Epic Games Launcher Downloading Slow? 10 Fixes to Speed It Up

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Is the Epic Games Launcher downloading painfully slow, dropping to 0 MB/s, or taking hours to install a game that should finish much faster? This problem is common on Windows PCs, especially when downloading large games like Fortnite, GTA V, Rocket League, Alan Wake 2, Fall Guys, or free weekly Epic Games Store titles.

The frustrating part is that your internet may be working fine everywhere else. A browser speed test may show 300 Mbps, 500 Mbps, or even 1 Gbps, but Epic Games Launcher still downloads at 1 MB/s, 5 MB/s, or keeps stopping and starting.

The good news is that this is usually fixable. Slow Epic Games downloads can happen because of a launcher download limit, bad cache files, DNS issues, Wi-Fi instability, Epic server traffic, antivirus interference, a slow storage drive, or the way Epic downloads and installs chunks at the same time.

Why Is Epic Games Launcher Downloading So Slow?

Epic Games Launcher downloads can slow down for several reasons. Sometimes the issue is with Epic’s servers. Sometimes it is your local connection, DNS, router, drive speed, cache, antivirus, or launcher settings.

Here are the most common reasons:

• The download speed limit is turned on in Epic Games Launcher.
• Epic’s servers are busy or having issues.
• You are using unstable Wi-Fi instead of Ethernet.
• The launcher cache is corrupted.
• Your DNS server is routing Epic traffic poorly.
• A VPN or proxy is slowing the connection.
• Windows Firewall or antivirus is scanning every download chunk.
• Your SSD or HDD is slowing down the install process.
• Another app is using bandwidth in the background.
• The download is actually unpacking/installing, not just downloading.

Epic Games Launcher Slow Download: Quick Fix Table

Fix 1: Turn Off the Epic Games Download Speed Limit

The first thing you should check is the built-in download limit. If this setting is enabled, Epic Games Launcher may restrict your speed even if your internet connection is much faster.

Follow these steps:

1. Open Epic Games Launcher.
2. Click your profile icon in the top-right corner.
3. Select Settings.
4. Scroll down to Download Settings.
5. Find Limit Download Speeds.
6. Uncheck the box.
7. Restart Epic Games Launcher.
8. Try downloading the game again.

For many users, this is the fastest fix. If the launcher was limiting your download speed, turning this off should let Epic use more of your available bandwidth.

Fix 2: Check Epic Games Server Status

If Epic’s servers are busy or having an outage, your download speed may drop even when your internet is working perfectly. This often happens when Fortnite gets a large update, a major free game goes live, or a popular title launches on the Epic Games Store.

Before changing too many settings, check the official Epic Games server status page.

Look for issues with:

• Epic Games Store
• Epic Online Services
• Fortnite services
• Login and launcher services
• Downloads or store services

If Epic is having server problems, the best fix is to wait and try again later. You can still try the other fixes below, but server-side slowdowns cannot be fully fixed from your PC.

Fix 3: Pause and Resume the Download

This simple trick can help when Epic Games Launcher gets stuck at a very low speed. Pausing and resuming can force the launcher to reconnect and continue downloading from a better state.

1. Open Epic Games Launcher.
2. Go to Downloads.
3. Click Pause on the slow download.
4. Wait 10 to 20 seconds.
5. Click Resume.

If that does not help, close the launcher completely:

1. Click the arrow in the Windows system tray.
2. Right-click the Epic Games Launcher icon.
3. Select Exit.
4. Open the launcher again.
5. Resume the download.

This is not a deep fix, but it is worth trying before changing DNS, cache files, or firewall settings.

Fix 4: Use Ethernet Instead of Wi-Fi

If your Epic Games download is slow on Wi-Fi, switch to a wired Ethernet connection if possible. Game downloads are large, and Wi-Fi can be affected by walls, distance, router congestion, interference, and other devices using the same network.

Ethernet is usually better for large downloads because it gives you:

• More stable speed
• Lower packet loss
• Less interference
• Better consistency during big updates

If you cannot use Ethernet, try these Wi-Fi improvements:

• Move closer to your router.
• Use the 5 GHz or 6 GHz Wi-Fi band if available.
• Restart your router.
• Disconnect devices that are streaming or downloading.
• Avoid downloading during peak evening hours if your network gets congested.

Fix 5: Clear the Epic Games Launcher Cache

A corrupted Epic Games Launcher cache can cause slow downloads, launcher errors, blank pages, update problems, or downloads that keep stopping. Clearing the cache does not delete your installed games.

Here is how to clear the Epic Games Launcher cache on Windows:

1. Exit Epic Games Launcher completely.
2. Click the arrow in the bottom-right system tray.
3. Right-click the Epic Games icon and select Exit.
4. Press Windows + R.
5. Type %localappdata% and press Enter.
6. Open the EpicGamesLauncher folder.
7. Open the Saved folder.
8. Delete these folders if you see them:
   • webcache
   • webcache_4147
   • webcache_4430
9. Restart your PC.
10. Open Epic Games Launcher and try the download again.

Fix 6: Flush DNS on Windows

DNS issues can make Epic Games downloads slower than expected. Flushing DNS clears old network records from Windows and can help your PC reconnect more cleanly to Epic’s servers.

Here is how to flush DNS:

1. Click the Windows Start button.
2. Type cmd.
3. Right-click Command Prompt.
4. Select Run as administrator.
5. Type the following command:

ipconfig /flushdns

6. Press Enter.
7. Restart Epic Games Launcher.

If you see a message saying the DNS Resolver Cache was successfully flushed, the command worked.

Fix 7: Switch to a Public DNS

If your ISP’s DNS is slow or routing traffic poorly, switching to a public DNS can improve connection stability. This does not guarantee faster downloads for everyone, but it is a useful fix when Epic Games Launcher is slow while other apps work normally.

Popular public DNS options include:

To change DNS on Windows 11:

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to Network & internet.
3. Select Ethernet or Wi-Fi.
4. Find DNS server assignment.
5. Click Edit.
6. Choose Manual.
7. Turn on IPv4.
8. Enter the preferred and alternate DNS addresses.
9. Save the settings.
10. Restart your PC and try Epic again.

Fix 8: Disable VPN, Proxy, and Background Downloads

A VPN or proxy can slow down Epic Games downloads because your traffic is being routed through another server. Some VPN servers are fast for browsing but poor for large game downloads.

Try this:

• Turn off your VPN.
• Disable any proxy settings.
• Close torrent apps.
• Pause OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, or cloud backups.
• Stop Windows Store, Steam, Battle.net, EA App, or Ubisoft Connect downloads.
• Close streaming apps like Netflix, YouTube, Twitch, or Discord streams.

To check what is using bandwidth on Windows:

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. Click Processes.
3. Sort by Network.
4. Close apps using heavy bandwidth.

After closing background apps, pause and resume the Epic download.

Fix 9: Check Antivirus and Firewall Interference

Antivirus tools can slow down Epic Games downloads by scanning every chunk as it downloads and installs. This is more noticeable with very large games or frequent Fortnite updates.

Do not permanently turn off your security protection. Instead, test carefully:

1. Pause the Epic download.
2. Temporarily disable third-party antivirus protection for a few minutes.
3. Resume the download.
4. If speed improves, add Epic Games Launcher to your antivirus allowlist.
5. Turn antivirus protection back on.

You may need to allow these files or folders:

• EpicGamesLauncher.exe
• EpicWebHelper.exe
• Your Epic Games installation folder
• The folder where your Epic games are installed

You should also make sure Epic Games Launcher is allowed through Windows Firewall.

Fix 10: Install the Game on an SSD, Not a Slow HDD

Epic Games Launcher does not only download files. It also verifies, unpacks, writes, and installs game data. This means your storage drive can affect the download experience.

If your download speed keeps dropping to 0 MB/s, your PC may be busy writing or unpacking files. This is more common on older hard drives.

For best results:

• Install large games on an SSD.
• Keep at least 15% to 20% free space on the drive.
• Avoid installing to a nearly full drive.
• Do not download to an external slow USB drive if you can avoid it.
• Check drive health if downloads constantly fail or verify slowly.

To see if your drive is the bottleneck:

1. Open Task Manager.
2. Go to the Performance tab.
3. Click your storage drive.
4. Watch disk usage while Epic downloads.

If disk usage is stuck at or near 100%, your internet may not be the main problem. The launcher may be waiting for your drive to finish writing or unpacking files.

Advanced Fix: Try a Controlled Download Throttle

This sounds strange, but some users report that setting a manual download throttle can make Epic Games Launcher more stable. The idea is not to make downloads slower. The goal is to stop the launcher from jumping between very high speed and 0 MB/s.

Try this only after you have already tested the official “turn off download limit” method.

1. Open Epic Games Launcher.
2. Click your profile icon.
3. Go to Settings.
4. Scroll to Download Settings.
5. Turn on Limit Download Speeds.
6. Enter a high but realistic speed for your connection.
7. Restart Epic Games Launcher.

Use a value slightly below your real maximum download speed. For example, if your connection is 500 Mbps, do not set the throttle to an unrealistic number. Give the launcher a stable ceiling and test whether the download becomes smoother.

What Does 0 MB/s Mean in Epic Games Launcher?

If Epic Games Launcher shows 0 MB/s, it does not always mean the download is broken. Sometimes Epic is installing, verifying, or writing files to your drive.

You may see 0 MB/s when:

• The launcher is unpacking downloaded files.
• The game is being verified.
• Your disk is at 100% usage.
• Your antivirus is scanning files.
• The download temporarily lost connection.
• Epic servers are responding slowly.

If the progress bar is still moving slowly, wait a few minutes. If it stays frozen for a long time, pause and resume the download, restart the launcher, and check your disk usage in Task Manager.

Best Fix Order for Most Users

If you want the fastest troubleshooting path, use this order:

Final Thoughts

When Epic Games Launcher is downloading slow, do not assume your internet is the only problem. The launcher may be limited by its own settings, cache issues, DNS routing, Wi-Fi instability, antivirus scanning, Epic server traffic, or your storage drive.

Start with the easiest fixes first: turn off the download speed limit, restart the launcher, check Epic server status, and use Ethernet if possible. After that, clear the launcher cache, flush DNS, disable VPN or proxy tools, and check whether your drive is stuck at high usage.

For most players, the best fixes are turning off the download speed limit, clearing the Epic Games Launcher cache, and using a stable wired connection.

FAQs

Why is Epic Games Launcher downloading so slow?

Epic Games Launcher may download slowly because of a download speed limit, server traffic, unstable Wi-Fi, corrupted launcher cache, DNS problems, VPN or proxy routing, antivirus scanning, or a slow storage drive.

How do I make Epic Games Launcher download faster?

Turn off the download speed limit, use Ethernet instead of Wi-Fi, clear the launcher cache, flush DNS, close background downloads, disable VPN or proxy tools, and install games on an SSD if possible.

Why does Epic Games download drop to 0 MB/s?

Epic may show 0 MB/s while it is verifying, unpacking, or writing files to your drive. It can also happen because of disk bottlenecks, antivirus scanning, cache issues, server problems, or an unstable connection.

Should I turn on download throttling in Epic Games Launcher?

Epic’s official fix is to turn off the download speed limit first. However, some users report that setting a manual high throttle can stabilize speeds. Try it only if turning the limit off does not help.

Does clearing Epic Games Launcher cache delete my games?

No. Clearing the launcher cache removes temporary launcher files only. It does not delete your installed games, game saves, or Epic Games account.

Is Epic Games Launcher slower than Steam?

Download speed can vary depending on servers, location, connection, storage drive, and launcher behavior. Some users may see faster speeds on Steam, while others get normal speeds on Epic after fixing cache, DNS, or download limit settings.

Sources Checked

• Epic Games Support: How to troubleshoot slow download speed on Epic Games Launcher
• Epic Games Support: How to turn off download speed limit
• Epic Games Support: How to clear the Launcher cache on PC
• Epic Games Support: Troubleshooting the Epic Games Launcher

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Ankit kumar is a Digital Marketing Manager and a fan of the COD franchise and Roblox. Perfection is his forte, and the same can be seen in his work. He loves to invest his time in creating awesome content, doing SEO and discovering the latest games.