Grand Theft Auto V is more than a decade old, yet it keeps topping sales charts, filling livestreams, and sparking conversations. Why? Because Los Santos remains the ultimate open-world playground—part crime saga, part driving sim, part social hub, and pure chaos therapy. Whether you want to blaze through the story, hunt Easter eggs, or build an empire in GTA Online, this guide will fast-track you from rookie to local legend.

Below you’ll find a step-by-step course: essential settings, mission flow, money farming, and pro tricks that still work after the latest updates. Grab a snack, keep one eye on the radar, and let’s jump in.

1. First Steps: Settings, Versions, and Saving Time

1.1 Pick the Right Edition

• Story-only players: Any platform version works. The “Premium Edition” bundles useful GTA Online goodies if you ever change your mind.
• Online-focused players: Choose the newest console/PC port for shorter load times and 60 FPS. Cross-gen migration is free once per platform family.

1.2 Adjust These 5 Settings Before You Play

• Turn “Targeting Mode” to Assisted Aim Partial for smooth auto-snap without feeling on rails.
• Raise Brightness one notch; nighttime driving and interiors get clearer.
• Set “Subtitles” on—dialog clues you into heist methods and reveals stock-market hints.
• Lower “Vehicle Camera Height” to Low for a broader road view.
• Disable “Autosave” only if you plan to replay missions for medals; otherwise, keep it on and sleep peacefully.

2. Story Flow: Smart Order, Fewer Roadblocks

2.1 Play Missions in “Money First” Order

The plot is mostly linear, but optional prep missions influence cash rewards. A recommended early sequence:

• Prologue → Franklin & Lamar → Repossession (gun skill) → Complications (stealth practice)
• Save Lester’s assassination missions until AFTER the final heist. You’ll pump your earnings into the stock market later.
• Do “Casing the Jewel Store” as soon as Michael unlocks it; the payout bankrolls better weapons for everyone.

2.2 Switch Characters Aggressively

Each protagonist gains stats while off-screen. When you swap, time jumps, cars respawn, and police heat cools. Use this trick to:

• Skip long commutes—sometimes a character wakes up closer to your next mission.
• Reset Wanted Level indirectly: switch to a safe character, wait 30 seconds, switch back.
• Farm skills: leave Michael swimming, play as Franklin, return to find Michael’s Lung Capacity boosted a bit.

3. Skills & Stats: Level Up the Easy Way

3.1 Quick Grinds

• Driving: Steal a compact car, weave through highway traffic at night. Near-miss bonuses stack fast.
• Shooting: Visit Ammu-Nation’s firing range. Gold medals can max the stat in under 20 minutes.
• Stamina: Hold “sprint” while cycling. You move fast yet keep stamina drain moderate.
• Special Abilities: Use Franklin’s slow-mo driving to win street races; tap Michael’s bullet time in any convenience-store robbery; engage Trevor’s berserk skill to survive five-star chaos.

4. Money, Money, Money: Maximizing Single-Player Cash

4.1 Best Early Hustles

• Hidden Briefcases: 11 spawn under water. Use Trevor’s helicopter from “Nervous Ron,” dive, collect, swap characters to reset oxygen, repeat.
• Taxis: Franklin can do taxi jobs from rank 0. Each run is quick and safe income while you learn city layout.
• Epsilon Tracts: Collect all 10 for a $2 million payoff and an optional superfuturistic dune buggy.

4.2 Stock Market Mastery in 3 Steps

1. Complete the main story up to “The Big Score.” Save remaining Lester hits.
2. Before each assassination, buy the rival company’s stock (BAWSAQ or LCN). Example: Kill Lifeinvader’s CEO? Buy Facade (FAGG).
3. Sleep 2–3 in-game days, sell at +80-120 % profit, then buy the target company once prices tank and wait for rebound.

Total take: $2 billion+ per character—enough to buy every property and exotic plane you ever wanted.

5. Weapons & Vehicles: Gear That Carries You

5.1 Must-Own Guns

• Special Carbine: High accuracy, unlocked after reaching Rank 1 in Online but also purchasable in Story after “Minor Turbulence.”
• Heavy Sniper (Suppressor): One-shot helicopters, remain silent during stealth heists.
• Sticky Bombs: Versatile for car chases, armored truck robberies, and quick door breaching.

5.2 Vehicles Worth Keeping in Garages

• Karin Kuruma (Armored): Story-mode version is heist-locked, but you can buy it in Online. Bullet-proof windows make low-level missions trivial.
• Oppressor Mk II: Online only; the flying bike turns map traversal into a two-minute affair.
• Duke O’Death: Free for returning players; absorbs rockets like a boss.

6. Explore Like a Local: Secrets & Collectibles

Los Santos hides 500+ curiosities. The most rewarding:

• All 50 Letter Scraps → reveals the killer from Michael’s past and unlocks the “A Mystery, Solved” mission.
• All 50 Spaceship Parts → Franklin gets the space-age “Space Docker” buggy with alien horn.
• Mount Chiliad’s UFOs → Complete game 100 %, visit summit at 3 AM during rain, look up.

7. Wanted Level Survival Course

• 1–2 stars: Duck into alleys, swap vehicles, break line-of-sight.
• 3 stars: Enter a parking garage, climb stairs on foot, hide behind AC units.
• 4 stars: Switch to Michael, enable bullet time, pop helicopter pilots first.
• 5 stars: Head to Los Santos Storm Drain. Narrow tunnels confuse AI choppers; use Sticky Bombs on roadblocks.

8. Transition to GTA Online: Do This Before You Log In

1. Finish the prologue in Story; otherwise, Online won’t unlock.
2. Link your Rockstar Social Club account; cloud saves guard against profile corruption.
3. Claim free “Career Builder” money (PS5/Series X|S) and start with one of four businesses—Gunrunning is easiest solo.

9. Online Money Grind 2025 Edition

9.1 Solo Friendly Income

• Payphone Hits (Agency DLC): 15 min, $85k each with bonus.
• Cayo Perico Solo Heist: Scope Drainage Tunnel, escape via Kosatka, net $1.3 million in under one hour.
• Acid Lab Sell Missions: Passive production, high margins, low enemy aggression.

9.2 Crew Play for Fast Millions

• The Diamond Casino Heist: Repeat “Big Con” approach; each member clears ~$400k.
• Doomsday Act 2: Still glitch-friendly, two-player minimum, $1.2 million payoff.
• Los Santos Drug Wars Last Dose Hard Mode: One-hour playlist, 1.1x bonus, unlock exclusive liveries.

9.3 Survive PvP Lobbies

• Always register as “CEO” and request your Sparrow or Terrorbyte for instant cover.
• Use Ghost Organization every 50 minutes ($12k) when selling cargo.
• Set “Preferred Targeting” to Free Aim in settings; most public players are Assisted Aim, giving you surprise accuracy.

10. Roleplay & Mods (PC)

Single-player mods are allowed offline; using them Online is bannable. Must-try packs:

• LSPDFR: Become the cop for once.
• NaturalVision Evolved: Next-gen lighting overhaul.
• Simple Zombies: Turns Los Santos into survival horror.

Always back up update.rpf and use the free “OpenIV” tool with a mods folder to avoid corrupting vanilla files.

11. Quick Reference Cheat Sheet

• Lower Wanted Level (Story): Cellphone → Dial 1-999-5299-3787 (LAWYERUP).
• Spawn Buzzard Helicopter: 1-999-289-9633 (BUZZOFF).
• Recharge Ability: 1-999-769-3787 (POWERUP).
• Shift sprint key twice quickly to roll and break fall damage.
• Holding interaction menu → “Vehicle Access: Passengers” keeps griefers from stealing your ride Online.

Conclusion: Your Roadmap to Legend Status

Grand Theft Auto V is a buffet. Follow the mission order above to stack billions, turbo-charge your skills through quick mini-grinds, and lock down the best weapons and wheels early. When you hop into GTA Online, invest your first payouts into businesses that print passive cash, then master solo heists for steady seven-figure incomes. Respect the modding rules, know your escape routes, and remember: style is half the fun. See you under the Vinewood sign—don’t forget to honk twice if you spot a fellow reader.