and console history

Rockstar Editor debuted with the PC release of GTA V on April 14, 2015, following its official introduction.¹ It reached PS4 and Xbox One with the Freemode Events Update on September 15, 2015, alongside additions to its audio library, Snapmatic integration and fonts.¹⁰