# GTA 6 controls and weapon slots: loadout, aiming, Focus and switching

Source: https://gta.kuber.studio/guides/gta-6-controls-and-weapon-slots
Status: mixed
Updated: 2026-11-15

> No weapon wheel: GTA 6 gives you two handguns and two long guns, with the rest in your car. What's known about aiming, Focus mode, switching and the phone.

**Quick answer:** Rockstar has **not published a control layout** for GTA VI. What previews report: the weapon wheel is replaced by a **loadout of two handguns and two long guns**, with extra guns stored **in your vehicle**; **auto-aim is off by default**; a slow-motion **Focus** mode highlights weak points; and you swap between Jason and Lucia via a **character wheel**, when the story allows.

| Key fact | |
| --- | --- |
| Official control map | Not published |
| Carried weapons | 2 handguns + 2 long guns |
| Long guns on back | One at a time |
| Extra storage | Vehicle trunk |
| Auto-aim | Off by default (reported) |
| Livestream feed | R3 (reported) |

**Rockstar has not published GTA VI's control layout**, so we are not going to guess which button does what. What previews and the Extended Look do tell us is how the systems work: the **weapon wheel is gone**, replaced by a **loadout of two handguns and two long guns**; extra guns live **in your vehicle**; **auto-aim is off by default**; and a slow-motion **Focus** mode helps you aim. Almost all of it is <span class="tag-reported">reported</span> from previews, not Rockstar's manual.

We will add the official control map after launch. For the wider first-hours primer, see [[guides/gta-6-tips-before-you-start|tips before you start]] and the [[guides/index|guides hub]].

## How many weapons can you carry?

| Where | How many | Grade |
| --- | --- | --- |
| On your person: handguns | 2 | <span class="tag-reported">reported</span> |
| On your person: long guns | 2, but only 1 visible on your back | <span class="tag-reported">reported</span> |
| Vehicle storage | Everything else | <span class="tag-reported">reported</span> |

Previews don't spell out how the second long gun is carried if only one sits on your back. We'll confirm on launch day.

The rule, per Red Bull, Engadget and Edge: you carry **two handguns and two long guns**, and only **one long gun goes on your back**. The rest stay in your vehicle, the way RDR2 stored guns on your horse. Trunks also hold outfits, and even people <span class="tag-reported">reported</span>.

The practical upshot: **choose your loadout before you leave the car.** If a job turns into a firefight across the block, you can't pull a rocket launcher out of thin air.

### Does carrying a gun get you arrested?

No, not by itself. A visibly carried weapon changes how NPCs react, but it doesn't automatically draw police <span class="tag-reported">reported</span>. Police respond to witnesses, alarms and trackers. See [[gameplay/gta-6-wanted-system-and-heat|wanted system and heat]].

## Which guns are confirmed?

Rockstar's own edition pages name <span class="tag-confirmed">confirmed</span>:

- Jason's **Girardi ES9** pistol
- Lucia's **Klose K17** pistol
- The **Hawk & Little Morgan** revolvers, "sourced from the Vercetti Estate" (Ultimate Edition)
- A tropical weapon pattern inspired by Tommy Vercetti's palm-tree shirt (Vintage Vice City Pack)

The **Duke 556** assault rifle appears in the Extended Look <span class="tag-reported">reported</span>. Full list: [[gameplay/gta-6-weapons|weapons]].

## How does aiming work?

- **Auto-aim is off by default** <span class="tag-reported">reported</span>. If you play with lock-on, switch it on in settings before your first mission.
- **Recoil and weapon weight are heavier** than GTA V <span class="tag-reported">reported</span>.
- **Focus** is a slow-motion state that highlights weak points. The Extended Look showed Jason using it; whether Lucia has it too is unclear <span class="tag-reported">reported</span>.
- **Vitals targeting** lets you disarm someone without killing them <span class="tag-reported">reported</span>.
- **Police cars can be looted** for weapons and gear <span class="tag-reported">reported</span>.

On PS5, the DualSense adds haptic feedback, per Rockstar's platform notes as reported. Rockstar hasn't detailed adaptive-trigger behaviour per weapon. See [[release/gta-6-ps5-pro-performance|PS5 and PS5 Pro features]].

## How do you switch between Jason and Lucia?

The Extended Look showed a **character wheel** swap mid-drive <span class="tag-reported">reported</span>. Dazed, after a Rockstar briefing, describes driving as Jason and swapping to Lucia in the passenger seat, or swapping mid-chase between driving and shooting <span class="tag-confirmed">confirmed</span>.

But it is **not always available**. Rob Nelson told Famitsu: "There are times when it's restricted depending on the progression of the story." Some missions allow free switching and some lock you to one character. Red Bull's line that you can switch "at any time" contradicts Nelson, and we go with Nelson. See [[gameplay/gta-6-character-switching|character switching]] and our profiles of [[characters/jason-duval|Jason]] and [[characters/lucia-caminos|Lucia]].

## What about the phone?

The phone is the hub for banking (BuckMe), car checks (Waink), rides (RydeMe), vehicle delivery (Scooter Bros) and the Snapmatic social feed <span class="tag-reported">reported</span>. An optional **livestream feed opens with R3** on PlayStation, read by fans as a Lifeinvader nod <span class="tag-reported">reported</span>. The Xbox equivalent would presumably be the right stick click, but nobody has said so <span class="tag-speculation">speculation</span>. See [[gameplay/gta-6-phone-and-social-media|phone and social media]].

## Driving controls

Rockstar says handling blends GTA IV's weight with GTA V's accessibility <span class="tag-reported">reported</span>. You refuel by holding a button at the pump for about 10 seconds, and stealing cars can involve quick-time events for hijacks <span class="tag-reported">reported</span>. Button assignments are not published. See [[gameplay/gta-6-vehicles|vehicles]].

## What we don't know yet

- The default button layout on PS5 and Xbox
- Whether controls can be fully remapped
- Accessibility options beyond the auto-aim setting
- Whether a classic weapon wheel can be turned on

We will fill these in once the game unlocks on Nov 19. Quick answers on everything else: [[guides/gta-6-faq|GTA 6 FAQ]].

## FAQ

**Does GTA 6 have a weapon wheel?**

Previews say no. It's replaced by a loadout of two handguns and two long guns, with only one long gun on your back and the rest stored in your vehicle.

**What are the GTA 6 controls?**

Rockstar hasn't published a full control layout yet. We will add the official map after launch rather than guess button assignments.

**Can you switch characters any time in GTA 6?**

Not always. Rob Nelson of Rockstar North says switching is restricted depending on story progress; some missions allow free switching and some lock you to one character.


## Sources

- [GTA 6 gameplay: Key details that you might have missed](https://www.redbull.com/us-en/gta-6-gameplay-details) (Red Bull, Oct 20, 2026)
- [20+ things you may have missed in the GTA 6 extended look](https://www.engadget.com/2246846/things-you-may-have-missed-gta-6-extended-look/) (Engadget, Aug 28, 2026)
- [GTA VI Edge Preview Reveals Huge New Details On Gameplay, Police, Relationships And More](https://www.gtavice.net/news/gta-vi-edge-preview-reveals-huge-new-details-on-gameplay-police-relationships-and-more) (GTAVice.net, Oct 29, 2026)
- [GTA 6: Famitsu's Full Rob Nelson Interview Translated Into English](https://www.gtavice.net/news/gta-6-famitsus-full-rob-nelson-interview-translated-into-english) (GTAVice.net, Sep 9, 2026)
- [GTA 6 Extended Look: Everything we learned](https://www.redbull.com/int-en/gta-6-extended-look-everything-revealed) (Red Bull, Aug 28, 2026)
- [GTAVI: An exclusive deep dive into the video game of the decade](https://www.dazeddigital.com/life-culture/article/70859/1/gta-6-grand-theft-auto-vi-rockstar-exclusive-deep-dive-game-unparalleled-world) (Dazed)
- [Grand Theft Auto VI](https://www.rockstargames.com/VI) (Rockstar Games)
- [GTA 6 PS5 Pro enhancements revealed](https://www.theshortcut.com/p/gta-6-ps5-pro-enhancements-revealed) (The Shortcut, Nov 10, 2026)