How to fix the "You do not have permission to play Fortnite" error

Oh no - the "You do not have permission to play Fortnite" error is back. Epic says they're hard at work on a fix at this very moment, but for now it's up to our own ingenuity to fix the error message and get back to Fortniting. Thankfully, this isn't our first rodeo with this particular issue - we first encountered the rather alarming message back in 2018, so we have a bit of knowledge to impart on what to do.

How to fix Fortnite's "You do not have permission to play Fortnite" message

The most common cause seems to be when an Epic games account is linked to different email addresses or accounts like PlayStation Network or Xbox Live. One easy way to accomplish this is by checking any other email accounts you might've used in the past and finding out which one's linked to the Epic Games account and platform you're playing Fortnite on. Once you've found the culprit, simply unlink it and then log into the correct account on whichever device you plan on using. 

If you're having trouble finding the email address that's causing the issue, try them all. Just use the 'Forgot your password?' function on the Epic Games login page and send recovery info to every email address you know you've created. Eventually, you should find a link to reset your password in one of your inboxes, and then you can log in and unlink it.

In short, if you are also experiencing the "You do not have permission to play Fortnite" error, double-triple-check any other emails you've used in the past to find out which one is currently linked to whichever system you want to play on. Unlink it, log onto the Epic Games account you do want it associated with, and connect the two there.

Sam Prell

Sam is a former News Editor here at GamesRadar. His expert words have appeared on many of the web's well-known gaming sites, including Joystiq, Penny Arcade, Destructoid, and G4 Media, among others. Sam has a serious soft spot for MOBAs, MMOs, and emo music. Forever a farm boy, forever a '90s kid.

Latest in Fortnite
Fortnite Dill Bit Display Cases
Fortnite Dill Bit Display Cases: Where to search them
Fortnite character Jonesy looks shocked in the story trailer for Season X.
Fortnite is now giving cheaters "second chances" with 1-year bans that allow you to use the battle royale like it's Discord and do absolutely nothing else until you're freed from the void
Fortnite Black Markets
Fortnite Black Markets: Where are they and how to use them
Buy Reboot Cards in Fortnite
Can you buy Reboot Cards in Fortnite?
Fortnite Outlaw Oasis Vault
Fortnite Outlaw Oasis Vault: How to open the secret vault
Fortnite mascot Big Dill in a ripped photograph with T-Pain
Fortnite attempts to harness the power of Kendrick's diss tracks with "fermented freestyler" Big Dill, a hip-hop pickle who alleges T-Pain ate his family
Latest in Features
Kai and Giatta battle Xaurip in Avowed
I get why Obsidian doesn't like The Elder Scrolls comparisons, but Avowed is the first RPG to have its hooks in me this deep since Skyrim took over my life 14 years ago
GoDice in their RPG case beside Pixels dice
I put two electronic d20s head-to-head and the bad news for your wallet is the discount dice failed its saving throw
Arydia: The Paths We Dare Tread in play
This board game TRPG hybrid delivers something D&D hasn't quite managed to capture for me
Disney Lorcana cards in a circle around a deck facing down on a wooden surface
Disney Lorcana: Archazia's Island has one major advantage over MTG, and the new decks prove it
John Lithgow as Dave Crealy in The Rule of Jenny Pen
John Lithgow and Geoffrey Rush's twisted chiller is a much-needed shake-up to the horror genre, disrupting harmful elderly stereotypes embraced by the likes of X and The Shining
Exploring and fighting in Blades of Fire
Blades of Fire plays like a lost Xbox 360-era mashup between God of War and Soulslikes, and it's coming from the studio behind Metroid Dread