Crash/Freeze Fortnite

Fortnite Post-Update Random Crashes on PC - Fix Guide

📅 Published: 2026-02-05 🔄 Updated: 2026-02-05 👥 Reports: 8 ⚡ Severity: 🟢 Low

🎯 Quick Answer

Perform a clean reinstall of your graphics driver using Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) in Safe Mode, as the most recent game update often conflicts with residual driver files.

SECTION 1: OVERVIEW

This error is defined as the sudden and unexpected termination of the Fortnite client process on Windows operating systems following a specific game update. The issue manifests across multiple PC hardware configurations and is isolated to the Fortnite application, with other games and software operating normally. The problem occurs on the current live build of Fortnite and is classified as a common, high-severity error due to its game-breaking nature, preventing match completion. The crash frequency reported exceeds 80% of match attempts. No consistent error code or crash reporter dialog appears; the application terminates to desktop without warning at any point during gameplay, including the loading screen.

SECTION 2: SYMPTOMS

The Fortnite application process (FortniteClient-Win64-Shipping.exe) terminates without warning during any gameplay phase. This includes during the initial loading screen into a match, mid-gameplay, or while in pre-game lobbies. The user observes the game window closing instantly, returning control to the Windows desktop. The Epic Games Launcher may subsequently display a "Fortnite has crashed" notification. No specific error message or code accompanies the crash. System monitoring software confirms CPU and GPU utilization are within normal parameters at the moment of termination, ruling out immediate thermal or power throttling as the visible cause.

SECTION 3: COMMON CAUSES

Category: Software Conflict Specific technical explanation: Incompatibility or corruption between the current Fortnite build and existing GPU driver files, particularly from a previous driver version. Post-update game files may call upon deprecated or altered driver functions. Why this causes the problem: The game engine fails to execute a required graphics or compute instruction, triggering a fatal exception that forces process termination. Category: Game Bug Specific technical explanation: A memory management fault introduced in the recent game update, causing a leak or access violation within the Fortnite client's code during asset streaming or garbage collection. Why this causes the problem: The process attempts to read from or write to an invalid memory address, violating Windows memory protection and causing a crash. Category: Configuration Error Specific technical explanation: Corrupted or invalid local game configuration files in %LOCALAPPDATA%\FortniteGame\Saved\Config\WindowsClient, which are not fully reset by clearing the Epic Games Launcher cache. Why this causes the problem: The game loads erroneous settings or references missing assets, leading to unstable runtime behavior. Category: Software Conflict Specific technical explanation: Interference from third-party overlay software (Discord, Xbox Game Bar, NVIDIA GeForce Experience, MSI Afterburner) hooking into the DirectX 12 runtime used by Fortnite. Why this causes the problem: The overlay injects code into the game process, which can conflict with Fortnite's anti-cheat (Easy Anti-Cheat) or cause rendering pipeline instability. Category: Configuration Error Specific technical explanation: Incorrect or overly aggressive RAM/CPU overclocking or EXPO/XMP profiles that are not fully stable under the updated game's specific load patterns. Why this causes the problem: The new update alters system resource utilization, exposing previously marginal instability that causes memory errors and crashes. Category: Software Conflict Specific technical explanation: Outdated or corrupted Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable packages or DirectX End-User Runtime files required by the game's updated binaries. Why this causes the problem: The game engine cannot locate necessary system DLLs or encounters corrupted runtime libraries during execution.

SECTION 4: SOLUTIONS

Solution 1: Clean Graphics Driver Reinstallation

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

Download the latest GPU driver from the manufacturer's website (NVIDIA or AMD). Download Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) from www.guru3d.com.
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 via System Configuration (msconfig) or Settings > Update & Security > Recovery > Advanced startup.
Run DDU. Select your GPU type (NVIDIA/AMD/Intel) and choose "Clean and restart."
After the reboot, install the previously downloaded latest GPU driver package. Use "Custom (Advanced)" installation and check "Perform a clean installation."
Reconnect to the internet and launch Fortnite.

Technical Explanation: This process removes all residual driver files, registry entries, and configuration profiles that can conflict with a game update, ensuring the game interacts with a pristine, standard driver installation. Verification: Launch Fortnite and complete a full match without application termination. GPU driver version in NVIDIA Control Panel or AMD Adrenalin Software should match the newly installed version.

Solution 2: Verify Game Files and Reset Local Configuration

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

Close the Epic Games Launcher completely via the system tray.
Navigate to C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\FortniteGame\Saved. Rename the entire Saved folder to Saved.OLD.
Open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Program Files\Epic Games\Fortnite\FortniteGame\Content\Paks. Delete any files with the .utmp extension.
Launch the Epic Games Launcher. Click the three dots under Fortnite and select "Verify."
Allow the verification process to download and replace any missing or corrupted files.

Technical Explanation: Renaming the Saved folder forces the game to generate fresh, default configuration files. Deleting .utmp files removes potentially corrupted cached patch data. Verification ensures core game binaries are intact. Verification: A new Saved folder is created upon launch. The game should not crash on the initial loading screen or menu.

Solution 3: Disable Third-Party Overlays and Performance Software

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

Close Discord. In Discord Settings > Overlay, ensure "Enable in-game overlay" is toggled OFF.
Press Windows Key + G to open Xbox Game Bar. Go to Settings > Gaming > Game Bar and turn "Record game clips, screenshots, and broadcast using Game Bar" OFF.
Exit NVIDIA GeForce Experience or AMD Adrenalin Software from the system tray. For NVIDIA, open GeForce Experience, go to Settings (gear icon) and disable "In-Game Overlay."
Close any other monitoring/overclocking software like MSI Afterburner, RivaTuner Statistics Server, or Corsair iCUE.
Launch Fortnite directly from the Epic Games Launcher.

Technical Explanation: These applications inject DLLs into the game process to render overlays. This injection can cause conflicts with Fortnite's rendering pipeline or anti-cheat system, leading to instability. Verification: Launch Fortnite. The absence of performance overlays or FPS counters from third-party software confirms they are disabled. Test for crashes.

Solution 4: Adjust Fortnite Graphics API and Window Mode

Difficulty: Easy Time Required: 3 minutes Success Rate: Low-Medium Prerequisites: Ability to launch the game to the settings menu. Steps:

Launch Fortnite. Before entering a match, go to the in-game Settings menu.
Navigate to the Video Settings tab.
Set "Rendering Mode" from DirectX 12 to DirectX 11.
Set "Window Mode" from Fullscreen to Windowed Fullscreen.
Apply the changes and restart the game as prompted.
Test stability. If crashes persist, return to settings and also disable "Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling" in the Advanced Graphics section.

Technical Explanation: DirectX 11 is a more mature and stable API with broader compatibility. Windowed Fullscreen uses the Windows compositor, which can be more stable than exclusive fullscreen mode on some system configurations. Verification: The game renders without crashing. The setting changes are confirmed in the Video Settings menu.

Solution 5: Repair System Runtime Libraries

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

Press Windows Key + X and select "Windows Terminal (Admin)" or "Command Prompt (Admin)."
Execute the System File Checker command: sfc /scannow. Allow the scan to complete and repair any corrupted system files.
In the same admin terminal, run the DISM tool: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth.
Download the latest "Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable" installer from Microsoft's official website. Run the installer for both the x64 and x86 versions.
Download and run the "DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer" (dxwebsetup.exe) from Microsoft.

Technical Explanation: These steps repair corrupted Windows system files and ensure all necessary C++ and DirectX runtime libraries, which Fortnite depends on, are correctly installed and registered. Verification: The sfc /scannow command outputs "Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations" or "found corrupt files and successfully repaired them."

Solution 6: Perform a Clean Boot and Test

Difficulty: Medium Time Required: 15 minutes Success Rate: High for diagnosis Prerequisites: Administrator access. Steps:

Press Windows Key + R, type msconfig, and press Enter.
In the System Configuration window, go to the "Services" tab. Check "Hide all Microsoft services" and then click "Disable all."
Go to the "Startup" tab and click "Open Task Manager." Disable every startup item in Task Manager.
Click OK in System Configuration and restart the PC.
After booting into the clean environment, launch only the Epic Games Launcher and Fortnite.

Technical Explanation: This eliminates all non-essential third-party services and startup programs that could be interfering with the game's operation, isolating the issue to the core Windows and game processes. Verification: If the game stops crashing in the clean boot state, a background process is the cause. Re-enable services/startup items in groups to identify the conflict.

SECTION 5: PREVENTION

Maintain a regular schedule for updating graphics drivers, but always perform a clean installation using DDU every 2-3 driver versions to prevent file accumulation. Configure Windows Update to delay automatic driver updates. Before installing any major Fortnite update, manually delete the .utmp files in the Paks folder. Establish a system restore point prior to any significant driver or game update. Monitor system stability using a logging tool like HWiNFO64 to identify hardware instability trends before they cause application crashes.

SECTION 6: WHEN TO CONTACT SUPPORT

Contact Epic Games Support if all solutions fail and the crash persists exclusively in Fortnite. Provide the full diagnostic report from the Epic Games Launcher (Help > Diagnostics) and the latest crash logs located in %LOCALAPPDATA%\FortniteGame\Saved\Logs. Include your system's DxDiag report (run dxdiag and "Save All Information"). Official support channels are accessed via the Epic Games Help Center website. Escalation is necessary when the error indicates a persistent, reproducible bug requiring a game client patch.