SQLite Error 11: ‘database disk image is malformed’

📋Issue

Some users may encounter the following error when navigating LaunchBox:

SQLite Error 11: 'database disk image is malformed'

This typically appears in the log when attempting to load game details or suggestions, and it can prevent certain views or functionality from working properly.

❓What Causes It

This error occurs when the internal Games.db file has become corrupted or is structurally invalid—often due to abrupt shutdowns, disk write errors, or third-party sync tools (like OneDrive or Dropbox) interfering with LaunchBox’s database files.

✅Solution

You can often resolve the issue by forcing LaunchBox to rebuild and re-sync your local metadata database:

Open LaunchBox
Go to the top menu and select:
Tools > Download > Force Update Games Database Metadata
Allow LaunchBox to complete the process. This may take a few minutes depending on the size of your library.

💡Tip

If the error persists after a forced update:

Close LaunchBox
Navigate to your LaunchBox\Data folder
Back up and delete the Games.db file
Relaunch LaunchBox (a new Games.db will be regenerated)
Re-run Tools > Download > Force Update Games Database Metadata

⚠️ This will not delete your library or metadata, but it will force a rebuild of your local metadata cache.