What to know if you’re seeing the dreaded «Fortnite servers not responding» error
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If you’re asking is Fortnite down, then you’ve probably gone to log in for a battle royale session or jam out some more tracks to continue unlocking new Fortnite Sabrina Carpenter content, but you’ve run into a problem. Instead of reaching the familiar lobby screen to select your preferred experience from the growing list available, you’re stuck on a forever repeating loading screen bearing the dreaded message that the Fortnite servers not responding is the current issue. At the time of writing, Fortnite is down for scheduled maintenance to roll out a hotfix, but this should only cause temporary disruption for a short time, after which you’ll be able to log on again and play as normal.
Whether you’re unable to connect, are getting specific Fortnite error codes, or have run into Fortnite scheduled downtime, we’ve got all of the details you need to know. Generally Epic’s magnum opus is pretty stable when it comes to servers, but connection problems can still be an issue when it comes to Fortnite. That’s why we’ve got the latest on the Fortnite servers laid out for you below.
Is Fortnite down?
At the time of writing on April 15 the game services, login, matchmaking, and more are under maintenance, so the Fortnite servers are down. This is scheduled downtime at 3am PDT / 6am EDT / 11am BST to roll out a hotfix to the v34.30 update for Season 2 in Chapter 6, and this should only be a temporary disruption lasting a short time, after which you’ll be able to log on again and play as normal.
We’ll be taking a short downtime tomorrow at 6 AM ET while we deploy a hotfix. Matchmaking will be disabled 30 minutes prior. pic.twitter.com/ts5AZt6ot0April 14, 2025
When there are issues, the main place to check for information is the @FortniteStatus Twitter feed, which details any current issues with gameplay or connectivity. It also confirms when scheduled downtime for maintenance is due to happen in advance, as well as when the Fortnite servers will be back up. Scheduled downtime normally takes place at 1am PDT / 4am EDT / 9am BST and lasts for 2-3 hours on average, with timing aimed to minimise disruption.
Obviously, if you’re trying to play the game and can’t connect, then that’s a good indication of the Fortnite servers not responding. Often you’ll receive a message from the game’s menu screen, confirming that a known issue is taking place, and this may even indicate a rough time when the Fortnite servers are coming back up. You can also visit the Epic Games Public Status site to see what Fortnite services are currently reporting as Operational and which have issues.
Finally, if you’re still having issues with the game but there is nothing being reported by Epic, you can visit the Downdetector status page for Fortnite to see if other players are experiencing similar problems. If you see a sudden spike in reports coming in then you’ll know you’re not alone, and it’s likely only a matter of time before official word is posted on the matter.
Most importantly, if you find out that Fortnite is down then don’t panic! Server downtime in infrequent and usually lasts a couple of hours at most, so you shouldn’t have to spend long asking when are the Fortnite servers coming back up and you’ll be back to the battle royale in no time.
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