How to Fix the “Failed to Join Party” Error in Fortnite?

The “Failed to Join Party” error in Fortnite occurs when the game is unable to establish a successful connection between your client and a friend’s party session. This issue typically appears when attempting to join a party and is associated with specific error codes that signal either connectivity problems or misconfigured party-related settings.

The most common error codes related to this issue include:

• Error Code 91 – Indicates unstable party communication or an unreachable host.
• Error Code 93 – Typically points to a problem with party privacy settings or user session sync failures.

In addition to these, other codes you may encounter include:

• Denial Reason Code 20
• Error Codes 58, 83, 84, 86, 2002

These errors can be caused due to multiple reasons;

• Private Party Settings: If the host’s party is set to private, it can reject external join requests without proper invites. 
• Network Instability: High latency, NAT-type restrictions, or inconsistent internet connections can interrupt session handshakes. 
• Disabled or Improper Cross-play Settings: Cross-platform play must be enabled for players on different platforms to join each other’s parties. 
• Conflicting Party Modes: Differences in selected game modes or matchmaking preferences across party members can result in failed joins. 
• Server or Anti-Cheat Restrictions: Temporary server-side problems or anti-cheat services like Easy Anti-Cheat blocking users due to sync mismatches or background conflicts can also cause these errors.

Now you know about the error codes and their causes, let’s move on to the solutions.

Basic Troubleshooting

• Check your Internet: Make sure your internet connection is stable. A weak or unstable connection often causes disruptions in accessing game servers. Go to Speedtest or Fast to check your internet speed.
• Restart Game: Temporary glitches in the game can cause connectivity issues. Restarting it clears the cache and fixes minor bugs, restoring smooth functionality without needing complex fixes.

If none of these quick tips fix your issue, you can move to proper solutions down below.

1. Check Ban Status

Before trying anything, ensure that the account you are using does not have any restrictions. Sometimes, a ban or suspension could be the reason you’re unable to join parties or matches. Checking your ban status confirms whether this is the case, saving you time by identifying the root cause early.

1. Go to the official Epic Games Support page
2. Log in to your Epic Games account and check your account status for any ban notifications
3. If you find your account has been banned, click “Contact Us” to reach Epic Games Support for help resolving the issue

2. Verify Game Files

Connection issues can often occur when game files become corrupted or go missing. Verifying your game files through the platform’s built-in tool will:

• Scan for any corrupted or modified game files
• Automatically download and replace missing files
• Ensure all game components match the official version

This process typically resolves server connection problems caused by file integrity issues.

1. Launch the Epic Games Launcher and click on Library in the left sidebar.
2. Locate Fortnite in your library and click the three-dot menu next to it.
3. Choose Manage from the dropdown menu.
4. Click the Verify option to begin checking your game files.
5. Confirm the action by clicking Verify files to complete the process.

3. Check Cross-Play Settings

Mismatched cross-play settings between party members can cause compatibility issues. Checking and verifying that everyone in the party has compatible cross-play settings can help in solving connection problems.

1. Open your Fortnite settings menu.
2. Go to the Account and Privacy section and locate the “Allow Cross Platform Play” option.
3. Make sure cross-play is enabled and that your settings match those of your party members.

4. Set Party Privacy to Public

If the party settings is set to private it can cause issues for others while joining the lobby, changing the setting to “Public” will allow all players to join without any interruption.

1. Press the options menu (or click on the top-left icon) to bring up the side menu.
2. From the side menu, access your avatar icon to bring up the Advanced Party Settings. 
   

   

3. From the next menu, ensure that Privacy Party is set to public before saving the changes. 
   

4. Once the party privacy has been changed, attempt to join again and see if you still see the error occurs.

5. Add Game as Exemption in the Firewall

Sometimes, the game is blocked by Windows Firewall which can stop it from accessing the internet smoothly and result in party not joining, allowing the game from Windows Firewall will provide a smooth communication between the internet and the game that can help in solving this issue.

1. Press Windows Key + S and search for “Firewall & Network Protection“, then open it.
   
2. Click on “Allow an app through firewall“.
   
3. Select Change Settings (admin privileges required).
   
4. Click Add another app to browse for Fortnite.
   
5. In the new window:
   • Click Browse
   • Navigate to Fortnite’s installation folder (typically: C:\Program Files\Epic Games\Fortnite\FortniteGame\Binaries\Win64)
   • Select Fortnite.exe
6. Under Network Types, check both Private and Public boxes.
   
7. Click Add, then OK to whitelist Fortnite in Windows Defender Firewall.