# Designing a FiveM HUD players actually like

> Design a clean FiveM HUD: what to show and when, placing elements around the minimap, safe zone and aspect ratios, scaling with resolution, colour and contrast, hiding vanilla HUD components, hiding the HUD in the pause menu, and giving players settings.

Source: https://fam-tools.com/guides/fivem-hud-design-principles · FAM Tools · published 2026-09-11 · updated 2026-09-11 · about 10 min

**Short answer.** Show only what matters now (vehicle data only in vehicles, stats only when changed or low). Anchor elements to the minimap and respect the player’s safe zone (`GetSafeZoneSize()`) and aspect ratio. Size with viewport units so 1080p and 4K both work, use strong contrast, hide the vanilla components you replace with `HideHudComponentThisFrame`, hide your HUD when `IsPauseMenuActive()`, and let players toggle or move elements.

## Key points

- Contextual beats constant: show data when it matters.
- Align with the minimap and respect the safe zone.
- Viewport units (`vh`) scale across resolutions.
- Hide replaced vanilla components (e.g. 6–9 for vehicle and street names).
- Hide the HUD in the pause menu and give players a toggle.

The HUD is the part of your server players look at more than anything else. The best ones are quiet: they show health, armour, needs and vehicle data when relevant, sit neatly next to the minimap, stay readable on every resolution and get out of the way in cinematic moments.

## What to show, and when

| Element | Show |
| --- | --- |
| Health / armour | Always, or when not full |
| Hunger / thirst / stress | When below a threshold or changing |
| Speed, fuel, seatbelt | Only in vehicles |
| Street / zone name | On change, then fade |
| Voice range / radio | While talking or on change |

## Minimap and safe zone

GTA’s minimap moves with the player’s safe zone setting and aspect ratio (ultrawide players see it further in). A HUD placed at fixed pixels drifts away from it. Calculate the minimap’s position from `GetSafeZoneSize()` and the aspect ratio and send it to the UI — the method is in [minimap position and HUD anchoring](https://fam-tools.com/guides/fivem-minimap-position-hud-anchor).

## Scaling and readability

- Size text and icons in `vh` (or `clamp()`), so a 4K screen does not get a tiny HUD.
- Keep text at least around 1.4–1.6vh; thin fonts disappear on bright scenes.
- Use a subtle dark backing or text shadow for contrast against sky and snow.
- Do not rely on colour alone (red/green) — add icons or fill levels for colour-blind players.

## Hiding the vanilla HUD you replace

| ID | Component |
| --- | --- |
| 1 | Wanted stars |
| 2 | Weapon icon |
| 3 | Cash |
| 4 | MP cash |
| 6 | Vehicle name |
| 7 | Area name |
| 8 | Vehicle class |
| 9 | Street name |
| 13 | Cash change |
| 14 | Reticle |
| 19 / 20 | Weapon wheel / weapon wheel stats |

*client.lua*

```lua
CreateThread(function()
    while true do
        HideHudComponentThisFrame(6)
        HideHudComponentThisFrame(7)
        HideHudComponentThisFrame(8)
        HideHudComponentThisFrame(9)
        Wait(0)
    end
end)
```

Hiding lasts one frame, so it runs in a `Wait(0)` loop — a few natives per frame is cheap.

## Pause menu and cinematic moments

*client.lua*

```lua
local shown = true

CreateThread(function()
    while true do
        local visible = not IsPauseMenuActive() and not IsScreenFadedOut()
        if visible ~= shown then
            shown = visible
            SendNUIMessage({ action = 'hud', visible = visible })
        end
        Wait(250)
    end
end)
```

## Give players control

A small settings menu — toggle elements, move them, change size — removes most HUD complaints. Store the choices with client KVP so they survive restarts; see [KVP storage](https://pityus.net/guides/fivem-kvp-storage). Performance rules for HUDs are in [NUI performance](https://fam-tools.com/guides/fivem-nui-performance).

## Questions

### How do I hide the default GTA HUD in FiveM?

Call `HideHudComponentThisFrame(id)` every frame for the components you replace, for example 6–9 for vehicle and street names.

### How do I place my HUD next to the minimap?

Compute the minimap position from the safe zone size and aspect ratio and pass it to your UI.

### How do I hide my HUD in the pause menu?

Check `IsPauseMenuActive()` and send a visibility message to the UI when it changes.

### What size should HUD text be?

Scale it with the viewport (vh) so it stays readable from 1080p to 4K.

## Related

- https://fam-tools.com/guides/fivem-hud-data-updates
- https://fam-tools.com/guides/fivem-nui-performance
- https://fam-tools.com/guides/fivem-notification-ui
- https://fam-tools.com/guides/fivem-nui-basics
- https://fam-tools.com/guides/fivem-image-sizes-assets-guide