How to fix Fortnite lag

With millions of players in action at any given time, Fortnite is one of the most played games of all time. With that many players all vying for glory, how can you gain a competitive advantage—especially when you’re dealing with lag?

Where is Fortnite available?

Desktops and laptops

Fortnite is available on Windows via the Epic Games Launcher. It is currently not being updated for macOS.

Consoles

For PlayStation 4, 4 Pro, and 5, Fortnite is available digitally in the PlayStation Store and physically on disc.

For Xbox One, One X, One S, Series X, Series S, Fortnite is available digitally on the Microsoft Store, via the cloud on Xbox Cloud Gaming, and physically on disc.

For the Nintendo Switch, Fortnite is available digitally on the Nintendo Store and physically on cartridge.

Smartphones

For Android devices, the game is no longer available on the Google Play Store and is now only available either directly via Epic Games or on the Samsung Galaxy Store. Fortnite is also available to play on Android via the cloud gaming platforms Xbox Cloud Gaming and GeForce Now.

For iOS and iPadOS devices, Fortnite can only be played via the aforementioned cloud gaming platforms.

You can find out more about playing Fortnite on mobile devices here.

Why is Fortnite lagging?

There are a variety of potential culprits behind your lag issues.

ISP throttling

Throttling occurs when an internet service provider (ISP) intentionally slows down your internet connection based on what you’re trying to do. ISPs typically do this to maintain data allowances during peak periods. ISPs will also claim that this is done to ease network congestion, but this isn’t always the case.

Outdated software

It’s always important to keep your software up to date as this will keep you protected against emerging security threats. Don’t ignore update alerts. Given Fortnite’s size and the number of daily active players, it is no surprise that constant updates are required.

Read more: Why you shouldn’t ignore ‘Update Your Device’ messages

Overloaded servers

With millions of daily players competing at any given time, it’s quite possible that overloaded servers may be responsible for your Fortnite lag. In other words, there are too many players for a server to handle.

Poor internet connection

From router placement to the quality of your cable, your home internet connection can affect your Fortnite experience. Other factors that are possible include: Malware, bandwidth intensive apps, and an exceeded data cap.

Read more: Why is my internet so slow? And how to fix it

ISP problems

Conversely, your ISP may be the cause of your lag woes. Unfortunately, this is entirely out of your hands. If you’ve got mobile data, use that to monitor your ISP’s outage status on its website.

System requirements

Desktops and laptops

For Windows computers, the following device specs are recommended for comfortably playing Fortnite on desktops or laptops:

Recommended System Requirements

Video Card: Nvidia GTX 960, AMD R9 280, or equivalent DX11 GPU

Video Memory: 2 GB VRAM

Processor: Core i5-7300U 3.5 GHz, AMD Ryzen 3 3300U, or equivalent

Memory: 8+ GB RAM

OS: Windows 10 64-bit

Minimum System Requirements

Video Card: Intel HD 4000 on PC; Intel Iris Pro 5200

Processor: Core i3-3225 3.3 GHz

Memory: 4GB RAM

OS: Windows 7/8/10 64-bit or Mac OS Mojave 10.14.6

Epic Quality Presets Specifications

Video Card: Nvidia GTX 1080, AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT, or equivalent GPU

Video Memory: 4+ GB VRAM

Processor: Intel Core i7-8700, AMD Ryzen 7 3700x or equivalent

Memory: 16+ GB RAM

Hard Drive: NVMe Solid State Drive

OS: Windows 10 64-bit

You can find more about system requirements for Fortnite from Epic Games here.

Smartphones

The following device specs are recommended for comfortably playing Fortnite on mobile devices:

Playing natively on Android devices

GPU: Adreno 530+, Mali-G71 MP20, or Mali-G72 MP12+

Processor: ARM64

Memory: 4+ GB RAM

OS: Android OS 8.0+ 64-bit

Playing on Android devices through the cloud

System requirements for playing Fortnite on Android via the cloud varies across platforms.

Xbox Cloud Gaming

Android 6.0+ and Bluetooth 4.0+

GeForce Now

Android 5.0+, OpenGL ES2.0 support, and 1+ GB RAM

Playing on Android devices through the cloud

System requirements for playing Fortnite on iOS via the cloud varies across platforms.

Xbox Cloud Gaming

iOS 14.4+ and Bluetooth 4.0+

GeForce Now (iOS Safari)

iOS 14.3+

Consoles

For PlayStation and Xbox, the following specifications are required to comfortably play Fortnite at 120 FPS:

PlayStation 5

To achieve 120 FPS on PlayStation 5, maximum resolution is lowered from 4K to 1440p. For this setting to appear in Fortnite, please ensure that “Performance Mode” is enabled in your console’s settings.

This can be found here: Save Data and Game/App Settings > Game Presets > Performance Mode from the game’s menu.

Xbox Series X/S

To achieve 120 FPS on Xbox Series X, maximum resolution is lowered from 4K to 1440p; and on Xbox Series S, maximum resolution is lowered from 4K to 1080p.

To enable these settings, please ensure that “120 FPS Mode” is enabled in your console settings.

How to fix Fortnite lag

Update software

As mentioned above, it’s always important to keep your software up to date to ensure that you are protected from issues like emerging malware, software bugs, and exploits. This also includes keeping your device’s operating system up to date.

Generally speaking, Fortnite should update itself automatically or provide prompts when new updates are available. If it isn’t doing that, you can try the following:

Windows

Fortnite can be updated automatically through the Epic Games Launcher via Epic Online Services. You can find a guide on how to use this service here.

PlayStation 4 and 4 Pro

Select Fortnite on your homescreen and press OPTIONS to bring up an options menu. Select the “Check for Update” and then update the game if it is available.

Alternatively, you can keep the game automatically by starting on your home screen, then going to Settings > System > Automatic Downloads and toggle all options available. Please note that this will also keep all other games on your PS4/PS4 Pro up to date.

PlayStation 5

Select Fortnite on your homescreen and press ☰ to bring up an options menu. Select the “Check for Update” and then update the game if an update is available.

Alternatively, you can keep the game automatically by starting on your home screen, then going to Settings > System > System Software > System Software Update and Settings and toggle both Download Update Files Automatically and Install Update Files Automatically. Please note that this will also keep all other games on your PS5 up to date.

Xbox One and Series X/S

From your home screen, go to My games & apps > Updates and then update the game if an update is available.

Alternatively, you can keep the game automatically by starting on your home screen, then going to Profile & system > Settings > System > Updates and toggle all options available. Please note that this will also keep all other games on your Xbox devices up to date.

Nintendo Switch

From your home screen, tap the Fortnite icon, then tap Software Update.

Alternatively, you can keep the game automatically by starting on your home screen, then going to Settings > System > Automatic Software Updates. Please note that this will also keep all other games on your Switch up to date.

Update your drivers

Keeping your desktop or laptop’s graphics and network drivers up to date can help you ensure that you avoid any incompatibilities that could lead to lag or FPS drop issues. Make sure to check your graphics card manufacturer’s website for driver updates.

Switch to an Ethernet connection

For devices that support it—namely Windows, PlayStation, and Xbox—switching from a Wi-Fi connection to an ethernet cable can provide a more stable option to boost your internet connection.

Adjust your graphic settings

Adjusting your graphic settings can help ease possible burdens on processing power. If your system meets the minimum requirements listed above, it shouldn’t be the cause of any lag you experience.

For those playing on PC, Epic Games now provides a Performance Mode option designed to provide the best possible performance based on the hardware available.

To adjust your video settings on Windows, from the main menu go to Settings > Video. From here, you can adjust your frame rate limit, quality presets, and anti-aliasing & super resolution settings.

Change platforms

Because Fortnite is crossplay, players can play alongside each other across a variety of platforms and devices. Having an issue with your laptop? Switch over to your smartphone. Is your smartphone giving you issues? Switch over to a console. Unlike computers and smartphones, consoles should already be optimized for the best gaming performance—especially if the software is up to date.

Use a VPN

Using a VPN while playing Fortnite can help you avoid lag caused by ISP throttling or crowded servers. In fact, VPNs have a whole host of benefits for online gaming including:

• Providing protection against DDoS attacks
• Lower ping to make every split second count
• Access to ultra-fast servers in 105 countries