If you’re frustrated when Fortnite won’t update on the Mac, we’ve got some potential solutions you can try to troubleshoot the issue.
What Causes Fortnite to Fail to Update on Mac?
If you can’t update Fortnite on Mac, this can be for a number of reasons with some being easier to fix than others. Here’s a quick overview of why Fortnite might not be updating.
- The Fortnite servers are down. Sometimes, Fortnite’s servers can be down, so it’s a good idea to check if the issue is on your end or theirs first before doing anything else.
- A VPN or firewall is blocking access to Fortnite. If your VPN or firewall is set up to block a lot of activity, you may find it impossible to update Fortnite while it’s active.
- Your Mac isn’t compatible with Fortnite. Got an aging Mac? A recent update may mean you can no longer play Fortnite on that Mac.
- Your Fortnite install is corrupt. Sometimes, the Fortnite files can fail so you’ll need to uninstall and reinstall it or opt to run Fortnite via your browser.
Note: When Fortnite won’t update, you won’t lose any files or progress as Fortnite data is stored on the cloud. You simply won’t be able to access it.
How to Fix the Fortnite Update Error on Mac
Follow the steps below to fix the Fortnite update error you may be seeing when trying to update it on Mac. Not all of these may apply to your situation but follow them in order and skip any that aren’t relevant.
1. Check your Mac is online. Check you’re currently online and have a strong internet connection. If you aren’t online, you can’t update Fortnite.
2. Restart your Mac. It’s a simple solution but restarting your Mac often fixes many issues and that can include problems updating Fortnite.
3. Launch Fortnite from your browser. If you keep seeing an “upgrade failed” message, try playing Fortnite via your web browser instead of using the app. By doing so, the latest version of Fortnite player will be installed so you can continue playing.
4. Try using a different web browser. If you also can’t get Fortnite to launch from your browser, try using a different one. Fortnite recommends using Google Chrome or Firefox rather than Safari.
5. Uninstall and reinstall Fortnite. Uninstall the Fortnite app from your Mac and try reinstalling it. This can fix issues with corrupt files.
Note: Make sure to download Fortnite from a reputable source.
6. Update your Mac. Sometimes updating your Mac can fix many common issues, including running Fortnite successfully.
7. Disable your VPN or firewall. If you use either a VPN or a firewall, the update may fail due to network issues. Disable them temporarily to update Fortnite.
8. Reset Fortnite settings. If you’re willing to delve into some settings on your Mac, navigate to Library > Preferences then delete everything in the Fortnite folder.
Note: To access the Library folder, with either the desktop or a Finder window as the frontmost application, hold down the Option key and select the Go menu. The Library folder appears as one of the items in the Go menu.
9. Download Fortnite to a USB flash drive on another Mac. If you’ve tried removing all traces of Fortnite on your current Mac, try downloading a new version of it via a different Mac. It requires you to have another Mac available (or from a friend), but it may fix the issue.
10. Contact Fortnite support. If you’ve tried all these steps and Fortnite still won’t work, contact Fortnite customer support with your Fortnite username, any error messages you’ve received, the model name of your Mac, and which version of macOS your Mac is running.
FAQs
If you decide you don’t want to use Fortnite anymore, you can permanently delete it from your system. First, make sure you’ve quit and completely closed down the Fortnite application. Locate the Fortnite application icon in your Mac’s Applications folder, then drag and drop Fortnite into the Trash and Empty it. Note that this removes Fortnite from your system, but does not get rid of your Fortnite account.
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