How to Save Your Game in Grand Theft Auto IV

Manual Save (Recommended)

1. Press Start (controller) or Esc (keyboard) to pause.
2. Navigate to the Story menu (icon: book).
3. Select Save Game.
4. Choose an empty slot or overwrite an existing one.
5. Confirm the save.

Auto-Save

GTA IV auto-saves after:

• Completing missions
• Reaching major checkpoints
• Certain side activities (e.g., winning a race)

Do not rely solely on auto-save. It overwrites the same slot and may not trigger before a crash or mistake.

Save File Locations (For Backup/Transfer)

Best Practices

• Save often: After every mission, before risky stunts, and before experimenting.
• Use multiple slots: Keep at least 3 rotating saves to avoid corruption or unwanted progress loss.
• Free space: Ensure 500 MB+ free on the drive.

On PC, the F5 quick-save mod (via Script Hook) is popular but unofficial—use at your own risk.