How to Fix Fortnite Firewall Error “Failed to Connect to Network Backend Services”

Fortnite recently got a new update, and henceforth many new players have onboarded the game to enjoy the experience. Although the game is quite amazing, but errors do pop up from time to time. One such error is the famous firewall or internet error in which the game stops working. Usually, this error will be accompanied by the message – Fortnite Firewall Error: Failed to Connect to Network Backend Services.

This issue mainly affects PC players as it is caused due to blockage of game internet request calls. Not to sound too much technical, but this essentially means that the game is not able to connect to its servers. This issue can arise to multiple factors, with internet connection as the main culprit. Today in this guide, we will explore this issue and share some troubleshooting ways to fix the problem.

Method 1: Restart Game

As we discussed above, the issue is caused due to server disconnection, which can occur as a technical glitch. So restart the game & your PC to see if this helps.

Method 2: Check Internet Connection

Often, the poor internet connection is why Fortnite cannot connect to its game servers and shows you this error message. Please connect with your internet service provider (ISP) and configure a high-speed internet connection. If you have any parallel download tasks running in the background, you have to pause them while playing the game.

Method 3: Clear Host File

Windows host file contains the servers list, which is automatically disallowed to connect to the internet. When you use a game activation patch or other game-related external tools, the host file gets updated, which disables access to the Fortnite server. According to many users on Reddit, this is the prime reason for failed to connect to network backend services on Fortnite.

Open windows file explorer and navigate to Local Disk (C:) > Windows > System32 > Drivers > etc.

Here you will find the hosts.txt file. Rick click and open this file.

Select and delete all of the text within the file and save the changes
Then reboot your PC, and the issue will be solved.

Please note that in order to edit the host file, you need admin privileges. So make sure to open the text file as administrator mode.

Method 4: Remove Internet Firewall

Many of us use third-party internet firewall apps to keep our internet activity in check. Please note that in order to run Fortnite, you need to make sure BattlEye, Epic Games Services, and EasyAntiCheat services are whitelisted on your internet firewall. As these services often need to connect with game servers to maintain their Fairplay regulations.

Method 5: Re-install Game

If none of the above methods works for you, then it’s quite possible that the game itself is corrupt or some important game files are missing. The best way to fix this is to reinstall the game. First, make sure to uninstall the game completely, along with all game residual files. Then install the game again from the official Fortnite website.

Conclusion

This brings us to the end of this guide for fixing Fortnite firewall error – failed to connect to network backend services. Please note that there could be many reasons why your game is not able to connect to the server. So follow the above methods to troubleshoot the same. And in case nothing works, it would be wise to re-install the game and see if it helps.

How to Fix Fortnite Firewall Error “Failed to Connect to Network Backend Services”