Fortnite is currently one of the most popular Battle Royale games online. Since its release in 2017, the game has become a worldwide phenomenon, amassing over 350 million players. The game is available for PC, gaming console, and Android, and soon (once again) iOS. However, the best way to fully appreciate its graphics and gameplay is to play it on a gaming pc. The good news? Fortnite is easy to install and set up.

Here’s a detailed walkthrough on how to play Fortnite on a PC.

Check Fortnite’s system requirements.
Create an account on Epic Games.
Download and install Fornite via Epic Games.
Launch and run Fortnite.
Adjust the game settings.
Play the game.

Fortnite PC Requirements

Before boarding the Battle Bus, let’s make sure you set Fortnite up properly for the best gaming experience. From installing the game to customizing settings, this list covers everything you need to know to launch Fortnite on your PC.

1 . Check Fortnite’s system requirements.

Before you try to install Fortnite on your gaming PC, the first thing you need to do is check if your system meets its requirements. Below is a detailed list of Fortnite’s system requirements which includes (1) minimum, (2) recommended, and (3) epic quality presets.

Minimum System Requirements

OS: Windows 10 64-bit version 1703
Processor: Core i3-3225 3.3 GHz
Graphics Card: Intel HD 4000 on PC; AMD Radeon Vega 8
Memory: 8GB RAM

Recommended System Requirements

OS: Windows 10 64-bit
Processor: Core i5-7300U 3.5 GHz, AMD Ryzen 3 3300U, or equivalent
Graphics Card: Nvidia GTX 960, AMD R9 280, or equivalent DX11 GPU
Video Memory: 2 GB VRAM
Memory: 16 GB RAM or higher

Epic Quality Presets Specifications

OS: Windows 10 64-bit
Processor: Intel Core i7-8700, AMD Ryzen 7 3700x or equivalent
Graphics Card: Nvidia GTX 3070, AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT, or equivalent GPU
Video Memory: 8 GB VRAM or higher
Memory: 16 GB RAM or higher
Hard Drive: NVMe Solid State Drive

To get the best experience possible, your unit should meet the recommended requirements or the quality preset specifications Epic Games gave.

2. Create an account on Epic Games.

The only way you can install and play Fortnite is through the Epic Games Store (A number of rip-off Fortnite websites have popped up, so always check for the authentic Epic Games logo before proceeding with a download). First, you need to create an account on Epic Games. It’s free, and you can easily follow its on-screen instructions to proceed. To create an account on Epic Games Store, follow these steps:

Step 1: Go to the official Fortnite web page.
Step 2: Click the Sign In button located at the top-right of your screen.
Step 3: Follow the instructions on the screen until you have your own username and password.

For the most robust protection of your account, we recommend also setting up multi-factor authentication. It adds one more step to the security check, requiring anyone trying to access your account to type in a temporary code sent to your account’s affiliated email address.

3 – Download and install Fornite via Epic Games.

Now that you have an account on Epic, the next thing you need to do is download the game. In the Fortnite link given above, click the Download button next to Sign In. Follow the on-screen steps to go through the installation. Enable the desktop shortcut if you plan to play the game frequently.

Follow the steps below to install Fortnite:

Step 1: Launch the Epic Games Store and log in with your new account after the store client installation is done.
Step 2: From the Home screen interface, go to the Store tab and type in Fortnite in the search bar. This should lead you to the game’s listing on the marketplace.
Step 3: Click the Get button to add the game to your library and begin its installation. If ever you encounter a problem with its installation, such as a pause due to a weak internet connection. Remember that you can always restart the process.

Keep in mind that the download can take 30 minutes to an hour to complete. So feel free to tackle another task while it installs, rather than continue waiting in front of your computer.

4 – Launch and run Fortnite.

The Fortnite game requires an 80 GB storage disk space, so it may take time to finish the installation. Follow the steps below to launch the game:

Step 1: Once the installation is done, go to Epic Games library.
Step 2: Click on the Fortnite icon that you can find on the left side of the Epic Games library interface.
Step 3: Clicking the icon will initiate and launch the game. Then, you can start playing Fortnite.

5 – Adjust the game settings.

Before you start playing Fortnite, you might want to adjust the settings first. You can change settings in the game like mouse sensitivity, aim sensitivity, graphics quality, key binds, and many more.

To adjust the settings, you can follow the steps below:

Step 1: On the game’s main menu, click Settings and check all the submenus to make the proper adjustments.
Step 2: Once you’ve adjusted the settings the way you preferred, go back to the main menu.
Step 3: Select the game mode and then start playing the game.

6 – Play the game.

To play Fortnite, you need to choose a game mode. There are two broad categories of game modes: Core Game Modes and Community Game Modes. Core Game Modes are created by the Epic developers and are almost always available to play. Community Game Modes are custom maps created by other Fortnite players. Because of this, there’s an almost endless number of modes to choose from! Below is the list of Core Game Modes typically available in Fortnite:

Battle Royale: 100 players compete to be the last one standing
Zero Build: A variant of Battle Royale that disables the building mechanic
Team Rumble: A deathmatch between two large teams of players
Reload: 40 players form squads to compete in a faster-paced version of Battle Royale
OG: Allows players to rest their progression and experience the first version of Battle Royale
Creative: A mode that lets you quickly play the most popular community-made games
Legends Landing: A hub for competitive Fortnite players
Party Royale: A social hub for party games
LEGO Fortnite: A hub for playing LEGO adventures in Fortnite
Rocket Racing: An arcade racer, developed by the creators of Rocket League
Fortnite Festival: A hub for musical minigames
Ballistic: A 5v5 first-person shooter game mode
Save The World: Players build defenses and fight back against waves of monsters in the very first Fortnite game mode to be released in 2017

To proceed with the game, follow the steps below:

Step 1: Launch the game on Epic Games Store.
Step 2: Select the game mode from the Play button found on the lower left.
Step 3: Select a game mode, then click the Accept button. If you select Duos or Squad but play alone, select Fill so the game will match you with other players.
Step 4: Click the Play button to start the game.

Conquered your enemies in the gaming world and want to rewatch the action? You can always look up a past session via the session ID (find this in the game lobby).

FAQs for Playing Fortnite on PC

Have additional questions about how to play Fortnite on a PC? Find useful information below.

Can I play Fortnite on any computer?

Yes, technically. How you access the game varies from one computer to the next. Only computers capable of running the Windows operating system allow you to install Fortnite. Computers that do not run Windows, like Mac, require you to play Fortnite on cloud-based platforms.

How do I update Fortnite on my PC?

Simply open the Epic Games Launcher. IF there is an update available, your system will automatically begin the process.

Is Fortnite free to play on PC?

Yes, downloading and playing the core game is free on a PC. However, there are in-game purchases available, such as V-Bucks, the game’s virtual currency.