If an Epic Games Store game won’t launch, first check Epic’s Server Status, then verify the game’s files in the Epic Games Launcher. If that does not fix it, work through Launcher cache, updates, system requirements, permissions, and background-app checks before reinstalling. The right next step can depend on the error code and whether one game or the Launcher itself is affected.
Start with the least disruptive checks
Check Epic’s service status
Visit Epic’s Server Status page and check whether the Launcher or related systems are reporting a problem. If there is a service-wide issue, local changes may not help; try again after Epic restores service.
Update the Launcher
Check that the Epic Games Launcher is up to date. Epic includes Launcher updates among its general troubleshooting checks. If the Launcher itself will not open, follow Epic’s Launcher troubleshooting steps rather than treating the problem as specific to one game.
Verify the game’s files
Verification checks the installed files for damage or corruption and replaces files that differ from the expected versions. Epic Games Store Support says, “Your saved data will not be affected.” Verification is a sensible first local fix for both LS-0013 and LS-0014.
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- Open the Epic Games Launcher and select Library.
- Find the affected game and select its three-dot menu.
- Select Manage, then click Verify.
- Wait for the check to finish, then try launching the game again.
A large installation may take a while to check. See Epic’s file verification instructions if the controls differ in your Launcher.
Clear the Epic Games Launcher cache
If verification did not help, close the Launcher completely before removing its cache. Delete only the cache folders listed below; leave other files in place. Start the Launcher again afterward so it can rebuild its cache.
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On Windows
- Close Epic Games Launcher. Check the system tray and quit it there too if it is still running.
- Open File Explorer’s address bar, enter
%localappdata%EpicGamesLauncherSaved, and press Enter. - Delete any of these folders that are present:
webcache,webcache_4147, orwebcache_4430. - Relaunch Epic Games Launcher and try the game again.
On Mac
- Quit Epic Games Launcher.
- In Finder, use Go > Go to Folder, enter
~/Library/Caches/com.epicgames.EpicGamesLauncher, and press Enter. - Delete the
webcachefolder if it is present. - Reopen the Launcher and try launching the game.
Epic’s cache-clearing instructions cover this process.
Check updates, requirements, and permissions
- Install operating-system updates. Epic lists OS updates among its general launch checks.
- Compare the game’s system requirements with your computer. A title may fail to launch if the system does not meet its requirements.
- Close background applications. Temporarily close or disable programs that may interfere with the game, then test again. Restore anything you disabled if it makes no difference.
Test administrator permissions carefully
For LS-0013, Epic suggests trying the game with administrator privileges, but notes that disabling administrator privileges may also help in some cases. Treat this as a reversible test, not a universal setting: change one permission setting, try launching, and restore the original setting if there is no improvement.
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If the game depends on a separate launcher, Epic advises testing with both the Epic Games Launcher and the other launcher set to the same elevated-permission level. Do not run one as administrator and the other without those privileges for that test.
Use the error code to narrow the cause
LS-0014: the game cannot find a referenced file or directory
Epic Games Store Support describes LS-0014 as an error in which “the game you’re attempting to launch can’t locate a file or directory that it is pointing to.” Verify the files first. If the error remains, close interfering background applications; reinstall the game only if those checks do not resolve it. See Epic’s LS-0014 guidance.
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LS-0013: the game is unable to launch
Start with verification, then work through updates, requirements, background applications, and the reversible permission test above. Epic’s LS-0013 troubleshooting steps also mention security and network checks when they apply.
If you are using an alpha, beta, or press build, it may no longer be supported. When you are unsure whether that version is still playable, Epic advises contacting the game’s developer.
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Check firewall or network restrictions only when relevant
If the game appears unable to connect, security software or a network restriction may be involved. Epic suggests checking antivirus or firewall settings and, where appropriate, adding an exception. Keep any exception limited to the affected game’s legitimate executable, and undo it if it does not help; do not broadly disable your security protection.
Epic’s LS-0013 guidance also mentions flushing DNS and checking router parental controls or blacklists. Consider these only when the symptoms point to a network restriction, not as routine steps for every game that fails to open.
Reinstall only after the earlier checks
If verification, cache clearing, updates, and relevant permission or network checks do not resolve the issue, Epic’s LS-0013 guidance lists reinstalling the Launcher and then manually reinstalling the game. Reinstalling takes longer and can remove installed content, so check Epic’s Launcher troubleshooting article before a Launcher reinstall; its reinstall flow removes installed titles.
For a manual game reinstall, Epic describes deleting the affected game’s folder and installing the game again. Installing it to another drive is optional. Do not assume this preserves every local file or save: Epic’s explicit saved-data assurance applies to verification, not every reinstall situation.
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If the game still will not launch, note its name, the error code, your operating system, and which checks you tried. Contact the game’s developer if the problem appears specific to that title or you need to confirm whether a particular build is still supported. For broader Launcher or hardware-related problems, use Epic’s troubleshooting guidance and contact the relevant hardware manufacturer if Epic’s listed steps do not solve the issue.
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