This guide details how to save your progress in Grand Theft Auto 5 (GTA 5) and GTA Online. Both games feature autosaves, but manual saves and forced autosaves offer additional security against data loss.
GTA 5 Story Mode Saving:
There are two primary methods for saving in GTA 5's Story Mode:
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Sleeping at a Safehouse: Manual saves are performed by sleeping in a bed at one of the protagonist's Safehouses (marked with a white house icon on the map). Press "E" on keyboard or the Right D-Pad on a controller to initiate the save.
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Using the Cell Phone: For a quicker save, access your in-game cell phone (Up arrow key or Up on the D-pad). Select the cloud icon to access the Save Game menu and confirm the save.
GTA Online Saving:
GTA Online doesn't offer a dedicated manual save menu. Instead, utilize these methods to trigger autosaves:
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Changing Outfits/Accessories: Altering your outfit or even a single accessory forces an autosave. Open the Interaction Menu (M key or controller touchpad), select Appearance, then Accessories or Outfit, make a change, and exit the menu. Watch for the spinning orange circle in the bottom-right corner to confirm the save. Repeat if necessary.
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Accessing the Swap Character Menu: Navigating to the Swap Character menu, even without switching characters, also triggers an autosave. Open the Pause Menu (Esc key or Start button), go to the Online tab, and select Swap Character.
Remember, a rotating orange circle in the bottom-right corner indicates an active autosave. While autosaves are frequent, utilizing these manual methods provides extra peace of mind.
