Text formatting

Text labels displayed in the game UI can be formatted using classical Rockstar North-style ~ formatting tags, which are detailed below.

Rockstar formatting codes

Rockstar formatting codes are typically found between two tildes (~), such as in the following examples:

[MY_LABEL]
Demolish the ~r~enemy.

[MY_HELP_LABEL]
Press ~INPUT_CONTEXT~ when near the ~r~enemies.

Color codes

Special Label Description Example
  ~HUD_COLOUR_...~ References an existing HUD color. Find the ~HUD_COLOUR_FREEMODE~freemode ped!
  ~HC_...~ An alias for ~HUD_COLOUR Find the ~HC_FREEMODE~freemode ped!
  ~HC_[number]~ Specifies a HUD color by index. Get to ~HC_13~Davis.
  ~s~ Resets the color to the default for the current context. After killing the ~r~enemies~s~, you win!
  ~v~ HUD_COLOUR_SCRIPT_VARIABLE
This is a placeholder for the color set with SET_SCRIPT_VARIABLE_HUD_COLOUR.
Wait for your ~v~team~s~ to lose the Cops.
  ~u~ HUD_COLOUR_SCRIPT_VARIABLE_2
This is a placeholder for the color set with _SET_SCRIPT_VARIABLE_2_HUD_COLOUR.
Take out ~v~~a~~s~ & defend ~u~~a~~s~.
  ~w~ HUD_COLOUR_WHITE
Used together with ~s~ to reset text color.
Swoop on over to ~b~foreclosures.maze-bank.com~w~~s~ today
Color Label Description Example
  ~r~ HUD_COLOUR_RED
Used for enemy characters or vehicles.
Kill all the ~r~Vagos.
  ~g~ HUD_COLOUR_GREEN
Used for pickup-type objectives.
Pick up the ~g~flash drive.
  ~b~ HUD_COLOUR_BLUE
Used for friendly characters or vehicles.
Defend ~b~Lamar.
  ~f~ HUD_COLOUR_FRIENDLY
An alternate (rare) version for friendly objectives.
Vehicle health can be restored by waiting in the ~f~pit stop area~s~.
  ~y~ HUD_COLOUR_YELLOW
Destination names.
Deliver the Special Cargo to the ~y~restricted area.
  ~c~ HUD_COLOUR_MENU_GREY
De-emphasized text used in subtitles, to indicate a character out of view.
~z~He's a bum! ~c~~n~Oh my God!
  ~t~ HUD_COLOUR_MENU_GREY
De-emphasized text used in subtitles, to indicate text spoken in a different language.
~z~those ~t~idiots.
  ~o~ HUD_COLOUR_ORANGE
A team color indicator.
~o~The Cocks~s~ are mad.
  ~p~ HUD_COLOUR_PURPLE
A team color indicator.
~p~The Boars~s~ are off the radar.
  ~q~ HUD_COLOUR_PINK
Used for Arena War.
You are the active contender on your ~q~team~s~.
  ~m~ HUD_COLOUR_MID_GREY_MP
Medium gray to de-emphasize or use for 'Silver'.
~m~Display Mini Map.
  ~l~ HUD_COLOUR_BLACK
Used when unable to set a color any other way to specify black.
~l~PLAYERS
  ~d~ HUD_COLOUR_BLUEDARK
Used to specify a team objective occupied by a player.
Help your team deliver a ~d~vehicle ~s~to your ~b~base.

Visual formatting codes

Label Description Example
~n~ A line break, similar to <br> in HTML. This text is~n~on two lines.
~h~ Bold text.
Use a second time to unbold.
This is ~h~quite bold~h~ of you.
~bold~ An alias of ~h~. This is also pretty ~bold~bold~h~.
~italic~ Italic text.
Use a second time to remove italics.
Text can be ~italic~written~italic~ in italics.
~ws~ A wanted star. The ~ws~~ws~ on the top right indicates
~wanted_star~ A wanted star, equal to ~ws~. ~wanted_star~~wanted_star~~wanted_star~
<C>...</C> Condensed. Usually used for gamer tags. <C>~a~</C> is dominating you.
~nrt~ Unknown.
~EX_R*~ A Rockstar logo, in fonts that support this character. The ~EX_R*~ logo is a registered trademark
~BLIP_...~ In help messages and other supported contexts, shows the blip with the specified name. Benny's Original Motor Works is now available at ~HUD_COLOUR_YELLOW~~BLIP_BENNYS~~s~.

Content formatting codes

Label Description Example
~a~ A placeholder for a substring 'text component', such as ADD_TEXT_COMPONENT_SUBSTRING_TEXT_LABEL. Fight the ~a~.
~1~ A placeholder for a numeric 'text component', such as ADD_TEXT_COMPONENT_INTEGER. There are ~1~ enemies left.
~a_X~ For translations, refers to ~a~ placeholders out of the usual order. Get the ~a_1~ from the ~a_0~.
~1_X~ For translations, refers to ~1~ placeholders out of the usual order. There's ~1_1~ enemies left out of ~1_0~.
~x~ Unknown. Related to subtitles.
~z~ At the start of a string, makes the string hidden if subtitles are turned off. ~z~Fucking terrorists. There's been a big scare

Input codes

Label Description Example
~INPUT_...~ In help messages and other supported contexts, shows the current key for a specified control. Press ~INPUT_CONTEXT~ to stand up.
~INPUTGROUP_...~ In help messages and other supported contexts, shows a specified input group's hint. If your car is upside down, try rocking ~INPUTGROUP_VEH_MOVE_ALL~ to flip it over.
~ACCEPT~ Shows the button to accept a prompt.
~CANCEL~ Shows the button to cancel a prompt.
~PAD_UP~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_DOWN~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_LEFT~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_RIGHT~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_A~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_B~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_X~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_Y~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_START~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_BACK~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_LB~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_LT~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_RB~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_RT~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_DPAD_UP~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_DPAD_DOWN~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_DPAD_LEFT~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_DPAD_RIGHT~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_DPAD_NONE~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_DPAD_ALL~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_DPAD_UPDOWN~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_DPAD_LEFTRIGHT~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_LSTICK_UP~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_LSTICK_DOWN~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_LSTICK_LEFT~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_LSTICK_RIGHT~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_LSTICK_NONE~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_LSTICK_ALL~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_LSTICK_UPDOWN~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_LSTICK_LEFTRIGHT~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_LSTICK_ROTATE~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_RSTICK_UP~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_RSTICK_DOWN~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_RSTICK_LEFT~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_RSTICK_RIGHT~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_RSTICK_NONE~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_RSTICK_ALL~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_RSTICK_UPDOWN~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_RSTICK_LEFTRIGHT~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
~PAD_RSTICK_ROTATE~ In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control.
Last modified January 2, 2022: fix links from 'text formatting' page (e8b3432)