How To Bypass Story Mode in GTA V (2025)
If you’re tired of going through the story when you just wanna jump into the mayhem of free roam, this guide is for you. Basically, it shows how to skip the prologue and start messing around in the city right away. Especially handy if you’re running a cracked version, like a FitGirl or DODI repack, or even on a low-end PC where the story mode feels like torture. It’s kinda sneaky, but it works once you get the hang of it. Just note: messing with saves can be a little tricky, so always back things up first.
How to Skip the Story in GTA V
Download a 100% Save Game File
This part threw me off at first—why do you need a save? Because GTA V loads the prologue every time unless there’s a save that already past it. So, hunt down a save that’s already completed 100%. I usually google something like “100% GTA 5 save file” and pick a reputable site. Download the file; watch out for dodgy ads or files that need a bunch of weird extra programs. Trust me, I’ve downloaded some sketchy stuff that gave me more trouble than it was worth.
Extract the Save Files
After grabbing the archive, you’ll probably need to extract it. I use WinRAR or 7-Zip. Normally, right-click on the ZIP or RAR, then choose Extract to. The downloaded file might be a `.zip`, `.rar`, or even a `.7z`. Once extracted, you should see a folder with save files inside. Usually, these will be named vaguely, but look for files with extensions like `.bak` or just with large save data files.
Copy the Save Files
Next, copy the relevant files—probably a `.bak` or main save file. On some setups, the save data might be named like `
Locate the GTA V Save Directory
This took me a minute to figure out. Go to This PC, then navigate to Local Disk (C:). Inside, open your Users folder, then your username (or the one you use). If you’re processing it in a hurry, turn on Hidden items under View so you can see all those sneaky folders.
Now, go to AppData
— it’s hidden so make sure Hidden items is checked. From there, go to Roaming
, then find a folder called GTA V, Rockstar Games, or sometimes Goldberg Social Club depending on the version. Inside, locate the Saves folder.
If you’re having trouble, look for a folder that contains lots of numbered subfolders or files labeled by date or save name. That’s your target.
Paste Your Save Files
Once in the right directory, paste your copied files here. Overwrite any existing files if prompted. Because of course, Windows likes to make all this more complicated than necessary, but just make sure you replace the save files.
Start GTA V and Play
Finally, launch GTA V and pick Story Mode. When prompted to overwrite saves, say Yes. If everything worked, you should now be able to jump into free roam immediately, bypassing that long, boring prologue. Sometimes it’s weird: on some machines, the game loads the save and starts right away; on others, you gotta restart the game or select a different save slot first. It’s kinda trial and error, honestly.
Extra Tips & Common Snags
- Make sure your game version matches the save file version—otherwise, GTA might reject the file, and you’ll get errors or crashes.
- If nothing happens or the save seems to load the prologue again, double-check you placed the files in the right folder. GTA is kinda picky.
- It’s always a good idea to back up your current save files elsewhere before replacing them—just in case you want to return to your progress later.
- Sometimes, after replacing save files, launching the game in administrator mode helps, especially if you get permission errors.
Wrap-up
This trick isn’t perfect—sometimes it takes a couple of tries to get it right. But once it’s set up, you can jump straight into the chaos, no story required. If you’ve done the prep right, GTA should load your 100% save and skip the boring intro. Tried a few different versions myself, and it mostly works. Just gotta be patient and sure you’re copying the right files into the right spot.
Summary
- Find a good 100% save game online
- Extract and copy the save files
- Locate the game’s save directory in your user folder
- Paste and overwrite your existing saves
- Launch GTA V, choose story mode, and select override