Garry's Mod on PC

It only runs on PC. The download, the specs, the texture fix, and the commands worth knowing.

Updated 2026-09-07

Garry's Mod is a PC game in the fullest sense: Windows, Mac and Linux, mouse and keyboard, and a console you'll use more than in any other game. It is sold through Steam only, for $9.99, and it has no other legitimate download.

Download Garry's Mod

Garry's Mod is only sold through Steam. There is no Android, iOS or console version.

Keys from grey-market resellers are usually fine for GMod since it has no regional lock, but they aren't cheaper than a Steam sale, so there's little point.

System requirements

The engine is from 2004 and runs on anything, but it's single-threaded, so a high clock speed matters more than core count. Large servers with hundreds of addons are the only thing that make it heavy.

Missing textures and errors

Pink and black checkerboards and floating ERROR signs mean the map or addon is using content from a Source game you don't own. Fix:

1. Buy Counter-Strike: Source ($9.99). Most maps need it.
2. Own Half-Life 2 (now free on Steam). Some content also needs Episode 1 and 2.
3. In GMod's main menu, click the controller icon bottom right and tick the games to mount.

Free alternatives exist as Workshop addons that bundle the textures, but they are of questionable legality and get removed periodically.

Console commands

Enable the console in Settings → Keyboard → Advanced → Enable developer console, then press the tilde key.

Mac and Linux

Both have native builds and they work, with caveats. On Apple Silicon the Mac version is 64-bit but some addons with binary modules are Windows-only. Linux is solid and Steam Deck rates it Playable; the console and addon menus want a keyboard.

Common questions