If Fortnite crashes while opening on PC, start by recording any error message and checking Epic Games’ service status. Then work through Epic’s recommended checks: confirm your PC meets the game’s minimum requirements, verify the installed files, clear the launcher cache, and continue to drivers, security software, background apps, and installation checks only as needed. There is no single fix for every launch crash, so use the symptom to choose the right branch below.
These steps are for PC. If you play on console or mobile, use the support instructions for your platform rather than applying PC file paths or driver advice.
Before troubleshooting: identify where startup fails
Note whether Fortnite never opens, appears as running in the Epic Games Launcher but shows no game window, displays an error, or opens and then crashes. Record the exact wording or error code. Epic’s PC crash and performance guide recommends looking up a specific error before trying general fixes. Search Epic’s support site for the exact message; an error-specific solution may be more relevant than the steps below.
If the Epic Games Launcher itself is crashing or cannot open games, rather than Fortnite alone, first check Epic’s service status and its launcher troubleshooting guidance. Service availability can change, so check when the issue occurs.
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11 checks for Fortnite launch crashes on PC
1. Confirm your PC meets Fortnite’s minimum requirements
Compare your computer with the current minimum requirements listed in Epic’s PC troubleshooting guide. If it falls short, software troubleshooting may not be enough; do not assume that changing one component will solve the problem without checking the full requirements.
2. Verify Fortnite’s installed files
In the Epic Games Launcher, open your Library, find Fortnite, and use the game’s menu to select Manage and then Verify. The launcher checks the installation and replaces or repairs files it identifies as damaged or missing. Let the process finish before trying to start the game again.
3. Clear the Epic Games Launcher cache
Close the launcher completely, including from the system tray, then clear its web cache using Epic’s cache-clearing instructions in the PC troubleshooting guide. Reopen the launcher and try Fortnite again. Follow Epic’s current directions for locating the cache; do not delete unrelated game folders.
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4. Update your graphics driver
Install the current driver through the support process for your graphics-card vendor. Epic’s guide links to driver-update instructions, but the correct steps depend on your GPU. If you are unsure which graphics hardware you have, identify it before downloading a driver; do not install a package intended for a different model.
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5. Run the Epic Games Launcher as administrator
Close the launcher, then right-click its shortcut and select Run as administrator. Retry Fortnite. This is a diagnostic check for permission-related problems, not a setting that guarantees a fix.
6. Check Epic Games Launcher updates or repair the launcher
If other games also fail to launch or the launcher behaves unexpectedly, use Epic’s launcher troubleshooting page to check for updates and follow its repair guidance. Avoid treating a launcher-wide problem as evidence that Fortnite’s installation alone is damaged.
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7. Reinstall Fortnite only after earlier checks
If verifying files and the other applicable checks have not helped, reinstalling Fortnite is a later option. It takes longer than the reversible checks above and may require downloading the game again. Follow the launcher’s uninstall and installation flow; do not remove unrelated Epic Games files.
8. Check whether security software is blocking Fortnite
If you suspect antivirus or other security software is interfering, follow Epic’s instructions for adding the Fortnite folder to that product’s exclusion list. Do not broadly disable antivirus or firewall protection. Exclusions should be limited to the relevant game folder and made only when appropriate for your security setup.
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Epic includes trying another installation drive among its PC troubleshooting checks. Consider this only after simpler checks, particularly if there are drive errors or installation problems. Moving or reinstalling the game on another drive is a diagnostic step, not evidence that every launch crash requires a new drive.
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10. Close background applications
Close unnecessary apps and retry Fortnite, following Epic’s guidance for identifying and closing background applications. If this changes the result, reopen apps one at a time to narrow down a possible conflict. Keep essential security protections enabled.
11. Follow up on drive errors or persistent hardware problems
If Epic’s drive-error guidance applies, use the steps in its PC troubleshooting article. If the documented checks do not resolve the problem, Epic advises contacting the hardware manufacturer where appropriate. A crash alone does not establish that a particular component needs replacement.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.If Fortnite opens but freezes, goes black, or crashes during play
For graphics-related symptoms, Epic’s graphics troubleshooting guide recommends confirming requirements, lowering graphics quality and testing, and updating the graphics driver. These steps are most relevant when the game opens or displays graphics problems; they are not substitutes for checking an exact startup error.
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Use Performance Mode only in the stated DirectX 12 case
Epic says Performance Mode may help when Fortnite is using DirectX 12 and the player experiences crashes, freezing, or black screens. The launcher instruction specified by Epic is -d3d12 -es31. Use it only as directed in Epic’s graphics guide; do not treat the arguments as interchangeable or add them as a general-purpose launch fix.
Make sure a multi-GPU computer uses the high-performance GPU
On a laptop or computer with both integrated and dedicated graphics, check that Fortnite is assigned to the high-performance GPU, as described in Epic’s graphics guide. The exact setting location can vary by system and graphics software.
Consider overheating only when the timing fits
If Fortnite runs normally at first and graphics problems appear after extended play, overheating is one possibility, not a diagnosis. Epic recommends keeping vents clear, cleaning dust from fans and airflow areas, and using the computer in a well-ventilated space.
When these PC steps do not apply
The steps above concern PC installations. Epic’s support index includes platform-specific and error-specific help, so console and mobile players should use the article for their device rather than attempting PC-only file verification, cache removal, or driver changes. If the launcher or Fortnite reports a specific error at any point, return to that exact error and follow its dedicated Epic support instructions where available.
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