GTA 6 Will Let Players Turn Off the Mini-Map Completely

Rockstar is making some interesting changes to how the mini-map works in GTA 6, and it looks like the studio wants players to spend less time staring at the HUD and more time exploring and doing things. The information comes from the Twitter/X account GTAVI_Countdown, who also linked some images of the mini-map that you can check out:

GTA 6 mini-map details:

– It works as a GPS, showing the iFruit logo (based on Apple Maps) and dynamically changes in color based on the time of day and environment
– By default, the mini-map isn’t permanently displayed unless you’re driving or have a waypoint set, but you can… pic.twitter.com/JqltGLVeIC

— GTA 6 Countdown ⏳ (@GTAVI_Countdown) September 6, 2026

How Does the Mini-Map Work

So basically, the mini-map will work as a GPS with the in-game iFruit branding, and will dynamically change depending on the time of day and surrounding environment. It will also display 3D buildings and their entrances, and that should make navigating the city a little easier.

For those who thought during the Netflix preview that the map would always be there in your corner, hand-holding you, you will be happy to know that the mini-map will not always be visible by default. It will appear when you are driving or when you have set a waypoint, but you can switch to a classic mode if you want it permanently displayed. You can also move it to either side of the screen, replace it with a compass, or simply turn it off completely. So if you want zero hand-holding at all, the option is there.

When you are on foot, you can quickly tap the D-pad to bring the mini-map up temporarily as well, and it will also show other HUD information such as your cash and PSI bars.

Rockstar is also changing how enemies and police appear on the map. Instead of filling the mini-map with enemy and police icons, GTA 6 will simply flash the map in red or blue and show the current search or heat area. If you need to know where an enemy or police officer is, their position can instead be highlighted on-screen using the focus ability.

Allies will still appear on the map, using cyan or pink icons, and NPCs you are competing against during races will be marked in white.

Setting waypoints is also getting easier. You will not always need to open the full map. You can just press the D-pad, choose a location, and then press R3 to set a waypoint. Story objectives will use pink waypoints, and custom ones will appear in a bright cyan color.

How to Approach Exploration

GTA 6 will not necessarily tell you where everything is. The game is designed to reward players for exploring, meaning you do not always have to follow an objective, blip, or map icon to discover something new. That is probably a good thing because it means that if you go out of your way, you might find some pretty cool secret locations.

After years of open-world games putting giant icons all over the screen, letting players discover things for themselves could make GTA 6 a bit more unique, in a way.

At least, that is the idea.

We will find out how well it works when GTA 6 releases in a couple of months! Yes, we are this close to it now, you are not dreaming it!

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