ASI Loader
Allows the game to load plugins with the .asi extension. Most of the other tools will not start without it.
The foundation on which the rest depends. It is installed in the game folder.
Silent's Blog — GTA SA tools →
Checked on 20 August 2026
Mods still appear twenty years after release
New mods are still being released for San Andreas twenty years after launch — something that cannot be said of the newer games. One step, however, determines whether half of them will work for you or almost none of them will.
Check the game version first. There is no point continuing without it.
Most San Andreas mods are written for version 1.0 (US or EU). Later releases — Steam, mobile and remastered editions — organise their files differently, and many mods do not work on them at all.
Reverting to version 1.0 is known as downpatching. It is a common process, and the community provides tools for it. It should be done with a legally owned copy of the game, not by downloading the game elsewhere.
Check your version before installing anything. Installing mods blindly and then trying to find out why the game crashes is the most common way to spend an evening without playing it.
Four essential tools
In installation order
SilentPatch
Fixes original game bugs that Rockstar never corrected.
It does not install anything new — it only repairs what has been broken since 2004. We recommend it even for players who do not want any mods.
Silent's Blog →ModLoader
Loads mods from a separate folder instead of overwriting the game archives.
Essential for keeping things organised. Add a mod by copying its folder and remove it by deleting that folder — the original files remain untouched.
GitHub — releases →CLEO
Extends the game's scripting capabilities. It opens the door to thousands of gameplay modifications.
Most mods that add new mechanics are written specifically for CLEO.
cleo.li →Installation order
Six steps; do not skip any
- 1
Back up the entire game folder
Do not back up only the files you change. San Andreas is much smaller than modern games, so a copy takes a few gigabytes and can save you hours.
- 2
Check the version and downpatch to 1.0 if necessary
Many mods will not work otherwise. This should be done with your own legally owned copy of the game.
- 3
Install ASI Loader and SilentPatch
In that order. Then launch the game and check that it starts before adding anything else.
- 4
Add ModLoader
From this point, install mods in its folder rather than overwriting archives. Reverting a change will then be a matter of deleting a folder.
- 5
Install CLEO last
Only when everything above works. CLEO scripts are the most common cause of crashes, so add them to a stable foundation.
- 6
Add mods one at a time
Launch the game after each one. If you add ten mods at once and the game crashes, you will have ten possible causes to investigate.
What each mod type does
Graphics overhauls
New lighting, textures, weather and shadows. They make a game from 2004 easier on the eye today.
The most demanding category for performance — even on a modern computer, because the game cannot make use of multiple cores.
Vehicles
New car models, altered handling and liveries.
Be careful with models of real brands — they are often distributed without a licence and disappear following complaints from manufacturers.
CLEO scripts
New mechanics: parkour, vehicle controls, police behaviour and minigames.
Two scripts that change the same thing often conflict. Install them one at a time and launch the game after each one.
Map modifications
New buildings, accessible interiors and rebuilt neighbourhoods.
They may cause frame-rate drops and conflict with other map mods.
Total conversions
Mods that turn the game into something entirely different — another city, another era or another story.
Install them in a separate copy of the game. Mixing them with other mods is not practical.
The multiplayer Rockstar never released
Two projects, both still active
SA-MP
The oldest and most widespread alternative multiplayer mode for San Andreas.
Independent servers with their own rules — from races to elaborate role-playing worlds with their own economies. Some English-language servers have been running for years.
It is a separate client that does not use Rockstar's official servers. It requires a legal copy of the game.
MTA: San Andreas
The other major project, with its own scripting language and map editor.
It gives server operators more freedom than SA-MP. It is used for servers that alter the game more extensively.
It is also a separate client. The same rule applies: a legal copy of the game is required.
When something does not work
Four problems and their usual causes
| Problem | Usual cause | What helps |
|---|---|---|
| The game crashes immediately after launch | Usually an incorrect game version or a mod written for another version. | Remove the most recently added mod. If that does not help, check the game version. |
| The game runs, but the mods do nothing | ASI Loader is missing, or the files are in the wrong folder. | Check that ASI Loader is in the game directory and the mods are in the ModLoader folder. |
| Textures flicker or are missing | Two mods are overwriting the same file, or a limit adjuster is missing. | Remove one of the conflicting mods. The game has fixed limits dating from 2004 that extensive modifications can exceed. |
| Saving does not work or the save file becomes corrupted | Mods that alter the map are often incompatible with old save files. | Start a new game. Back up save files separately — they are usually stored outside the game folder. |
Finish the game before modding it
Character stats change how San Andreas plays. Without them, CJ appears to run out of breath after fifty metres, because he actually does.