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

SpecialLabelDescriptionExample
 ~HUD_COLOUR_...~References an existing HUD color.Find the ~HUD_COLOUR_FREEMODE~freemode ped!
 ~HC_...~An alias for ~HUD_COLOURFind 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
ColorLabelDescriptionExample
 ~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

LabelDescriptionExample
~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~No Return Top. This would mean the padding or margin being added does not include any additional space related to the "return" or "top" of the previous element. Works similar to the ~n~ ~nrt~ Added padding before (above) this text
~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

LabelDescriptionExample
~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

LabelDescriptionExample
~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.