Fortnite is definitely one of the biggest online games today. With over 125 million users since its launch across multiple platforms, bugs develop from time to time. There are all sorts of problems in this game but in this post, we try to focus on how to fix Fortnite lag and some of the common ones that many users have reported over time.
Check for server-side problems
If you’re having trouble playing Fortnite or not being able to connect to Battle Royale, the first important thing that you need to check should be the servers. While checking for possible end user troubles is perfectly fine, most connection issues happen with the game’s servers.
Common reasons for Fortnite connectivity troubles are planned down times due to updates. Maintenance and planned outages, while not common are sometimes communicated by the publisher or developer ahead of time through various means.
Below are the ways to check if there’s a problem with Fortnite servers.
Check Epic Games status site.
When it comes to getting information about Fortnite servers, there’s no better alternative than going over to the publisher’s official website. With millions of Fortnite players demanding high reliability, Epic Games ensures that their website provides accurate information about operational status of their servers. You can visit their servers status page in this link.
Check Twitter.
Fortnite’s official Twitter handle is active in disclosing any down times or issues with the game. If you’re looking for almost real-time data for Fortnite, check their Twitter page here. And in case you have a pending question for them, we suggest that you also try to browse answers given to other players like you. The answers given to them may be the exact ones you’re looking for.
Visit Down Detector website.
If you want to get timely third party information about possible server problems, Down Detector is the site to go to. It is this site’s mission to report server problems happening anywhere in the world, and that includes popular games like Fortnite.
Check your own connection
If you’ve verified that there is no on-going Fortnite server-side issue, the most likely cause of your connection problem is your own Internet service.
Try doing some network troubleshooting on your end to fix it. If you’re playing on PC, try checking your firewall or your internet connection speed. There may be a problem with your Internet Service Provider’s network that you’re not aware of.
Talk to them if you suspect that that’s the case. Otherwise, continue troubleshooting below.
How to fix massive lag on Fortnite
If it’s your first time playing Fortnite on PC and you experience excessive lag, it’s probably due to your machine not meeting the minimum specifications.
When it comes to online games like Fortnite, there are two types of lag that you may experience. One is latency lag, which is due to slow internet or intermittent connection problem. This can be due to a problem with your ISP or with your home network.
The other type of lag is device lag or FPS lag, which is caused by poor hardware performance.
Fix Fortnite lag by meeting minimum hardware requirements.
If you’re using a computer, it’s possible that it may be having trouble allowing the game to run properly. Try checking if your machine meets the minimum requirements for Fortnite. The basic requirements should be the following:
- Graphics: Intel HD 4000
- CPU: Core i3 2.4 GHz
- RAM: 4 GB
- Operating System: Windows 7/8/10 64-bit or Mac OSX Sierra
Not meeting these requirements can significantly affect the performance of your computer when playing Fortnite. This can lead to constant or random freezes or lag.
If your computer does exceed these basic requirements, it’s also possible that you may have turned the graphics settings way too high. Try lowering them down to see if there’s any difference.
Fix Fortnite lag by troubleshooting your internet connection.
If the problem remains after checking the settings, you may be experiencing latency lag.
At this point, there are only two possible reasons for the issue. Either there’s a problem with your home network devices, or there’s a connection issue coming from your ISP.
Try to check how fast your internet connection speed and see if there’s high PING result. You can use Speedtest.net to check for these information.
If there’s unstable download speed issue, or if the Ping is way too high, contact your ISP to get troubleshooting instructions.
If you’re on wireless setup, try to connect your PC via ethernet to see if there’s any wifi issue at hand.
Also, if you’re on VPN, consider turning it off to see if that’s where the problem is coming from.
Fix Fortnite lag by disabling your firewall.
If you are unable to totally connect to Fortnite but your connection seems fast and working, you may have a Firewall issue.
On Windows, you can check your Firewall settings to see if Fortnite is blocked. If that’s the case, you want to open the ports used by game which are 80, 443 and 5222.
To open a port on Windows:
- Open Control Panel.
- Click on System and Security.
- Go to Windows Firewall.
- Click Advanced Settings.
- On the left, click Inbound Rules.
- On the right, click New Rule…
- Click Port.
- Click Next.
- In the text box beside Specific local ports, enter ”5222, 443, 80” then click Next three more times.
- In the Name box, enter UE4, then click Finish.
If you have Mac, these are the steps to allow Fortnite through the firewall:
- Open System Preferences.
- Click the Security or Security & Privacy icon.
- Select the Firewall tab.
- Click the lock icon in the preference pane, then enter an administrator name and password.
- Click the Firewall Options button
- Click the Add Application (+) button.
- Select the app you want to allow incoming connection privileges for.
- Click Add.
- Click OK.
Minimize lag on Fortnite by installing updates.
Whatever platform you play Fortnite on, you should always keep the game client up-to-date. This advice is usually unnecessary as updates are pushed automatically. But in case you blocked any updates for your device for whatever, this should serve as a good reminder to update the game immediately.
How to fix V-Bucks issues?
If you’re having trouble getting your V-Bucks, that’s a problem that may be beyond your ability to fix. If you’re not getting the V-Bucks you’ve paid for, we suggest that you contact Fortnite Battle Royal support team, or the store where you buy them from.
Some players may think that V-Bucks applies to all platforms, such smartphones, computers, or gaming consoles. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Even if you linked your accounts, V-Bucks only applies to one specific gaming platform. So, the V-Bucks that you bought for your mobile account will not transfer over to your PS4 or Xbox.
How to fix Fortnite Error 6 and Error 0
Some errors are simply beyond an end user’s capability to deal with. Unfortunately, some of the common errors many Fortnite users often encounter are Error 6 and Error 0, both of which are server side problems related to matchmaking and connection.
If you’re getting any of these errors, you should not waste your time looking for their solution. They’re not fixable on your level so all you can do is wait. These errors go away on their own so just leave them at that.
How to fix skins not syncing problem
Unlike V-Bucks, skins are transferable to other platforms. If skins and other items you purchased don’t show on your mobile after buying them from PC for instance, the most likely reason is that your Epic Games account is not linked to your account on your phone.
If you haven’t tried to link your accounts yet, you can use this link to get instructions.
How to fix Fortnite problems on PlayStation 4 (PS4)
If you have a lag problem playing Fortnite on the PS4, that may be caused by a corrupted cache or an application issue. You can deal with any of these underlying by doing any of the following below.
Clear PS4 cache
Some PS4 apps may encounter connectivity or performance problems once the cache gets corrupted. This can happen if your console’s cache becomes outdated over time. To see if you have a cache problem, try clearing the cache with these steps:
- Turn off your PlayStation 4. Do not enter Rest Mode.
- Once the indicator light on top of your PlayStation 4 is off and has stopped blinking, unplug the power cord from the back of your console.
- Wait at least 30 seconds.
- Plug the power cord back into your PlayStation 4 and turn it on.
Delete Saved Game Data.
Game saves, player profiles, and other game data is automatically saved in the PlayStation 4 System Storage by default. If you suspect that data is corrupt, you can delete it from your hard drive.
Deleting saved game data is permanent and cannot be undone. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you back up your saved game data to online storage or a USB storage device before deleting it.
Follow these steps to access the System Storage and delete game data:
- Open the Settings menu at the top of the dashboard.
- Select Storage, then select System Storage.
- Select Saved Data.
- Choose a game to access the game’s saved data.
- Press the Options button and select Delete.
- Choose the saved data files to delete, then select Delete.
Uninstall Fortnite.
Reinstalling the game may be the last option to make it work again. This solution can take some time, especially if you have slow internet connection.
How to fix Fortnite problems on Xbox
Just like in PS4 troubleshooting, there are three things that you can do to fix Fortnite issue on your Xbox One.
Clear Xbox Cache.
Follow these steps to clear cache on an Xbox One:
- Turn off your Xbox One.
- Once the indicator lights on the front of the Xbox One and the console’s power brick are off, unplug the power brick from the back of your console.
- Wait at least 30 seconds.
- Plug the power brick back into your Xbox One and turn it on.
Delete Saved Game Data.
Game saves, player profiles, and other game data is automatically saved to the Xbox One hard drive by default. If you suspect that data is corrupt, you can delete it from your hard drive.
Deleting saved game data is permanent and cannot be undone. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you back up your saved game data to online storage or a USB storage device before deleting it.
Follow these steps to access the System Storage and delete game data:
- From Xbox Home, go to Settings.
- Go to System and select Storage.
- Select Manage storage on the right-hand side of the screen, then select View contents.
- Highlight a game, press the Menu button, and select Manage game.
- Select Saved data on the left-hand side of the screen.
- Choose a game to access the game’s saved data.
From here, use the Options Menu to delete files or to view more information about a specific file.
Fix lag by reinstalling Fortnite.
If the two solutions above won’t help, consider deleting the game. Then, reinstall it after restarting the console.
What to do if Fortnite is still lagging after doing basic troubleshooting?
There are other Fortnite issues that may appear from time to time. In many of these cases, solutions will certainly be found in no time. However, if you encounter a problem that appears to have no apparent solution, consider restarting your device.
If that fails and none of the solutions above help, contact Fortnite Battle Royal technical support team. Try to email them and make sure to include as many details as possible.
Suggested readings:
- How To Make Steam Download Faster | Fix Slow Internet | NEW 2020!
- Fix PS4 Connection Issues With Network Reset | NEW 2020!
- Easy Steps to Get Or Find Steam ID | QUICK & NEW 2020!
- How To Fix Fortnite Lag On Nintendo Switch | NEW 2020!
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