For reading 9 minutes
Sometimes players face Fortnite not launching. This can be expressed in the form of a black or blue screen when loading, various errors. In such cases, the question arises of what to do if Fortnight does not start. First you need to determine the cause, then eliminate it.
Reasons for the appearance of the failure
The main reasons why the game does not start or hangs are 4: corrupted files, interference of third-party programs in the application, lack of administrator rights at startup and non-compliance with the minimum system requirements. The list of the latter for a personal computer, you can see in the table below.
Parameter | Minimum value | Recommended value |
CPU | Intel Core i3 2.4 GHz | Intel Core i5 2.8 GHz |
Video card | Intel HD 4000 | NVidia GeForce GTX 660 или AMD Radeon HD 7870 |
RAM size | 4 GB | 8 GB |
Operating system | Windows 7/8/10, 64 bit | Windows 7/8/10, 64 bit |
Free disk space | 12 GB | 12 GB |
For a comfortable smooth game without friezes, it is advisable to have an assembly not lower than the recommended one.
What to do if Fortnite won’t launch
If the reason for the endless download lies, for example, in an assembly mismatch, it will not be possible to cope without the “upgrade” of the PC. In most cases, you can get by with installing or disabling software, changing settings, and other simple methods.
Checking server status
Fortnite is a multiplayer game. To work, it requires a connection to the server.
If the connection fails, you will experience long download times and errors.
This applies not only to in-game servers, but also to the Epic Games launcher. If it is undergoing maintenance, players will temporarily lose access to functionality. If you encounter problems, first take a look at the forums: it is possible that you are not the only one unable to connect.
Restart your computer
In the course of the work of the PC, tasks gradually accumulate, stuck in the memory and consume the resources of the device. This leads to a strong slowdown in performance, conflicts and errors. Restarting your computer helps you get rid of unnecessary tasks stuck in memory. If Fortnite is not working, regardless of the error, first try turning off and on your PC. Sometimes this fixes the problem.
Reinstalling the game
Reinstalling the game helps in case there are any corrupted files.
They can occur due to incorrect operation of the antivirus, installation of incompatible software, infection with malware, etc.
If you prefer PvE mode, you can save your progress in the game. To do this, find the% LOCALAPPDATA% FortniteGame Saved Config WindowsClient folder and make a copy of the files. After reinstalling, check if the game starts. Transfer your save only after making a test. If a clean copy of the game started, and moving files returned the problem, the reason may be in saves.
Checking the integrity of game files
Checking the integrity of files is the second thing to do after restarting your computer if Fortnite isn’t working. The main sign of data corruption is the inability to launch the game or crashes at some specific moments.
To fix the error, you need to launch the launcher, open the library with games and select Fortnite.
Then go to the settings and click on “Check”. After clicking, the procedure for restoring damaged files will begin. When the check is over, restart your computer. Avoid disconnecting your PC from the network during recovery.
Finding information on the text of the error
If you are faced not with an endless or long loading, but with an error, look for a solution according to its text. For example, if the message Application Crash Detected is shown, it is recommended to reinstall the game. The Failed to launch game error is most often associated with the incorrect operation of the built-in EasyCheat anti-cheat. You can fix the problem by reinstalling BattlEye or by resetting the Windows activation. In the latter case, the anti-cheat may mistakenly perceive the activator code as an illegal modification.
Run as administrator
Lack of administrator rights can interfere with updating and modifying game files. This leads to errors, crashes, inability to download, etc. In such cases, to restore the game, it is enough to restart the launcher and the client with administrator rights. To do this, turn off the Epic Games store, then right-click on the shortcut and select the “Run as administrator” option from the drop-down menu. Repeat for play.
Operating system incompatibility
If you are using a different OS, the developer does not guarantee the correct operation of the application. The same goes for 32-bit systems. Only changing the OS to another one recommended by the developers can help solve the problem.
Disable antivirus
Antivirus can delete any of the game files, mistaking it for malware, or prevent it from working. To exclude this option, temporarily disable security applications. It is also advisable to do this with Windows Defender or a firewall.
Additionally, restore files in case they have been damaged by applications.
In case of further correct operation of the game, update the antivirus or select another program for protection.
Updating the graphics card driver
Most often, the latest driver version is the most optimized. Try updating the software using a special application from the video card manufacturer. If you don’t have such a program, go to the company’s website and download the latest version from there. Do not download drivers from third-party resources: they can be infected with malware. Avoid using beta versions. Their code may contain errors.
Installing the latest version of DirectX
For the game to work properly, you need to download the DirectX package. It is advisable to update it along with the drivers. You can find it on the official website of Microsoft Corporation. If you don’t know which version of DirectX you have, do the following:
- Press the Win + R keyboard shortcut. This will open the Run window.
- In the dialog box, enter dxdiag. Hit Enter.
- Select the System tab. There you will see which version of the package you have stopped.
Most often, DirectX is updated along with the system. However, if you are using Windows Vista, 7, or XP, you will need to download the new packages yourself. Some video cards are not compatible with the latest versions of DirectX. In this case, the problem can be solved only by replacing the components. You need a graphics card that supports component level 10.0 or higher.
Installing the .NET Framework
It is recommended to download Microsoft .NET Framework libraries versions 3.5 and 4. Additionally, you need to download or update the Microsoft Visual C ++ package.
Operating system update
Updating the OS helps to close vulnerabilities. During it, new driver versions may be automatically installed. Optimization and application compatibility are improved after updates. For this reason, it is recommended to set up automatic loading of new OS versions.
Additional solutions
To get rid of errors and endless loading, do the following:
- Reboot your router. Sometimes it helps to restore the connection and speed up the internet.
- Choose a different tariff. The minimum speed for Fortnite to run is 1 Mbps. However, to prevent errors and lags, it is recommended to increase the figure to 10 or 100 Mbps. Even if the rate indicates the speed of 1 Mbit / s, it will be lower. The permissible deviation is 10%. In case of technical problems, the indicator drops even lower. Additionally, other users and programs will consume traffic.
- Check where the traffic is going. It is advisable to install a special utility that will show which applications are consuming resources. You may find that one of the background programs, for example, is downloading updates.
- Disconnect apps from NVidia. Many users have complained about the software being incompatible with Fortnite. The main symptom of this problem is the appearance of a black screen during the boot phase. To disable NVidia software, press Ctrl, Shift and Del keys. The Task Manager will open. Find all NVidia-related tasks in the process list and turn them off. Restart the game.
- Modify the settings in the GameUserSettings.ini file. In case of problems with it, the error “The video driver has stopped responding and has been restored” appears. Use the Win and R keys to open Run. Write in the line “% localappdata%” without quotes and press Enter. An explorer window will open. Find the FortniteGame folder. In it, you need to go to Saved, then to Config and select Windows Client. Inside you will see the GameUserSettings.ini file. Change it with notepad. Next to the option “[D3DRHIPreference]»Write False instead of True.
- Set priority to high. This will help if your computer does not have enough resources for the game to work correctly. You can set the priority in the task manager. You need to change the standard value to high. Then restart the game.
- Turn off unnecessary applications. They consume computer resources. At best, it slows down Fortnite, at worst, it prevents the game from starting. Sometimes there is a software conflict. Turn off unnecessary applications using the task manager. Check the tray: some programs may run in the background. Go to the “Startup” tab in the manager and remove unnecessary applications so that they do not start together with the OS.
- Change the operating mode of your computer. In the power settings, select “Maximum performance”. Do the same for the video card. You can change the mode of its operation in the “Manage 3D settings” tab in the graphics processor settings. Switch texture filtering to “Quality”.
- Defragment. This method is only suitable for HDD owners. SSD drives do not need defragmentation. At first, the computer tries to write entire programs to the nearest sectors, but as the hard drive fills up and applications are removed, only small gaps remain, located in different parts of the disk. As a result, performance deteriorates, errors occur during the operation of the software.
- Switch the game to windowed mode. If a black screen appears, press the Alt and Enter keys. This will put the application in windowed mode. In the settings, see what resolution is enabled. It may be incompatible with the monitor.
- Take advantage of productivity programs. Install utilities that remove unnecessary files from the registry and optimize the operation of other software. Such programs include, for example, CCleaner.
Why Fortnite won’t launch on PS4
When using the PS4 platform, non-software issues should be considered first. If you are unable to access the game or the server, check your internet connection. It is possible that the launcher is undergoing technical work, which is why the Fortnite client is currently unavailable.