Epic’s launcher experience is pretty bare-bones — library, store, and a basic friends list without the ability to set yourself invisible or change your status. Despite its simplicity, the launcher sometimes has issues that prevent players from logging in and accessing games in their Epic library.
Most problems are relatively simple to fix and won’t require a complete reinstallation — though sometimes when things are particularly bad, it can be much more difficult.
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Problems with the Epic Games Launcher
Problems with the Epic Games launcher can keep you from playing the games you own, keep you from even being able to browse your inventory or prevent it from launching altogether.
For example, some players faced a bug that made the launcher display a black screen when it would come up. Problems vary but many of the solutions that fix one might also help to fix another.
Epic Games Launcher Not Working(Fixes)
Server Status
The first thing Epic Games itself recommends doing is checking the Epic Server Status. If the service isn’t functioning, the launcher is likely to not work correctly either.
There’s nothing you can do when the Epic servers are down except wait for them to come back up. Don’t attempt to troubleshoot or reinstall the launcher when the servers aren’t working.
Check Processes
Sometimes the Epic Games launcher doesn’t close down entirely and hides in your processes even though it looks like it isn’t running. Once you’ve checked your processes, you can end it and try starting the launcher again.
To check your processes, just open Task Manager from the start menu and scan through the list of processes.
Blinking Launcher Icon
If the Epic Games launcher icon on the taskbar is blinking, there are steps you can take to fix the error causing that — and restore your access to the launcher at the same time.
- Right-click the Epic Games launcher shortcut or executable file.
- Click “Properties” and then under Shorcut Tab, select “Normal Window” from the drop-down menu.
- Choose the Compatibility tab, uncheck any checked boxes, and then click “Apply.”
- Click “OK.”
- Type “Graphics Settings” in the Windows search bar and then press Enter.
- Select “Classic App” from the drop-down and then click “Browse.”
- Go to the directory where you have the Epic Games launcher installed.
- Click “EpicGamesLauncher.exe” and then choose “Add.”
- Choose “Options.”
- Select “Power Saving.”
- Click “Save.”
Update the Launcher
Sometimes a simple update can make a program work again. If your launcher opens but won’t function, try updating it.
- Click “Settings” on the main page of the launcher.
- Click “Restart and update.”
- Restart your computer once the update is complete.
If you don’t see a button, it means there isn’t an update available, and you have the best version of the launcher. 
However, it’s good practice to restart your computer anyway if you’re having trouble with the Epic Games launcher. That way, you can be sure the simplest solution isn’t correct before moving on to more difficult ones.
If this doesn’t work and the icon is still blinking, you need to check whether or not Windows has been updated. Users on Windows 8 and 8.1 sometimes find success downgrading the NVIDIA driver from 451.67 to 446.14.
Compatibility Troubleshooter
You can run an automatic compatibility troubleshooter to determine whether your operating system and the Epic Games launcher aren’t working well together. Once the troubleshooter is finished running, it will give you an option to save the ideal settings before you’re done.
- Right-click on the Epic Games launcher shortcut or executable.
- Click “Properties.”
- Uncheck the Compatibility mode box on the Compatibility tab.
- Click “Run compatibility troubleshooter.”
- Click “Try recommended settings.”
- Click “Test the program.”
- Click “Next” once it completes.
- Click “No, try again using different settings.”
- Check the box by “The program opens but doesn’t display correctly.”
- Click “Next.’
- Check the box by “Error message saying the program needs to run in 256 colors or 8-bit color mode.”
- Click “Next.”
- Click “Test the program.”
- Click “Yes, save these settings for the program.”
- Click “Close.”
Once you’re done, restart the computer before starting the Epic Games launcher again. If it works, leave the settings as-is. If it doesn’t, you might need to make some manual changes.
Compatibility Settings
Sometimes your full-screen optimization setting can stop the Epic Games launcher from running. You don’t want to try to change your settings while the launcher is running. Make sure to close out entirely before adjusting.
While you’re in the compatibility settings, make sure to change the Epic Games launcher to run as an administrator. That way, you’re giving it all the privileges it needs to work.
- Right-click on the Epic Games launcher executable and select “Properties.”
- Choose the Compatibility tab.
- Check “Disable fullscreen optimization.”
- Check “Run this program as an administrator.”
- Click “Apply” and then click “OK.”
Try opening the Epic Game launcher again once you’re done.
Clear Your Cache
There are some issues caused by files in the Epic Games launcher cache. Clearing them and then trying to restart the launcher can fix the problem. As always, make sure the launcher is closed before you clear the cache.
- Press “Windows key + R” together.
- Type “
%localappdata%” without quotes and press Enter. - Open the “Epic Games Launcher” folder.
- Open the “Saved” folder.
- Right-click on the webcache folder and choose “Delete.”
- Restart the computer and try to start the Epic Games launcher again.
You should delete any webcache folder before you restart the computer.
Update Drivers and Windows
It’s easy to forget to update your drivers and operating system, especially if you don’t do it automatically. Using older drivers or an older version of Windows can prevent programs like the Epic Games launcher from working.
To update your operating system, type “Update” in the Windows search bar. Open “Check for updates” and then follow the steps to update Windows. If it doesn’t ask you to restart your computer, do so once it’s done.
You can check for driver updates quickly by going into the Device Manager and scanning for updates from there. Restart your computer after the process is finished.
Change DPI Settings
High DPI settings can prevent your launcher from displaying and functioning properly. It’s another compatibility issue that Epic is aware of and recommends changing settings to address.
- Right-click your launcher shortcut or executable and then click “Properties.”
- Click “Change high DPI settings” on the Compatibility tab.
- Check “Override high DPI scaling behavior” and select “Application” from the drop-down menu.
- Click “OK.”
If this doesn’t fix the problem, try changing it back once you get the program working.
System File Checker
The system file checker scans your computer to see if any of the files are corrupted or missing. It’s a great way to perform a checkup on your computer and find any issues that might be causing the Epic Games launcher to stop functioning correctly. You should do this before you attempt to reinstall the launcher, just in case it catches a problem that reinstalling the program won’t fix.
- Type CMD into the Windows search bar and then right-click “Command Prompt.”
- Choose “Run as Administrator” to open an elevated command prompt window.
- Type “
sfc /scannow” without quotes and press “Enter.” - Wait for the check to finish. If it takes a while or seems to lag, just wait until it’s done.
- Restart your computer.
If the system file checker finds any problems, it should repair or replace the damaged files. You can try opening the Epic Games launcher again once the computer is back on. However, if it didn’t find any problems and the launcher still isn’t working, you might want to go ahead and reinstall it.
Reinstall Epic Games launcher
You can completely uninstall the Epic Games launcher and reinstall a fresh copy if all else fails. You don’t have to do anything special when you do this. Just uninstall it from Windows and then download it from Epic. Follow the instructions from the installer to complete the installation.
We also have a full guide on troubleshooting Rockstar Launching Error.
