The legitimate gtavlauncher.exe is located in your game's installation directory (usually Program Files\Rockstar Games\Grand Theft Auto V ). It is located in the C:\Windows or System32 folders. It consumes 90%+ CPU while the game is not running.

: You can run the launcher with specific flags to solve issues. For example, running GTAVLauncher.exe -verify

Corrupt game files, outdated GPU drivers, or interference from overlay software (Discord, Nvidia GeForce Experience, MSI Afterburner).

Summary

The cursor blinked steadily on the screen, a tiny white heartbeat in the dim room. Ben stared at the file explorer window, his thumb hovering over the mouse button.

It checks for the latest game versions and security updates before allowing the game to boot.