FAM Tools
Sign in
Loading screensbeginner6 min readupdated 25 Oct 2026

fxmanifest.lua loadscreen, explained properly

The short answer

loadscreen points at the page FiveM shows while a player connects — either a file inside your resource or a full https URL. loadscreen_manual_shutdown keeps the screen up until something closes it, and loadscreen_cursor shows a mouse cursor for interactive screens.

What each loading-screen directive does, when to use a local file versus a URL, and the mistakes that quietly break the screen.

fxmanifest.lua loadscreen, explained properly — illustrated with a FiveM-compatible minimap render

#The minimum working manifest

A loading screen resource needs almost nothing else. fx_version and games are required by FiveM, and the loadscreen line does the actual work.

lua
fx_version 'cerulean'
games { 'common' }

loadscreen 'index.html'   -- a file inside the resource
-- or
loadscreen 'https://fam-tools.com/s/your-slug'   -- a hosted URL

#Local file vs hosted URL

A local file means every design change requires re-uploading the resource and every player re-downloading it. A hosted URL means the client fetches the page each time it connects, so edits go live without touching the server. The trade-off is that a hosted screen needs the client to reach that domain.

#loadscreen_manual_shutdown

Set to yes, FiveM will not close the screen on its own — it waits for a shutdown call. Useful for a play-your-own-intro effect, and a common cause of players getting stuck when nothing calls it. Leave it off unless you need it.

lua
loadscreen_manual_shutdown 'yes'

#loadscreen_cursor

Shows the mouse cursor over the loading screen so players can click links or buttons. Only enable it if your screen actually has something clickable, otherwise it just looks broken.

lua
loadscreen_cursor 'yes'

#The sets loadscreen alternative

You can skip the resource entirely and set the screen straight from server.cfg. It is quicker to try, but you lose the ability to ship anything alongside it.

lua
sets loadscreen "https://fam-tools.com/s/your-slug"
sets loadscreen_manual_shutdown "true"

#Common mistakes

Using single quotes inside the Lua manifest but double quotes in server.cfg (both are required, in their own place); pointing loadscreen at a folder instead of a file; and leaving a second loading screen resource enabled, which cancels both out.

Share this guideXRedditFacebook

Questions

Does loadscreen work with an external URL?
Yes. FiveM will load any https URL, provided the page allows being embedded — it must send a permissive frame-ancestors policy that includes FiveM’s non-network schemes such as nui: and cfx-nui:.
What fx_version should I use?
cerulean is the safe modern choice and is what current FiveM artifacts expect. Older values still work but offer no benefit for a loading screen.
Does the loading screen resource need a server script?
No. A manifest is enough. A server script is only useful if you want to hand data to the screen, like the connecting player’s name or the live player count.

Ready to pick a map?

Twelve themes on three base map styles, $8 each, instant download.

Relevant to what you just read

The tool for this

A drag-and-drop loading screen, hosted for you From Free, built in the browser, exported as a drop-in resource.

Look it up while you work

The reference tables this guide leans on, free and without an account.