GTA 4 on Android: Winlator Best Settings (Lag Fix Commandline) 30FPS Guide
GTA 4 on Android: Winlator Best Settings (Lag Fix Commandline) 2026 🗽
"Welcome to Liberty City." - Niko Bellic
Grand Theft Auto IV is a masterpiece. Many fans believe its dark story and realistic physics are better than GTA 5. But there is a problem: the game is notoriously unoptimized, even on PCs.
Running it on Android via Winlator is a challenge. If you just install and play, you will get 10-15 FPS and lots of stuttering.
Don't worry! In this guide, I will show you the Secret Settings and a custom commandline.txt file that will make GTA 4 run at a playable 30-40 FPS on high-end Android devices.
If you have a lower-end device (2GB/3GB RAM), this guide is not for you. Try GTA 5 Cloud Gaming instead.
Step 1: Winlator Container Settings
Before opening the game, you need to configure your Winlator container correctly. These settings ensure your phone's processor is used efficiently.
We recommend using **Winlator 7.1 (Afei Mod)** for the best compatibility.
| Screen Size (Resolution) | 800x600 (Essential for FPS) |
| Graphics Driver | Turnip + Zink (Latest Version) |
| DXVK Version | 1.10.3 or 2.2 (Test both) |
| Processor Affinity | Check All Cores (7) |
| GPU Name (Spoof) | GTX 1060 or RTX 2080Ti |
| Off-screen Rendering | Backbuffer |
| Show FPS | Enabled (to monitor) |
Step 2: The Secret Lag Fix (Commandline.txt)
This is the most important part. GTA 4 allows you to create a text file to force specific graphics settings before the game starts. This bypasses the in-game menu limitations.
How to apply:
- Go to your GTA 4 installation folder inside Winlator (where
GTAIV.exeis located). - Create a new text file named
commandline.txt. - Copy the code below and paste it inside that file.
- Save the file and launch the game.
Note: This config forces the lowest possible settings. If your phone is very powerful (Snapdragon 8 Gen 2/3), you can try increasing texture quality slowly.
Step 3: In-Game Optimization
Once the game starts, go to Options > Graphics. You will see that most settings are locked at "Low" because of our commandline file.
Make sure VSync is OFF. Also, reduce the "Vehicle Density" to 30 or lower to save CPU power.
⚠️ Important Disclaimer:
We do not provide the GTA 4 game files. You must own a legal copy of the game on Steam or Rockstar Launcher. Winlator is just an emulator tool.