Alex Ruben
How To Achieve 100% Completion in GTA 5 Save Game for 2025 – All Story Missions Finished Without Mods
If you’ve ever gotten tired of grinding through all those missions, hunting for collectibles, and basically just want to jump into the fun part, this guide might come in handy. Basically, it’s about getting a save game that’s already maxed out—everything finished, unlocked, etc.—so you can bypass all that boring stuff and get straight to playing freely. No mods needed, just drop and go. Usually, it’s great for players who want to explore the map or mess around with everything unlocked, without wasting hours doing the same missions again.
Of course, sometimes things go wrong—files end up in the wrong folder, game version mismatch, or permissions issues. This explainer covers the steps to get that save game set up cleanly, hopefully saving you some headache. Not sure why, but on some setups, it takes a couple of tries or reboots to get it working right, especially if your directories are hidden or if Windows gives you hassle. So, here’s the rundown.
How to Fix GTA 5 Save Game Install Issues
Fix 1: Make sure GTA 5 is fully closed
First off, you don’t wanna mess with files while the game is running. To be safe, double-check GTA 5 isn’t still open. Hit Esc, select Quit Game, and wait for it to fully shut down. Sometimes, Windows or Steam keeps background processes alive, which can mess up the file transfer later. On some setups, the game might keep running in the background even after closing it. If that happens, pop open your Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) and kill any GTA 5 or related processes.
This simple step helps prevent issues like save files not overwriting properly or the game reverting to old data. On a few machines, if you don’t do this, GTA might just reload old saves or ignore the new files. So, double-check that it’s really terminated before proceeding.
Fix 2: Download the save game file from a trusted source
Reaching for random sites can be risky, but after a quick search, plenty of folks suggest good places for GTA save files. Look for a reputable site—something with recent comments or good ratings. The idea is to grab the correct save for 2025, covering your game version (like the standard or the FitGirl repack). Files usually come zipped or compressed; make sure to download the full archive. Expect the download to take a few seconds to a couple of minutes, depending on your connection.
Once downloaded, you’ll want to verify the integrity of the file—sometimes, ZIP downloads can be corrupted, especially if interrupted. Right-click the downloaded archive, select Properties, and check if it’s complete. If not, try downloading again. On some downloads, the file is named something like GTA5_Complete_Save.zip. Keep that in mind for later steps.
Fix 3: Extract the save files correctly
After downloading, you’ll probably need to extract the contents. Right-click on the archive and choose Extract Here or Extract to [folder name], especially if you’re using WinRAR, 7-Zip, or Windows built-in extractor. The goal is to get the save files—typically, two or more files with extensions like .bak and .bck, or sometimes just SAV files.
Sometimes, extraction can go wrong if you don’t have permissions or if the files are corrupt. Make sure you see the right number of files after extraction, indicating the save game is intact. A good rule of thumb: if the files don’t show up, try re-downloading or extracting on another PC just to rule out corruption.
Fix 4: Copy the save files to the correct directory
This is where a lot of people stumble. The crucial part is putting the saved files into the right folder—otherwise, the game won’t pick them up. On Windows, the save game files are usually tucked inside:
This PC > Local Disk (C:) > Users > YourUsername > AppData > Roaming > Goldberg > Saves
Tip: You might not see the AppData folder right away because it’s hidden. To reveal it, go to View in the menu bar of the File Explorer, then check the box for Hidden items. That’s kinda weird, but Windows made it so you gotta manually show hidden folders.
If you’re using a mod manager or a specific launcher, the save folder could be different, so double-check that. Sometimes, people put the save files in Documents\Rockstar Games\GTA V, so keep an eye there if nothing shows up in the default folder.
Fix 5: Paste the save files into the proper folder
Once in the right folder, paste the extracted files—hit Ctrl + V or right-click and choose Paste. If prompted to overwrite existing files, confirm. Because of course, Windows has to make this more complicated than necessary. After that, double-check the files are there before launching GTA 5 again.
Fix 6: Launch GTA 5 and load the save
Now, open GTA 5—preferably run as administrator if you ran into any permission errors. In the game menu, pick Story Mode. You should start in a world where everything’s unlocked, missions finished, and the map fully accessible. If that’s not the case, double-check the save files are in the right spot or if the game version is compatible.
Extra Troubleshooting Tips & Common Problems
If things don’t work smoothly, here are some quick checks:
- Double-check the save files are in the correct directory, with right permissions.
- Make sure your game version matches the save—that’s crucial, especially with cracked or modded copies.
- Try running the game as admin—sometimes Windows blocks the files from loading properly.
- If you’ve got antivirus software, see if it might be blocking or quarantine-ing the files. Sometimes antivirus can block or delete files it considers suspicious.
Because of course, Windows has to make it a pain sometimes.
Summary
- Close GTA 5 completely before messing with the files.
- Download from a trusted source, verify the archive’s integrity.
- Extract the save files carefully, watch out for corrupt downloads.
- Navigate to This PC > Users > YourUsername > AppData > Roaming > Goldberg > Saves.
- Paste your save files into that folder.
- Launch GTA 5, load *Story Mode*, and enjoy the unlocked game.
Wrap-up
Getting a maxed-out save game working isn’t always completely straightforward, especially with Windows quirks and folder permissions. But with a bit of patience—making sure you’re in the right directories, files are properly extracted, and the game is shut down—most setups should work fine. It’s kind of funny how many little things can derail this process, but once it’s set up, the grind is pretty much a thing of the past. Fingers crossed this gets one update moving, mission accomplished. Hopefully, this shaves off a few hours for someone.