Fortnite Error Code 86: How to Fix It

Any game can show some kind of bugs and errors. From Elden Ring to Epic Games’ Fortnite Battle Royale, errors make every Fortnite player mad. They can appear on any Fortnite chapter, from problems with the Easy Anti or issues with the program files, be it for XBOX One, Nintendo Switch, or PC players.

One of these error codes is the Fortnite Error Code 86. So if you’ve been hit with it, don’t worry as here you’ll learn why you are getting it and how to fix Error Code 86 Fortnite.

The Reasons behind Fortnite Error Code 86

Fortnite Error Code 86 will appear once you try to enter a party and play with your friends. The error message can vary, but it’ll always be connected with the Party service. To put it simply: you are getting Fortnite Error Code 86 due to party service issues, which is very similar to Error Code 93.

• Problems with the party service can be because of the bad start of the Fortnite game or Epic Games launcher, which makes the game not load properly
• Fortnite Error Code 86 may not even be your fault. A Fortnite server issue may have occurred on Epic Games’ side
• Since you’re having problems connecting to a party, you may have to consider high lag and your Internet connection a problem
• If you’ve been constantly getting Fortnite Error Code 86 after launching the game, especially after an update, then the game itself may be the issue. A game file or two may be corrupted

Knowing why you’re getting Fortnite Error Code 86 is key because next up you’ll learn exactly how to fix it and get some kills with the best SMGs!

How to Fix Fortnite Error Code 86

Restart Fortnite and Epic Games Launcher

The first solution you can try to fix Fortnite Error Code 86 is to restart the Fortnite game and the Epic Games launcher altogether. Restarting the game gives it a clean and fresh start of the game files which in turn can fix this error code.

To restart Fortnite and the Epic Games launcher on your PC, you’ll firstly exit the game and then open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl+Shift+Esc. Then select the Processes tab and locate any Fortnite or Epic Games launcher-related processes. If you find any of these, select them and click on End Task.

After this, you should hopefully be able to enter a party safely and win with the best shotguns in the game. But if Fortnite Error Code 86 still persists, then don’t worry as there are still more solutions left you can try out.

Check Fortnite Server Status

Some Fortnite error codes may not even be your fault. The Fortnite servers can undergo problems and issues, which can cause Error Code 86. In this situation, you should check the Fortnite Server status. You can check this out on the official Fortnite Service Status Twitter, or on the Epic Games Status site for the latest news on the servers.

If there’s an issue with the Epic Games server, especially at the Parties, Friends, and Messaging section, then all you can do is wait until it's resolved. After that, you can be sure you’ll enjoy the most popular skins in Fortnite. Though if there aren’t any problems with the Fortnite status, there are still some solutions left you can try out.

Restart your Router and PC

Bad Internet connection has been the roof of a lot of problems in many games, including Fortnite and its Error Code 86. So if you’ve been noticing any lag as of recently, then you should restart your Router and PC. This will clear up some cache memory and set the Primary DNS well, which should probably make your game run faster and resolve Fortnite Error Code 86.

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If you have a bad router though, you may want to consider moving your PC closer to it or connecting it through a wired cable for a better Internet connection. But if Error Code 86 still persists, then there’s one last solution left before you can see the Fortnite skins in real life.

Reinstall Fortnite

The last potential fix you can try to fix Fortnite Error Code 86 is to reinstall the game. This way a lot of corrupted files will be fixed by themselves, which in turn can not only fix Error Code 86 but also make the game much better. Here’s how you can reinstall Fortnite step-by-step:

1. Open the Epic Games launcher
2. Click on the Library option on the left
3. Locate Fortnite, click on the three dots beside it, and select Uninstall
4. Restart the Epic launcher and your PC
5. Reinstall Fortnite again

A clean reinstallation fixes Error Code 86 most of the time. Players sometimes have other means of reinstalling the game such as a direct uninstall from the CProgram Files Fortnite folder. Though if you’re still getting this error code, then you should:

Contact Epic Games Support 

The Epic Games support team is out here to help the Fortnite players with any bugs and errors we may encounter. So if your Fortnite Error Code 86 still persists, you can contact the Epic Games support team here.

From problems with Visual C to an issue or two with the game service, Fortnite error codes can be scary. That’s why you should keep up with solutions on related posts and related articles for error codes and check out Fortnite Error Code 14.