Guide

Rockstar Games Launcher timed out loading both its online and offline content: how to fix it

This message means the launcher's window, which is Social Club, did not load in time. The launcher's log almost always shows SC_INIT_ERR_WEBSITE_FAILED_LOAD just before it. The most common causes are a Documents folder inside OneDrive or a broken Social Club.

Updated 24 Oct 2026

Close everything from Rockstar and start again

Open Task Manager and End task on Rockstar Games Launcher, RockstarService and SocialClubHelper. Then open the launcher again. An old copy stuck in the background can keep the new one from loading.

Take Documents out of OneDrive

The launcher keeps files in Documents. When Documents was moved into OneDrive it often fails to load. Open OneDrive's settings, go to Sync and backup, press Manage backup and turn off Documents.

Check Rockstar's service

Press Win + R, type services.msc and find Rockstar Games Library Service. If it says Disabled, double click it, set Startup type to Manual and press Start. Some tuning programs turn this service off.

See whether Windows Security blocked it

Open Windows Security, Virus & threat protection, Protection history. If Controlled folder access blocked a Rockstar file, press Allow for the launcher you installed from rockstargames.com only. There is no need to turn protection off.

Clock, hosts file and proxy

The PC clock must be right: turn on Set time automatically in Settings and press Sync now.
The hosts file must not have a line that blocks Rockstar.
If a proxy is on and you did not set it up, turn it off.

Install the launcher again

When everything above is fine, uninstall the Rockstar Games Launcher and install a fresh copy from rockstargames.com/downloads. GTA V stays, no need to download the game again. If FiveM also hangs while signing in, see the guide on Connecting to Rockstar Games Services.

Let Savenz Optimizer check it

The FiveM page of Savenz Optimizer has Rockstar check: the launcher, Social Club, OneDrive, Rockstar's service, the clock, the hosts file, a proxy and the last error in the launcher's log. It only reads and is free. Got the error line? Bring it to the Discord.

Close everything from Rockstar and start again

Take Documents out of OneDrive

Check Rockstar's service

See whether Windows Security blocked it

Clock, hosts file and proxy

Install the launcher again

Let Savenz Optimizer check it

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