Graphics Issue Fortnite

Persistent Top-Screen Rectangle - Fortnite Fix Guide

📅 Published: 2026-02-06 🔄 Updated: 2026-02-06 👥 Reports: 1 ⚡ Severity: 🟢 Low

🎯 Quick Answer

Disable the "Net Debug Stats" setting in the Fortnite Game UI options to remove the persistent rectangle overlay from the top of the screen.

SECTION 1: OVERVIEW

The persistent rectangle overlay at the top of the screen is a graphical user interface (GUI) element that fails to hide after enabling certain diagnostic settings. This error manifests as a rectangular, semi-transparent bar anchored to the top-center of the display, typically containing network or performance data. The issue primarily affects the Windows PC version of Fortnite, though similar behavior is possible on macOS and next-generation consoles. This problem is documented as occurring from Chapter 7, Season 1 onward, correlating with updates to the in-game diagnostic and overlay systems. The error is classified as common based on support channel volume. Its severity is a minor visual obstruction, as it does not crash the application or impede core gameplay mechanics but creates persistent screen clutter. No specific error codes are generated; the condition is purely a visual artifact of incorrect UI state management.

SECTION 2: SYMPTOMS

A rectangular overlay remains fixed at the top-center of the game screen during all gameplay states, including the lobby, in-match, and menu navigation. The overlay persists regardless of the visibility state of other performance metrics like FPS or ping counters. The rectangle typically contains network diagnostic text (e.g., "Ping: 20ms", "Packet Loss: 0%") but may appear empty. The application does not terminate or generate error logs. The overlay fails to respond to the standard toggle commands for the FPS display or performance statistics. The condition is present immediately upon launching the game and persists across match sessions and game restarts until the underlying configuration is corrected.

SECTION 3: COMMON CAUSES

Category: Configuration Error Specific technical explanation: The Net Debug Stats setting remains enabled in the game's configuration files, even if the UI toggle appears off. This setting forces the network diagnostic overlay to render independently of other HUD elements. Why this causes the problem: The game engine reads the enabled state from a configuration file at startup. If this value is set to true, the overlay renders and ignores UI-based toggle commands. Category: Configuration Error Specific technical explanation: A corrupted GameUserSettings.ini file contains invalid or conflicting parameters for the HUD and diagnostic display sections. Why this causes the problem: The game's configuration parser encounters malformed data for the overlay settings, defaulting to a visible state for the net debug overlay without proper control hooks. Category: Software Conflict Specific technical explanation: Third-party overlay software (e.g., Discord Overlay, NVIDIA GeForce Experience Overlay, MSI Afterburner) injects its rendering layer, interfering with Fortnite's internal HUD visibility checks. Why this causes the problem: The external overlay intercepts or conflicts with the DirectX/Vulkan calls Fortnite uses to show/hide its diagnostic elements, causing state mismanagement. Category: Game Bug Specific technical explanation: A version-specific bug in the Fortnite client incorrectly maps the "Net Debug Stats" UI toggle to a different configuration variable than the one the rendering engine uses. Why this causes the problem: User interaction with the in-game menu does not modify the actual NetDebugStats parameter, creating a disconnect between user input and engine behavior. Category: Configuration Error Specific technical explanation: The user's account cloud sync data retains an older, incompatible version of the settings profile that enables the net debug overlay. Why this causes the problem: Upon login, Epic Games Launcher synchronizes and applies an outdated local configuration that re-enables the problematic setting each session.

SECTION 4: SOLUTIONS

Solution 1: Disable Net Debug Stats In-Game

Difficulty: Easy Time Required: 2 minutes Success Rate: High Prerequisites: None Steps:

Launch Fortnite and proceed to the main lobby.
Press the Esc key (PC) or the Menu button (console) to open the main menu.
Navigate to the Settings icon (gear symbol) and select it.
In the Settings menu, select the Game UI tab from the left-hand sidebar.
Scroll down to the HUD section within the Game UI settings.
Locate the Net Debug Stats option. Ensure its toggle is set to Off (gray).
Apply the settings and return to the lobby. The rectangle should immediately disappear.

Technical Explanation: This directly addresses the primary configuration variable controlling the network diagnostic overlay. Setting the toggle to Off sends a command to the game engine to stop rendering the overlay's container rectangle. Verification: The rectangular overlay at the top of the screen is no longer visible in the lobby or during a match. Other HUD elements remain functional.

Solution 2: Manually Edit Configuration File

Difficulty: Medium Time Required: 5 minutes Success Rate: High Prerequisites: File editing permissions, Fortnite must be fully closed. Steps:

Close the Epic Games Launcher and Fortnite completely.
Navigate to the Fortnite configuration directory: C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\FortniteGame\Saved\Config\WindowsClient\
Locate the file named GameUserSettings.ini and create a backup copy.
Right-click the original file, select Open with, and choose a text editor like Notepad.
Press Ctrl + F and search for the term NetDebugStats.
Find the line NetDebugStats= and ensure it is set to NetDebugStats=False.
If the line does not exist, navigate to the [/Script/FortniteUI.FortUIDataConfiguration] section and add the line NetDebugStats=False on a new line.
Save the file. Right-click the file, select Properties, and check the Read-only attribute to prevent sync overwrites (optional).
Launch Fortnite to test.

Technical Explanation: This method edits the primary configuration file that the game engine reads on startup, forcing the NetDebugStats parameter to a disabled state at the source, bypassing any UI sync issues. Verification: Launch the game. The overlay is absent. Check the GameUserSettings.ini file after playing to confirm the NetDebugStats=False line persists.

Solution 3: Reset Configuration Files

Difficulty: Medium Time Required: 5 minutes Success Rate: Medium Prerequisites: Fortnite must be closed. Custom settings will be lost. Steps:

Close the Epic Games Launcher.
Open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\FortniteGame\Saved\.
Rename the entire Config folder to Config_Backup.
Relaunch the Epic Games Launcher and start Fortnite. The game will generate a new, default Config folder.
Upon reaching the lobby, reconfigure your essential video and control settings. The Net Debug Stats will be defaulted to Off.

Technical Explanation: Corrupted or miswritten configuration files are replaced with fresh defaults from the game's installation directory. This eliminates any erroneous or conflicting parameters causing the overlay to stick. Verification: A new Config folder is created in the Saved directory. The rectangle overlay is absent, and the Net Debug Stats option in Game UI settings is set to Off by default.

Solution 4: Disable Conflicting Third-Party Overlays

Difficulty: Easy Time Required: 3 minutes Success Rate: Medium Prerequisites: Knowledge of installed overlay software. Steps:

For Discord: Open Discord User Settings > Activity Privacy > disable Display currently running activity as a status message. Then, go to Overlay > disable Enable in-game overlay.
For NVIDIA GeForce Experience: Open the GeForce Experience overlay (Alt+Z by default). Click the Settings cog, navigate to HUD Layout, and disable all Performance and Status overlays. Alternatively, disable the in-game overlay entirely in General settings.
For Xbox Game Bar: Press Win + G to open the Game Bar. Go to Settings (cog icon) and disable Record game clips, screenshots, and broadcast using Game Bar.
Launch Fortnite to test. Re-enable these features one by one if the fix works to identify the conflict.

Technical Explanation: Third-party overlays hook into the same graphics API as Fortnite. Disabling them removes the potential for hook conflicts that can prevent Fortnite's engine from properly managing its own HUD element visibility states. Verification: The rectangle disappears. Functionality can be confirmed by re-enabling one overlay at a time and restarting Fortnite to identify the specific conflicting software.

Solution 5: Clear Epic Games Launcher Cache and Data

Difficulty: Advanced Time Required: 7 minutes Success Rate: Medium Prerequisites: Fortnite and Epic Games Launcher must be closed. Steps:

Close the Epic Games Launcher completely via the system tray.
Press Win + R, type %localappdata%, and press Enter.
Locate and open the EpicGamesLauncher folder.
Rename the Saved folder to Saved_Backup.
Navigate back to %localappdata% and open the EpicGamesLauncher folder again.
Open the Cache folder and delete all contents.
Relaunch the Epic Games Launcher. It will recreate necessary data.
Launch Fortnite. You may need to log in again.

Technical Explanation: The Epic Games Launcher cache can store outdated or corrupted profile data that syncs problematic settings to the game. Clearing it forces a fresh sync of account configuration from the cloud, which typically carries the correct default state. Verification: The Epic Games Launcher rebuilds its Saved folder. Upon logging into Fortnite, the rectangle is absent, and settings sync from a clean state.

Solution 6: Verify Game Integrity via Epic Launcher

Difficulty: Easy Time Required: 10-30 minutes (depends on SSD/HDD) Success Rate: Low Prerequisites: Active internet connection for file verification. Steps:

Open the Epic Games Launcher.
Navigate to your Library.
Locate Fortnite and click the three dots (...) below the game title.
Select Manage from the dropdown menu.
Click the Verify button. The launcher will scan all game files and download any missing or corrupted ones.
Once the process completes, launch Fortnite.

Technical Explanation: This process replaces any corrupted or modified game executable and configuration template files with clean versions from the Epic servers. It ensures the base logic for handling HUD toggles is intact. Verification: The verification process completes with a "Ready to play" message. Launching the game shows the rectangle is removed if the issue was caused by corrupted core game files.

SECTION 5: PREVENTION

To prevent recurrence, manually set the NetDebugStats parameter to False in the GameUserSettings.ini file and apply the Read-only attribute to the file. Maintain a regular schedule for updating graphics drivers, but wait 48 hours after a new driver release to confirm no compatibility issues with Fortnite. Before enabling any third-party software overlay, test it in a single match to confirm no conflict with Fortnite's HUD. Periodically clear the Epic Games Launcher cache through its settings menu to prevent stale data accumulation. Monitor the GameUserSettings.ini file after major game updates, as patches can sometimes reset or alter configuration sections.

SECTION 6: WHEN TO CONTACT SUPPORT

Contact Epic Games Support if the rectangle persists after applying all solutions, including a clean reinstall of Fortnite. Also escalate if the issue is accompanied by other graphical artifacts, performance degradation, or input lag. Provide diagnostic information including the GameUserSettings.ini file and the FortniteGame.log file located in C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\FortniteGame\Saved\Logs. Include your full system specifications. Official support channels are accessible via the Epic Games Help page at epicgames.com/help.