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Guide · Master Tool

The FiveM citizen folder explained: where every mod goes

Every FiveM client mod goes into one of three folders. Put a file in the wrong one and it simply does nothing. Here is the map.

5 min readUpdated 2026-11-09

Find FiveM.app

Right-click your FiveM shortcut → Open file location, or paste %LOCALAPPDATA%\FiveM\FiveM.app into File Explorer. Everything below is inside this folder.

citizen\common\data: loose game data

FiveM loads the files in citizen\common\data over GTA's own. This is where the loose files of a mod go:

  • timecycle\: sky colours, light and fog, and the kill effect (timecycle_mods_4.xml)
  • levels\gta5\: weather.xml and time.xml
  • effects\bloodfx.dat: which blood effect plays on a hit
  • visualsettings.dat, clouds.xml, cloudkeyframes.xml

mods: .rpf files

FiveM.app\mods\ holds .rpf archives that override game files: BFX packs, sky clouds and stars, particles and sound overrides. Create the folder if it doesn't exist.

plugins: ReShade

FiveM.app\plugins\ is where ReShade goes (ReShade.ini, dxgi.dll and your preset .ini files).

Folders to leave alone

  • data\cache: FiveM's cache. Safe to clear (keep game and subprocess).
  • data\server-cache: files downloaded from servers. Clearing it makes servers download again.

Your graphics settings are not in FiveM.app at all: they are in %APPDATA%\CitizenFX\gta5_settings.xml.

Keep backups

Before installing anything, copy the files you are replacing to a backup folder. Most "my game looks broken" problems are fixed by putting one file back.

Client files only change what you see and hear. Some servers limit custom client files, so check your server's rules.

One app for all of it

The Master Tool has 15 ToxicaLeakz tools in one app with one key: Blood FX, Sky, ReShade Studio, KillFX Maker, the Sound Pack Tool, the Optimizer and more. Each tool knows which folder its files belong in and backs up what it replaces, and every tool updates itself.

Master Tool home screen with every tool

FAQ

Where is the FiveM citizen folder?

In %LOCALAPPDATA%\FiveM\FiveM.app\citizen. Loose mod files go in citizen\common\data.

Where do .rpf mods go in FiveM?

In FiveM.app\mods. Create the folder if it does not exist.

Where does ReShade go in FiveM?

In FiveM.app\plugins.

Is it safe to delete the FiveM cache?

Yes. Clear data\cache but keep the game and subprocess folders. Never delete citizen, mods or plugins.

More guides

Guide

How to change your sky in FiveM

Install a custom FiveM sky and clouds the right way: which timecycle, weather and cloud files go where, why time.xml matters, and how to fix a dark, green or white-square sky.

Guide

How to install blood FX (BFX) in FiveM

Install any FiveM blood FX pack in two minutes: where the .rpf and bloodfx.dat go, how to back up your old BFX, and how to fix a BFX that does not show.

Guide

How to install a ReShade preset in FiveM

Install ReShade and a ReShade preset in FiveM: where ReShade goes (the plugins folder), how to load a preset .ini, and how to fix a preset that does not load.