If Script Hook V tells you it found an “unknown game version”, it means Rockstar pushed a game update and the plugin loader has not caught up yet. Your .asi mods will not run until a matching build of Script Hook V is released, and there is nothing wrong with your install.
This is the most common thing people panic about after a GTA 5 update breaks their mods. The fix is almost never to reinstall everything. It is to wait for one small file to be updated and swap it in.
What the error actually means
Script Hook V works by hooking into the game’s code at specific memory offsets. Those offsets change every time Rockstar ships a game update, even a small one. The tool checks the game’s build number when it starts, and if that number does not match anything it recognizes, it refuses to hook in and reports the unknown version instead of risking a crash. That is the whole story. It is not a sign your mods are corrupted or that your game files are damaged.
Fixing it: update ScriptHookV.dll, not everything else
Every .asi plugin that depends on Script Hook V talks to one file: ScriptHookV.dll. The author’s own page says plainly that after a game update, that is the only file you need to replace. It sits in the same folder as GTA5.exe, usually alongside your other mod files.
- Check the author’s page for a build that matches your current game version.
- If a matching build exists, download it and drop the new
ScriptHookV.dllinto your game folder, overwriting the old one. - Leave your other
.asiplugins, trainers, and scripts exactly where they are.
You do not need to reinstall Simple Trainer, Menyoo, or whatever else you run for this specific error. They all lean on ScriptHookV.dll to function, so once that one file is current, everything built on top of it usually works again.
Clean up old loaders: dinput8.dll vs dsound.dll
Script Hook V comes with its own ASI loader, dinput8.dll. This small file is what actually scans your game folder for .asi files and loads them. If you set up mods a long time ago, or followed an older guide, you might still have a dsound.dll loader sitting in the same folder from before dinput8 became the standard.
Running two ASI loaders at once causes conflicts, crashes, or mods that silently refuse to load. Delete dsound.dll if you find it there. You only need one loader, and for Script Hook V setups that is dinput8.dll.
What to do while you wait for a new build
There is genuinely nothing to fix on your end until a compatible build of Script Hook V shows up. Your options are simple:
- Wait. Check the author’s page every so often for a new release.
- Play without the loader in the meantime, which means playing without any
.asimods, just the base game.
Compare patch numbers carefully. The author’s page lists which game builds each Script Hook V release supports, broken down by edition, since Steam, the Epic Games Store version, and the Rockstar Games Launcher version can be on slightly different build numbers at times. Match your exact edition against the listed support before assuming a release does or does not cover you.
Reading the log files to confirm it is a version issue
Script Hook V and its ASI loader both write log files directly in your game folder when you launch GTA 5. These logs are the fastest way to tell an actual version mismatch apart from a single plugin that is just broken or incompatible on its own.
Open the log file after a crash or after seeing the unknown version message. If it explicitly mentions an unrecognized or unsupported game version, that confirms the problem is Script Hook V itself, not one of your individual plugins. If the log instead points to a specific .asi file failing to load or throwing an error, the problem is narrower, and you can remove or update that one mod without touching Script Hook V at all.
Other files that need updating too: gameconfig
Script Hook V is usually the first thing people update after a patch, but it is rarely the only file that needs attention. Many heavier mods, especially ones that add vehicles, peds, or large add-on content, rely on a gameconfig.xml file that raises internal limits the base game does not normally allow.
Gameconfig releases state clearly which game version they support. If your game still crashes or misbehaves after you have already updated ScriptHookV.dll to a matching build, check whether your current gameconfig is actually built for the new game version. An outdated gameconfig paired with a fresh game update is a common second cause of crashes that people mistake for a Script Hook V problem.
Why Script Hook V stays out of GTA Online
Script Hook V deliberately does not work inside GTA Online. If you load into multiplayer with it active, the game closes rather than letting the hook run alongside Online code. This is intentional behavior built into the tool, not a bug.
That said, this is not protection for your account. It only closes the game before Online fully loads with the hook active, it does not scan for or block other forms of detection, and running any mods while playing Online carries real risk to your account regardless of what Script Hook V does or does not do.
The safe way to use Script Hook V and any .asi mods is to keep them for story mode only, and leave Online completely unmodded.
Questions people ask
Why does Script Hook V stop working after every GTA 5 update?
Script Hook V hooks into the game’s code at exact memory locations, and those locations shift with every game update, so the tool needs its own matching update before it can hook in again.
Do I need to reinstall all my mods after this error?
No. Every plugin built on Script Hook V relies on ScriptHookV.dll, so updating that single file in your game folder is usually all it takes, your other .asi mods stay put.
How do I know if it is Script Hook V or just one broken mod?
Check the log files that Script Hook V and its ASI loader write in your game folder. A clear unsupported or unknown version message points to Script Hook V itself, while an error tied to a specific file points to that one plugin.
Can I use Script Hook V in GTA Online?
No, it will close the game when you enter Online, and that behavior is not a safeguard for your account, so modded play should stay limited to story mode.
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