Night vision goggles aren’t the most popular accessory in GTA 5. Although they can help improve your gameplay in dark areas, for the most part, GTA 5 features enough light even at night. Still, you can both buy and use night vision goggles in the game.
In this article, we will show you how to get your hands on the said piece of equipment and use it during gameplay.
How to Use Night Vision in GTA 5
Naturally, night vision goggles aren’t a readily-available piece of equipment from the beginning of the game. In fact, there is only one instance of night vision display in the single-player version of the game when Jimmy De Santa (Michael’s son) uses them during the Meltdown mission.
However, the night vision effect is only briefly displayed during a cutscene. You can’t get your hands on the night vision equipment in single-player, though, without mods/cheats.
The only official way of using night vision in GTA 5 is in the game’s online mode. You can purchase and activate the night vision effect, whether you’re playing in third- or first-person.
How to Access Night Vision in GTA 5
In GTA Online, night vision goggles were added as a part of the Heists Update. This equipment is used in the Humane Labs Raid, seeing that the power is shut down by an EMP (electromagnetic pulse) during the raid. Players can get these glasses at Ammu-Nation stores throughout the game map. The night vision goggles come with a balaclava. You’re going to need $17,500 to purchase this equipment.
There is another piece of equipment that allows the use of the night vision display mode. The Dual Lens Combat Helmet, found in Vespucci Movie Masks, offers the same function. These masks will set you back $47,090-$77,880. While in the Vespucci Movie Masks store, you’ll find (Tactical) Night Vision masks ($41,880-$52,980) and Leather with NVG masks ($16,060-$33,860), which allows the same function.
How to Activate Night Vision Googles in GTA 5
Equipping the night vision goggles (or any of the mentioned equipment that features this function) won’t activate night vision automatically. You have to access the option via the interaction menu. To open the interaction menu, long-press the ‘’Select’’ button on PS3, the ‘’Back’’ button on Xbox 360, the Touchpad on PS4, the ‘’View’’ button on Xbox One, or the ‘’M’’ keyboard key on PC.
- Open the Interaction Menu
- Navigate to and select “Style.”
- Go to “Accessories.”
- Highlight “Gear.”
- Find the “Night Vision” option.
- Select “Activate” from the bottom-right part of the screen.
How to Remove Night Vision Googles in GTA 5
Given that the night vision goggles (NVGs) come with a balaclava, you may be wondering if you can leave the balaclava on and take the goggles off. As it turns out, you can, but only during the missions. If you equip the NVGs and start a mission, you’ll be spawned with the balaclava but without the goggles themselves. Unfortunately, after the mission, your character will be spawned with the NVGs, again.
To remove the NVGs completely (with the balaclava), simply unequip them like you would any other piece of clothing in the game.
How to Disable Night Vision in GTA 5
Disabling the night vision display is as simple as deactivating it from the Accessories menu mentioned above.
- Run the Interaction Menu (as explained earlier).
- Go to “Style.”
- Select “Accessories.”
- Navigate to “Gear.”
- Locate the “Night Vision” option.
- Deactivate it by selecting disabling it from the menu in the lower-right corner of the screen.
How to Use Night Vision in GTA 5 on PC
Whether you’re playing GTA Online on your PC or any of the compatible consoles (PS3, Xbox 360, PS4, Xbox One), using the night vision mode works the same. Equip the goggles by finding them in any of the mentioned stores and activate/deactivate them using the Interaction Menu.
Additional FAQs
1. How do you use the Rebreather in GTA 5?
The Rebreather is a very useful item in GTA that allows your avatar to remain underwater longer. When equipped and used under the surface, it automatically uses air canisters stored in the player’s inventory. The player can store a maximum of 20 air canisters. While the Rebreather is in use, a white bar appears toward the bottom-right corner of the screen, showing how much air is left in the current Rebreather canister and how many canisters there are left.
The Rebreather is equipped via the Interaction Menu. It’s located under Style > Accessories > Gear. It’s available at Ammu-Nation for $5,000 and is not to be confused with the Scuba Suit.
Before the Scuba Suit was introduced in GTA Online, the Rebreather was the only way to spend an extended amount of time underwater. Since the full-on scuba gear introduction, the Rebreather has become the solution for those who don’t have enough money to purchase the Scuba Suit ($155,500-$163,000).
2. How do you use thermal vision in GTA 5?
Thermal vision is an accessory option in both GTA 5 and GTA Online. In the single-player mode, the thermal vision goggles aren’t obtainable during regular gameplay. Thermal vision appears in The Merryweather Heist, Predator, and Derailed missions, though. In GTA Online, the Heavy Sniper Mk II features a Thermal Scope.
This sniper is converted from the Heavy Sniper (available at Ammu-Nation). To make the conversion, visit the Weapon Workshop. It will set you back $165,375. You might also get the weapon during certain Air Freight Cargo Steal missions. You can also get your hands on this weapon with Explosive Rounds during the Setup: Barrage. To activate thermal vision, press the Right Button on the D-pad for consoles or the ‘’E’’ key on PC.
Additionally, the Quad Lens Combat Helmets (the Smuggler’s Run update) have thermal vision as well. If you get your hands on the Quad Lens Combat Helmet, here’s how to equip it; go to the Interaction Menu and select “Style.” Then, go to Accessories and highlight Helmets. Select the “Quad Lens Combat Helmet” and activate like you would any other item (look at the bottom-right corner of the HUD. It works just like NVGs.
3. How do you activate the Quad Lens in GTA 5?
As explained in the previous question, Quad Lens is a helmet accessory that enables the player to use thermal vision. As with most other accessories, it is equipped and activated via the Interaction Menu.
4. Can you make it night in GTA 5?
Although there are various modes that allow you to quickly switch between day and night in GTA, if all you want to do is make it night/day in the game, the best way to go about it is to go to one of your safehouses and sleep/save. This will advance the game six hours, which is usually enough for a nearly instantaneous night/day switch. Feel free to use this method as many times as you need to reach the desired time of day.
5. Do night vision goggles work in GTA Online?
While the night vision goggles appear in the story mode of GTA 5, you can’t equip them in single-player free-roaming. In GTA Online, however, you can purchase and activate the NVGs, which come with a balaclava. Although there isn’t too much use for night vision in the game, it can truly make a world of difference in dark corners and during those particularly dark heists.
Using Night Vision in GTA 5
Although the single-player version of GTA 5 only features night vision as a part of a cutscene in a mission, GTA Online has obtainable night vision goggles that come with a balaclava. They aren’t there just for show, either. You can activate them from the Interaction Menu, and they will help you see better in dark environments.
We hope that you’ve managed to enable night vision in GTA Online and use it to better your playing techniques. If you have anything to add or any questions regarding the subject, feel free to comment in the comments section below and join in on the discussion.
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