---
id: getting-started.what-is-the-splash-screen
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/getting-started/what-is-the-splash-screen
category: "Getting started"
subcategory: "First launch and Full Disk Access"
question: "Why does Storage Studio show a splash screen when it opens?"
alt_questions:
  - "Storage Studio stuck on Connecting…"
  - "How long does the Storage Studio splash screen take?"
  - "What is the Connecting screen in Storage Studio?"
  - "Storage Studio splash screen won't go away"
  - "Can I skip the Storage Studio splash screen?"
short_answer: "It's a few seconds while the app checks for updates and refreshes its settings — about five seconds normally, up to about 20 on a first install. It always dismisses on its own, and works offline too."
tags: ["first launch", "splash", "startup"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/getting-started/what-happens-on-first-launch"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# Why does Storage Studio show a splash screen when it opens?

The splash screen is a brief moment while Storage Studio checks for updates and refreshes its settings. It shows the app's mark, the version number and a *Connecting…* line.

How long it stays:

- **Routine launches** — about five seconds. If the settings are recent, the app doesn't wait for the network at all.
- **First install** — up to about 20 seconds, because the app needs its settings once. If you're offline, it shows a *Working offline* card and opens anyway.

You're never stuck: it always dismisses on its own, and **Cancel**, the red close button or **Esc** closes the app if you'd rather not continue.