Seeing denial reason code 18 in Fortnite? Here’s how to fix it

None shall be denied.

Screengrab via Epic Games

Hopping into a Fortnite match is a no-effort process unless a pesky error crosses your path. While Epic Games generally does a decent job of patching such errors, they can still appear out of nowhere, especially after huge content releases.

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The denial reason code 18 can appear when players try to join a party together. When this error pops up, players stay on the main menu by themselves, unable to join the party of their choice.

What does the denial reason code 18 error mean in Fortnite?

The denial reason code 18 error means the party you were invited to might have already joined a match.

It can also be prompted for other reasons, like party-related bugs or someone joining as the final party member before you accept an invitation.

How to fix the denial reason code 18 error in Fortnite

  • Wait for party members to get out of their match.
  • Invite your friends to your party instead of joining theirs.
  • Restart Fortnite.
  • Change your Party Privacy mode settings to Public.
  • Make your Fortnite Party Public, or ask your friends to make theirs Public.
  • Add your squad mates to your Epic Games accounts as friends.

In general, the denial reason code 18 should be a one-off and disappear on its own as you get a second invite. If the error remains, one of the steps above should be able to fix it. Players looking to help out Epic can also submit a support ticket so the developer can take the necessary steps toward implementing a permanent fix.

Other Fortnite error codes

Code 18 is far from the only error that you can encounter in Fortnite. Here’s a list of several other codes you may see at a certain moment:

  • Denial reason code 20: Mostly comes up on Xbox when attempting a team-up.
  • Denial reason code 8: Appears due to a faulty connection.
  • Denial reason code 9: Comes up when attempting to join a party of players who have crossplay off.
  • Matchmaking errors: Matchmaking errors appear when you can’t join a match for whatever reason
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.