Pre-load
GTA 6 pre-load and file size
Pre-load for Grand Theft Auto VI opened on , on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The download is up to 212 GB, and it stays locked until midnight local time on .[1]
GTA 6 file size
212 GB
At most, depending on your console. Clear that much free space before you start.[2]
Which consoles can install it at all: GTA 6 platforms.
Last changed: Added the download-time calculator: how long 212 GB takes on your connection, and when to start All changes
Add to calendar saves a file for midnight on November 19, 2026 in your time zone, the moment the countdown runs to, with a reminder an hour before. It is made in your browser; nothing is sent anywhere.
Straight from Rockstar
Pre-load at a glance
- PS5 pre-load
- Opened at midnight local time on Tuesday, November 10, 2026
- Source: Grand Theft Auto VI regional pre-load and release times (Rockstar Support, updated November 3, 2026) · Last checked
- Xbox pre-load
- Opened at 12:00 a.m. GMT on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, at the same moment worldwide
- Source: Grand Theft Auto VI regional pre-load and release times (Rockstar Support, updated November 3, 2026) · Last checked
- Download size
- Up to 212 GB, depending on the console
- Source: Grand Theft Auto VI Pre-Load FAQ (Rockstar Support, updated November 3, 2026) · Last checked
- Who can pre-load
- Everyone who pre-ordered a digital copy, and code-in-box buyers once they redeem their code
- Source: Pre-Load Grand Theft Auto VI Now (Rockstar Newswire, November 10, 2026) · Last checked
- Code in box
- In shops from November 12, 2026, on both consoles
- Source: Grand Theft Auto VI Pre-Load Begins on November 10 (Rockstar Newswire, November 3, 2026) · Last checked
- Unlock
- Midnight local time on November 19, 2026; a finished pre-load stays locked until then
- Source: Grand Theft Auto VI regional pre-load and release times (Rockstar Support, updated November 3, 2026) · Last checked
Midnight GMT on November 10 was Monday, November 9 at 7:00 PM in New York, so Xbox players in the Americas could start the evening before.
Calculator
How long the download takes
Enter your connection speed for the time the full download takes, and the latest moment to start it so that it finishes before the game unlocks at midnight in your time zone.
How this is worked out: the full 212 GB, the most Rockstar gives, though the size depends on the console[2]; a gigabyte counted as 1,000 megabytes; and a speed that holds for the whole download. Real speeds vary: servers are busiest around launch, Wi-Fi is often slower than the line, and other downloads share it. Leave yourself a margin.
Before you start, go through the launch checklist: space, automatic downloads and the rest.
Step by step
How to pre-load GTA 6
PlayStation 5
- Pre-order the game on PlayStation Store, or redeem the code from a code-in-box copy.[4]
- Free up at least 212 GB of storage.[5]
- Turn on automatic downloads, and leave the console on or in Rest Mode.[2]
- In your Game Library, select Grand Theft Auto VI: a timer counts down to the release. Select the timer; every item with a ticked box downloads by itself.[6]
Done yet?
Check that the pre-load finished
PlayStation 5
Open Downloads/Uploads from the control center: while the game is still downloading, it is listed there with its progress. When the download shows as complete, the pre-load is done, and the game waits for the release timer in your Game Library to run out.
Stuck? Sony's guide to downloaded games covers failed and paused downloads.[8]
Xbox Series X|S
Open My games & apps and look at the queue: anything still downloading is listed there. When Grand Theft Auto VI has left the queue and sits with your games, the pre-load is complete.
Stuck? Xbox's installation guide covers downloads that will not finish.[9]
These are the consoles' own menus, not Rockstar's instructions; their names can change with a system update.
Boxed copies
How the code in the box works
The boxed Standard Edition is sold as code in box: there is a code inside, and the game itself comes as a download. Code-in-box copies are in shops from , for both consoles.[3]
A PlayStation code has to match your account's region, and only the Standard Edition comes boxed. The price page lists the region rules for codes and what the Ultimate Edition Upgrade costs.
Redeem the code on your console's store as soon as you have it, and the pre-load can begin, just as for a digital pre-order. You need the same storage space and an internet connection.[4]
From November 19
After launch
Pre-load is only the head start. Once the game has unlocked at midnight local time on November 19, 2026, there is nothing left to pre-load: buying the game or redeeming a code starts the same download, and it still needs up to 212 GB.
Questions
GTA 6 pre-load FAQ
When did GTA 6 pre-load start?
On November 10, 2026. On PlayStation 5 it opened at midnight local time; on Xbox Series X|S at 12:00 a.m. GMT, at the same moment worldwide.
What is the GTA 6 file size?
Up to 212 GB, depending on your console, according to Rockstar. The PlayStation Blog advises clearing at least 212 GB on a PS5.
How do I pre-load GTA 6?
Pre-order the game on your console, then make sure automatic downloads (PS5) or automatic updates (Xbox) are on, and leave the console on or in Rest Mode (PS5) or Sleep (Xbox). The download starts by itself.
Can I pre-load the boxed version of GTA 6?
Yes. The boxed Standard Edition is code in box: the box holds a download code. Code-in-box copies are in shops from November 12, 2026; redeem the code on your console and the pre-load can start straight away.
Can I play GTA 6 as soon as the pre-load finishes?
No. The game stays locked until midnight local time on November 19, 2026, on both consoles.
Launch day
When it unlocks
Launch checklist
What to have ready before the unlock, ticked off as you go, with the official source for each item.
Release time by region
When GTA 6 unlocks in your time zone, city by city, with the same moment in UTC.
Release date and editions
The release date, the editions, pre-order bonuses and the FAQ.
Sources
The facts on this page come from Rockstar Games, PlayStation and Xbox, retold in our words. Last checked .
- Grand Theft Auto VI regional pre-load and release times (Rockstar Support, updated November 3, 2026)
- Grand Theft Auto VI Pre-Load FAQ (Rockstar Support, updated November 3, 2026)
- Grand Theft Auto VI Pre-Load Begins on November 10 (Rockstar Newswire, November 3, 2026)
- Pre-Load Grand Theft Auto VI Now (Rockstar Newswire, November 10, 2026)
- Grand Theft Auto VI pre-download begins November 10 (PlayStation Blog, November 3, 2026)
- How to pre-order and auto-download games from PlayStation Store (PlayStation Support)
- Pre-order FAQ (Xbox Support)
- Troubleshoot a downloaded PlayStation game (PlayStation Support)
- Troubleshoot game or app installation problems (Xbox Support)