How to Play Your Own Music in GTA 5 (PC, PS, & Xbox)

Playing your own music in GTA 5 works differently depending on your platform. PC players have access to Self Radio, a built-in feature that lets you load your own audio files and play them as a custom in-game station. Console players on PlayStation and Xbox don't have that option natively, but there are workarounds that let you run your own music in the background while playing.

The steps are simple across all three platforms once you know what each one requires. In this article, we'll explore how to play your own music in GTA 5 on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox.

Also Read: How to Sell Your Garage in GTA Online

Article Summary

• PC players can use GTA 5's built-in Self Radio station to play MP3, WMA, and M4A files by adding them to the User Music folder and running a scan in Settings > Audio

• Self Radio offers three playback modes: Sequential, Shuffle, and Radio, with in-game skip controls using the Minus and Equal keys

• PS4 and PS5 don't support custom radio stations natively, but you can play your own music through Spotify or a USB drive while lowering the in-game music volume

• Xbox players follow the same two methods as PlayStation, with Spotify available through the Microsoft Store and USB playback through the console's media player

• On both consoles, Spotify lets you control playback through the platform's overlay without leaving the game

How to Play Your Own Music in GTA 5 on PC

GTA 5 on PC supports MP3, WMA, and M4A files for the Self Radio station, as long as they are not DRM-protected. Before doing anything in-game, you need to add your music files to the right folder.

1. Open File Explorer and navigate to Documents > Rockstar Games > GTA V > User Music.

2. Copy your music files into that folder. If you'd rather not duplicate files, you can create shortcuts pointing to wherever your music is stored instead.

3. Launch GTA 5 and open the Pause Menu.

4. Go to Settings > Audio.

5. Find Self Radio Mode and set it to your preferred playback option. Sequential plays tracks in folder order, Shuffle randomizes them, and Radio plays tracks randomly with DJ commentary and ads in between. In any mode, you can skip tracks using the Minus key (skip forward) or Equal key (skip back).

6. Select Perform Full Scan for Music and let the game process your files.

7. Get into any vehicle, open the radio wheel, and switch to Self Radio.

If you add more tracks later, return to Settings > Audio and run another scan to update the station. You can also enable Auto-Scan for Music to have the game do a quick scan automatically each time it launches.

How to Play Your Own Music in GTA 5 PS5/PS4

PS4 and PS5 do not support GTA 5 custom radio stations, but you can still run your own music in the background through two methods.

1. Via Spotify

1. Download the Spotify app from the PlayStation Store.

2. Open Spotify and log in with your Spotify email and password, Spotify Connect, or a PIN.

3. Build or open the playlist you want to listen to and start playing it.

4. Launch GTA 5. Press the PS button while in-game to open the control center and select Music. Your Spotify playback controls will appear as a card you can use without leaving the game.

5. Go to Settings > Audio in-game and lower the in-game music volume so your Spotify playlist comes through clearly.

2. Via USB

1. Add your music files to a folder on a USB drive.

2. Plug the USB into your PlayStation.

3. Open the media player app on your console and start playing your tracks.

4. Launch GTA 5, then go to Settings > Audio and lower the in-game music volume.

Also Read: How to Restart GTA 5 Story Mode: Step-by-Step Guide

How to Play Your Own Music in GTA 5 on Xbox

The process on Xbox is similar to PlayStation, with slight differences in where to find the apps.

1. Via Spotify

1. Download the Spotify app from the Microsoft Store on your Xbox.

2. Open Spotify and sign in.

3. Start playing a playlist.

4. Launch GTA 5. Press the Xbox button on your controller to open the Xbox Guide and select Spotify from there to control your music without exiting the game.

5. Lower the in-game music volume through Settings > Audio so your tracks play clearly over the game.

2. Via USB

1. Add your music files to a folder on a USB drive.

2. Plug the USB into your Xbox.

3. Open the media player app and start playback.

4. Launch GTA 5 and adjust the in-game music volume under Settings > Audio.

Also Read: How to Increase Strength in GTA Online

Final Words

PC players get the most seamless experience through Self Radio, since the music runs directly inside the game as its own station. Console players on PlayStation and Xbox have to work around the lack of native support, but Spotify and USB both get the job done. Either way, the setup only takes a few minutes and makes a noticeable difference when you're spending long sessions in GTA 5.

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