Does the GTA V Enhanced loading screen drag on forever on your PC, at launch or when entering Story Mode? Before suspecting a bug, check where the game is installed. Rockstar announces faster loading thanks to SSDs and DirectStorage, but only on supported devices and configurations, and the Steam page for the Enhanced version lists an SSD as required. This guide helps you identify your drive type, then put the game in the right place.
Problem
- GTA V Enhanced loads much more slowly than your other recent games.
- The game is installed on a hard disk drive (HDD), an external drive or a drive you cannot identify.
- You have an SSD but do not know whether it is NVMe or SATA.
- You are wondering whether DirectStorage needs to be turned on somewhere.
What to know before acting
- Two separate versions: this guide is about GTA V Enhanced. GTA V Legacy is a separate installation with different system requirements. To choose between them, see GTA V Enhanced or Legacy on PC: choosing the version for your hardware.
- SSD required: the GTA V Enhanced Steam page lists "SSD Required" in the minimum requirements (105 GB of space) and an "SSD with DirectStorage-compatibility" in the recommended requirements (with Windows 11).
- DirectStorage, according to Microsoft: it is a Windows API that lets games make full use of fast SSDs, especially NVMe drives. Microsoft states that it is compatible with Windows 10, that Windows 11 has the latest storage optimizations built in, and that installing games on an NVMe SSD maximizes performance. On a system that does not support it, games keep working as they always have.
- No documented switch: Rockstar does not describe any DirectStorage option to turn on in the game. This guide does not invent one: it works on where the game is installed.
- GTA Online is separate: joining an online session also depends on your connection and the servers. This guide only covers the part related to the drive.
Step 1: find the drive the game is installed on
When to use it: always first.
Suggested solution
- In your launcher, open the GTA V Enhanced properties and find the installation folder (on Steam, for example, through the game's local files).
- Note the drive letter (C:, D:, E:…).
- In the Windows search bar, type "Defragment", then open Defragment and Optimize Drives.
- Find the letter you noted: the window shows for each drive whether it is a hard disk drive or an SSD (media type column; exact label to be checked depending on your Windows version).
Expected result: you know whether GTA V Enhanced is on an SSD or a hard disk drive.
When to stop: if the game is already on an SSD, go straight to step 2.
Step 2: find out whether your SSD is NVMe or SATA
When to use it: the game is on an SSD and you want to know whether it is the type best suited to DirectStorage.
Suggested solution
- Right-click the Start button, then open Terminal or Windows PowerShell (administrator rights are not needed just to read this information).
- Type the command below, then press Enter.
- Read the MediaType column (SSD or HDD) and the BusType column (NVMe, SATA, USB…) for each drive.
Get-PhysicalDisk | Select-Object FriendlyName, MediaType, BusType, SizeExpected result: you know whether the drive holding the game is an NVMe SSD, a SATA SSD or an external USB drive.
When to stop: this command changes nothing. If a drive shows as "Unspecified", rely on the model shown in FriendlyName and on the manufacturer's spec sheet.
Step 3: move the game to the fastest SSD
When to use it: GTA V Enhanced is on a hard disk drive, on an external USB drive, or on a SATA SSD while you have an NVMe SSD with enough free space.
Suggested solution
- Make sure there is more than 105 GB free on the destination SSD (the space listed by Steam for Enhanced, not counting future updates).
- On Steam: use the feature for moving an installed game described by Steam Support (storage manager in the Steam settings; exact labels to be checked). If needed, add a Steam library on the SSD, then move the game there.
- On Rockstar Games Launcher or Epic Games Store: since we could not verify a move procedure, uninstall the game, then reinstall it, choosing a folder on the SSD.
- Launch the game again and compare the loading time.
Expected result: the game is on the SSD and loading times are noticeably shorter.
Rollback: a Steam move can be done again in the other direction. A reinstall means downloading the game again: plan for the time and data volume needed.
Step 4: update Windows
When to use it: the game is on an NVMe SSD but you are on Windows 10, or Windows has not received its updates for a long time.
Suggested solution
- Open Settings > Windows Update and install the updates offered.
- If your PC meets the requirements, consider Windows 11: it is the configuration recommended on the GTA V Enhanced Steam page, and Microsoft presents it as the recommended path to benefit from the storage optimizations.
Expected result: your system has the latest storage optimizations offered by Microsoft.
When to stop: Windows 10 remains compatible with DirectStorage according to Microsoft. Do not move to Windows 11 just for this game if your PC does not meet the requirements.
Special cases
| Situation | What to know |
|---|---|
| No SSD in the PC | The Enhanced minimum requirements call for an SSD. GTA V Legacy is intended for PCs without an SSD. |
| External USB SSD | The step 2 command then shows "USB". For DirectStorage, Microsoft highlights NVMe SSDs; prefer an internal SSD if you have one. |
| Nearly full SSD | Free up space before moving the game: game updates also need room. See also the French guide SSD qui ralentit sous Windows : vérifier le TRIM et l'optimisation. |
| Long loading only when entering GTA Online | Your connection and the servers come into play. The drive type is still worth checking, but it is not the only possible cause. |
Final check
- ☐ GTA V Enhanced is installed on an SSD (not a hard disk drive).
- ☐ The SSD bus type (NVMe, SATA or USB) is known.
- ☐ There is free space left on the SSD for updates.
- ☐ Windows is up to date.
Sources
- Steam: Grand Theft Auto V Enhanced (minimum and recommended requirements, checked on November 2, 2026)
- Steam: Rockstar Games announcement of GTA V Enhanced (February 21, 2025: faster loading using SSD and DirectStorage on supported devices and configurations)
- Microsoft DirectX Developer Blog: DirectStorage API Now Available on PC (Windows 10 compatibility, Windows 11 recommended, NVMe SSD advised)
- Microsoft DirectX Developer Blog: DirectStorage is coming to PC (role of NVMe SSDs, games working normally on unsupported systems)
- Microsoft Support: Defragment / optimize your data drives in Windows
- Microsoft Learn: Get-PhysicalDisk and MSFT_PhysicalDisk class (MediaType and BusType properties)
- Steam Support: Moving a Steam Installation and Games
Still having the problem?
Reply in this topic with your launcher (Steam, Rockstar Games Launcher or Epic Games Store), your Windows version, the result of the step 2 command for the game's drive, and when the loading is long (launch, Story Mode or GTA Online). Never post your email address, your Rockstar ID or your password.