How to Unblock Fortnite With A VPN
Fortnite bans aren’t always fair, and if you’re a victim of being wrongfully blocked, you can regain access by changing your IP address with a VPN. It’s not too hard to accomplish with the right provider, and it can even be used to speed up your connection for lag-free gaming. We help you get started in today’s comprehensive guide.
Fortnite is one of the most popular video games in the world. Tens of millions of people play it every day in every part of the world. A big reason for its popularity is that it’s free and relatively light on violence, meaning it’s legal and allowed in most countries across the globe. Unfortunately, Fortnite blocks do still happen. Sometimes, it’s because of Internet service providers. Other times, it’s because of governments. Most often, the problem is simply that Epic Games bans IPs – which can prevent innocent gamers from accessing their favorite game.
Stuck with an unfair Fortnite ban? Change your IP address with these gamer-friendly VPNs:
- NordVPN – Best for Fortnite – NordVPN offers tens of thousands of encrypted IP addresses, making it ridiculously easy to bypass your Fortnite ban.
- Surfshark – Responsive servers, advanced encryption, lots of failsafes for truly secure gaming.
- ExpressVPN – Never die to lag again with one of the world’s fastest VPN networks.
- CyberGhost – Need a solution that doesn’t require a ton of VPN expertise but “just works?” This is the one.
- PrivateVPN – Highly configurable encryption settings, privately owned network.
- PureVPN – Spoofable IP addresses in more countries around the globe than any other.
In this article, we’ll help you overcome whichever Fortnite blocks are stopping you from enjoying the game. We’ll explain how a VPN can help you overcome censorship, Epic Games’ IP bans, and more. We’ll also tell you which specific features to look for, why you may be banned in the first place, and give you some incredible deals on the best VPNS for Fortnite available on the web today.
Essential VPN features for gaming
VPNs can do a lot for you, from giving you the foreign IPs you need to helping you overcome censorship filters (including the Great Firewall of China). However, there are specific features that are best for gaming in general and Fortnite in particular. These are:
- Encryption – encryption plays a big part in determining the speed of your connection while you’re using a VPN. Some standards, like OpenVPN’s UDP and TCP, are fast. Others – like L2TP – are even faster, but a little less secure. Avoid providers who don’t offer these encryption protocols, as they’ll slow you down to the point that Fortnite is difficult to run.
- Speed limits – some VPN services artificially curb the maximum speed you can get while using them. To make sure you have a smooth, seamless gaming experience, look for ones that don’t limit your speed (or bandwidth).
- Server network – the more servers a VPN provider has, the easier it is to find the exact, specific IPs you need. If you want to game with people from all over the world, you’ll want to pick a provider with a large server network.
- Performance – there are many things that contribute to (and detract from) a VPN’s overall speed. These include server quality, Internet connection quality, and many others. In this article, we explicitly point out which VPNs are the fastest to help you figure it out.
Best VPNs for beating Fortnite bans
Below, we cover the best VPNs for unblocking Fortnite while retaining a lag-free gaming experience:
1. NordVPN
NordVPN has one of the biggest networks in the industry, with 5,500+ servers in 58 countries. This means that you can use the service to get an IP from any country, playing Fortnite with low latencies no matter which matchmaking server you want to use. Even better, NordVPN has 6 types of specialty servers. These include obfuscated servers that hide your VPN usage, and anti-DDoS servers that will help you continue playing Fortnite if someone is trying to get you to stop. Speed and bandwidth are both unlimited, meaning you’ll never experience any slowdown or run out of traffic. The best part is that an attractive user interface makes the NordVPN apps a breeze to use – even if you’ve never used a service like this before.
In addition to being powerful, NordVPN is also extremely secure. The service uses 256-bit AES encryption, where each key has more possible combinations than there are atoms in the known universe. Needless to say, someone’s chances of capturing and cracking your data are extremely low. In addition to this, specific protocols include SSTP, which can help you play Fortnite in China. The brand’s zero-logging policy is one of the best and toughest in the business, meaning that you can play safely, knowing nobody will punish you for breaking local or national laws. For all these reasons, NordVPN is another top choice for Fortnite players.
Read our full NordVPN review.
- Works with Netflix, BBC iPlayer without breaking a sweat
- Different IP addresses aervers
- Torrenting/P2P explicitly allowed
- No logs and encrypted connections for total privacy
- Great support (24/7 chat).
- Very little
- Sometimes slow in procesing refunds (but always do).
2. Surfshark
Surfshark is an ideal choice for unblocking Fornite, and for gamers in general. With a huge network spanning 3200+ servers in 65 countries, it’s trivial to get a new IP and bypass your ban. It also makes it possible to play on foreign servers, which is always an exciting way to test your skills.
With 256-AES-GCM encryption, neither Fornite nor your ISP nor your neighborhood friendly hacker will be able to see who you are, or what you’re doing online. What’s more Surfshark offers myriad essential security provisions, including IP/DNS/WebRTC leak protection, a kill switch, adblocker, anti-malware, Smart DNS, and more.
You can even divorce your identity from your VPN traffic via obfuscation and cryptocurrency payments. And with Surfshark’s no-logging guarantee, you’ll never leave a trail of breadcrumbs behind while unbanning yourself.
- Unblock 15 international Netflix libraries, including the US and Japan
- Multi-hop connections readily available
- Bitcoin, Etherium, and other cryptocurrencies accepted as payment
- Zero logging policy ensures your activity can't be used against you
- Responsive customer support available 24/7.
- Growing network doesn’t have same coverage as more mature VPNs
- Young VPN still has plenty of room to grow in terms of advanced functionality.
Read our full Surfshark review.
3. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is a solid choice for Fortnite players. All VPNs slow your connection down a little bit – but with ExpressVPN, the difference is barely noticeable. You’ll find that shooting, exploring the map, and building objects happens seamlessly; same as if you weren’t using a VPN. One important reason is that the proxy server network – 3,000+ proxy servers in over 94 countries – is one of the biggest in the world. With so many nodes, speeds are high and latencies – low. Another reason is that speed and bandwidth are both unlimited, so you never run out of traffic or experience any slowdown. Last but not least, the encryption protocols used by ExpressVPN include UDP, TCP and L2TP/IPSec, all of which are lightning-fast.
In addition to being speedy, ExpressVPN is very safe. With 256-bit encryption keys that’d take a supercomputer millions of years to crack, you can play without worrying about the government harrassing you. The zero-logging policy is tough, with no logs of traffic, DNS requests, IP addresses, browsing history, and more. There’s virtually no way to trace what you’re doing back to you so long as you use ExpressVPN. Finally, the service is registered in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), meaning that it’s exempt from the Five, Nine and Fourteen Eyes surveillance agreements between major governments. As a result, country like China has virtually no way to prove you’ve been playing Fortnite and breaking the law – which is always a plus.
Read our full ExpressVPN review.
- Unblocks US Netflix, BBC iPlayer and other streaming services
- Super fast servers (minimal speed loss)
- Very simple and easy to use
- No logs for personal data
- Customer Service (24/7 Chat).
- Slightly pricier than competition.
4. CyberGhost
CyberGhost is a highly secure VPN that’s also easy to use. Unlike most VPNs, there’s very little to configure. Instead, CyberGhost comes with a suite of apps that works on every common modern devices, including video game systems, routers, desktops, laptops, smartphones, and tablets. Once you’ve installed the right app, you get to choose from one of 6 simple configuration profiles. These include “surf anonymously”, which is good for gaming, and a number of others. Extra customization is possible thanks to a suite of extra toggles like “extra speed” and “data compression”, further improving your gaming experience. You can even connect up to 5 devices simultaneously in order to play Fortnite on your mobile device and your desktop at will.
In addition to all of the above features, CyberGhost is powerful and secure. Its server network has over 5,500 servers in 80 countries, meaning you can get an IP in virtually any location you can think of. Encryption is military grade (256-bit AES), with protocols that combine speed and security (namely OpenVPN’s UDP and TCP). The zero-logging policy is, hands down, one of the best we’ve ever seen, with very few logs kept. The service doesn’t even store your e-mail address! Last but not least, there’s a kill switch that stops your Fortnite connection if your VPN drops, making sure you don’t get in trouble with the law or your employer no matter what happens.
Read our full CyberGhost review.
- Unblocking Netflix USA, iPlayer, Amazon Prime, YouTube
- Special profile designed for torrenting privately
- Apps for ALL devices
- No log files
- 45-days 'No-hassle' money back guarante.
- Can’t unblock some other streaming sites.
5. PrivateVPN
PrivateVPN is is one of the fastest VPNs around, which makes it a top choice for playing Fortnite. Although the service has a relatively modest number of servers – over 150 servers in 60+ countries – don’t let the numbers deceive you. Each server is powerful enough to make PrivateVPN one of the speediest VPN networks in existence. Part of the reason is that you can use fast encryption protocols like OpenVPN’s UDP and TCP, or L2TP. Another is that there are absolutely no speed or bandwidth restrictions, meaning PrivateVPN will never artificially curb your speed. Between all these features, your Fortnite games will be fast and low-latency no matter where you are with PrivateVPN.
In addition to being fast, PrivateVPN is also highly secure. The encryption standard used is AES-256, with 2048-bit passcodes that have more possible combinations than there are atoms in the whole cosmos. The zero-logging policy is comprehensive, with nothing that can help a government, ISP or employer trace your online activities. This applies even if you’re using Torrent files when you’re not playing Fortnite. The service is P2P friendly; another important benefit for many users.
Read our full PrivateVPN review.
6. PureVPN
PureVPN is a highly secure, easy-to-use VPN with an all-inclusive set of features. For starters, you get an app for any device you can think of. iOS and Android phones and tablets, Windows, Linux, macOS, most video game consoles and routers – PureVPN is compatible with just about everything. This means you can enjoy any version of Fortnite without having to compromise. Moreover, with 2,000+ servers in over 140 countries, you can also have your pick of the exact server you want to play from. As an added bonus, PureVPN has some cool bonus features. One is anti-ISP throttling, which helps you improve your Internet connection’s speed by removing artificial barriers set by your Internet provider. Another is the ability to get a dedicated IP so you don’t have to share your online reputation with other people.
PureVPN is also tough on security. It uses 256-bit AES-encryption which is virtually impossible to crack; even with a supercomputer. Protocols include OpenVPN’s UDP and TCP, as well as the even faster L2TP/IPSEC (which is great for gaming). The proprietary Ozone feature adds another layer of security, making sure that your data, device, and identity are protected at all times. Last but not least, there’s a strong no-logging policy that means none of your data is stored when you’re using PureVPN. This makes the service particularly excellent for playing Fortnite in restrictive countries like China and Pakistan.
Read our full PureVPN review.
Why is Fortnite blocked or working improperly?
Fornite has quickly become one of the world’s favorite games. Top Fortnite streamer Tyler “Ninja” Blevins is said to make as much as $500,000 of streaming the game on Twitch, YouTube and other channels. A big part of the reason for this popularity is that the game is fairly non-violent for a shooter. There’s no excessive violence, no unnecessary gore, and a PEGI rating of 12, meaning anyone aged 12 over can play it. Unfortunately, some countries are still unhappy with the game. Recently, many users have complained about Fortnite being unavailable in China, ostensibly because it goes against the ruling communist party’s perception of what’s acceptable. There have also been reports of limited or unavailable service in Greece, the Czech Republic, and other countries.
Most of the time, though, Fortnite is blocked for simpler reasons. Most workplaces and University campuses have restrictions on what you can play online. These restrictions are enforced with firewalls that prevent you from playing video games like Fortnite. In other words, the problem isn’t that Fortnite locks certain players out with geoblocking restrictions, or that governments actively censor the game. It’s more that your employer, your school or college, or your Internet Service Provider has blocked the game.
How can a VPN help?
A VPN helps you overcome Fortnite restrictions in two ways. First, by helping you bypass your firewall. Quality VPNs equipped with technologies like SOCKS5 and the SSTP encryption protocol can pierce any firewall; even the Great Firewall of China. In other words, a VPN can help you play the game as if your Internet usage weren’t restricted. This is the primary way in which a VPN can help you play Fortnite through blocks and censorship filters.
The second way in which a VPN can help improve your Fortnite experience is this. When you play Fortnite, you get taken to a matchmaking screen before your game starts. Unbeknownst to many players, this matchmaking screen connects you with players in your geographical area by default. You can change the server manually – but this often slows down your Fortnite connection to an unbearable crawl. A VPN can help fix this by giving you an IP closer to the server you want, and improving your ping time so you can enjoy the game more freely.
What if Epic Games blocks me?
In addition to all of the above reasons for getting blocked on Fortnite, there’s one more we ought to mention before closing this article. Epic Games has been known to block players’ by their IP if they believe someone is cheating, being a nuisance, etc. This isn’t usually a problem – but many providers give their users shared IPs. The problem with these is that you use the same Internet address as many other users. So you may find yourself unable to connect to (and play Fortnite) for what appears to be no reason. If this is your scenario, don’t fret. A VPN can help you unblock yourself by giving you a brand new IP, foreign or local, so you can continue gaming in peace.
RELATED READING: How to get a unique IP for your VPN
Conclusion
So there you have it. Now you know why Fortnite can be unavailable, and what you can do in order to make sure you can access it no matter where you happen to be. See our related guide if you’re still having issues when trying to unblock Fortnite in school. Now that you know everything about VPNs and how to use one to access Fortnite and improve your gaming experience, what are you going to do? Let us know how you’ll use your subscription below!
If you need a VPN for a short while when traveling for example, you can get our top ranked VPN free of charge. NordVPN includes a 30-day money-back guarantee. You will need to pay for the subscription, that’s a fact, but it allows full access for 30 days and then you cancel for a full refund. Their no-questions-asked cancellation policy lives up to its name.
