Radar

For the arrows used in early top-down perspective GTA games, see location compass.
For the directions system in Grand Theft Auto IV and Grand Theft Auto V, see GPS.

The radar in GTA San Andreas showing blips for various shops and a yellow mission blip indicating the target is higher than the player.

The Radar (also a Satnav in GTA IV), is a map on the Heads-up Display showing the player's current location in the game, and the relative location or direction of various points of interest. Introduced in Grand Theft Auto III, the radar essentially replaces the player centered location compass used in preceding GTA games, and remains an element of all GTA games after.

Blips on the radar show the location of various points of interest such as:

• Caracter icons - Any icon(including the arrow), represents a relevant entity in the place. The central arrow represents the protagonist, an opaque color is an ally and a brighter color (usually red) represents enemies.
• Mission targets - Initially indicated only by colored squares in GTA III, radars from GTA Vice City onwards specifically use squares for targets on the same physical level (altitude) as the player, and a triangle pointed upwards if the target is above or a downwards triangle if it is below. In GTA IV, the radar uses coloured circles; if the target is higher or lower, there will be a small arrow inside the circle.
• Landmarks - Such as Pay 'n' Spray, Ammu-Nation, Clothing and places where the player can purchase food.
• Location of characters who can give missions to the protagonists.
• Save Points and Safehouses
• Gang Colors or Territory. (GTA San Andreas)
• Custom waypoints (GTA San Andreas onwards)

Gallery

3D Universe

GTA III. (PC Version. The PS2 version changes slightly with the safehouse marker's colour changing from pink/purple to green.)

GTA Vice City.

GTA San Andreas.

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GTA San Andreas blue Player Icon.

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GTA San Andreas white Player Icon.

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GTA San Andreas Map Icon.

GTA Advance.

GTA Liberty City Stories..png

GTA Liberty City Stories.

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GTA Vice City Stories.

HD Universe

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GTA IV. (Wanted level radar)

The Lost and Damned.

The Ballad of Gay Tony.

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GTA Chinatown Wars.

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GTA V, note the special ability bar and the "2.5" perspective.

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Interior radar in the enhanced version of GTA V.

Exterior radar.

Exterior radar zoomed out.

Online radar.

Online expanded radar

Online options for radar view.

Trivia

• In GTA San Andreas the normal Player Icon on the Radar is a white arrow which is round on one side like in all other 3D Universes (except GTA Advance.). But when CJ enters a dark area, he makes that breathing sound. Also, the Icon turns blue. It's how you learned in the Mission  Madd Dogg's Rhymes that you are in the shaddow and hidden from guards.
  • The Player Icon on the map is a bit different, its a crossbred white arrow which tip showes the exact location of the Player.
• In GTA V, the radar has been modified, and now appears rectangular rather than circular like in previous games. It is also the first in the series to have a 3D view, as well as a heat zone which shows the distance enemies will be alerted.
  • In Chinatown Wars iOS version, if the HUD is turned off, the mission icons will be displayed on the edge of the screen, causing similar look as in V.
• In HD Universe, all police units will be shown in the radar during wanted levels. This will help you at making a getaway or to hide from them.
  • Optionally, for GTA V, when the player is "perfectly hidden", the white arrow becomes a grey arrow, indicating that the police can't see him within their line of sight. However, if they're near, you will be spotted.
• In GTA Online, double-tapping (triple tapping in the enhanced version with more than 16 players in the session) the down button on the D-pad will enlarge the map for approximately 10 seconds to the expanded radar view. The expanded radar view can be turned on permanently in the Online, Options menu in the Pause Menu (Settings, Display menu in the enhanced version).
  • When in an aircraft in GTA Online, pressing down will display the expanded radar until down is pressed again, as of patch 1.17
  • Online players can elect to display other player names on the expanded radar view in the Options menu.
• In GTA IV and V, hitting down on the D-Pad will zoom the radar out to display more of the map, but the display is not enlarged as it is in the Online expanded view.