What to do when Split Screen is not working in Fortnite

Taking a break from splitting screen in Fortnite, are we?

Fortnite skin with a purple galaxy body
Image via Epic Games

Playing Fortnite with friends is more fun, and you can connect with your squad during the game in different ways. While you can always invite them to your party, you can also have a local session with Fortnite’s split screen session—but what if it isn’t working?

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When the Fortnite split screen is not working, it can be due to various reasons. You could be having trouble activating the split screen, or Epic Games could have turned it off due to a bug.

How to fix the Split Screen not working error in Fortnite

Fortnite's Split screen not working.
Uh oh. Screenshot via Epic Games

Before fixing the Split Screen not working error in Fortnite, you should check Fortnite’s dedicated status update social media account. If you see a post notifying players about a potential split screen downtime, then your best option will be waiting

For example, on April 9, Epic disabled Split Screen to work on a matchmaking issue in Fortnite. If you see no such updates on Fortnite’s Status social media account, you can try the following fixes for the Split Screen not working error in Fortnite.

  1. Carefully follow this guide on how to play Fortnite split-screen on all platforms to ensure you aren’t missing a step.
  2. Restart your console and hard reset the controllers.
  3. Try starting split-screen with a guest account.

In cases where Epic disables Split Screen, you should still keep an eye on the Fortnite Status X (formerly Twitter) account since the developer posts the latest updates there. When Split Screen becomes available again, you should instantly be able to start playing in a couch co-op setup again, but you might also need to install a new update in rare cases.

Author
Image of Gökhan Çakır
Gökhan Çakır
Gökhan is a Staff Writer and Fortnite Lead at Dot Esports. Gökhan graduated as an industrial engineer in 2020 and has since been with Dot Esports. As a natural-born gamer, he honed his skills to a professional level in Dota 2. Upon giving up on the Aegis of Champions in 2019, Gökhan started his writing career, covering all things gaming, while his heart remains a lifetime defender of the Ancients.