Getting stuck on the connecting screen in Fortnite is a common bug generally related to servers going down due to massive influxes of players.
Mainly during the start of new seasons, the number of players can overwhelm the servers and cause players to experience the ‘stuck on connecting screen’ error.
Here’s how you can fix getting stuck on the connecting screen bug in Fortnite.
How do you fix the stuck on connecting screen bug in Fortnite
Check if the servers are down
If the servers are down, your hands will be tied. It’ll be up to Epic to fix its servers, and you won’t be able to fix the connecting screen bug by applying traditional methods. To save time and effort, you should check how the servers are doing before trying to fix the error by yourself.
- Go to the server status tracker, which shows the current server status for all Epic services alongside past logs.
- When a server-wide bug or error affects a decent part of the player base, Epic often updates the players through Fortnite’s Status Twitter account.
- Alternatively, community hubs like Reddit can be your second stop. Whenever a widespread error occurs, players usually take it to the forms first to see whether others are experiencing the same error.
- If Fortnite or the Epic Games Games launcher is down, you must wait for Epic to roll out a fix.
Restart Fortnite
You can still get stuck on the connecting screen even when the servers are online. You may have gotten unlucky on your first try, and a simple restart may be enough to get you back into Fortnite.
- Right-click on your taskbar and choose Task Manager
- Right-click on the Fortnite program and choose End Task
- Reopen Fortnite, and your problem should be fixed.
Restarting your game will give you a second shot at connecting to Fortnite’s servers. If you successfully log into Fortnite after restarting the game, it could mean that you just stumbled upon an overloaded server on your first try, meaning it was probably a one-time thing.
Reinstall Fortnite
The methods above cover all bases regarding connection-related bugs or errors. If none work, you can also try reinstalling Fortnite to ensure you don’t have any corrupted files messing with your experience.
If you started getting stuck on the connecting screen after moving your game files or installing a new storage device, you should benefit from reinstalling the game. When all files are fresh off the oven, the chances of you running into a software-related bug should be close to a minimum.
Turn off all Startup Apps
The startup apps are applications that start when you turn your PC on. They run in the background and soak up your PC’s resources while you’re trying to play games. Therefore, your computer is forced to give energy to running multiple startup apps and run Fortnite. To turn off startup apps:
- Search Startup Apps on your Windows taskbar
- Go to the tab that sorts the apps
- Click on ‘Startup Impact’
- Switch off the desired apps that have a high impact on your PC
Switch from DirectX12 to DirectX11
Sometimes, Windows does not mesh well with Fortnite’s newest features. DirectX12 is an updated version of DirectX11, and Fortnite seems to have problems with it. To switch back to DirectX11, follow these steps.
- Head to the Epic Games Launcher
- Navigate to the top right corner of the launcher and click on your initials
- Click on Settings
- Scroll down to Fortnite and expand the drop-down
- Check the ‘Additional Command Line Arguments Box‘
- Enter the line d3d11 in the text box
- Relaunch Fortnite
Temporarily Disable your Antivirus
On PC, antivirus programs can interfere with Fortnite’s launch, with specific files unable to load due to the security policy of the antivirus program. If this fixes the problem, reenable it after the fact. If the issues persist with your antivirus software on, you may need to look deeper.
Wait out the error or send a support ticket to Epic
If everything you’ve tried couldn’t fix the bug for you, the chances are something is wrong with the servers, and you’ll need to wait for Epic to fix them. Players who would like to have no downtime can use this time to learn how to improve at Fortnite. Taking time to learn more tips and tricks about Fortnite will be more beneficial than actually playing the game, and when the servers are up, you can test the new tricks you’ve just picked up.
Consider sending a support ticket to Epic when it takes longer than expected. Mention all the troubleshooting steps you’ve tried to fix this bug and provide screenshots in your access.
A support associate should look at your case within a couple of business days and devise a plan to solve the bug. You may get a list of additional troubleshooting methods, or Epic could roll out a small patch if too many players report the same bug.
There you go! You know everything you need to know to fix Fortnite’s stuck on connecting screen bug. Good luck!
