Packet loss arises when data packets fail to arrive, which typically causes lag to occur in games. This is a common gaming issue that many Fortnite players report on Reddit and elsewhere. For example, this is what one Fortnite player had to say about packet loss on Reddit, “I have been getting a lot of packet loss in my Ranked (Fortnite) games; the odd thing is it only seems to happen in ranked and it makes the game unplayable like 60% packet loss does anyone know a fix?” These are some potential ways to fix Fortnite packet loss on Windows 11/10 PCs.
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Set a Limitclientticks Launch Command
Epic support’s official resolution for Fortnite packet loss is to set a -limitclientticks launch parameter for the game. This launch parameter throttles network updates when set. You can set a -limitclientticks launch parameter like this.
- Open your Epic Games software.
- Click your user profile button and Settings.
- Next, click the Fortnite game to expand.
- Select the Additional Command Line Arguments box.
- Input -limitclientticks into the command line box.
The Additional Command Line Arguments box
Add Fortnite to Microsoft Defender’s Exclusion List
Antivirus scans and rulesets for games can potentially cause packet loss to arise. So, adding Fortnite to Microsoft Defender’s exclusion list could help to reduce packet loss for some players. You can add Fortnite to that exclusion list as instructed on this Microsoft page. Select to add the FortniteClient-Win64-Shipping.exe file in the Fortnite > FortniteGame > Binaries > Win64 folder to that exclusion list.
The exclusion settings in Windows Security
Close Unneeded Background Apps
Unnecessary background apps can increase network congestion, causing higher packet loss in your Fortnite game. So, it’s advisable to close third-party background apps running on your PC before playing Fortnite. This is how you can close superfluous programs before playing Fortnite.
- Right-click any empty part of the taskbar and select Task Manager.
- If Processes is not selected, click on that tab to view it.
- Select unneeded third-party program processes shown and click End task.
- I also recommend disabling startup items to reduce the number of programs starting with Windows. Click the Startup tab to view items.
The Processes tab
- Select unneeded startup items and click Disable.
The Disable option
Set a Faster DNS Server
Your PC is set with a default DNS server that might not be the best for gaming performance. Some DNS servers are faster than others. Setting a faster DNS server could reduce Fortnite packet loss for some players at least. This is how you can set up a faster DNS server with the freeware DNS Jumper.
- Open this DNS Jumper webpage.
- Click the grey Download button at the bottom of that page.
- Open the folder containing the DNSJumper.ZIP file.
- Right-click the DNSJumper ZIP and select Extract All.
- Click the Show extracted files > Extract options.
- Double-click the DNSJumper.exe file to open the DNS Jumper window.
The Apply DNS option
- Click your network adapter in the Select Network Adapter drop-down menu.
- Press the Fastest DNS button.
- Click Start DNS Test.
The Start DNS Test option
- Press Apply DNS Server to set the fastest one detected.
Disable Fortnite’s Cosmetic Streaming
Some players confirm disabling cosmetic streaming can fix Fortnite packet loss. Your PC won’t need to render all skins in the Fortnite game with cosmetic streaming disabled. You can disable cosmetic streaming for Fortnite like this.
- Open Epic Games and find Fortnite in the Library tab.
- Click the three-dot menu button under Fortnite and select Options.
- Select the checkbox for the Pre-download Streamed Assets option.
The Pre-download Streamed Assets checkbox
- Click Apply to set the option.
Reset Your Network Settings
Fornite packet loss is a network-related issue. Resetting network settings via the Command Prompt is a standard troubleshooting method for network-related issues. This is how you can reset network settings to troubleshoot packet loss.
- Press the Windows logo + S key combination on your keyboard.
- Enter cmd inside the search box.
- Right-click the Command Prompt app found in the search box and select Run as administrator.
- Input and execute these separate network commands to reset settings:
ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /registerdns
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
netsh winsock reset
The flush DNS command
Other Possible Ways to Fix Fortnite Packet Loss
Try applying the potential solutions for Fortnite packet loss outlined above first. However, these extra potential fixes for packet loss could also be worth a try:
- Power cycle your router by unplugging it for about a minute.
- Select the Ultimate Performance option in the Power Options Control Panel applet.
- Change your Fortnite matchmaking region. It’s best to choose the one closest to your actual region, which is automatically set with Auto selected.
- If possible, switch to the faster 5Ghz Wi-Fi band via your online router settings.
Alas, there isn’t any surefire way to fix Fortnite packet loss on Windows PCs. The troubleshooting methods above might reduce packet loss to make Fortnite somewhat more playable on your PC. They’re more widely confirmed fixes for packet loss that have worked for some players.
