6 Ways to Fix Fortnite When It Isn't Working (All Platforms)

Understand what to do if Fortnite is down

Co-authored by Rain Kengly Reviewed by Luigi Oppido

Last Updated: August 12, 2024 Fact Checked

Is Fortnite not working on your computer or console? If it isn't an outage on Epic Games' end, it's most likely a connection or driver issue with your device. Here's what to do if Fortnite isn't working on your PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox, or Switch.

Why Is My Fortnite Not Working?

If you can't connect to Fortnite, check the official Epic Games website for server status updates. This may be an issue on the game's end. If there's no outage, check your internet connection and drivers.

1

Check the server status.

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Check the Epic Games server status. If there's an outage in any of the systems, you'll see it here.^{[1]
X
Research source} You can also check the official Fortnite Status X (Twitter) for any outages or downtime.
- You can also check DownDetector for user reports.
- If you're playing on console, you can check the status for:

2

Test your network.

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Make sure you have a stable Wi-Fi connection. If you're having issues connecting to Fortnite, check your network. The internet can also affect split-screen mode. On consoles, you can easily test the connection using the built-in troubleshooter.
- Xbox:
  - Navigate to Settings.
  - Select General.
  - Select Network Settings.
  - Select Test Network Speed and Statistics or similar.
- PlayStation:
  - Navigate to Settings.
  - Select Network.
  - Select View Connection Status.
  - Select Test Internet Connection.
- Nintendo Switch:
  - Navigate to System Settings.
  - Select Internet or similar.
  - Select Internet (Test Internet Connection).

3

Check your drivers.

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Make sure your drivers are fully updated. If you're experiencing lag, image quality issues, or if your game keeps crashing, one of your drivers may be out-of-date.
- To check for new drivers on a PC, open Update & Security and select Check for updates. To update manually, open the Device Manager, right-click the device, and then select Update driver.^{[2]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  
  Microsoft Support
  Technical support and product information from Microsoft.
  
  Go to source}

4

Restart your device.

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This can fix common software bugs. Make sure to select the Shut down option rather than Restart, wait a few minutes, and then power it on again.

5

Download the launcher again.

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Re-download the Epic Games launcher. The files may have been corrupted after a recent update. Completely uninstall the Epic Games Launcher. Then, install it again.
- On consoles, delete Fortnite from your device. Then, download it from your device's online store again.

6

Close background applications.

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Some apps, such as Discord, may be taking the resources needed to run Fortnite. Make sure to right-click the app and fully close it; minimizing it won't work.