How to Fix Epic Games Launcher Not Working

Is the Epic Games launcher not working on your PC?

Epic Games is an American video game and software developer/publisher in North Carolina. It is the company behind Fortnite, Gears of War, and several other titles. Fortnite alone has over 3.6 million users and Epic Games has 193+ million active users. 

Given the scale of Epic Games, devs make it a point to keep the platform running. Any issues encountered by the app can cause major problems with the users and the games they cater to. 

Unfortunately, this has been the case for some Epic Games users. Based on the reports, the game launcher is not working on their computers, preventing them from accessing their profile and game library. 

Much like Steam, Epic Games also features a web store, where you can purchase applications and games. 

Depending on the situation, the Epic Games launcher not working can be due to several reasons. Usually, it can be due to a server issue or system maintenance. On the other hand, it can also be due to improper configurations, slow network connections, or third-party software. 

To help you out, we’ve decided to make a guide for fixing the Epic Games launcher if it’s not working on your PC. 

Let’s dive right in!

1. Check the Servers. 

Before tweaking your device or network, the first thing you should do is check the status of the servers. Given that Epic Games is an online service, its servers play a major role in providing features and services. 

To check if there are issues with the servers, you can head to Epic Games’ dedicated status page

epic games launcher not working

If there are problems with the servers, the best thing you can do for now is to wait. Sadly, server-related issues can only be addressed on Epic Games’ side. On the other hand, you can proceed to the next solution if the servers are up and running. 

2. Restart Your Computer. 

One of the simplest troubleshooting steps that you can perform whenever you encounter problems with your computer is to restart it. This should allow your system to reload its resources and eliminate temporary problems that may have occurred during use. 


Here’s what you need to do: 

  1. Access the Start Menu by pressing the Windows key on your keyboard. 
  2. Next, go to the Power Options tab. 
  3. Finally, click on Restart to reboot your system. 
epic games launcher not working

Try launching Epic Games to see if the problem is solved. 

3. Run Epic Games As Admin. 

There might be some system components that block Epic Games from launching on your computer. To bypass any restriction, you can try running the software as an administrator to give it full access to your system. 

Follow the steps below to run Epic Games as an administrator: 

  1. On your desktop, locate Epic Games and right-click on it. 
  2. Now, choose Properties and access the Compatibility tab. 
  3. Look for the ‘Run this Program as an Administrator’ option and enable it. 
Run As Admin

Save the changes and relaunch the software to check if the problem is solved. 

4. Update Your Graphics Drivers. 

If you are struggling to run games from the Epic Games library, it might indicate a problem with your video card or graphics drivers. To rule this out, make sure that your system has the latest GPU drivers installed. 

See the steps below to update your drivers:

  1. First, hit the Windows + X keys on your keyboard to open the Quick Menu
  2. Click on Device Manager to launch it. 
  3. Now, expand the Display Adapters tab and look for your video card. 
  4. Lastly, right-click on your card and choose Update Driver. Follow the prompts to continue. 
epic games launcher not working

Once done, restart your computer to apply the changes and see if Epic Games will work. 

5. Turn Off Antivirus. 

Antiviruses are software that protects your system and files from malware, trojan, and other forms of harmful applications. However, some antivirus tends to be overprotective and block even legitimate apps from running. 

If you encounter issues with Epic Games, consider disabling your protection and see if the software will work. 

You can also add Epic Games to your antivirus’ exception list if it supports that feature. 

6. Check Your Network. 

Slow or unstable networks could also be the reason the Epic Games launcher is not working on your computer. Since you are using an online platform, you will need stable internet to enjoy its services. 

To check if your network is the culprit, perform a speed test using Fast.com to measure its upload and download bandwidth. 

Speed Test

If you’ve confirmed that your network is the problem, power cycle your modem or router to refresh the connection with your service provider. Unplug your router from the outlet and wait for all the lights to turn off. 

Reconnect your router after a few seconds and wait for your device to initialize. 

epic games launcher not working

Once done, run another test to check if the restart helped improve your connection’s performance. If not, get in touch with your provider and report the issue. 

7. Clear Epic Games’ Cache. 

Clearing Epic Games launcher’s cache requires a few advanced steps but is worth trying if you are still encountering issues with the service. 

See the steps below to clear Epic Games’ cache: 

  1. On your keyboard, press the Windows + R keys to open Run Command
  2. Now, type in ‘%localappdata%’ and hit Enter to open the folder. 
  3. Access the Epic Games folder and go to the Saved folder. 
  4. Finally, locate the Webcache folder and delete it. 

Relaunch Epic Games afterward to see if the problem is solved. 

8. Update Windows. 

This might be a long shot but worth trying if the Epic Games launcher is still not working on your PC. The version of Windows you are using might have an issue that causes Epic Games and other software to run into errors. 

We suggest updating your operating system to the latest version to ensure that there are no problems with your system. 

Here’s how you can update Windows:

  1. First, open the Start Menu by pressing the Windows key on your keyboard. 
  2. After that, click on the Gear icon to access Windows Settings
  3. Now, go to Update & Security and click on Windows Update
  4. Locate the Check for Updates button and click it to initiate the update. 
epic games launcher not working

Reboot your system after downloading the update and see if Epic Games works. 

9. Reinstall Epic Games Launcher. 

If none of the solutions above worked, the last thing you can do is reinstall Epic Games on your computer. The app might not be installed properly or has missing or broken resources, causing it to malfunction. 

Check out the guide below to delete Epic Games: 

  1. On your computer, access the Start Menu and look for the Control Panel.
  2. Now, launch it and click on Uninstall a Progam under the Programs & Features tab. 
  3. Locate Epic Games from the list and right-click on it. 
  4. Finally, choose Uninstall to remove the app from your computer. 

Go to Epic Games’ website afterward and download the latest installer. 

That ends our guide on how to fix Epic Games launcher if it’s not working correctly on your device. If you have other concerns, feel free to leave a comment below, and we’ll do our best to respond. 

If this guide helped you, please share it. 🙂

Author

  • John Sixto

    John is a staff writer at Saint and comes from a SAP ABAP development background. He has a Bachelors in IT and has been writing since 2018, with over 500 posts published. He loves to build PCs and has a deep curiosity in understanding how different components and configurations work. John spends hundreds of hours at a time, researching and testing the software and apps, before he proceeds to write about it. LinkedIn X (Twitter)

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