Crash/Freeze Fortnite

Fortnite Random Crashes Without Error - PC Fix Guide

📅 Published: 2026-02-05 🔄 Updated: 2026-02-05 👥 Reports: 7 ⚡ Severity: 🟢 Low

🎯 Quick Answer

Roll back your NVIDIA graphics driver to version 560.94 or earlier, as recent drivers (556.12+) contain a known instability that causes Fortnite to terminate unexpectedly.

SECTION 1: OVERVIEW

The Fortnite application crash without error is an abrupt termination of the game process during normal operation. This error manifests on the Windows platform, specifically affecting systems with recent NVIDIA GeForce GPU drivers (versions 556.12 and later) and 13th or 14th generation Intel Core processors (e.g., i9-14900K). The problem occurs across recent builds of Fortnite and the Epic Games Launcher. This is a common and high-severity issue, as it constitutes a game-breaking crash that terminates the application without generating an error code or diagnostic message. The crash is characterized by its random timing during stable gameplay, not correlated with frame drops or performance degradation.

SECTION 2: SYMPTOMS

The primary symptom is the sudden and silent closure of the Fortnite application to the Windows desktop. The termination occurs during standard gameplay or menu navigation without preceding performance anomalies. No error dialog from Fortnite, the Epic Games Launcher, or Windows appears. The game process (FortniteClient-Win64-Shipping.exe) ceases execution. The Epic Games Launcher subsequently displays the game as not running. System stability outside of the Fortnite application remains unaffected.

SECTION 3: COMMON CAUSES

Category: Software Conflict / Driver Bug Specific technical explanation: NVIDIA Display Driver Model (WDDM) versions 556.12 and later introduce a memory management or scheduling conflict with Fortnite's rendering pipeline, particularly when DLSS is enabled. This conflict leads to an unrecoverable fault in the game executable. Why this causes the problem: The driver-level fault forces the game process to terminate without generating an application-level error message. Category: Hardware Issue / CPU Instability Specific technical explanation: Intel 13th (Raptor Lake) and 14th (Raptor Lake Refresh) generation CPUs, when using default BIOS settings, can apply excessive voltage or unstable clock speeds under transient loads, causing memory controller errors. Why this causes the problem: These low-level hardware faults crash the game process but may not trigger a full system Blue Screen of Death (BSOD). Category: Configuration Error / Graphics API Conflict Specific technical explanation: Running Fortnite with DirectX 12 Rendering Mode on a system with corrupted Microsoft DirectX runtime libraries or shader cache. Why this causes the problem: A corrupted shader cache or runtime file causes a fatal exception when the game attempts to compile or access a new asset. Category: Software Conflict / Anti-Cheat Incompatibility Specific technical explanation: The Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC) or BattlEye service modules fail a integrity check against a recently updated system driver or Windows security update. Why this causes the problem: The anti-cheat service mandates termination of the game process if it detects a potential security compromise, often without user notification. Category: Configuration Error / Incomplete Driver Installation Specific technical explanation: A standard update to a new NVIDIA driver leaves residual files or registry entries from the previous installation (on the user's former GPU, e.g., GTX 1050 Ti) that conflict with the new RTX 4060 Ti. Why this causes the problem: Conflicting driver components cause the GPU to enter an invalid state during specific rendering tasks, forcing a process kill.

SECTION 4: SOLUTIONS

Solution 1: Roll Back NVIDIA Graphics Driver

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

Download NVIDIA driver version 560.94 from the official NVIDIA driver archive.
Download Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) from www.guru3d.com.
Boot Windows into Safe Mode. Access this by pressing Windows Key + R, typing msconfig, navigating to the Boot tab, checking Safe boot, selecting Network, and clicking OK. Restart.
Run Display Driver Uninstaller. Select GPU and NVIDIA from the dropdown menus. Click Clean and restart.
After the system restarts normally, install the previously downloaded NVIDIA driver 560.94. Select Custom (Advanced) installation and check Perform a clean installation.
Launch Fortnite and navigate to the Settings menu. Go to the Graphics section. Set Rendering Mode to DirectX 12. Disable NVIDIA DLSS for testing purposes.

Technical Explanation: This procedure eliminates the unstable driver components from versions 556.12+ and performs a clean installation of a known stable driver version (560.94), removing registry and file system conflicts from the previous GPU. Verification: The Fortnite application remains running for multiple consecutive matches without termination. Re-enable DLSS to test stability; if crashes return, keep DLSS disabled.

Solution 2: Configure Intel CPU Power Limits

Difficulty: Advanced Time Required: 10 minutes Success Rate: High for affected Intel CPUs Prerequisites: System with an Intel 13th or 14th Gen CPU, BIOS access. Steps:

Restart the PC and press the key to enter BIOS/UEFI setup (commonly Delete, F2, or F12).
Navigate to the Advanced CPU Settings or Overclocking menu.
Locate settings for Intel Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 or Enhanced Turbo. Disable this setting.
Find the CPU Core Voltage or Vcore setting. Change it from Auto to Normal or a fixed, moderate value like 1.25V.
Locate CPU Load-Line Calibration (LLC). Set it to a medium level (e.g., Level 3).
Save changes and exit BIOS (usually F10).

Technical Explanation: This prevents the CPU from requesting unsustainable voltage peaks under load, which destabilizes the memory controller and causes application-level crashes in demanding titles like Fortnite. Verification: System stability under a CPU stress test (e.g., Cinebench R23) improves, and Fortnite no longer crashes randomly. Monitor CPU temperatures using HWMonitor to ensure they are within specification.

Solution 3: Perform a Clean Fortnite Installation

Difficulty: Easy Time Required: 30 minutes (depending on bandwidth) Success Rate: Medium Prerequisites: None. Steps:

Close the Epic Games Launcher completely via the system tray.
Navigate to C:\Program Files\Epic Games\Fortnite. Rename the existing Fortnite folder to Fortnite_Old.
Open the Epic Games Launcher. Click your profile icon, select Settings. Scroll to the Fortnite entry and click Uninstall.
After uninstallation completes, restart the Epic Games Launcher.
Install Fortnite to the default directory. The launcher will create a new Fortnite folder.
Before launching, click the three dots (...) next to the Launch button. Select Options. Ensure Enable Cloud Saves is checked. Click Verify.

Technical Explanation: This removes all local configuration files, corrupted game assets, and shader caches that may be causing fatal read exceptions, forcing the generation of a fresh installation. Verification: A new Fortnite folder is created at C:\Program Files\Epic Games\Fortnite. The game launches and rebuilds its shader cache without crashing.

Solution 4: Repair Microsoft Visual C++ and DirectX Runtimes

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

Press Windows Key + R, type appwiz.cpl, and press Enter to open Programs and Features.
In the list, uninstall all instances of Microsoft Visual C++ 20XX Redistributable. Note the years (2015-2022).
Download the latest Visual C++ Redistributable package from the official Microsoft website. Install both the x64 and x86 versions.
Press Windows Key + R, type dxdiag, and press Enter. In the DirectX Diagnostic Tool, note the DirectX version displayed.
Download the DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer from Microsoft. Run it to repair any missing or corrupted DirectX files.

Technical Explanation: Fortnite depends on specific versions of these runtime libraries. Corrupted or missing DLL files cause the application to fail when calling essential graphics and system functions. Verification: The dxdiag tool reports No problems found on the Display tab. Fortnite executes without generating runtime errors in the Windows Event Viewer.

Solution 5: Disable Overlays and Conflicting Software

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

Open the Epic Games Launcher. Click your profile icon, select Settings. Scroll down and disable Enable In-Game Overlay.
Open the NVIDIA GeForce Experience application. Click the Settings (gear icon). Toggle off In-Game Overlay.
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager. Go to the Startup tab. Disable any non-essential applications like Discord, MSI Afterburner, RivaTuner Statistics Server, or other gaming utilities.
Restart the PC.
Launch Fortnite directly from the Epic Games Launcher without opening any other applications.

Technical Explanation: Third-party overlays hook into the game's rendering process. These hooks can conflict with Fortnite's anti-cheat protection or cause memory access violations, leading to a silent crash. Verification: Launch Fortnite with all overlays disabled. The game runs without interruption. Re-enable software one by one to identify the specific conflict.

SECTION 5: PREVENTION

Maintain system stability by adhering to a driver update protocol: delay installing new NVIDIA Game Ready Drivers for 7-10 days after release to confirm community stability. Use the Custom (Advanced) install option with Perform a clean installation checked for every GPU driver update. Regularly clear the Fortnite shader cache located at C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\FortniteGame\Saved\Dawn\Saved\ShaderCache. Monitor CPU temperatures and voltages using HWInfo64 to ensure hardware operates within manufacturer specifications. Configure Windows to generate full memory dumps on crash for advanced diagnosis.

SECTION 6: WHEN TO CONTACT SUPPORT

Contact Epic Games Support if all solutions fail and the crash persists across a completely clean Windows installation with only essential drivers and Fortnite installed. Prior to contact, gather the following diagnostic information: the FortniteGame.log file from C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\FortniteGame\Saved\Logs, the Windows Event Viewer logs (Application and System logs at the time of crash), and a complete DxDiag report. Provide these files through the official Epic Games Support portal, detailing the exact steps already performed.