How to Add Friends on Epic Games

You can play with friends on any platform, but you need to use the Epic Games launcher on a PC or Mac to add them

By
Jeremy Laukkonen
Jeremy Laukkonen
Jeremy Laukkonen
Writer
  • Shoreline Community College
Jeremy Laukkonen is automotive and tech writer for numerous major trade publications. When not researching and testing computers, game consoles or smartphones, he stays up-to-date on the myriad complex systems that power battery electric vehicles .
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Updated on May 17, 2023
Reviewed by
Lisa Mildon
Lisa Mildon
Reviewed by Lisa Mildon
  • Southern New Hampshire University
Lisa Mildon is a Lifewire writer and an IT professional with 30 years of experience. Her writing has appeared in Geekisphere and other publications.
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What to Know

  • Open Epic Games, and select Friends. Press Add Friend, enter their username or email, and press Send.
  • Facebook or Steam: Add Friend. Pick Facebook or Steam. Log in. Verify your email, then pick friends. Add Friends.

This article explains how to add friends on Epic Games, the force behind the popular Fortnite: Battle Royale, and other hit games like Gears of War. While the Epic Games launcher is only available on Windows and Mac, adding friends on Epic Games allows you to play with them on any platform linked to your Epic Games account.

How to Add a Friend on Epic Games

Here's how to add friends on Epic Games:

  1. Open the Epic Games launcher, and then select Friends.

    The Friends heading

    If you don't have the Epic Games launcher, install it. Go to the Epic Games site and click Download (upper right, in blue). If you play a game like Fortnite on a console or mobile, the Epic Games launcher must be installed on your Windows PC or Mac to add friends to your Epic Games account.

  2. Select the Add Friend icon.

    The Add Friend icon

  3. Enter your friend's Epic Games display name or email address in the Add a Friend field, and select Send.

    The text field and Send button

  4. Your friend appears in the Outgoing section until they accept your request.

    A friend request in the Outgoing screen

  5. If your friend accepts your request, the outgoing message disappears, and you can play with them when you're online simultaneously.

    A screenshot of a friend added to Epic Games.

  6. Select the Add Friend icon to add additional friends.

How to Add Friends to Epic Games From Facebook and Steam

Another way to add friends on Epic Games is to connect your account to another service. This is a great method if you have friends on other Epic Games services. It's also a good method if you aren't sure what a friend's display name or email address is because you won't spend time asking and waiting for them to respond.

Epic Games allows you to connect to Facebook and Steam. To do this, you'll need your Facebook or Steam login information, and you'll need to allow Epic Games permission to connect to your Facebook or Steam account.

If you have two-factor authentication activated on Facebook, you'll need access to the email you use with Facebook. If you have Steam Guard activated, you'll need access to either the Steam app on your phone or the email you use with Steam.

Here's how to add friends on Epic Games by connecting to Steam or Facebook:

  1. Open the Epic Games launcher, and then select Friends.

    The Friends heading

  2. Select the Add Friend icon.

    The Add Friend icon

  3. In the Add Services section, choose Facebook or Steam.

    The Facebook and Steam options under "Add Services"

  4. If you chose Steam, select your Steam account name to proceed.

    A Steam account

    If your Steam account isn't displayed, sign in to the Steam app on your device. Epic Games can't detect your Steam account if you aren't signed in.

  5. Enter your Steam username and password, then select Sign In.

    The Steam sign-in page

    If you have Steam Guard activated on your account, enter a code from the Steam app on your phone or wait for an email from Steam to proceed.

  6. Wait for the success message, close the browser window, and return to your friends list in the Epic Games launcher.

    A screenshot of the success screen from tying a Steam account to an Epic Games account.

  7. If you haven't verified your email with Epic Games, select Resend Verification Email, follow the instructions in the email you receive, then select I Have Verified My Email.

    The "I have verified my email" button

    You cannot proceed without verifying your email. If you don't see the verification email, check all your email folders, including spam.

  8. Choose the friends you want to add, and then select Add Friends.

    The selection box and Add Friends button

    Even if your Steam friends are playing games like Fortnite, they won't appear in this list if they don't link their Epic Games and Steam accounts. If you don't see them in this list, ask them to connect their accounts or add them as Epic Games friends using their display names.

  9. Repeat this process using the Facebook option if your Facebook friends use Epic Games.

FAQ
  • How do I block a friend using the Epic Games launcher?

    In the Epic Games Launcher, click the Friends icon in the upper right. Click the name of the friend you want to block. Now click the ellipses. Click BLOCK or UNFRIEND, and then click again to confirm.

  • How do I add friends in Fortnite?

    Create a lobby. Click the Friends icon and select Add Friends. Enter a friend's Epic Games name or email, then send the request.

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