How to Remove the Fortnite IP Ban in 2023 — The Easy Fix

My 11-year-old nephew, Dylan, recently asked me to help him with an issue he had with Fortnite. He got the dreaded Fortnite ban screen on his Xbox, and couldn’t continue playing the game. Since I’m familiar with the issue, I identified the problem right away and provided a solution. Now I want to share it with you.

Epic Games takes bullying and cheating so seriously that it sometimes even proactively bans IP addresses — leading to accidental blocks. If you got an IP ban for whatever reason, you can unblock Fortnite by simply changing your IP address. You can do this easily with a VPN.

A VPN gives you a different IP address by connecting you to a remote server. But not all VPNs unblock Fortnite. After extensive testing, I confidently recommend ExpressVPN. As Dylan said, it's a “cranking” VPN with quick-scope speeds. You can try it yourself risk-free — if you're not totally satisfied, you have 30 days to claim a full refund.

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Why You Need a VPN to Remove the Fortnite IP Ban

Fortnite bans players for many reasons ranging from bullying and cheating to impersonating others. You may get banned accidentally or for something that you didn’t realize was against the rules. Fortnite bans usually last for up to 30 days, but they can be permanent. The most common method of banning on Fortnite is an IP block.

An IP address is a string of numbers and periods that your ISP assigns you. When you go online to play Fortnite, it identifies you and your location by looking at your IP. When Epic Games suspects rule-breaking, it usually bans the IP and freezes you out of the game.

A VPN is an app that connects you to a server of your choice, giving you a new IP address. When you do that, Fortnite doesn’t see your regular IP address that got banned. Instead, it sees the IP address of the VPN server you connect to. That’s how a VPN lets you bypass a Fortnite IP ban.

Not all VPNs can reliably remove the Fortnite ban. So, I extensively tested many VPNs to find the ones that Fortnite can’t easily block. The ones on my list work reliably to remove the Fortnite IP ban, and they also have speeds fast enough to support lag-free gaming. Plus, they are compatible with the most popular devices, including consoles.

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Best VPNs to Remove the Fortnite IP Ban in 2023

1. ExpressVPN — The Overall Best VPN To Remove the Ban and Play Fortnite Again

ExpressVPN is the best because it effortlessly unblocks Fortnite, and its blazing-fast speeds are ideal for gaming. One reason why ExpressVPN is great at bypassing detection by Fortnite is due to its obfuscated servers. These are specialized VPN servers that hide the fact that you're using a VPN at all. I was able to remove the IP ban on the first try.

My ping with ExpressVPN was low, which is important for smooth gameplay. Latency (measured as ping) is the response time between the controls you press and the on-screen action. Ideally, you need a ping of under 100 milliseconds (ms) for gaming. If your ping is high, characters stutter or flicker. Most VPNs increase your ping slightly, along with your download and upload speeds (20% on average).

But when I tested playing Fortnite with ExpressVPN, my ping remained great. My base ping was 11 ms, and while connected to a nearby server in Germany — 24 ms. My starting download speed was 135.15 Mbps, and when I connected to a faraway server in Hong Kong, it only dropped by 8.44%. It was still more than fast enough for Fortnite, even on its long-distance servers.

ExpressVPN gives you incredible gaming speeds

That’s partly due to its unique protocol, Lightway — which is fast enough to stream in UHD. VPN protocols determine exactly how your data is sent through a connection. The protocol you use influences how quickly and securely your data travels. My game was running smoothly all the time.
In my experience, ExpressVPN is the best if you want a smooth gameplay

Understandably, premium service comes at a premium price, and ExpressVPN is a little more expensive than others on my list, with a price starting from $6.67/month. Short-term plans are also on the pricey side, but in my opinion, they're worth it — ExpressVPN’s features are the perfect fit for playing Fortnite.

The good news is: its long-term plan is more affordable. Plus, with my subscription, I even saved 49% on fees.

ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it out risk-free. If you’re not completely happy, you can claim a full refund. I’ve tried this myself, and live chat was as friendly and efficient as ever. I got my money back on my credit card in 3 days.

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2. CyberGhost — Autostart the VPN Each Time You Start Playing Fortnite

Split tunneling can improve your online gaming because you can set the VPN to start automatically whenever you open your Fortnite app. This feature allows you to choose which apps you want to use with the VPN and which without the VPN, using your regular IP address. For example, you can use your regular IP to access important websites like banking sites or local networks. This way, you don't need to turn the VPN on and off each time you want to play. I used the VPN and my regular IP interchangeably, depending on what I was doing.

CyberGhost offers dedicated IP addresses. With a unique IP, you have a personal address that only you can use, making it far less likely to get a ban. When you use a VPN, you connect to a shared server — but you’re also sharing an IP address. Other Fortnite players could get a ban on the IP. CyberGhost can prevent this with a dedicated IP address. This is a very useful add-on that you can get for a small fee, which I found reasonable considering the benefits.

CyberGhost has a simple but powerful app. The touch of a button hooks you up to the quickest available server. It's also very easy to install — during testing, I installed CyberGhost and could access Fortnite within minutes. You can also see the user load percentage next to each server, which is useful because it helps you anticipate the speed. The higher a load of users, the lower your gaming speeds will be, so you should choose a server with a lower percentage. Additionally, you can add servers to your favorites list for a quicker connection next time you play Fortnite.

CyberGhost can quickly connect you to the best available server

On the downside, its monthly plan is a little pricey. However, its long-term plans are more cost-effective. Prices start from just $2.19/month, and I even got 83% off when I signed up.

CyberGhost's long-term plans comes with a CyberGhost’s 45-day money-back guarantee — longer than most vendors. If you’re not completely satisfied, claim a full refund. I tried this myself — after testing CyberGhost, I contacted support to ask for a refund. They agreed with no fuss, and I had my money back by the end of the week.

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3. Private Internet Access — A Ton of Servers to Play Fortnite From Anywhere

Private Internet Access has a vast network of servers. Wherever you are in the world, a nearby server will be fast enough for Fortnite. Having many servers also means your speeds won’t drop, even when many people are online. It also has many servers in North America, so PIA is a great choice if you live there or if you want to play the US Fortnite. As with my top 2 picks, the app organizes servers by latency, so it makes it easier to find the fastest server for playing Fortnite.

Your connection speeds won’t drop with PIA’s vast network of servers

PIA offers the WireGuard protocol, which is great for gaming since it is one of the fastest VPN protocols. Its speeds weren’t as fast as ExpressVPN’s, but using PIA’s server near me, I also got a ping of 24 ms. That’s even an increase of just 13 ms from my base ping, which is great.

My first 2 recommendations on this list are both user-friendly. But if you’re a tech-savvy gamer, PIA might be your choice. It has an advanced menu with a dizzying range of settings to get stuck into, making it the most customizable VPN on my list.

However, this could be a minor drawback if you're a VPN beginner. I couldn’t switch over to the WireGuard protocol on the main app — not even in the expanded view. Instead, I had to open the settings and navigate the menu. But it won’t be too challenging for some expert gamers out there. Plus, the app comes pre-configured, so you don’t have to change anything to make it work for gaming.

When it comes to pricing, PIA is flexible. There’s a range of plans available starting at just $2.03/month. You may also find various discounts — currently, it offers 83% off if you take its extended plan.

PIA’s plans all have a 30-day money-back guarantee. If it’s not what you were hoping for, contact customer support for a full refund. I’ve checked this myself, and it couldn’t be easier. I asked for a refund using its 24/7 live chat. After a brief chat, its support confirmed my refund, and I received my money back in less than a week.

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4. IPVanish — Play Fortnite Again on All Your Devices

IPVanish is the only VPN on my list that supports unlimited devices on a single subscription. This is great if you like to play Fortnite with your friends or siblings at home on many different devices. To test this out, I connected to IPVanishand ran Fortnite on a PC, 2 laptops, 2 mobiles, a Nintendo Switch, a PlayStation, and an Xbox. It ran smoothly without phasing. The speeds remained stable even though there were so many devices connected. My ping on nearby servers was around 37 ms. Even though this is a little slower than the others on my list, it is easily fast enough for Fortnite.

It has an intuitive app. With a single click, it can connect you to the best available location for optimal speeds. It defaults to “Best available city,” but you can choose your country, city, and server. That gives you a lot of freedom to choose your preferred location for playing Fortnite.

IPVanish remembers your last location connection, so you don’t have to search for a server every time

A slight concern is that IPVanish isn't functional in China, a country where Fortnite is prohibited. If you have travel plans to China, ExpressVPN is a viable alternative, having demonstrated its effectiveness even in countries with heavy internet restrictions.

IPVanish offers some competitive price plans starting at just $2.49/month. There’s a range of plans available so you can pick the one that suits you best. For example, if you want a VPN in the long run, you can save up to 77% on subscription fees.

Its long-term plan comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Find out if it’s the right service for you. If not, simply ask for a full refund. I didn’t have any issues getting my money back — I just sent an email requesting a refund. In 3 days, the money was back on my account.

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5. PrivateVPN — A Simple VPN to Get Easily Unbanned On Fortnite

PrivateVPN is simple and intuitive — there’s 1 big connect button on the app. I just had to open the server list, select my preferred server, and click on the on/off button. That’s all you need to do to remove the IP ban and play Fortnite again. You won’t even have to access the "Advanced View," but the settings are there if you need them. I found PrivateVPN's app very intuitive and easy to use.

Bypassing the Fortnite IP ban couldn’t be simpler with PrivateVPN’s straightforward app

With PrivateVPN, you can get an expert setup and troubleshooting service. It can connect to your device, remotely install the app, and even configure your settings for Fortnite. To activate the remote control, you need to download certain files from its support page and send them your TeamViewer ID and password. I’ve tested this myself, and its team was able to set up the VPN remotely on my laptop.

A minor drawback of PrivateVPN is that it performs poorly over long distances, unlike ExpressVPN and CyberGhost. I connected to a server around 3,000 miles away, and speeds were sluggish. I can’t tell you exactly how slow because my speed test timed out. But if you just want to play Fortnite using a local server, PrivateVPN is a great choice.

PrivateVPN has budget-friendly prices — especially on its longer-term plans. Prices start from just $2/month, and now you can get 85% off if you subscribe to the yearly plan.

It might be one of the more basic VPNs on my list, but if you want a simple solution to unblock the Fortnite IP ban, PrivateVPN has everything you need. You can try it out today with a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you’re not happy, simply claim a refund. I tested this and got my money back in less than a week.

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FAQs on How to Remove the Fortnite IP Ban

Why does Fortnite ban users?

Fortnite bans users for 3 main reasons: cheating, dishonesty, and bullying. One way Epic Games prevents such activity is by banning IP addresses, which can sometimes lead to accidental bans. This can happen when Epic Games wrongly suspects cheating, bullying, or some other wrongdoing.

To overcome this, you need to change your IP address, and you can do that with a VPN. You need to get a top-rated VPN. All the VPNs on my list are capable of removing the Fortnite IP ban with ease. All you need to do is connect to any server which changes your IP address — allowing you to bypass the Fortnite IP ban.

How long do Fortnite bans last?

Temporary bans last from 48 hours to 30 days, while permanent bans are indefinite. The most common type of Fortnite ban is an IP ban. That’s where Fortnite blocks you using the unique code that your ISP assigns to you.

When that happens, you can use a VPN to connect to a server that assigns you a new IP address. Then when you go on Fortnite, it can’t see your regular IP address, which it has banned. Instead, it sees the IP of the VPN server you’re connected to.

In addition to account and hardware bans, there are various types of Fortnite bans. If you encounter such a ban, you will need to create a new Fortnite account and begin anew. Since you might also face an IP ban, utilizing a VPN can help you bypass the ban and regain access to Fortnite.

How can I avoid a ban on Fortnite?

You can avoid a Fortnite ban by being reasonable to other gamers and playing within the rules. Not all gamers who get bans were intentionally unpleasant, though, and if you think your ban is unjust, you can take it up with Epic Games customer support.

When Epic Games issues many of its temporary bans, it bans your IP address, which is the unique code that your ISP assigns to you. With a VPN, you can connect to a server, which changes your IP. When you go on Fortnite, it won’t see the IP it has banned but the IP of your VPN server.

How do I choose the best VPN for Fortnite?

To play Fortnite, you need a VPN that can bypass the Fortnite IP ban. Your VPN needs fast enough connection speeds to support gaming. You should also check out your ping. Ping measures the response time between pressing a button on your controller and the action happening on screen. For online gaming, I recommend a ping of under 100 ms.

I’ve tested many VPNs while playing Fortnite, and I had the best speeds with ExpressVPN.

Can I use a free VPN to remove the Fortnite’s IP ban?

I don’t recommend using a free VPN to play Fortnite. The game recognizes and bans many free VPNs. Also, you may often be removed from a match due to internet lag. That’s because most free VPNs have crowded servers which significantly slow down your connection speeds. Free VPNs also throttle their speeds, and you won’t get a fast enough ping to play Fortnite.

On top of that, free VPNs often bombard you with ads, and they may also sell your data to third parties. They also pose security threats via malware.

To beat the Fortnite IP ban, I recommend using any of the 5 VPNs on my list. The VPNs I recommend are much more reliable and come with a money-back guarantee, so you can test them risk-free.

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Remove the Fortnite IP Ban Now

There’s nothing worse than a ban when you’re really into Fortnite. With a reliable VPN, it needn’t mean game over. My #1 recommendation is ExpressVPN because it effortlessly removes the Fortnite IP ban. In addition to that, its lightning-fast speeds guarantee a smooth Fortnite gameplay.

You can try ExpressVPN out risk-free — if you’re not 100% satisfied, you can claim a full refund. It's backed by a 30-days money-back guarantee.

To summarize, the best VPNs for removing the Fortnite IP ban are…