Let's be real for a second. Playing Grand Theft Auto V on a PS5 without ever touching a cheat code is like going to a steakhouse and only eating the garnish. You can do it, but you're missing the point of why the place exists. Since Rockstar first dropped this behemoth back in 2013, the DNA of the game hasn't changed, even if the hardware has. We’re talking about a decade of muscle memory. Even in 2026, with the DualSense controller haptics making every gunshot feel slightly more "premium," the core thrill of spawning a Buzzard attack chopper in the middle of a traffic jam on the Del Perro Freeway remains unmatched. It’s chaotic. It’s stupid. It’s GTA.
The Muscle Memory of PS5 GTA 5 Cheat Codes
There is something strangely nostalgic about tapping out a sequence of buttons on a D-pad. It feels like a secret handshake with the developers. Most people think cheats are just for people who find the missions too hard. Wrong. Most of us use them because Los Santos is a playground, and sometimes you just want to skip the thirty-minute drive to the airport.
You've probably noticed that the PS5 GTA 5 cheat code system is a bit of a relic compared to modern games that use menus for everything. Here, it’s all about the controller inputs or the in-game cell phone. If you're using the controller, you have to be fast. If you're too slow, the game just thinks you're trying to walk around and pull out your phone at the same time. It’s a rhythmic thing.
Survival and the Chaos Star System
The most common reason people look for these codes is survival. Total invulnerability—the "Painkiller" code—is the gold standard. You input Right, X, Right, Left, Right, R1, Right, Left, X, Triangle. But there is a catch that catches people off guard: it only lasts five minutes.
Five minutes.
That’s barely enough time to survive a five-star wanted level if you're stuck in the subway tunnels. Rockstar has always been a bit stingy with the "God Mode" compared to the older San Andreas days where it lasted forever. You have to keep an eye on that timer in the bottom right corner of your screen. If it runs out while you’re mid-air after jumping off the Maze Bank building, well, it was nice knowing you.
Then there is the Max Health and Armor code. Circle, L1, Triangle, R2, X, Square, Circle, Right, Square, L1, L1, L1. It’s a mouthful for your thumbs. But it’s the literal difference between finishing a chaotic rampage and seeing the "Wasted" screen for the tenth time in an hour.
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The Environmental Shifters
Sometimes the sun in Los Santos is just too bright. Or maybe you want to see what the Vinewood sign looks like during a thunderstorm. The Weather cheat (R2, X, L1, L1, L2, L2, L2, Square) is actually a cycle. You don't just pick "Rain." You have to input the code repeatedly to cycle through clear, hazy, cloudy, rainy, and finally, the glorious chaos of a thunderstorm.
The physics cheats are where things get weird.
Moon Gravity is a classic. Left, Left, L1, R1, L1, Right, Left, L1, Left. Suddenly, your expensive sports car is floating over a bus like it’s made of cardboard. It makes the driving mechanics feel like a fever dream. If you pair this with the "Slippery Cars" cheat (Triangle, R1, R1, Left, R1, L1, R2, L1), the game becomes practically unplayable in the best way possible. Every turn becomes a 360-degree spin into a gas station.
Spawning the Heavy Hitters
Let’s talk about the Buzzard. Circle, Circle, L1, Circle, Circle, Circle, L1, L2, R1, Triangle, Circle, Triangle. If you can memorize that, you’re basically a god in Los Santos. The Buzzard is the Swiss Army knife of GTA. It has rockets, it has a minigun, and it’s small enough to land on a skyscraper or in a cramped alleyway.
The Caddy (Circle, L1, Left, R1, L2, X, R1, L1, Circle, X) is the opposite. It’s useless. It’s slow. It’s a golf cart. But there is something inherently funny about spawning a golf cart on top of Mount Chiliad and trying to drive it down the hiking trails without exploding.
The Trophies Dilemma
This is the big one. The part where I have to be the bearer of bad news for the completionists out there.
Using any PS5 GTA 5 cheat code will disable Trophies for your current play session.
Basically, if you’re trying to get that Platinum trophy, you cannot use cheats. The moment you enter a code, a little notification pops up—if you’re paying attention—telling you that achievements are now blocked. The only way to fix it is to reload a previous save or restart the game. Don't be the person who plays through three hours of the story with "Explosive Melee" turned on only to realize you didn't get credit for any of it.
Honestly, the best way to handle this is to have a "Chaos Save." Keep one save file for your serious, 100% completion run. Keep another one where you have every weapon, infinite ammo, and zero consequences. That’s where the real fun is anyway.
The Cell Phone Method
A lot of newer players forget you can just pull out the in-game phone. It’s often easier than memorizing button combos. You press Up on the D-pad, go to your contacts, and manual dial the numbers.
For example, dialing 1-999-462-363-4279 (which spells out INCENDIARY) gives you flaming bullets. It’s a bit slower than the button prompts, but it’s more reliable if your controller has a bit of stick drift or if you’re just not fast with the triggers.
Advanced Combat and Movement
The "Skyfall" cheat is probably the most terrifying thing in the game. Circle, L1, L2, R1, R2, Left, Right, Left, Right, L1, L2, R1, R2, Left, Right, Left, Right.
It teleports you high into the atmosphere and drops you. No parachute. Just you and the pavement. If you’re good, you can actually glide for quite a while by aiming your character’s body, but unless you land perfectly flat on your face (which, weirdly, sometimes lets you survive), you’re going to die. It’s the ultimate "I’m bored" button.
Then there is the "Drunk Mode" (Triangle, Right, Right, Left, Right, Square, Circle, Left). It’s nauseating. The camera wobbles, the screen blurs, and Franklin, Michael, or Trevor start stumbling like they’ve had ten shots of Pisswasser. It’s a nightmare to try and drive like this, but if you want to see how good the Euphoria physics engine really is, this is how you do it.
Why Codes Still Exist in 2026
You’d think by now Rockstar would have moved on. Most games today use microtransactions to let you skip levels or get better gear. GTA Online certainly does. But the single-player mode remains a time capsule. These codes are a bridge to the early 2000s when games were more about messing around than "player retention metrics."
Expert players often use these codes to create content. If you see a cinematic stunt video on YouTube or TikTok, 90% of the time they used a "Slow Motion Aim" cheat (Square, L2, R1, Triangle, Left, Square, L2, Right, X) to get the framing just right. It has levels, too. You can enter it up to three times to make things slower and slower. The fourth time resets it.
Limitations and Nuance
It is worth noting that some things just can't be cheated. You can't spawn a Rhino Tank with a button code on the PS5 version. That was a thing in the older games, but in GTA V, you actually have to go steal one from Fort Zancudo or buy it from the Warstock Cache & Carry website.
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Also, cheats don't work in GTA Online.
Don't even try.
Rockstar’s anti-cheat systems for the online component are aggressive. Using cheats in the multiplayer environment will get you banned faster than you can say "Oppressor Mk II." The codes are strictly for the single-player stories of Michael, Franklin, and Trevor.
Actionable Strategy for Your Next Session
If you’re looking to maximize your fun with a PS5 GTA 5 cheat code, don’t just use one. Layer them.
Start by activating "Fast Run" (Triangle, Left, Right, Right, L2, L1, Square) and "Super Jump" (Left, Left, Triangle, Triangle, Right, Right, Left, Right, Square, R1, R2). Now, Los Santos isn't a city; it's a parkour course. You can leap over fences and outrun the police on foot.
If things get too heated, drop a "Lower Wanted Level" code (R1, R1, Circle, R2, Right, Left, Right, Left, Right, Left). It takes one star off every time you do it.
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Final Checklist for Using Cheats
- Create a separate save file before you start typing. This protects your trophies.
- Memorize the "Painkiller" code. It’s the only thing that will save you when a tank is pointed at your face.
- Use the phone for complex codes. It’s slower but less prone to "fat-fingering" a button.
- Experiment with layering. Combine "Moon Gravity" with "Explosive Bullets" for maximum physics-based comedy.
The reality of GTA V on the PS5 is that while the graphics are crisper and the loading times are almost non-existent, the soul of the game is still found in the chaos you create yourself. These codes are the keys to the kingdom. Use them to break the game, because that’s exactly what they were put there for.
Go to the top of Mount Chiliad. Turn on "Slippery Cars." Spawn a "Comet" (R1, Circle, R2, Right, L1, L2, X, X, Square, R1). Try to drive down without hitting a tree. It’s harder than any mission the game actually gives you. That’s the real GTA experience.