---
title: "Garry's Mod: Complete Guide"
game: "Garry's Mod"
game_url: "https://qna.gg/games/garrys-mod"
author: "Qloud"
author_url: "https://qna.gg/players/Qloud"
summary: "Everything a new or returning Garry's Mod player needs: Sandbox controls, the Physics Gun and Tool Gun, mounting games, Workshop addons, the popular multiplayer gamemodes, and fixes for the classic ERROR and…"
url: "https://qna.gg/g/garry-s-mod-complete-guide-c96d1e83"
published: "2026-09-27T16:16:18.893Z"
updated: "2026-09-27T16:16:18.893Z"
source: "QnA.GG"
---

# Garry's Mod: Complete Guide

Everything a new or returning Garry's Mod player needs: Sandbox controls, the Physics Gun and Tool Gun, mounting games, Workshop addons, the popular multiplayer gamemodes, and fixes for the classic ERROR and missing-texture problems.

*Researched September 2026 — current as of the September 2026 Update (64-bit Windows builds on the main branch, hotfixed September 17, 2026). Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.*

## Quick Start

1. **Press Q for the spawn menu, C for the context menu.** Everything in Sandbox (props, NPCs, weapons, vehicles, tools, settings) lives in these two menus.
2. **The Physics Gun (Physgun) is your main tool.** Left-click to grab, right-click while holding to freeze, and the mouse wheel moves the object closer or farther away.
3. **Z undoes your last spawn or tool action.** You'll use it constantly.
4. **Mount Counter-Strike: Source** (and other Source games you own) to fix most purple-and-black checker textures and red ERROR models on community servers.
5. **Subscribe to Workshop addons from the Steam Workshop** or the in-game Addons menu. They download automatically on the next launch or server join.
6. **Enable the developer console** (Options, Keyboard, Advanced) and open it with the tilde key [~]. Plenty of fixes and settings live there.
7. **Every multiplayer server is a different game.** DarkRP, TTT, Prop Hunt and the rest have their own rules. Read the MOTD and the server rules before you play.
8. **Pick the 64-bit client.** Since the September 2026 Update, the main branch ships 64-bit Windows binaries. Choose the 64-bit client from Steam's launch options when you hit Play. It greatly reduces out-of-memory crashes on heavily modded servers.

## Sandbox Controls (default PC)

| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| W A S D | Move |
| Space | Jump |
| Ctrl | Crouch |
| Shift | Sprint |
| Q (hold) | Spawn menu |
| C (hold) | Context menu (tool settings, properties, edit mode) |
| E | Use / interact |
| Z | Undo |
| V | Noclip (if the server allows it) |
| F | Flashlight |
| R | Reload (with the Physgun: unfreeze held/touching object; with the Tool Gun: tool-specific) |
| G | Drop weapon (on many gamemodes) |
| Mouse wheel / number keys | Switch weapons |
| [~] | Developer console (once enabled) |

### Physics Gun

| Input | Result |
|---|---|
| Left-click (hold) | Grab and move an object |
| Right-click while holding | Freeze the object in place |
| Mouse wheel while holding | Push away / pull closer |
| E + mouse while holding | Rotate the object |
| E + Shift + mouse while holding | Rotate with 45-degree snapping |
| R while looking at frozen props | Unfreeze everything connected to that prop |

### Tool Gun

Select a tool from the Tools tab in the Q menu. Left-click usually applies the tool, right-click does a secondary action, and R reloads or clears. Core tools worth learning first:

| Tool | Use |
|---|---|
| Weld | Rigidly joins two props |
| Nocollide | Stops two props from colliding with each other |
| Rope / Elastic / Winch | Flexible connections, suspension, cranes |
| Axis / Ballsocket | Hinges and joints (doors, wheels, arms) |
| Wheel | Adds motorized wheels bound to keys (for cars) |
| Thruster | Adds directional thrust bound to keys (for hovercraft and rockets) |
| Hoverball | Holds height; adjustable with keys |
| Remover | Deletes the targeted entity |
| Colour / Material | Recolor props or change their texture |
| Duplicator | Copies a whole contraption and pastes it elsewhere; save dupes to reuse later |
| Faceposer / Finger Poser | Posing ragdolls for screenshots and machinima |
| Camera | Places viewpoints you can switch between |

## The Spawn Menu (Q)

- **Spawnlists:** Props sorted by game (Half-Life 2, mounted games, addons). Make custom spawnlists for your favorite props.
- **Weapons:** HL2 weapons plus any addon weapons. Click to equip, and middle-click to spawn as a pickup.
- **Entities:** Items, ammo, health chargers, and more.
- **NPCs:** Spawns citizens, Combine, zombies and addon NPCs. The September 2026 Update added **Hacked Manhacks**, and the **Combine Dropship** can now take damage in Sandbox instead of being invulnerable. Content tabs now support sub-categories, which makes big addon packs easier to browse.
- **Vehicles:** Jeep, airboat, chairs and pods, plus the drivable **Combine APC** (added in the April 2026 Update).
- **Post-process tab:** Visual filters like bloom, bokeh and color modification for screenshots.
- **Saves, Dupes and Demos:** Sandbox saves your worlds and contraptions. As of the September 2026 Update, you can **favorite** saves, dupes and demos.

The **player model selector** (context menu, Player Model) was overhauled in September 2026 with categories and a bigger preview.

## Mounting Games

Garry's Mod ships with Half-Life 2 content. Other Source games you own on Steam can be **mounted** so their maps, models and textures are available.

- Open the main menu, click the controller icon in the bottom right, and tick the games you own.
- **Counter-Strike: Source** is the big one. Most community servers (especially TTT, DarkRP and Prop Hunt) use CS:S textures and models.
- Commonly mounted games: CS:S, Half-Life 2: Episode One/Two, Team Fortress 2, Portal, Left 4 Dead 2, Day of Defeat: Source.
- **New mountable games in 2026:** **Black Mesa** and **Military Conflict: Vietnam** (April 2026 Update), plus standalone **Insurgency (2014)** (September 2026 Update).
- You must own and install the game for its content to mount.

## Workshop and Addons

- Browse the Garry's Mod Workshop on Steam, or use the in-game **Addons** menu from the main menu.
- Categories include gamemodes, maps, weapons, NPCs, tools, vehicles, models and effects.
- Too many addons slow load times and cause conflicts. If something breaks, disable addons in halves until you find the culprit.
- **Joining servers** downloads that server's required content automatically (through Workshop or FastDL), which can take a while on the first join. Tick "Allow custom content" in the multiplayer settings.
- Popular Sandbox addons: **Wiremod** (logic gates, sensors, Expression 2 scripting), **Advanced Duplicator 2** (better dupes), and various vehicle bases and weapon packs (check each one's compatibility notes after big updates like the 64-bit switch).

## Gamemodes

| Gamemode | Ships with game? | What it is | Beginner tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sandbox | Yes | Free-build physics playground | Learn weld, nocollide and the Duplicator first |
| Trouble in Terrorist Town (TTT) | Yes | Social deduction: Innocents, Detectives and hidden Traitors | Don't RDM (random deathmatch). Only shoot with evidence, and use the scoreboard and body identification |
| Prop Hunt | Workshop / server | Hiders disguise as props, seekers hunt them | Pick a prop that matches the room and stop moving |
| DarkRP | Workshop / server | Roleplay economy (jobs, money, printers, laws) | Read the rules: NLR, RDM and "FailRP" definitions vary by server |
| Murder | Workshop / server | One murderer with a knife, one bystander with a gun | Collect loot, stay in groups, watch footprints |
| Deathrun | Workshop / server | Runners dodge traps triggered by a death team | Learn trap timings on each map |
| Jailbreak | Workshop / server | Guards command prisoners through games | Follow the warden's orders to the letter |
| Sledbuild / Elevator / others | Workshop / server | Niche and party modes | Check the server description |

### TTT essentials

- **Roles:** Innocents (majority), Traitors (secret; buy equipment with credits from the C menu), and Detectives (public; they have their own shop, which includes the DNA Scanner).
- **Search bodies** with E to reveal their role and clues like the killer's weapon and time of death.
- **Credits:** Traitors and Detectives earn credits and spend them on gear such as C4, disguisers, radar, health stations and body armor.
- **Karma:** Killing teammates lowers your karma, which lowers your damage and can get you kicked. Play clean.

### DarkRP essentials

- **F4** opens the jobs and shop menu on most DarkRP servers. **F1** often shows the rules.
- Common rules: **NLR** (New Life Rule; don't return to where you died for a set time), **RDM** and **RDA** (random death/arrest), **Metagaming** (using out-of-character info in-character).
- Rules are per server, and staff enforce them. Read them before you raid or mug anyone.

## Performance and Troubleshooting

### Purple/black checkers and ERROR models

- Mount **Counter-Strike: Source** (and any other game the server mentions).
- Enable custom content downloads in Options, Multiplayer.
- Resubscribe to or verify the server's Workshop collection.

### Crashes and low FPS

- Use the **64-bit client**. Since the September 2026 Update it ships on the main branch for Windows and is selected from Steam's launch options, so you no longer need the old x86-64 beta branch for the memory headroom. If you were on a beta branch, you can switch back to the default in Steam, Properties, Betas.
- Verify game files in Steam.
- Cut down on subscribed addons, especially large map and model packs you don't use.
- Lower **Model Detail**, **Shadow Detail** and **Multicore rendering**-related settings in Options, Video, Advanced, and turn off post-processing effects.
- Clear the `garrysmod/cache` folder if downloads keep corrupting.

### Useful console commands

| Command | Effect |
|---|---|
| `retry` | Reconnect to the last server |
| `connect [ip:port]` | Join a server directly |
| `disconnect` | Leave the server |
| `kill` | Respawn (if the server allows it) |
| `cl_showfps 1` | Shows your framerate |
| `net_graph 1` | Shows FPS, ping and network info |
| `gmod_admin_cleanup` | Cleans up the map (admin / single-player) |
| `sv_cheats 1` | Enables cheat commands in single-player / listen servers |

## Hosting and Playing with Friends

- **Listen server:** From the main menu choose Start New Game, pick a map, set the player count above 1, then invite friends through Steam. Choose "Local Server" or "Peer to Peer" depending on your network.
- **Dedicated server:** Install the Garry's Mod Dedicated Server through SteamCMD. It got 64-bit Windows binaries in the September 2026 Update. Set a Workshop collection and a `server.cfg`.
- Tell friends to mount the same games you have, or stick to HL2-only content.

## Common Mistakes to Avoid

- **Not mounting CS:S** and then wondering why every server is checkerboards.
- **Subscribing to hundreds of addons.** Long load times and weird conflicts follow.
- **Joining DarkRP or TTT without reading the rules.** Many bans come from RDM or NLR violations.
- **Welding everything to everything.** Overly complex welds cause physics lag. Use nocollide and fewer, stronger joints.
- **Leaving unfrozen props everywhere on a server.** Most servers have prop limits and anti-lag systems that will clean them up or kick you.
- **Still launching the 32-bit client.** Since the September 2026 Update, the main branch carries 64-bit on Windows. Pick it from Steam's launch options.

## Advanced Tips

- **Use the Duplicator** (or Advanced Duplicator 2) to save and share builds. Paste them onto new maps in seconds.
- **Freeze your base parts and parent the rest.** Fewer physics-simulated objects mean better server performance.
- **Learn Expression 2** (Wiremod) for automation: turrets, elevators, HUDs, custom vehicles.
- **Lua scripting:** Gamemodes and addons are written in Lua. The official Garry's Mod Wiki has the full API reference if you want to make your own.
- **Posing and screenshots:** Combine the Faceposer, Finger Poser, Inflator (visuals improved in September 2026), post-process effects and the Camera tool for clean poster shots.
- **Server browser filters:** Sort by ping and check the gamemode and map before joining. Favorite good communities.

## FAQ

**How do I fix the purple and black checkerboard textures?**
Mount Counter-Strike: Source (you need to own it) and any other game the server requires, then enable custom content downloads.

**Is Garry's Mod 64-bit now?**
Yes. The September 2026 Update brought 64-bit Windows binaries to the main branch for the game client, dedicated servers and developer tools (including Hammer). For the client, select the 64-bit option in Steam's launch options.

**What games can I mount in Garry's Mod?**
Most Source-engine games you own, including CS:S, HL2 episodes, TF2, Portal and L4D2. Black Mesa and Military Conflict: Vietnam were added in April 2026, and Insurgency (2014) in September 2026.

**Does Garry's Mod come with TTT?**
Yes, Trouble in Terrorist Town ships with the game. DarkRP, Prop Hunt and Murder come from the Workshop or from servers.

**How do I spawn things?**
Hold Q to open the spawn menu and click a prop, NPC, weapon or vehicle. Press Z to undo.

**Why can't I use noclip or spawn props on a server?**
The server controls permissions. Many gamemodes restrict or disable Sandbox tools for non-admins.

**Is s&box a replacement for Garry's Mod?**
s&box is Facepunch's separate project. Garry's Mod keeps getting updates, as the April and September 2026 Updates show.

## Sources

- [Garry's Mod News: September 2026 Update](https://gmod.facepunch.com/news/september-2026-update)
- [Garry's Mod News: April 2026 Update](https://gmod.facepunch.com/news/april-2026-update)
- [Garry's Mod Wiki (official)](https://wiki.facepunch.com/gmod/)
- [Steam: Garry's Mod September 2026 Update announcement](https://steamcommunity.com/games/garrysmod/announcements/detail/675131625553528406)