Text Formatting
GTA V uses special formatting codes in text strings for colours, input prompts, and text styling. These work in notifications, help text, and other UI elements. Reset styles after highlighted text, prefer input tokens over literal keys, and test the final string in every UI surface where it appears.
Quick Usage
-- Coloured notification
BeginTextCommandThefeedPost("STRING")
AddTextComponentSubstringPlayerName("~r~ALERT: ~s~Something happened!")
EndTextCommandThefeedPostTicker(false, false)
-- Show input prompt in help text
BeginTextCommandDisplayHelp("STRING")
AddTextComponentSubstringPlayerName("Press ~INPUT_CONTEXT~ to interact")
EndTextCommandDisplayHelp(0, false, true, -1)// JavaScript equivalent
BeginTextCommandThefeedPost("STRING");
AddTextComponentSubstringPlayerName("~r~ALERT: ~s~Something happened!");
EndTextCommandThefeedPostTicker(false, false);All Formatting Codes
Official source · Snapshot: · Download complete JSON
81 of 81 entries
| Special | Label | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| ~HUD_COLOUR_...~ | References an existing HUD color .HUD color | Find the ~HUD_COLOUR_FREEMODE~freemode ped! | |
| ~HC_...~ | An alias for ~HUD_COLOUR | Find 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 .HUD_COLOUR_SCRIPT_VARIABLESET_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 .HUD_COLOUR_SCRIPT_VARIABLE_2_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.HUD_COLOUR_WHITE | Swoop on over to ~b~foreclosures.maze-bank.com~w~~s~ today | |
| Color | Label | Description | Example |
| ~r~ | HUD_COLOUR_RED Used for enemy characters or vehicles.HUD_COLOUR_RED | Kill all the ~r~Vagos. | |
| ~g~ | HUD_COLOUR_GREEN Used for pickup-type objectives.HUD_COLOUR_GREEN | Pick up the ~g~flash drive. | |
| ~b~ | HUD_COLOUR_BLUE Used for friendly characters or vehicles.HUD_COLOUR_BLUE | Defend ~b~Lamar. | |
| ~f~ | HUD_COLOUR_FRIENDLY An alternate (rare) version for friendly objectives.HUD_COLOUR_FRIENDLY | Vehicle health can be restored by waiting in the ~f~pit stop area~s~. | |
| ~y~ | HUD_COLOUR_YELLOW Destination names.HUD_COLOUR_YELLOW | 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.HUD_COLOUR_MENU_GREY | ~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.HUD_COLOUR_MENU_GREY | ~z~those ~t~idiots. | |
| ~o~ | HUD_COLOUR_ORANGE A team color indicator.HUD_COLOUR_ORANGE | ~o~The Cocks~s~ are mad. | |
| ~p~ | HUD_COLOUR_PURPLE A team color indicator.HUD_COLOUR_PURPLE | ~p~The Boars~s~ are off the radar. | |
| ~q~ | HUD_COLOUR_PINK Used for Arena War.HUD_COLOUR_PINK | 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'.HUD_COLOUR_MID_GREY_MP | ~m~Display Mini Map. | |
| ~l~ | HUD_COLOUR_BLACK Used when unable to set a color any other way to specify black.HUD_COLOUR_BLACK | ~l~PLAYERS | |
| ~d~ | HUD_COLOUR_BLUEDARK Used to specify a team objective occupied by a player.HUD_COLOUR_BLUEDARK | Help your team deliver a ~d~vehicle ~s~to your ~b~base. |
| Label | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ~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.blip | Benny's Original Motor Works is now available at ~HUD_COLOUR_YELLOW~~BLIP_BENNYS~~s~. |
| Label | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ~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 |
| Label | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ~INPUT_...~ | In help messages and other supported contexts, shows the current key for a specified control .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. |
Source scope and usage notes
Formatting tokens are interpreted by GTA text APIs, not by ordinary HTML or NUI text. Colors, reset tokens, style switches and inserted control icons have different roles. Follow a temporary color with a reset when the rest of the message should use its normal context color.
Images are served from this repository, not hotlinked. Empty source fields and unknown identifiers are retained as unknown. View the official source or download the complete dataset.