6 Hacks to Deal with Severe Memory Leak for Fortnite

Fortnite, created by Epic Games, boasts a staggering player base of nearly 250 million users. The game soared in popularity in 2018 and remains one of the most sought-after online video games today, particularly its free-to-play Battle Royale mode.

Fortnite is available on various platforms, including Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Playstation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One. The game even has cross-platform support, which allows users using different devices to join the same game. This feature further boosted the success of the game.

However, several Fortnite players have been recently complaining that the game is consuming a huge portion of their computer’s resources, particularly memory and disk space. This memory leak issue appears to primarily affect Fortnite players using Windows.

Some users have reported that Fortnite alone can consume several GB of RAM, with some instances where the game used up to 70-90% of their resources. Some users did not notice the issue right away, but because of FPS drops, they slowly noticed that their computer’s memory usage increases while playing Fortnite. The worst part is that the high memory usage continues even after the Fortnite app is closed.

Such extensive CPU and RAM usage can cause the game to slow down, potentially leading to lagging, freezing, and eventually crashing. This issue has frustrated a lot of Fortnite players, but the game developer has yet to comment on the issue.

This memory leak issue with Fortnite isn’t a recent development. According to reports, Fortnite users noted that the memory leak had started after the release of Season 4 patch and it had been a huge problem for Windows users ever since.

How to Deal with Fortnite High Memory Usage

As of the date of this article, Epic Games has not released any public comment regarding the severe memory leak for Fortnite. Players are encouraged to check the official website or trusted sources for any updates on an official fix.

If Fortnite is consuming excessive memory on your computer, you might need to employ some troubleshooting steps to mitigate the issue. Here are some of the steps you can follow to take back some of your RAM when Fortnite has high memory usage.

Tip #1: Restart the Game.

Whatever problems you’re experiencing with Fortnite, restarting the game should be your first fix. To completely close Fortnite, close the program, then kill the Epic Games Launcher in the system tray. Double-click on the Fortnite shortcut on your computer to relaunch the game.

This method has worked for several players, but it is possible for the high memory usage to reappear, so you might have to restart Fortnite multiple times. If this continues, you should try the other fixes below.

Tip #2: Declutter your computer.

Over time, the accumulation of junk files and temporary files on your system could exacerbate the memory leak issue. Consider deleting all unused apps and unnecessary files. Various tools can help you optimize your processes to reclaim some of your computer’s memory, such as Outbyte PC Repair. It’s important to research and choose a tool that fits your needs and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Tip #3: Close the Epic Games Launcher When Not in Use.

The Epic Games Launcher is a companion software that is installed alongside games developed by Epic Games, including Fortnite. This software facilitates the smooth and quick launch of games. However, some players noticed that the Epic Games Launcher continues to consume memory even if the game itself has been closed.

Many players assume that the launcher must remain active during gameplay, similar to the requirement in other online video games. However, this is not the case. Unlike other launchers, the Epic Games Launcher can be closed after the Fortnite has launched. Closing the launcher will neither close nor affect the game in any way.

So after launching the game, close the Epic Games Launcher by following these steps:

1. Press Control + Shift + Escape or right-click on the Taskbar, then choose Task Manager.
2. Under the Processes tab, look for the Epic Games Launcher and click the End Task button at the bottom.
3. Close Task Manager.

Tip #4: Reset Fortnite.

If a simple restart doesn’t fix the severe memory leak for Fortnite, you might have to reset the app. To do this:

1. Click on Start, then choose Settings.
2. Go to Apps > Apps & Features, then select Fortnite from the left-side menu.
3. Click on Advanced Settings, then hit the Reset button.

Try launching the game again and monitor its memory usage if there’s any difference.

Tip #5: Update Windows and Fortnite.

Fortnite regularly receives fixes, patches, and game improvements in the form of updates. To ensure Fortnite operates optimally, it’s recommended to regularly check the Epic Games website for any available updates. If there are, download and install them manually on your computer. Once the app has been updated, check if there’s any improvement in the game’s performance.

You should also update your OS regularly via Windows Update.

To do this:

1. In the Start menu, click Settings and go to Update & Security.
2. Click on Windows Update, then hit the Check for updates button.
3. Install all updates available.

Tip #6: Uninstall, Then Reinstall the Game.

If tweaking the settings and resetting the app don’t work, your next option is to uninstall the game and then reinstall a fresh copy.

To uninstall Fortnite:

1. Go to Settings, then click on System.
2. Choose Apps & features.
3. Select Fortnite from the list of apps, then click the Uninstall button.
4. Wait for the uninstallation process to be completed.
5. Go back to the list of apps, then look for the Epic Games Launcher.
6. Click on the launcher and click Uninstall again.

This should completely uninstall Fortnite from your computer. To reinstall the program, download a fresh copy from the Windows Store or via the game developer’s website. Install the app according to instructions.

Summary

Fortnite is one of the most popular games today, not only for mobile players, but for computer and console players as well. Windows players, however, have been experiencing extreme memory leaks since Season 4, resulting in lags and other game problems making the game unplayable for some users. Epic Games, the game developer, has yet to release an official patch to fix the high memory usage of Fortnite, so Windows players can rely only on DIY fixes, such as the above, for now.