First, check the Epic Games Public Status page. It separately reports the Epic Games Store, login, downloads and installations, and game services. If the affected service is down, local fixes may not work until Epic resolves the outage.
If Epic’s services are operational, completely exit the Launcher, update it, confirm that your operating system is supported, and clear its web cache. Then troubleshoot the specific symptom: a game that will not launch, a stuck update, a connection problem, or an installation failure.
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Start with the quickest fixes
- Check Epic’s status page. A service outage can look like a broken Launcher.
- Exit the Launcher completely. Closing its window may leave it running in the system tray. On Windows, open the hidden-icons menu, right-click the Epic Games icon, and choose Exit.
- Restart the computer. This clears pending restarts and processes that can block updates or prerequisites.
- Update the Launcher. If it opens, select your profile icon, choose Settings, and select RESTART AND UPDATE when available. Approve the Windows User Account Control prompt if asked. Epic identifies this as an official update mechanism.
- Temporarily test without background conflicts. Overlays, antivirus, firewalls, VPNs, and other background applications can interfere with sign-in, downloads, or game startup. Only disable security software briefly for testing, then turn it back on.
Epic’s recommended troubleshooting order also includes checking system requirements, clearing the cache, testing permissions, updating graphics drivers, and reinstalling only as a last resort. See Epic’s general Launcher troubleshooting guide.
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The current Launcher requirements listed by Epic are:
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- Windows 10, 64-bit, or Windows 11
- macOS 13.5 or later
- At least 4 GB of RAM
- At least 3 GB of available storage
- Intel Core i3- or AMD FX-class processor
- DirectX 9.0c-compatible graphics hardware
Beta versions of macOS are not supported. Epic ended official Launcher support in June 2024 for Windows 7, Windows 8, and 32-bit Windows 10. Windows 10 versions earlier than 1703 and macOS 10.13 through macOS 13.4 are also unsupported. An existing installation may still open, but it no longer receives supported updates and features can stop working. Use Epic’s current system-requirements page rather than older support articles.
Clear the Launcher’s web cache
A damaged web cache can cause a blank window, loading errors, missing store content, or other display problems. Clearing it makes the Launcher rebuild the cache; it does not verify or repair installed game files.
Windows
- Exit the Launcher completely.
- Press Windows + R, enter
%localappdata%, and press Enter. - Open
EpicGamesLauncherSaved. - Delete whichever of these folders exist:
webcache,webcache_4147, andwebcache_4430. - Start the Launcher again.
There may be only one or two of those folders. Deleting only webcache is not the complete current Windows procedure when the numbered folders are present.
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- Quit the Launcher.
- In Finder, select Go > Go to Folder….
- Enter
~/Library/Caches/com.epicgames.EpicGamesLauncher. - Move the
webcachefolder to the Trash, empty the Trash, and relaunch the app.
These steps come from Epic’s cache-clearing instructions.
If the Launcher opens but a game will not start
Verify the game files
In the Launcher, open Library, find the game, select its three-dot menu, choose Manage, and click Verify. Wait for validation to finish. Epic says verification repairs damaged or changed installation files without affecting saved data. It is the best first step for errors such as LS-0013.
If verification does not help, continue with cache clearing, operating-system updates, administrator testing, background-application testing, and DNS troubleshooting. Reinstall the game or Launcher only after those steps. Epic’s LS-0013 guidance covers this sequence.
Test administrator permissions carefully
For failed prerequisites or inability to write to a protected folder, right-click the Epic Games Launcher shortcut, select Run as administrator, and approve the prompt. Administrator mode is not a universal fix, however. Epic’s LS-0013 guidance notes that disabling administrator privileges can sometimes improve performance or allow a game to launch. If a game has compatibility settings enabled, open the executable’s Properties > Compatibility tab and test with Run this program as an administrator unchecked.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
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Fix prerequisite and permission errors
LS-0019: prerequisites failed
LS-0019 means that a game prerequisite did not install correctly. Restart Windows first, then launch Epic Games Launcher as administrator. If the error remains:
- Right-click the Launcher shortcut and select Properties.
- In the Shortcut tab, add a space and
-SkipBuildPatchPrereqto the end of the Target field. - Keep the existing quoted executable path intact. For example:
"C:Program Files (x86)Epic GamesLauncherPortalBinariesWin64EpicGamesLauncher.exe" -SkipBuildPatchPrereq - Select Apply, then right-click the shortcut and choose Run as administrator.
For SU-PQR or SU-PQE self-update errors, also update Windows, reinstall the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables, confirm read/write access to the installation folder, and briefly test with antivirus or firewall software disabled. Re-enable security software afterward.
Check installation-folder permissions
For failed installations, updates, verification, or prerequisites, right-click the selected installation folder and choose Properties > Security. Select your Windows username and confirm that Allow is enabled for both Read and Write.
Fix update and proxy problems
“Please wait while we start your update”
Epic says this message commonly indicates that Windows is using a proxy. Open Command Prompt as administrator and run:
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netsh winhttp reset proxyRestart the Launcher. If needed, restart Windows and test another internet connection.
To inspect the Windows setting, search Start for Proxy Settings, open Proxy Settings (System Settings), and turn off Manual Proxy Setup if you do not intentionally use a proxy. An http_proxy environment variable can also force proxy behavior. Search Windows for Edit the system environment variables and remove that variable only if it is not required by your network.
If your network requires a proxy
Open the profile menu, select Settings, enable Use Proxy, enter the proxy as IP:PORT, and restart the Launcher. If Settings cannot be opened, add this temporary shortcut option:
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-httpproxy=[ip address]Remove the shortcut option after configuring the proxy inside the Launcher.
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Reset Windows networking and DNS
Use these commands in the stated order from an administrator Command Prompt:
netsh winsock resetRestart the computer. Then open administrator Command Prompt again and run:
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
ipconfig /flushdnsWait for each command to finish before running the next one, then close Command Prompt and test Epic Games Launcher. This procedure is particularly useful when the Launcher cannot sign in, load store content, or download games.
When a school, work, or public network blocks Epic
University, school, business, hotel, and public networks may block Epic services even when other websites work. The network administrator normally needs to allow Epic’s required endpoints; changing settings on your computer may not be enough. Epic’s network troubleshooting page lists the current domains, including:
accounts.epicgames.com
www.epicgames.com
store.epicgames.com
launcher.store.epicgames.com
download.epicgames.com
download2.epicgames.com
epicgames-download1.akamaized.net
account-public-service-prod03.ol.epicgames.com
launcher-public-service-prod06.ol.epicgames.com
entitlement-public-service-prod08.ol.epicgames.com
catalog-public-service-prod06.ol.epicgames.com
friends-public-service-prod06.ol.epicgames.com
lightswitch-public-service-prod06.ol.epicgames.com
js.hcaptcha.comFor a complete whitelist, give the administrator Epic’s linked list rather than relying on this shortened selection.
What Offline Mode can and cannot do
Epic’s current support information says Offline Mode is automatically enabled when the device has no internet connection or the Launcher starts offline. It applies only to supported games that are already installed. Online multiplayer, cloud saves, achievements, and other online services may not work. Do not treat Offline Mode as a way to repair login, downloading, or account problems.
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If the Launcher will not install
Try Microsoft Installer on Windows
- Download the current Launcher installer.
- In File Explorer, open its folder, hold Shift, right-click the installer, and select Copy as path.
- Open Command Prompt as administrator.
- Type
msiexec /i, add a space, paste the copied path, and press Enter. For example:msiexec /i "C:UsersYourNameDownloadsEpicInstaller.msi"
Do not move the installer after copying its path. Epic also suggests installing Epic Games Store through the Microsoft Store: open Microsoft Store, search for that exact name, and select Install.
Stuck on “Verifying” or “Installing”
Check free disk space. Decompressing game files can require substantially more temporary space than the game’s advertised installed size, so a drive that appears to have just enough room may still fail.
Reinstall only as a last resort
Do not assume that reinstalling the Launcher preserves every installed game. Epic explicitly warns that its documented Windows reinstall process removes all installed titles.
Before reinstalling on Windows, run this from administrator Command Prompt:
sfc /scannowRestart Windows, uninstall Epic Games Launcher through Add or Remove Programs, and download the newest installer from Epic.
On macOS, close the Launcher, confirm in Activity Monitor that no Epic Launcher processes remain, move the app from Applications to the Trash, and remove remaining Launcher files from:
~/Library/Application Support
~/Library/Caches
~/Library/Preferences
~/Library/Logs
~/Library/CookiesThen download and install the newest version. If you need to preserve game data, record your installation locations and understand that the official Windows procedure can remove installed titles before proceeding.
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Collect logs before contacting Epic Support
Windows
If the Launcher opens, go to the account icon, select Settings > Enable Debug Logging > Enable Now, reproduce the problem, return to Settings, and choose Show Logs. Attach the newest EpicGamesLauncher log to your support request, then disable debug logging.
If the Launcher cannot open, add -debuglogging to the shortcut’s Target field after the executable path, separated by a space. Launcher logs are stored in:
C:Users[YourUserName]AppDataLocalEpicGamesLauncherSavedLogsFor installation, update, verification, or uninstall failures, Epic also requests the four newest logs from:
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%LOCALAPPDATA%Epic GamesEpic Online ServicesInstallHelperLogs
%LOCALAPPDATA%Epic GamesEpic Online ServicesMainServiceLogsmacOS
Open Terminal and run:
open "/Applications/Epic Games Launcher.app" --args -debugloggingReproduce the problem, close the Launcher, and open the logs with:
open ~/Library/Logs/"Unreal Engine"/EpicGamesLauncherAttach the newest Launcher log to your support request. Epic’s current instructions say not to ZIP or RAR the log files.
For the full collection procedure, use Epic’s Launcher logging guide.
Quick Recap
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