"Can you connect Spotify to GTA 5?" Yes, but not directly. You need to use GTA 5 Spotify Radio Mod, 'Self Radio' or game consoles to play music. GTA 5, short for Grand Theft Auto 5, is an open-world action-adventure video game. It was released in 2013 for various gaming platforms, including PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and PC. One of the things that make it so appealing is the ability to play music using the car's audio system while driving in GTA 5 PC version.
So, in this article, we will show you the best ways on how to play Spotify on GTA 5 PC while playing games on PC or on game consoles.
Part 1. How to Connect Spotify to GTA 5 via GTA V Spotify Radio Mod
If you are a PC power user, you can try installing GTA V Spotify mods from GitHub or modding forums to stream Spotify music on GTA V. These mods function like an integrated remote control, communicating seamlessly with a desktop media player running in the background. Using your keyboard or controller, you can skip tracks, adjust the volume, or switch playlists without having to minimize the game window or move your mouse to a secondary monitor.
Before presenting the complete guide, it is worth mentioning that it's not an official version released by GTA or Spotify. It may be unstable when used and some unexpected errors can occur. For example, Spotify keeps pausing with the game, Spotify music won't stop when the game is paused or else.
The use of third-party script mods is restricted to single-player story mode. Taking modified core game files into GTA Online will trigger Rockstar's anti-cheat system, resulting in an immediate and permanent account ban.
How to Install GTA 5 Spotify Radio Mod
Before starting, make sure that you have installed Script Hook V and NativeUI on your device.
Step 1. Fire up the OpenIV and edit the file: 'mods\update\update.rpf\common\data\dlclist.xml', then add it to 'dlclist.xml:dlcpacks:/spotifyradio'.
Step 2. Close the OpenIV tool, then navigate to the 'Place in GTA Root' folder in the mod's file.
Step 3. Choose and drag all the folders to the root directory of GTA Default location: 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Grand Theft Auto V'.
How to Customize Spotify Default Radio Playlist
Step 1. Navigate to https://open.spotify.com/ or search for Spotify Web Player in your web browser.
Step 2. Browse for the Spotify playlist you want to listen to and click on it.
Step 3. Check and copy the playlist link (i.e. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DXbApqiewDQsL). Then copy its ID that comes after the playlist/ in the link address (i.e. 37i9dQZF1DXbApqiewDQsL).
Step 4. Paste the ID next to DefaultPlaylist= after you launch GTASpotify.ini. Your ini will look like this DefaultPlaylist=37i9dQZF1DXbApqiewDQsL.
Step 5. Now, you will be well on your way to adding a new radio to the radio wheel. After that, you can play Spotify music and control Spotify playback while playing GTA 5.
Part 2. How to Link Spotify to GTA 5 with Xbox/PS4/PS5 Game Consoles
Grand Theft Auto 5 has been released on PlayStation and Xbox One for years, and these game consoles are fully compatible with Spotify. That's to say, if you're playing Grand Theft Auto 5 on a game console like PS4, PS5, or Xbox One, you can still link your Spotify account to the game. Let's check out the process.
How to Get Spotify on GTA 5 via PS4/PS5
Step 1. On the media home screen, please choose All apps and find Spotify. Then click the Download button to download it on your PlayStation.
Step 2. Open it and log in to your Spotify account details. Then click the Link Accounts button.
Step 3. Load your GTA 5 games into a single-player or Online session, please press the PS button to enter the control center.
Step 4. You can choose the Music > Spotify option to play Spotify music on PS4/PS5 while gaming GTA 5.
How to Play Spotify on GTA 5 Xbox One & Series X/S
Step 1. Download Spotify app from the Epic Games Store on your Xbox One.
Step 2. Enter your Spotify name and password to link Spotify to Xbox One.
Step 3. Play Grand Theft Auto 5 game using your Xbox One. Press the Xbox button on your controller and it will pop up the Xbox Guide, which allows you to choose Spotify.
Step 4. You can choose favorite playlists or albums to play Spotify on GTA 5 Xbox One. You can also voice-control Spotify with Cortana.
The Xbox Guide menu also features a handy audio mixer. With this slider, you can perfectly balance game audio and music volume without having to dig through layers of in-game menus.
View also: How to Play Spotify on Xbox One
Part 3. How to Play Spotify Music on GTA 5 PC via 'Self Radio'
For PC gamers, you can add digital audio files to GTA V via its custom "Self Radio" station feature. This feature can act as an actual station on your vehicle's radio wheel. This is unlike the console methods that simply play music over the whole game.
Besides, setting up Self Radio requires moving audio files into a specific folder on your hard drive and the audio files need to be saved in MP3, AAC, M4A, WMA or WAV format. But Spotify songs are encoded in the protected OGG Vorbis format, making it impossible for users to listen to them on other devices. That means you can't directly import Spotify music to your device for playing on GTA 5.
For these reasons, you must first download and convert Spotify music to a playable audio format for GTA 5. But how? Here AudFree Spotify Music Converter comes in handy.
This tool is designed to convert Spotify music to MP3, AIFF, WAV, etc. on your computer locally so you can add original Spotify songs to GTA 5. It will also retain the ID3 tags and metadata information of Spotify playlists. Besides, you can alter the output bit rate, audio channel, sample rate for Spotify music tracks before converting. What's more, this program runs fast to finish the conversion process which saves you time. After converting, you can keep the Spotify downloads on your device forever and use them anywhere without any limits.
| Spotify Music Format | Unique Ogg Vorbis |
| GTA-Supported Input Audio Formats | MP3, M4A, AAC, WMA, and WAV |
| AudFree Spotify Music Converter Output Format | MP3, FLAC, WAV, AIFF, M4A, M4B |
AudFree Spotify Music Converter
- Download Spotify songs/playlists/albums/audiobooks for free as local music
- Convert Spotify music to MP3, AIFF, etc. for GTA 5 PC
- Play Spotify music on GTA V while playing games
- Play Spotify music on Xbox One, PS4, PS5, etc. offline without Premium
How to Convert Spotify Music for GTA 5
Follow these steps to unleash your goal. Please click the Try It Free button above to install this professional Spotify music converter on your computer in advance. Then, you can use it to convert Spotify music to MP3, or other GTA 5 compatible audio formats.
- Step 1. Add Spotify songs to AudFree Spotify Music Converter
- Launch the AudFree Spotify Music Converter on your PC and the Spotify web player will automatically load. Next, enter your Spotify library and browse the songs you wish to download and convert. Then press the tracks, tap the '+ ♫' icon and click the 'Add to list' option to load the tracks for download.
- Step 2. Customize Spotify songs output format
- The next step requires you to customize the output preferences. Hit the 'Menu' bar, then choose the 'Preferences' option and the 'Conversion' option to effect the changes. There are six output formats available for choice. You can choose one of the GTA playable audio formats as the Spotify output format. You can also change the sample rate, audio bit rate and channel.
- Step 3. Download and Convert Spotify songs for GTA 5
- Once all the entries are correct, go to the Converting list window and click the 'Convert' button and the tool will commence the download and conversion of your Spotify songs. Once done, check them out in the 'Converted' folder. Then you can transfer Spotify music to any device for free use.
Besides Spotify, if you want to play music from other services on GTA 5, you can use AudFree Streaming Audio Recorder to download music locally. It supports to download music from Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, SoundCloud, Qobuz and so on.
How to Put Spotify Music on GTA 5 for Playing
Your converted Spotify songs are now readily available. You are able to custom Spotify music in GTA 5 via the 'Self Radio' function. Here are the steps:
How to Add Spotify Music to GTA 5 from Local Device
Step 1. Launch your PC, then go to the 'My Documents' folder under the Windows File Explorer. Choose the 'Rockstar Games' > 'GTA V' > 'User Music' folder.
Step 2. Next, locate and drag the converted Spotify playlists into the 'User Music' folder.
Step 3. Start GTA V on your computer, go to 'Menu' and select 'Continue' or 'New Game'.
Step 4. Press 'ESC' on your keyboard to start the game menu and click 'Settings'.
Step 5. Click 'Enter' to enter 'Game Settings', then scroll down and tap 'Audio'.
Step 6. Select 'Perform Full Scan for Music' or 'Perform Quick Scan for Music' and it will start scanning the 'User Music' folder for local Spotify music files.
How to Listen to Spotify in GTA 5 while Playing Games
Step 1. Once scanned, go back to your GTA 5 game and jump into a car.
Step 2. Open the 'Settings' > 'Audio' tab and select the 'Self Radio' option next to Los Santos Rock Radio and No-Stop-Pop FM.
Step 3. Now, you can enjoy Spotify music in GTA 5 while playing games. It allows for both multiple and single player modes.
Part 4. FAQs about Spotify on GTA 5
How to Balance the Volume for GTA 5 Games and Spotify on PlayStation?
You can go to GTA 5 pause menu, navigate to Settings > Audio. Then you can lower the in-game music volume to zero while keeping the sound effects intact.
Why Isn't GTA 5 Scanning My Spotify Music Folder?
To enable this radio station, the game engine requires at least four valid audio files in the 'User Music' folder. Besides, these files must be in a supported, DRM-free format (such as MP3, M4A, or WMA); the system cannot read encrypted streaming cache files (like raw Spotify downloads). If the files meet these requirements, go to 'Settings' > 'Audio' in the pause menu and select 'Perform Full Music Scan'.
Can I Control Spotify Music Playback without Minimizing GTA 5 Game?
Yes. On PC, you can link your phone to the desktop app via Spotify Connect to switch tracks remotely, or use standard multimedia keyboard shortcuts. If you are playing 'Story Mode', you can also use third-party script mods to control playback via an in-game overlay menu. On consoles, press the PlayStation or Xbox button on your controller to bring up the system quick menu (or 'Guide' menu), allowing you to instantly pause or skip tracks without exiting the game.
Part 5. In Conclusion
Whether you're playing Grand Theft Auto 5 on PC or a game console, there are several ways to use Spotify in game in this post. Game console players can quickly link Spotify to GTA V. PC players can use third-party script mods or Self Radio feature to stream music. By the way, we recommend you to choose AudFree Spotify Music Converter. It helps you convert Spotify music content to MP3 or other audio formats for playing on any game without any problem. Just enjoy your favorite tunes on GTA 5 while cruising around Los Santos in style!
Chief Editor
