Changing DNS may help with some Fortnite connection problems, but it is not a guaranteed fix for matchmaking errors, party connection failures, packet loss, or high latency. Epic Games describes public DNS as a troubleshooting step to try after other connectivity checks. First check Epic’s server status and your ISP for an outage; if you proceed, save your current DNS values so you can restore them.
What changing DNS can—and cannot—do
DNS translates a website or service name into an IP address. As Epic Games support explains, “A DNS server translates domain names into IP addresses.” Switching to a public resolver such as Google DNS changes which service performs those lookups; it does not change your Fortnite account, game files, or internet plan.
Epic says public DNS “may be a step worth trying if other connectivity troubleshooting has failed.” That makes it one possible remedy, not a promise to lower ping, eliminate packet loss, or fix every “Unable to matchmake or connect to games in Fortnite” or “Unable to join other parties in Fortnite” error. Epic’s reviewed support guidance gives no success rate or comparative measurements showing that one public DNS provider is universally faster for Fortnite. Epic’s public-DNS instructions mention Google DNS and Cloudflare Public DNS; the console steps below use the Google values Epic documents.
Check for an outage and save your current settings first
- Check Epic Games Server Status. If Fortnite or a related service is experiencing an outage or system-wide issue, changing DNS on your device will not restore service while that issue continues. Use Epic Games Server Status.
- Check with your ISP. Ask whether there is an outage or degraded service in your area. Epic recommends checking both Epic’s service status and the internet provider before moving on to console connection tests. See Epic’s console network-test guidance.
- Try basic connection troubleshooting. If neither reports a problem, Epic’s broader checklist includes restarting the modem or router and checking the connection before trying public DNS. Its connection troubleshooting guide covers additional symptom-specific checks.
- Record your current DNS values. Write them down or take a screenshot before changing them. Epic explicitly recommends noting existing DNS settings in related Fortnite voice-chat guidance so you can restore them if needed: Fortnite voice-chat troubleshooting.
Google DNS values used in Epic’s console instructions
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Primary DNS | 8.8.8.8 |
| Secondary DNS | 8.8.4.4 |
Enter these values only where the platform asks for primary and secondary DNS. The paths below are based on Epic’s published instructions; system updates can change menu wording.
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Change DNS on Xbox
- Open Settings > General > Network Settings > Advanced settings > DNS settings.
- Select Manual.
- Enter 8.8.8.8 as the primary DNS and 8.8.4.4 as the secondary DNS.
- Save the settings, then test Fortnite. If the change does not help, use the values you recorded to restore the previous DNS settings.
Epic documents this Xbox procedure in its public-DNS guide.
Change DNS on PlayStation
- Go to Settings > Network > Set Up Internet Connection, then select your Wi-Fi network or LAN. Epic recommends LAN in this setup flow; a wired connection is optional and does not itself change DNS.
- Choose Custom.
- Set IP Address Settings to Automatic and DHCP Host Name to Do Not Use.
- Set DNS Settings to Manual, then enter primary DNS 8.8.8.8 and secondary DNS 8.8.4.4.
- Set MTU Settings to Automatic and Proxy Server to Do Not Use.
- Test the internet connection, then launch Fortnite and check whether the original problem remains.
These steps follow Epic’s general public-DNS instructions. Do not mix them with the separate PlayStation procedure for a console stuck on “Checking for Updates”: that dedicated flow displays a different MTU instruction (manual, 1500). For that exact error, consult Epic’s PlayStation “Checking for Updates” article rather than combining the two procedures.
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Change DNS on Nintendo Switch for “Checking for Updates”
Epic’s general public-DNS page directs Switch users to Nintendo’s manual DNS instructions. Epic also provides a separate procedure for a Switch that is specifically stuck on the “Checking for Updates” screen. Use the following steps for that error, not as a universal fix for every Switch connection issue:
- Check Epic Games Server Status and close Fortnite.
- Open System Settings > Internet Settings > Connection Settings.
- Select the saved connection, choose Change Settings, and set DNS to manual.
- Enter primary DNS 8.8.8.8 and secondary DNS 8.8.4.4, then save.
- Run the connection test, restart the Switch, and relaunch Fortnite.
Epic’s dedicated Nintendo Switch “Checking for Updates” guidance also refers to data-management steps. Menu names may differ after system updates.
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What about Windows PC?
Epic’s public-DNS article begins a Windows 11 path at System > Network & Internet, with separate Ethernet and Wi-Fi choices, but the reviewed instructions do not establish the complete current sequence. Because the remaining steps are not confirmed here, use Epic’s current Windows-specific instructions rather than relying on an unverified click path. The Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch instructions above should not be applied to a Windows PC.
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After changing DNS, reconnect and try the activity that triggered the error—joining a match or party, for example. If it works, the change may have addressed a name-lookup problem, but that result does not prove DNS is the cause of every future connection problem. If the same symptom remains, restore your original DNS values and continue with troubleshooting matched to the error.
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- Check Epic’s service status and your ISP again if the problem is intermittent or has changed.
- Use Epic’s console network-test guidance for platform-specific tests.
- For a specific error message, search that exact message in Epic’s support material and check for known issues, rather than assuming DNS is responsible.
- Epic’s broader connection guide also lists router restarts, connection-type checks, device clock synchronization, domain whitelisting, cache resets, operating-system updates, proxy checks, port forwarding, DNS-cache flushing, and firewall exceptions. Choose the next check according to the symptom; these steps are not interchangeable.
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