GTA San Andreas Cheats & Mission Replay Explained

GTA San Andreas cheats are button sequences or phone numbers that give you weapons, vehicles, health, and other effects, while mission replay is a feature that lets you retry any completed story mission from the pause menu. This article explains how both work on every platform, how to use them without breaking your save, and answers common questions about them.

Cheat Codes: How They Work

San Andreas cheats are activated by entering specific button combinations on PlayStation 2, Xbox, or PC, or by dialing certain numbers on the in-game mobile phone (PSP, mobile, and later re-releases). There is no cheat menu; you simply input the sequence while playing. The game does not pause, so be careful when entering codes during a chase or fight. Most cheats are toggleable — entering them once activates the effect, and entering them again deactivates it (for ones like the weather or wanted level).

On PC, you can type the codes directly on your keyboard while playing. On PS2 and Xbox, you use the controller buttons. On mobile and the “Definitive Edition� remasters, you either tap a phone number or use a special code input screen in the pause menu. The codes themselves are identical across all versions, but the input method differs.

Every Cheat Category and Example Codes

Cheats fall into several categories. Here are the most commonly used ones with their PC keyboard codes (the same codes work on console with button equivalents):

• Health, Armor, and Money — HESOYAM gives you full health, full armor, and $250,000.
• Weapons — LXGIWYL gives a basic weapon set (pistol, shotgun, SMG, etc.), PROFESSIONALSKIT gives a better set, and UZUMYMW gives the advanced set.
• Wanted Level — AEZAKMI sets wanted level to zero, OSRSBLH increases it, and LJSPQK sets it to six stars.
• Vehicle Spawning — AIWPRTON spawns a Rhino tank, RZHSUEW spawns a Caddy golf cart, JUMPJET spawns a Hydra fighter jet.
• Weather and Time — AFZLLQLL makes it sunny, ICIKPYH makes it very sunny, ALNSFMZO makes it overcast, AUIFRVQS makes it rainy, CFVFGMJ makes it foggy, and YSOHNULY sets the clock to 21:00.
• Traffic and Pedestrians — COXEFGJ makes all cars explode, PRIEBJ makes traffic aggressive, BAGUVIX makes you invincible (but not fire or explosion proof).
• Movement and Physics — KANGAROO gives you super jump, SPEEDFREAK makes vehicles faster, STICKLIKEGLUE improves vehicle handling.

On mobile and Definitive Edition, you can also use the phone numbers like 486-555-0150 for health, 486-555-0100 for weapons, etc. The full list is available on many gaming wikis.

Mission Replay: What It Is and How to Use It

Mission replay is a feature added in the original PS2 version and kept in all later ports. It allows you to replay any story mission you have already completed, without affecting your main save progress. You access it from the pause menu under “Stats� or “Mission Replay� (the label varies by version). You can select any mission from the list, and the game loads a checkpoint right before the mission starts. You play through it, and when you finish, you return to your normal game with the same money, weapons, and progress you had before. The only thing that carries over is the replay itself — you can earn the mission’s reward again, but it won’t stack.

This is useful for earning extra money (some missions give cash rewards), for trying to get a better time or score, or for simply re-experiencing a favorite mission. It does not affect the story progression — you cannot use it to skip missions or change the ending.

How to Choose Between Cheats and Replay

If you want to change the gameplay temporarily (like getting a tank or making yourself invincible), use cheats. If you want to redo a mission for fun or to earn more money, use mission replay. Cheats are the right tool for sandbox-style play; mission replay is for structured replay. You can combine them — for example, activate a weapon cheat, then enter mission replay to play a mission with those weapons, but note that cheats are deactivated when you enter a mission, so you’ll need to re-enter them after the mission starts (on most versions).

Common Problems and Misconceptions

One common misconception is that using cheats permanently locks achievements or trophies. On the original PS2 and Xbox, that’s not true — there were no achievements. On the PC, Xbox 360, PS3, and mobile versions, using a cheat does disable achievements for that session, but only until you reload a save without cheats. The Definitive Edition (2021) has a similar system: entering a cheat disables trophies/achievements for that save file until you reload a clean save.

Another issue is that some cheats have side effects. For example, the “pedestrians riotâ€� cheat (BIFBUZZ) makes all pedestrians attack you, which can make missions impossible. The “cars floatâ€� cheat (BSXSGGC) makes vehicles behave like hovercrafts, which can break certain missions that require driving. Always save before testing a new cheat, and if something goes wrong, reload.

On PC, typing cheats can be tricky because the game does not pause. If you are in the middle of a mission, entering a cheat might fail because the game is processing other inputs. Also, some cheats are disabled during missions by design (like the wanted level cheat), so you cannot cheat your way out of a mission’s wanted level.

Cheats vs. Mods: What’s the Difference?

Cheats are built into the game by Rockstar. Mods are external files that alter the game’s code, graphics, or behavior. Cheats are temporary and do not permanently change the game; mods can add new missions, change the map, or fix bugs. On PC, you can use mods to add a proper mission replay menu that allows replaying with cheats active, or to unlock all missions from the start. On consoles, mods are not possible (except on modded consoles, which is not recommended). For most players, cheats are enough; mods are for those who want to change the game fundamentally.

Safety and Save File Considerations

Using cheats does not corrupt your save file in the original versions. However, the game does track whether you have used cheats, and on some versions (like the mobile and Definitive Edition), it will mark your save as “cheatedâ€� and disable achievements. If you care about trophies, create a separate save file for cheating. Also, be aware that some cheats, like the “all cars are blackâ€� (IOWDLAC) or “traffic is country vehiclesâ€� (FWTXMSS), can make the game unstable if you use them in combination with other cheats. The game engine can only handle so many active cheats at once; too many can cause crashes or glitches.

If you play on PC, always back up your save files (located in Documents\GTA San Andreas User Files) before experimenting with cheats or mods. On mobile, the game auto-saves to the cloud, so be careful not to overwrite a clean save with a cheated one.

Alternatives to Cheats for Getting What You Want

If you want a specific vehicle without using a cheat, you can find it in the world or spawn it via the “car spawn� cheat and then store it in a garage. If you want money, you can replay missions that give cash rewards, or collect hidden packages (there are 100 hidden packages that give you money and weapons). If you want to be invincible, you can complete the “Burning Desire� mission to get fireproof status, or collect all the oysters to increase your lung capacity. These are legitimate in-game methods that do not disable achievements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do cheats work on the Definitive Edition?

Yes, the Definitive Edition includes all the original cheats, entered via a dedicated code input screen in the pause menu. However, using them disables achievements for that save file, just like the mobile version.

Can I use cheats during missions?

Most cheats work during missions, but some are disabled by the game (like the wanted level cheat). Also, entering a cheat during a mission might not take effect until the mission ends. It is safer to activate cheats before starting a mission.

Do cheats affect the story or ending?

No, cheats do not change the story. They only affect gameplay. The ending is determined by your story progress, not by cheats.

How do I enter cheats on PS2?

On PS2, you enter the button combinations using the controller. For example, the health cheat is R1, R2, L1, X, Left, Down, Right, Up, Left, Down, Right, Up. The exact sequence is printed on many websites.

Can I get banned for using cheats in GTA Online?

GTA San Andreas is a single-player game, so there is no online mode. However, if you use cheats in the PC version that modify game files, you might be flagged by Rockstar’s anti-cheat if you later play GTA Online (which is a different game). For San Andreas itself, there is no ban risk.

What is the difference between the phone numbers and button codes?

Phone numbers are used on mobile and PSP versions, where you open the phone and dial the number. Button codes are used on consoles and PC. Both do the same thing; the phone numbers are just a different input method.

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