You get the Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition download for PC from the Rockstar Store or Steam. It bundles GTA IV with The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony, and it needs 22 GB of disk space.
This guide covers the official store links, the install on Windows 11 and Windows 10, upgrading an older GTA IV copy, the system requirements, options for Mac owners, and fixes for a download that stalls.
Which Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition download do you need?
Rockstar sells one PC edition. The only choice is which store and launcher delivers it.
| Your situation | What you get | Where to go |
|---|---|---|
| Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC, new buyer | The Complete Edition, installed by Rockstar Games Launcher | Rockstar Store |
| Windows PC with a Steam library | The same game at a $19.99 list price, installed by Steam | Steam store page |
| You already own GTA IV or Episodes from Liberty City on Steam | A free update to the Complete Edition in your library | Steam store page |
| Mac | No macOS build; stream from a Windows PC over your network | Steam Link and Remote Play |
Both PC stores install the identical Windows game. The store you pick decides which launcher starts it.
Download Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition from the official stores
There is no standalone setup file. Each store hands the download to its own launcher after you buy.
- Rockstar Store product page — 22 GB on disk · Buy Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition for the Rockstar Games Launcher
- Steam store page — 22 GB on disk · $19.99 list price, Windows only
- Rockstar Games downloads page — Free Rockstar Games Launcher a Rockstar Store copy needs
- Rockstar game page — Official GTA IV page with trailers and specifications
Steam users need the Steam client first. The Steam download guide covers that setup.
How to install Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition on Windows 11 and 10
Clear the disk space before you buy. Keep the PC online, because initial activation needs a connection.
- Free at least 22 GB on the drive you plan to install to.
- Open the Rockstar Store product page and select Buy Now.
- Finish the purchase with your Rockstar Games account.
- Install Rockstar Games Launcher from the Rockstar downloads page if the PC does not have it.
- Open the launcher and sign in with the same Rockstar Games account.
- Open your library, select the game, then select Install.
- Choose the install folder and confirm, then leave the download running.
- Select Play when the launcher reports the install finished.
The game also needs DirectX and Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0, which Rockstar lists as required installs.
Install Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition from Steam
Steam sells the same Windows game and links it to a Rockstar Games account at first launch.
- Open the Steam store page in the Steam app or a browser.
- Select Add to Cart, then finish the purchase.
- Open Library in Steam and select the game.
- Select Install, pick the drive, then confirm.
- Wait for the 22 GB download to finish.
- Select Play and sign in to your Rockstar Games account when asked.
- Link that account to Steam so the purchase activates.
Steam lists Rockstar Games as a supported account link. Have those sign-in details ready before the first launch.
How to upgrade an older GTA IV copy to the Complete Edition
Since March 2020, the Complete Edition replaced GTA IV and Episodes from Liberty City in every digital store. Existing owners update rather than buy again, and old save files still work.
- Open Library in Steam and find GTA IV or Episodes from Liberty City.
- Select Update on GTA IV; the update pulls in the Episodes content, about 6 GB.
- For Episodes from Liberty City, install the Complete Edition entry that replaced it, about 22 GB.
- For a disc never activated through Games for Windows Live, enter the key from the back of the manual.
- For a Games for Windows Live digital purchase, create or link a Rockstar Games Social Club account.
- Launch the game once while online so it authenticates your copy.
Every copy needs an internet connection for that first authentication.
Which Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition option works on your Mac?
There is no macOS build. Steam marks the title as Windows only, and Rockstar sells no Mac edition.
| Your setup | What to do | Where |
|---|---|---|
| You also own a Windows PC | Install Steam Link on the Mac and stream the game from the PC | Steam Link and Remote Play |
| You own only a Mac | Skip the PC purchase; the game will not install on macOS | Rockstar game page |
| You plan to buy a Windows PC | Buy on Steam now and install when the PC arrives | Steam store page |
Steam lists macOS among the Steam Link client platforms, so the Mac acts as a screen for the Windows PC.
Is Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition free?
No. Both official PC stores charge for it. Steam lists the game at $19.99, and Steam sales cut that price; it sold for $5.99 in September 2026. The Rockstar Store sells the same edition at a regional price. Owners of the original GTA IV or Episodes from Liberty City on Steam receive the Complete Edition as an update. Any site offering a free full PC copy is not Rockstar and does not sell a licence.
Check the Steam page before you buy, because the sale price changes from week to week.
Should you buy the Complete Edition or the original GTA IV?
Buy the Complete Edition; it is the only PC version on sale. It includes Grand Theft Auto IV plus The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony. The update removed Games for Windows Live, the multiplayer mode and the leaderboards. RamJam FM, Self-Actualization FM and Vice City FM are temporarily unavailable. The single-player stories for Niko, Johnny and Luis are all intact.
Japanese subtitles work in GTA IV but not in the Episodes, so switch language before you start those.
Check what Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition installs alongside the game
The 22 GB figure covers the game. Rockstar also lists the supporting software below.
| Component | Why it installs |
|---|---|
| Rockstar Games Launcher | Installs, activates and starts a Rockstar Store copy |
| Rockstar Games Social Club account | Activates the game and holds your entitlement (13+ to register) |
| DirectX | Graphics runtime; the game needs a DirectX 9.0c compliant card |
| Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 | Runtime the game requires |
| Steam client | Installs and starts a Steam copy |
Repair these through the launcher that installed the game rather than removing them by hand.
Check the Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition system requirements
Rockstar and Steam list slightly different processor floors. Meet the Rockstar Store figures to be safe.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Game | Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition |
| Developer | Rockstar North, Rockstar Toronto |
| Publisher | Rockstar Games |
| Latest version | Complete Edition released March 24, 2020; no public PC version number |
| License / Price | Paid: $19.99 list price on Steam |
| File size | 22 GB of free disk space (minimal install) |
| Supported OS | Windows 10; Steam lists Windows 10 64-bit |
| Architecture | 64-bit Windows per Steam; no macOS or Linux build |
| Processor (Rockstar Store) | Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 2.40GHz or AMD Phenom 9850 2.5GHz |
| Processor (Steam) | Intel Core 2 Duo 1.8GHz or AMD Athlon X2 64 2.4GHz |
| Memory | 2 GB (Rockstar Store); 1.5 GB (Steam) |
| Graphics | 256MB Nvidia 7900 or 256MB ATI X1900, DirectX 9.0c compliant |
| Sound | 5.1 channel audio card (Steam) |
| Network | Internet connection for initial activation |
| Mac version | None |
| Official download source | store.rockstargames.com |
| Offline installer | No; the store launcher delivers the game |
| Last verified | 2026-09-25 |
Open Settings, select System, then About to read your own processor and RAM before you pay.
Fix Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition not downloading or installing
Most failures trace back to disk space, activation or an old account link. Work through the symptom that matches.
The download stalls or fails partway
A full drive or a dropped connection interrupts the transfer.
- Open File Explorer and confirm the target drive has 22 GB free.
- Pause the download in the launcher, wait ten seconds, then resume it.
- Move the PC onto a wired Ethernet connection.
- Pick a different install drive in the launcher and start again.
The game asks you to buy it again or will not activate
Activation needs a signed-in Rockstar Games account and an internet connection.
- Sign out of the launcher and sign back in with the account that bought the game.
- Link that Rockstar Games account to Steam if you bought the Steam copy.
- Allow the launcher through Windows Defender Firewall in Settings.
- Launch once while online so the copy authenticates.
An old Games for Windows Live copy will not update
Games for Windows Live no longer works, so the copy needs a Social Club account instead.
- Create or sign in to a Rockstar Games Social Club account.
- Link the Games for Windows Live purchase to that account.
- Enter the manual key for a disc copy that never activated through Games for Windows Live.
- Start the update from the launcher once the account link succeeds.
The game installs but crashes at launch
Outdated graphics drivers or missing runtimes stop it at start-up.
- Open Settings, select Windows Update, then select Check for updates.
- Install the current driver for your card from Nvidia or AMD.
- Verify the game files from the launcher that installed it.
- Restart the PC and start the game from the launcher.
Rockstar support handles account and entitlement cases that survive these steps.
How to uninstall Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition
Remove the game through the launcher that installed it. That frees the full 22 GB.
- Close the game and the launcher.
- Open your library in Rockstar Games Launcher or Steam.
- Select the game, open its settings or right-click menu, then select Uninstall.
- Confirm the removal and wait for the drive space to come back.
- Open Settings, select Apps, then Installed apps to remove any leftover entry.
- Delete the remaining game folder from the install drive if one is left.
- Restart the PC before you reinstall.
The purchase stays on your store account, so a reinstall costs only the download.
Which other Rockstar game should you buy instead?
The Rockstar Store sells the rest of the catalogue under the same account and launcher.
| If you want | Buy this | Where |
|---|---|---|
| The sequel with online play | Grand Theft Auto V | GTA V download guide |
| Remastered earlier GTA games | Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition | Rockstar Store |
| Another Rockstar action game | Max Payne 3 | Rockstar Store |
| An earlier Rockstar open-world western | Red Dead Redemption | Rockstar Store |
Pick GTA V if you want the online mode the Complete Edition dropped.
Frequently asked questions
Is Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition free to download?
No. Steam lists it at $19.99, and the Rockstar Store sells it at a regional price. Steam sales cut the price, and Steam owners of the original GTA IV or Episodes from Liberty City get the Complete Edition as a free update.
What is the official Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition download page?
Rockstar sells the PC game at store.rockstargames.com under Buy Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition. Steam sells the same Windows game on its store page, and each store delivers the download through its own launcher.
Does GTA IV: The Complete Edition work on Windows 11?
Yes. Rockstar lists Windows 10 as the minimum and Steam lists Windows 10 64-bit, with no upper limit, so a Windows 11 PC that meets the hardware requirements installs and runs it.
How big is the GTA IV: The Complete Edition download?
Rockstar and Steam both ask for 22 GB of free disk space. Upgrading an old Steam copy is smaller: about 6 GB for GTA IV owners and about 22 GB for Episodes from Liberty City owners.
Is there a GTA IV: The Complete Edition offline installer?
No. The game arrives through the Rockstar Games Launcher or Steam, and initial activation needs an internet connection. After that first activation, the single-player game runs from the installed files.
Is there a Mac version of GTA IV: The Complete Edition?
No. Steam marks the game as Windows only and Rockstar sells no macOS edition. A Mac can run the Steam Link client and stream the game from a Windows PC on the same network.
Does GTA IV: The Complete Edition need 64-bit Windows?
Steam lists Windows 10 64-bit as the minimum operating system, so plan on a 64-bit Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC. Rockstar sells no macOS, Linux or separate ARM build of the game.
Is the GTA IV: The Complete Edition download safe?
Yes, when it comes from the Rockstar Store or Steam. Both deliver the files through their own launchers, so no third-party installer, crack or key generator is involved. Avoid any site offering a free full copy.
What is the latest version of GTA IV on PC?
The Complete Edition, released on March 24, 2020, is the current PC release. Rockstar publishes no version number for it, and the launcher that installed your copy applies updates automatically.
Why won’t GTA IV: The Complete Edition install?
The usual causes are a drive with under 22 GB free, a dropped connection, a Rockstar Games account that is not signed in, or an old Games for Windows Live copy that still needs a Social Club link.
Does GTA IV: The Complete Edition have multiplayer?
No. The Complete Edition update removed the multiplayer mode, the leaderboards and Games for Windows Live. The single-player stories of GTA IV, The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony all remain.
Do I need the Rockstar Games Launcher to play?
A Rockstar Store copy installs through the Rockstar Games Launcher. A Steam copy installs through Steam, but you still sign in with a Rockstar Games account, which Steam lists as a supported account link.
