Experiencing lag or latency can be extremely frustrating in a game where every millisecond matters. Fortnite players need their game to run smoothly or risk being at a severe disadvantage versus other players. This guide will detail 6 simple steps for how to fix Fortnite lag once and for all.
Quick take
Don’t let lag ruin your Fortnite gaming experience. To fix Fortnite lag, verify your computer meets the game’s minimum system requirements, update GPU drivers, check your internet connection, disable background programs, optimize your graphics settings, and keep your PC temperature cool.
Table of Contents
1. Check the system requirements for Fortnite
Fortnite isn’t the most demanding game you can play on PC, but meeting the minimum system requirements is still vital for running the game smoothly. If you’re experiencing lag in Fortnite, your hardware may need to be updated.
Here are the minimum and recommended system requirements for Fortnite:
Minimum System Requirements
- Video Card: Intel HD 4000 on PC; AMD Radeon Vega 8
- Processor: Core i3-3225 3.3 GHz
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- OS: Windows 7/8/10/11 64-bit or Mac OS Mojave 10.14.6
Recommended System Requirements
- Video Card: Nvidia GTX 960, AMD R9 280, or equivalent DX11 GPU
- Video Memory: 2 GB VRAM
- Processor: Core i5-7300U 3.5 GHz, AMD Ryzen 3 3300U, or equivalent
- Memory: 8 GB RAM or higher
- OS: Windows 10/11 64-bit
You can check your computer’s specs by searching for ‘About’ in the Windows search bar. It may be time to upgrade if your components fail to meet the Fortnite minimum requirements.
2. Update graphic card drivers
Updating graphic card drivers can sometimes solve performance issues in games like Fortnite. The graphics card manufacturers regularly send driver updates to improve game optimization.
An out-of-date graphics card driver could cause lag or latency issues in Fortnite. Check out our how to update graphics card drivers guide, which includes detailed instructions for NVIDIA and AMD GPUs.
3. Check your internet connection
The root cause of Fortnite lag could be a faulty internet connection, high ping, or slow speed. Check the following to see if your Fortnite lag is related to internet issues:
Change your region
If your experiencing high ping in Fortnite, it could be caused by your default matchmaking region. Your matchmaking region should be set to near where you live, or you will experience high ping and lag with the Fortnite servers lagging for your region. Here’s how to check your Fortnite matchmaking region:
- Go to the Fortnite settings menu.
- Find Matchmaking Region under the Game settings tab.
- Choose Auto or the region with the lowest ping. Ping is the number displayed next to the region name, i.e., NA-EAST (##MS).
- Hit Apply to confirm your matchmaking region preferences.
Use a wired connection
An ethernet cable to connect your console or PC to the router can improve your internet speed and reduce lag. Wi-Fi connections can lose strength based on distance, obstacles, or even your Wi-Fi adapter. Hard-wiring your device via ethernet cable is the best way to ensure you utilize your ISP’s full speed.
Check your speed
It’s always a good idea to check your internet speed to determine if it’s causing lag in Fortnite. Free speed tests, like speedtest.net, provide diagnostic tools for your internet connection. These tools can help rule out internet-related lag issues in Fortnite, like slow speed, packet loss, or high ping.
Restart your router
If you’ve determined that your Fortnite issues are caused by slow speeds or packet loss, restarting your router can often solve the problem. Unplug your router, wait thirty seconds, and plug it back in. Give your router time to reboot before checking to see if your internet issues have been resolved.
4. Disable background programs
To get the most FPS and least amount of lag in Fortnite, you want to ensure the game has your computer’s undivided attention. This means disabling any programs running in the background, like Google Chrome or Spotify, that may be hogging your PC’s processing power. Here’s how to disable programs from running in the background:
- For Windows 10 & 11 users, head to Settings on your PC and navigate to Apps.
- Click on Installed Apps to see a complete list of the applications installed on your PC.
- For each program you want to disable from running in the background, click on the app and head to Advanced Options.
- You can change the Background Apps Permissions to ‘Never’ so the app doesn’t run in the background while playing Fortnite.
5. Optimize Fortnite graphics settings
Your Fortnite graphics settings could create latency caused by low FPS or frame drops. Using graphics settings optimized for your PC’s performance is crucial to ensure steady frame rates. If you own a low-end computer, enabling settings like Performance Mode can significantly improve your FPS.
Our guide on the best Fortnite graphics settings details settings and tips for reducing latency and squeezing the most FPS out of your computer.
6. Cool your system
PCs need to be kept cool to maintain optimal performance. If you experience lag in Fortnite after extended gaming sessions, and the game ran smoothly when you started playing, the issue could be your computer’s temperature.
Here are some tips to lower your computer’s temperature:
- Dust can build up over time, blocking vents and preventing fans from functioning correctly. Use compressed air to remove dust and debris from these areas.
- Keep your system away from heat sources, like a space heater or direct sunlight, that could increase your computer’s temperature.
- Ensure your computer stays off carpeted surfaces and has access to fresh airflow. Placing your computer on carpet can insulate the system and cause the temperature to rise. Likewise, storing your PC in a cabinet or other insulated space can restrict airflow and increase temperatures.
