Crash/Freeze Fortnite

Fortnite Crashing on Launch - PC Fix Guide

📅 Published: 2026-02-06 🔄 Updated: 2026-02-06 👥 Reports: 9 ⚡ Severity: 🟢 Low

🎯 Quick Answer

The most effective solution is to perform a clean reinstall of your graphics drivers using Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) in Safe Mode, then install the latest stable version.

SECTION 1: OVERVIEW

The Fortnite crash-on-launch error is a critical failure where the game client terminates unexpectedly during the initial startup sequence, specifically after the "Connecting" screen. This error predominantly affects the Windows PC platform following major game updates, such as the transition to Chapter 7. The issue is classified as common during post-update periods and has a severe, game-breaking impact, completely preventing application execution. Analysis of crash reports frequently shows a lack of specific error codes, with the crash reporter itself failing to provide actionable diagnostic data or functional help links. The problem is isolated to the Fortnite application, as other games and software on the affected system continue to operate without issue, indicating a conflict specific to Fortnite's runtime environment or its anti-cheat subsystem.

SECTION 2: SYMPTOMS

The application initiates and displays the Epic Games Launcher splash screen. It proceeds to the Fortnite-specific "Connecting..." or "Loading..." screen. At this point, the process terminates abruptly without progressing to the login or main menu interface. The Epic Games Launcher may display a "Fortnite has crashed" dialog with a non-functional "Help" link. The Windows Event Viewer typically logs an Application Error for the FortniteClient-Win64-Shipping.exe process with a faulting module, often related to graphics or anti-cheat components. The game process vanishes from Task Manager, and the system returns to the desktop or the Epic Games Launcher interface.

SECTION 3: COMMON CAUSES

Category: Software Conflict Specific technical explanation: Incompatibility or corruption within the Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC) or BattlEye service modules. These security services load during the initial connection phase and a failure in their handshake with the game client causes an immediate termination. Why this causes the problem: The anti-cheat is a mandatory pre-boot component; if it fails to initialize or validate the game environment, the system is designed to halt execution to maintain integrity. Category: Configuration Error Specific technical explanation: Incorrect or corrupted graphical API setting (DirectX 12 vs. DirectX 11) forced in the GameUserSettings.ini file that is incompatible with the current driver or hardware. Why this causes the problem: The game engine attempts to initialize the renderer with a stored, invalid configuration, causing a fatal exception during the graphics context creation. Category: Software Conflict Specific technical explanation: Outdated, corrupted, or incorrectly installed GPU driver packages, particularly versions known to have memory management issues with Unreal Engine 5. Why this causes the problem: The driver's shader compiler or memory allocator fails when the game loads new Chapter 7 assets, triggering a timeout or access violation. Category: Game Bug Specific technical explanation: A corrupted local manifest or missing file after an incomplete or interrupted game update via the Epic Games Launcher. Why this causes the problem: The launcher's verification routine may not detect specific corrupted runtime files, leading to a crash when the executable attempts to load them. Category: Software Conflict Specific technical explanation: Conflicting background applications that hook into graphical APIs or memory spaces, such as outdated RGB control software, screen recorders, or overlay tools (Discord, MSI Afterburner). Why this causes the problem: These applications inject DLLs that interfere with Fortnite's anti-cheat validation or direct rendering path, causing a security violation or stability fault. Category: Configuration Error Specific technical explanation: Incorrect Windows system permissions or corrupted system files that prevent the proper installation and operation of the game's required Visual C++ Redistributables or .NET frameworks. Why this causes the problem: Core game dependencies cannot load, causing a cascade failure in the application's startup sequence.

SECTION 4: SOLUTIONS

Solution 1: Clean Graphics Driver Reinstallation

Difficulty: Medium Time Required: 15 minutes Success Rate: High Prerequisites: Administrator access, internet connection for driver download. Steps:

Download the latest stable GPU driver package from NVIDIA (https://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx) or AMD (https://www.amd.com/en/support) but do not install it yet.
Download Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) from https://www.guru3d.com/download/display-driver-uninstaller-download/.
Disconnect your PC from the internet to prevent Windows Update from automatically installing a driver during the process.
Boot Windows into Safe Mode. This is done by opening System Configuration (msconfig.exe), going to the Boot tab, checking "Safe boot" with the "Minimal" option, and restarting.
Run DDU in Safe Mode. Select your GPU manufacturer (NVIDIA/AMD/Intel) and choose the "Clean and restart" option.
After the restart, install the previously downloaded graphics driver package using the "Custom (Advanced)" installation option. Check the box for "Perform a clean installation."
Reconnect to the internet and restart your PC normally.

Technical Explanation: This process removes all remnants of previous driver installations, including registry entries and leftover files that can cause conflicts with Fortnite's rendering pipeline and anti-cheat system, ensuring a pristine driver state. Verification: Launch Fortnite. Successful initialization past the "Connecting" screen and arrival at the login or lobby screen confirms the fix.

Solution 2: Reset Fortnite Graphical Configuration

Difficulty: Easy Time Required: 5 minutes Success Rate: Medium Prerequisites: None. Steps:

Close the Epic Games Launcher completely via the system tray icon.
Navigate to the Fortnite configuration folder: C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\FortniteGame\Saved\Config\WindowsClient.
Locate and rename the file GameUserSettings.ini to GameUserSettings.ini.old.
Also rename Engine.ini to Engine.ini.old if present.
Launch the Epic Games Launcher and start Fortnite.

Technical Explanation: This forces the game to generate fresh configuration files with default settings, eliminating crashes caused by a corrupted or incompatible graphical API setting (e.g., forcing DirectX 12 on an unsupported system) stored in the old files. Verification: The game launches and creates new .ini files. Check the new GameUserSettings.ini; the PreferredGraphicsAPI setting will be set to a default compatible with your system.

Solution 3: Repair Easy Anti-Cheat Installation

Difficulty: Easy Time Required: 5 minutes Success Rate: Medium Prerequisites: Administrator access. Steps:

Navigate to the Fortnite Easy Anti-Cheat folder: C:\Program Files\Epic Games\Fortnite\FortniteGame\Binaries\Win64\EasyAntiCheat.
Right-click on EasyAntiCheat_Setup.exe and select "Run as administrator."
In the Easy Anti-Cheat setup dialog, ensure "Fortnite" is selected in the dropdown menu.
Click the "Repair Service" button and wait for the process to complete.
Restart your computer.

Technical Explanation: This reinstalls or repairs the Easy Anti-Cheat service files and their Windows service registration, resolving launch failures caused by corrupted anti-cheat modules that load before the main game window. Verification: The Easy Anti-Cheat splash screen appears briefly and without errors during the next Fortnite launch attempt, followed by the game progressing past the "Connecting" screen.

Solution 4: Perform a Deep Game File Verification

Difficulty: Easy Time Required: 10-30 minutes (depends on SSD/HDD) Success Rate: Medium Prerequisites: Epic Games Launcher installed. Steps:

Open the Epic Games Launcher and go to your Library.
Click the three dots (...) under the Fortnite game tile.
Select "Manage."
Click the "Verify" button. This initiates a process that checks the integrity of all game files against the Epic servers.
Allow the process to complete and download any repaired files.
Restart the Epic Games Launcher completely before launching the game.

Technical Explanation: The standard verify function may not check all auxiliary files. This process forces a more thorough validation, redownloading any system-level files or manifests that are mismatched or corrupted post-update. Verification: The launcher displays a download progress bar for replacement files. After completion, launch Fortnite to test stability.

Solution 5: Disable Conflicting Overlays and Background Software

Difficulty: Easy Time Required: 10 minutes Success Rate: Medium Prerequisites: None. Steps:

Open the Epic Games Launcher, click your profile icon, and select "Settings."
Scroll down to the "Fortnite" section and disable the "Enable Performance Graphing" and "Enable Debug Menu" options.
Disable the "In-Game Overlay" option at the bottom of the Settings page.
Close any non-essential background applications, especially:

* Discord (disable its in-game overlay in User Settings > Overlay) * Xbox Game Bar (disable via Windows Settings > Gaming > Xbox Game Bar) * NVIDIA GeForce Experience/AMD Adrenalin overlays * MSI Afterburner, RivaTuner Statistics Server * Screen recording software (OBS, ShadowPlay) * RGB peripheral control software (iCUE, Synapse, etc.)

Perform a clean reboot and launch Fortnite without starting any other applications.

Technical Explanation: These applications often inject DLL hooks into game processes for overlay rendering, which can conflict with Fortnite's anti-cheat or cause rendering pipeline instability during initialization. Verification: Launch Fortnite from a clean boot environment. If successful, reintroduce background applications one by one to identify the specific conflict.

Solution 6: Reinstall Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables

Difficulty: Advanced Time Required: 10 minutes Success Rate: Low Prerequisites: Administrator access. Steps:

Open Windows "Apps & Features" settings.
In the search bar, type "Microsoft Visual C++".
For each version from 2015 onward (e.g., 2015-2022 Redistributable x64), select it and choose "Uninstall." Note: Other software may require these; they can be reinstalled.
Restart your computer.
Download the latest Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable package from the official Microsoft website. Install both the x86 and x64 versions.
Restart your computer again.

Technical Explanation: Fortnite requires specific versions of these runtime libraries. Corrupted or incorrectly registered versions cause silent failures when the game executable attempts to call essential system functions during load. Verification: After reinstalling the libraries, the game process should load required DLLs without error. Use Event Viewer to check for related runtime errors after a launch attempt.

Solution 7: Clean Reinstall of Fortnite on a Different Drive

Difficulty: Medium Time Required: 45+ minutes (download time) Success Rate: High Prerequisites: Sufficient free space on an alternative storage drive. Steps:

Fully uninstall Fortnite via the Epic Games Launcher (Library > Manage > Uninstall).
In the Epic Games Launcher Settings, under the "Preferences" section, change the "Manage Games" directory to a different drive (e.g., from C:\ to D:\).
If no other drive is available, ensure the original installation directory (C:\Program Files\Epic Games\Fortnite\) is completely deleted after uninstall.
Restart your computer.
Reinstall Fortnite to the new location. The launcher will download a completely fresh set of files.

Technical Explanation: This eliminates the possibility of file system corruption, permission errors, or remnant files in the original installation directory that verification tools miss, providing a pristine installation. Verification: A successful launch from the new installation directory confirms the issue was localized to the previous installation path or its associated files.

SECTION 5: PREVENTION

Maintain a regular schedule for updating graphics drivers, but always perform a clean installation using the manufacturer's official package. Configure the Epic Games Launcher to avoid downloading games during system updates to prevent file corruption. Establish a system restore point before applying major Fortnite updates or new GPU drivers. Periodically use the sfc /scannow command in an elevated Command Prompt to check for and repair Windows system file corruption. Disable non-essential startup applications and overlays to maintain a clean gaming environment. Monitor the FortniteGame.log file in the Saved\Logs directory for early warning signs of recurring initialization errors.

SECTION 6: WHEN TO CONTACT SUPPORT

Contact Epic Games Support if all solutions fail and the crash persists across multiple clean installations on different storage drives. Provide the complete FortniteGame.log and Launch.log files from C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\FortniteGame\Saved\Logs. Include the specific faulting module name from Windows Event Viewer (Event ID 1000) and your full system specifications (CPU, GPU, RAM, Windows version). Official support channels are accessed via the Epic Games Help Center at https://www.epicgames.com/help/en-US/. Escalation is necessary when the error indicates a deeper hardware compatibility issue or a reproducible game bug requiring a patch.