How To Fix The Rockstar Cloud Servers Are Unavailable

This controversial error message appears when users are trying to join a multiplayer game in GTA V and the error prevents them from accessing any online features. The problem itself can sometimes be attributed to the fact that Rockstar's servers are really down or going through maintenance which can only be waited out.

However, if the problem persists, it might not be the servers' fault and you might want to consider finding another solution which involves troubleshooting various settings on your computer. Follow the article we have prepared in order to find out more!

What Causes Rockstar Servers to be Unavailable?

The list is long but we will cover the causes which you can analyze and get rid of effectively:

The servers are really under maintenance or they might be down in your area. There is nothing you can do to affect this.
WinSock may be in need for a reset.
Your DNS server may not be handling the game's requests properly so consider changing it.
The ports that the game requires to be open may be closed and you should try to open them manually.
Your antivirus tool may be interfering so considering switching to a better alternative.

Solution 1: Resetting WinSock

"netsh winsock reset" is a helpful command that you can use in Command Prompt to reset winsock catalog back to the default setting or a clean state. You can try this method if you are experiencing the "Rockstar servers unavailable" error when trying to launch GTA V.

Search for "Command Prompt" by typing it either right in the Start menu or by pressing the search button right next to it. Right-click the first entry which will pop up as a search result and select the "Run as administrator" context menu entry.
Additionally, you can also use the Windows Logo Key + R key combination in order to bring up the Run dialog box. Type in "cmd" in the dialog box which appears and use the Ctrl + Shift + Enter key combination in order to run Command Prompt using administrator privileges.

Type in the following command in the window and make sure you press Enter after typing it. Wait for the "Winsock reset completed successfully" message or something similar to know that the method has worked and you haven't made any mistakes while tying.

netsh winsock reset

Check to see if you still struggle with problems regarding Rockstar servers being unavailable.

Solution 2: Change Your DNS Server

The problem is often caused by a faulty Internet connection which is simply not accepted by the Rockstar servers or its service. The problem can be resolved easily by changing your default DNS settings to use the ones we provide. This can be done easily in Control Panel so make sure you follow the steps below carefully.

Use the Windows + R key combo which should immediately open the Run dialog box where you should type 'cpl' in the bar and click OK in order to open the Internet Connection settings item in Control Panel.
The same process can also be done by manually opening Control Panel. Switch the View by setting at the top right section of the window to Category and click on Network and Internet at the top. Click the Network and Sharing center button in order to open it. Try to locate the Change adapter settings button at the left menu and click on it.

Change Adapter Settings in Network and Sharing Center

Now that the Internet Connection window is open using any method above, double-click on your active Network Adapter and click on the Properties button below if you have admin permissions.
Locate the Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) item on the list. Click on it in order to select it and click the Properties button below.

Stay in the General tab and switch the radio button in the Properties window to "Use the following DNS server addresses" if it was set to something else.
Set Preferred DNS server to be 23.228.235.159 and the Alternate DNS server to be 1.0.0.0.

Keep the "Validate settings upon exit" option checked and click OK in order to apply the changes immediately. Check to see if the "Rockstar servers unavailable" message still appears!

Note: If the addresses above don't work out, don't give up on the solution and try using 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 for Preferred DNS server and Alternate DNS server respectively.

Solution 3: Forward Certain Ports in Windows Firewall

The game has its ports which need to be open by Windows Firewall at all times. Make sure you do so by following the steps below!

Navigate to Control Panel by searching for it in the Start menu and click on System and Security >> Windows Firewall . You can also switch the view to Large or Small icons and click on Windows Firewall instantly.

Select the Advanced settings options and highlight Inbound Rules in the left section of the screen.
Right click on Inbound Rules and click on New Rule. Under the Rule type section, select Port. Select TCP or UDP from the first set of radio buttons (depending on which ports you are working on) and switch the second radio button to "Specific local ports. You will need to add the following ports in order to fix the problem with Rockstar servers:

              TCP Ports: 80, 443 UDP Ports: 6672, 61455, 61456, 61457, 61458

Entering the required ports to be opened

Make sure you separate them by a coma right to the last one and click on Next after you have finished.
Select the Allow the connection radio button in the next window and click Next.

Select the network type when you want to apply this rule. If you switch from one network connection to another quite often, it's recommended that you keep all of the options checked before clicking Next.
Name the rule something which makes sense to you and click Finish.
Make sure you repeat the same steps for Outbound Rules (choose Outbound rules in Step 2).

Solution 4: Change the Antivirus you are Using

Free antivirus tools can be quite helpful and they can do their job protecting your computer but sometimes they just don't get along well with other things on your computer. Players have suggested that uninstalling their antivirus tools helped resolve the error but the problem is that it's very unsafe to leave your computer unprotected. That is why it's better to simply find a better alternative if you are using a free version of antivirus.

Click on the Start menu and open Control Panel by searching for it. Alternatively, you can click on the gear icon in order to open settings if you are using Windows 10.
In Control Panel, select to View as: Category at the top right corner and click on Uninstall a Program under the Programs section.

If you are using the Settings app, clicking on Apps should immediately open a list of all installed programs on your PC.
Locate your antivirus tool in Control Panel or Settings and click on Uninstall.
Its uninstall wizard should open so follow the instructions to uninstall it.

Click Finish when the uninstaller completes the process and restart your computer to see whether errors will still appear. Make sure you choose a better antivirus option.

Kevin is a dynamic and self-motivated information technology professional, with a Thorough knowledge of all facets pertaining to network infrastructure design, implementation and administration. Superior record of delivering simultaneous large-scale mission critical projects on time and under budget.