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How to Easily Fix Fortnite Lagging in 2024

Last updated: February 23, 2022

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If you haven’t heard of Fortnite, it’s very likely that you have been living under a rock!

Fortnite, developed by Epic Games, is a world-famous online game. There are over 350 million Fornite gamers globally.

The problem is, despite its popularity, users are constantly complaining about Fortnite lagging issues!

While there are many reasons why you might be suffering lag on Fornite, there are a few very simple ways to fix Fortnite lagging.

If you are looking to use Fornite free of any lags, one of the simplest ways to do this is to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN).

Keep on reading to learn more about fixing Fortnite lag with a VPN!

In a Hurry? Here’s How to Fix Fortnite Lag

Reasons that Might Cause Fortnite Lags 

Before we talk about fixing Fortnite lag, let’s first talk about some of the things that may be causing lag on Fortnite in the first place. Here are a few of the common culprits:

Inadequate hardware:

Since Fortnite has system requirements that need to be met in order for you to play your game with the best quality, you will find that you have lag on Fortnite if your device does not meet these requirements.

A few of the minimum system requirements, for example, are:

Mac:

☑️ Graphics: Intel HD 4000
☑️ CPU: Core i3 2.4 GHz
☑️ RAM: 4 GB Operating
☑️ System : 0.12 Sierra

Windows:

☑️ Graphics: Intel HD 4000
☑️ CPU: Core i3 3.3 GHz
☑️ RAM: 4 GB Operating
☑️ System: Windows 7/8/10 64-bit

Slow Internet connection:

One common reason why you might be experiencing Fornite lag is if you have a slow Internet connection, as your online connection is a vital component of gaming success.

If you are experiencing slow Internet and lots of Fortnite lag, run a free online speed test to check to see if it is as fast as your ISP promises. If it is too slow for Fortnite, contact your ISP. Remember that the minimum requirements for playing Fortnite are:

☑️ Intel HD 4000 video card
☑️ Sierra OS 0.12 or Windows 7/8/10 with 64-bit
☑️ 4GB RAM
☑️ 2.4 GHz Core i3 processor or 3.3 GHz

Bandwidth throttling:

If your ISP sees that you regularly play games like Fortnite that use a lot of bandwidth, slowing your connection. To avoid this throttling, use a VPN to prevent Fortnite lag.

A VPN will fix Fortnite lag by concealing your activity and hiding your IP address so your ISP won’t see that you are using Fortnite in the first place and will have no reason for throttling.

Outdated Fornite version or drivers: 

If you are not careful about updating your game as updates are released, you will be using a version that may cause Fortnite lag and may have bugs. To get the lowest ping, make sure you are up-to-date on your Fortnite game!

Although Fortnite should perform updates automatically, it may not complete these updates if your device does not have enough free space. Make sure to free up some space to run Fortnite, and check Epic Games updates to confirm that you are using the latest version, which is an easy way to avoid annoying Fortnite lag.

How a VPN Can Help You Fix Fortnite Lags 

The most simple way of fixing Fortnite lag is to use a VPN.

Here are some of the most common ways a VPN can help fix Fornite lag to run Fortnite successfully and smoothly:

☑️ Fix Internet connection issues: If you find that you have slow Internet connections when you are playing Fortnite, it could your ISP. Internet Service Providers commonly throttle users’ bandwidth when they detect that they are accessing streaming or gaming platforms to keep you from using too much bandwidth. By connecting to a VPN server, you can avoid ISP throttling since your activity is encrypted and your IP address is concealed, ensuring that your ISP won’t detect that you are on a gaming platform.

☑️ Conceal your activity online: Not only does a VPN keep your activity hidden from online threats — like hackers, authorities, or DDoS attacks — but it also helps you stay off the radar of your ISP, helping avoid ISP throttling that will affect your online games and cause Fortnite lag.

☑️ Allows you to switch servers: VPNs offer thousands of servers available to users to connect to in different locations around the globe. This VPN server network gives users an easy way to switch servers if there is crowding on any of the Fortnite servers, which is a huge cause for high ping or lag. This process of switching servers only takes seconds and it can fix Fortnite lag.

Why Is Fortnite Lagging On Different Devices?

There are different reasons why you may find experience Fortnite lag problems on different devices.

Why is Fortnite laggy on Windows or Mac? 

If you are experiencing lag that is affecting your game performance on your Windows or Mac, there may be a couple of reasons why:

☑️ You may be using too much bandwidth. Your Internet Service Provider could be throttling your bandwidth if you appear to be using too much bandwidth playing Fornite. A VPN is the best way to hide this to avoid ISP throttling!

☑️ You may be experiencing Fornite lag on your Mac or Windows because you have a higher ping. Check to see if there is a problem with your connection to the Internet.

☑️ You are not meeting the minimum system requirements. You may be using outdated Windows or Mac hardware that doesn’t meet Fortnite’s minimum requirements. Updating your hardware will fix this.

☑️ Your Fornite server is overcrowded. Fixing lag in this case can be as simple as switching to a VPN server, which will reduce lag.

Using a reputable VPN is a quick way to fix Fortnite lag in most of these situations.

Why is Fortnite laggy on Xbox or PS4? 

If you are experiencing Fornite lag on your games console, here are some possible causes (and ways to fix Fortnite lag on your Xbox or PS4 console):

☑️ Gamers may be using an old Fortnite version: If this is the case, update to the latest Fortnite version, which could help with fixing Fortnite lag.

☑️ Poor Internet connection: Ensure that your router is fully optimized. Restart your router to see if this fixes your network connection problems.

☑️ Issues with your ISP or your server: Use a reputable VPN to conceal the fact that you are playing Fortnite, or change servers, connecting to one of your VPN servers.

While you can’t download your VPN right onto your gaming console, you can install it on your router, which will ensure that all devices connected to your wi-fi, including your gaming consoles, will be connected to your VPN.

Why is Fortnite laggy on Android or iOS?

If you find that you are experiencing Fortnite lag problems on your Android or iOS smartphone, here are a few reasons this could be happening:

☑️ You may be using an unstable connection to the Internet. If this is the case, use your home network instead of your mobile data. Make sure your router is fully optimized. Restart/reinstall Fortnite.

☑️ You could have other apps that are running. If this is the case, close your apps on your Android or iOS smartphone and change to Game mode if applicable.

☑️ You are using an outdated Fortnite version. If this is the case, update your app to the latest Fortnite version.

A quick solution to these issues is to use a reputable VPN to fix Fortnite lag.

3 Best VPNs to Stop Fortnite from Lagging

The best tool to use for fixing lag when playing games of Fortnite is a VPN, but not every VPN will work at doing so.

If you are looking to fix Fortnite lag issues, here are the best VPNs to use:

Devices compatible with ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is the best VPN to help with Fortnite lag issues, with great speeds and a server network of over 3,000 servers in more than 94 countries around the world.

ExpressVPN has super-fast servers that you can connect to when you want to bypass blocks, stay hidden from your ISP, and help reduce lag when playing games online, like Fortnite.

ExpressVPN has the capability to protect you fully online, with military-grade encryption, a built-in Kill Switch, split tunneling, DNS leak protection, and a strict no-logging policy.

While ExpressVPN is our top-rated VPN for reducing Fortnite lag, the only drawback to ExpressVPN is the price, which is a bit more than its competing VPNs.

You can test our ExpressVPN for up to 30 days with your online games with a money-back guarantee do see for yourself that there is improvement in your gaming lag. If you choose to opt for a refund, all you have to do is contact the ExpressVPN 24/7 live chat support representatives to cancel your plan within the first month.

Pros:

  • 24/7 live chat support
  • Connect 5 devices simultaneously
  • Strong encryption
  • 30-day money-back guarantee
  • Military-grade encryption
  • Helps improve lag

Cons:

  • More expensive plan

2. NordVPN

Devices compatible with NordVPN

If you want to fix Fortnite lag issues, NordVPN is a great tool to use.

NordVPN has great speeds and has a network of over 5,200 servers in more than 60 countries, so you will never have trouble finding a server to connect to conceal your IP address from your ISP to prevent throttling and improve lag.

NordVPN also has top privacy and security features, offering military-grade encryption for your online gaming, a no-logs policy, and an automatic Kill Switch.

You can connect up to 6 devices to a single NordVPN plan, so you can connect to your online games while the members of your household use the same VPN service to unblock streaming sites or browse the web securely.

If you are having trouble finding servers that will help lower your lag in Fortnite, contact NordVPN’s very informative and responsive 24/7 live chat customer support representatives for tips. You can also test out NordVPN for up to 30 days with a refund guarantee, and cancel simply by live-chatting with a rep.

Pros:

  • 30-day money-back guarantee
  • Helps decrease lag
  • Strong encryption
  • 6 devices simultaneously
  • 24/7 live-chat support
  • Large network of servers

Cons:

  • Desktop app can be glitchy

Devices compatible with Surfshark

If fixing Fornite lag is your goal, Surfshark is a great VPN to use that is actually great for gamers on a tight budget.

Surfshark offers over 3,200 servers spread across over 65 countries and offers great privacy and security features, like a Kill Switch, military-grade encryption to encrypt your Internet connection, a no-logging policy, DNS, and IP leak protection, and CleanWeb suite, which is an ad-tracker blocking tool.

With this VPN, you can connect an unlimited number of devices to a single subscription, so you can play your Fortnite game on your device while anyone in your household uses the same account to connect to blocked streaming services, torrenting sites, other games, or any other platforms.

Like ExpressVPN and NordVPN, Surfshark gives users 30 days to test out the VPN before committing to a long-term plan with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Pros:

  • 24/7 live chat support
  • 30-day money-back guarantee
  • Military-grade encryption
  • Helps improve lag
  • Unlimited simultaneous connections

Cons:

  • Speeds can be slower
  • Some servers not as reliable

Can I Use a Free VPN for Playing Fortnite? 

While you may want to try playing Fortnite with a free VPN, fight the temptation.

Free VPNs are usually a waste of your time, as they often cause more gaming lag instead of helping improve it. The reason for this is that free VPNs tend to have a limited number of servers to offer users, and often put caps on data and bandwidth, which makes gaming nearly impossible.

If you want to improve your lag, opt for one of the reliable VPNs on our list above and take advantage of the 30-day money-back guarantee to ensure that you are able to test them out first.

How to Fix Fortnite VPN Error 

Even though fixing Fornite lag is fairly simple with a VPN, you may quickly realize that Fortnite does not condone VPN use. If Fornite detects that you are using a VPN, you may actually find yourself blocked, with this message displayed:

Fortnite VPN restriction error

You were removed from the match due to Internet lag, your IP or machine, VPN usage, or for cheating. We recommend not utilizing VPN or proxy services while attempting to play Fortnite.”

But don’t worry too much. You will likely only be at risk for this message if you are using a low-quality VPN service, which is why it is extra important to only use a pre-vetted provider when you are accessing the Fornite game. ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and Surfshark are all highly secure VPNs that make it their mission to help you access your games, avoiding any potential bans.

FAQs

Why is there Fornite lag when I have good ping?
Although lag is often caused by higher latency, it can also be a result of issues with your computer that you are using for gaming, including insufficient system requirements that will cause lag.
Can I use a VPN to play Fortnite?
Yes. You can definitely use a VPN to play Fortnite. But, this being said, Fortnite does not like you to use VPNs for fixing Fortnite lag, or for any other purpose, so make sure you are using only a reputable service that will keep your IP address completely concealed to avoid being banned.
Is it legal to use a VPN with Fortnite?
Yes. It is definitely legal to use a VPN with Fortnite, but Fornite does not condone VPN use, so you may find yourself blocked if you are detected using a VPN.

Conclusion

If fixing Fortnite lag is your goal, the best way to do this is to use a VPN.

The best VPN for improving your gaming lag is ExpressVPN. You can sign up for ExpressVPN today for up to 49% off, and test it out for up to 30 days with a money-back guarantee.

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