Aiming a crosshair at the enemy in GTA Online
Image via Rockstar Games

GTA 5 Online: How to Change Targeting Mode

Find out how to change Targeting Mode in GTA Online and which modes are available.

GTA 5 Online offers various Targeting Modes for players of different experience levels to make their gameplay more enjoyable. In this guide, we’ll provide you with tips on how to change Targeting Mode, list all of the modes, and pinpoint which is best.

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How do You Change Targeting Mode in GTA 5 Online?

There’s no direct way to change the Targeting Mode in GTA Online, but you can do so in the Story Mode, which will transfer those settings to the Online Mode. Here’s what you need to do:

  1. Go to the “Pause Menu” screen.
  2. Select the “Settings” option.
  3. Go to the “Controls” tab.
  4. Choose one of the following modes in the Targeting section:
    • Free Aim
    • Free Aim-Assisted
    • Assisted Aim-Full
    • Assisted Aim-Partial

Once you choose your desired Targeting Mode in the Story Mode, you can switch back to Online Mode, and those settings should also be applied there.

Targeting an empty room in GTA Online
Image via Rockstar Games

What are the Different Targeting Modes?

As I mentioned above, there are four different Targeting Modes in GTA Online that serve different types of playstyles:

  • Free Aim allows you to take complete control over targeting, which is perfect for experienced players who don’t want to use any lock-on assistance.
  • Free Aim-Assisted provides lock-on assistance with the so-called “Sticky Aim” once you choose their target manually.
  • Assisted Aim-Full is recommended for beginners who have a hard time choosing targets and aiming, which is fully assisted by the game with automatic target selection and “Sticky Aim.”
  • Assisted Aim-Partial provides partial manual control over target selection, but everything else is automatic as in Assisted Aim-Full mode.

Which Targeting Mode is Best?

The best Targeting Mode in GTA 5 Online is the one that fits your level of gameplay experience. For example, i wouldn’t recommend new players to choose Free Aim targeting mode, as you’ll be missing often, and this will significantly reduce your enjoyment of the gameplay.

I’d go with one of the following two modes if I were a beginner player:

  • Assisted Aim-Full
  • Assisted Aim-Partial

Once you reach a certain level of game experience, you can switch to a more difficult Free Aim-Assisted. Finally, once you’ve been playing long enough, you can try out Free Aim, which grants you complete control over target selection and manual aiming.

A shootout in the street in GTA Online
Image via Rockstar Games

Can You Join Someone in a Different Targeting Mode?

Rockstar fully acknowledges the difficulty levels associated with the different Targeting Modes in GTA Online. That’s why the developer forbids players with different Targeting Modes to play in the same lobby.

It’s perfectly understandable that the game doesn’t want to put players with Assisted Aim-Full and Free Aim in the same lobby, as they’d play a totally unfair game. So once you try to enter an online matchup with other players, you need to make sure that your Targeting Mode in the Story Mode corresponds to the one in the Online Mode.

Why is Targeting Mode Grayed Out?

If you see that your Targeting Mode is grayed out when trying to enter a session with other players, it means that your Targeting Mode is different from theirs. If you wish to continue playing, then be sure to go back to the Story Mode and change it, as I explained above.

That’s everything you need to know on how to change Targeting Mode in GTA Online. Stay tuned for more GTAO tips and tricks articles, including all Salvage Yard locations and how to increase your stats.


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Author
Serhii Patskan
Serhii is the Writer at GameSkinny. He's been writing for GameSkinny since 2015. Before that, he's been writing for various outlets and playing video games, which eventually turned into a passion. The video games that have contributed the most to his enthusiasm for writing about this industry are Magic: The Gathering, Dark Souls, and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.