Fix: Apex Legends Server Connection Error
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Key notes
- Apex Legends is a popular battle royale multiplayer game released by Electronic Arts. However, sometimes you might notice certain connectivity issues.
- If you’re experiencing server connection errors while playing Apex Legends, you might want to try our suggested fixes.
By default, Apex Legends teams you up by two other players and creates a squad. There are 20 such squads in a regular game. However, Apex Legends lets you also enjoy the game in two-player squads, or singles (no squads, players are against each other).
Perhaps one of the most appealing aspects of the game is that you can play it for free. You won’t be able to play with all the characters at first, but you can purchase legends by spending real money or trade your in-game points for them.
Sadly, we’re not here to discuss Apex Legends’ awesomeness. Instead, we’ll teach you how to avoid one of the most common problems you may encounter in this game: server connection errors.
How to fix Apex Legends connection issues?
1. Use a VPN
- Get an Express VPN subscription.
- Download and install the VPN on your PC
- Launch the VPN and log into your account
- Connect to a fast server (nearby ones work best)
- Launch Apex Legends
- Check if there’s any improvement
More often than not, using a VPN can greatly increase the quality of your connection. More so if your ISP artificially limits it by means of throttling your bandwidth or routing traffic improperly.
Besides connectivity issues, if you’re facing memory errors in Apex Legends, our guide on how to get rid of the Memory Could Not Be Read error in Apex Legends provides effective solutions.
Not having a strong, good-quality connection can really affect your ability to enjoy Apex Legends. Therefore, it would only make sense that using a service such as Express VPN can curb the incidence of these unwanted connection issues.
A good, trustworthy VPN like Express VPN can also circumvent geo-restrictions and bypass network congestion.
Even if you don’t notice any improvement at first, make sure you switch to another server and try again. Express VPN has servers in 105 countries so you can easily connect through it no matter where you are.
Express VPN
Make sure you fully enjoy your Apex Legends matches with this powerful VPN solution.2. Flush your DNS
- Run CMD as administrator on your computer
- Type these commands, one by one, in this order:
ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /registerdns
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
netsh winsock reset
exit
Once you close the CMD window, restart your PC, launch Apex Legends, and check if you still experience connectivity issues.
Additionally, you can switch to another DNS, other than the one your ISP assigned to you. We’ve been using Google’s free Public DNS and we’re nothing short of satisfied with it.
It’s worth mentioning that you should back up your ISP-assigned DNS, in case the new ones don’t work as intended. If your DNS is set to automatic, there’s no need to back anything up.
Before launching the game, you can also take the following steps:
- Right-click your Apex Legends shortcut/launcher icon
- Select Properties
- Head to the Compatibility tab
- Select Disable fullscreen optimizations
- Check the Run this program as an administrator box
- Click OK
Reportedly, disabling the full-screen optimization option improved things for certain users.
3. Change the data center
Fortunately, Apex Legends doesn’t tie your hands when it comes to regions. Right before you reach the main menu, you can switch to a data center in a different region.
If you notice fewer connectivity issues, the issue might be server-side, which means there’s nothing you can do about it.
Alternatively, you can check the servers’ status before you jump to any conclusions. There’s a Server Status button on the official website, but we found it quite rudimentary.
4. Restart Windows audio service (AMD FX series users)
- Optional: Disable your microphone
- Launch Apex Legends
- Press the CTRL + SHIFT + ESC key combination on your keyboard
- Go to the Services tab
- Locate Windows Audio Endpoint Builder (AudioEndpointBuilder) and stop it
- Start the Windows Audio (Audiosrv) service
Note that this fix reportedly mostly works for AMD FX-series users. This doesn’t mean others can’t try it too, but the results might not be as expected.
You can also try the microphone trick, but make sure to disable it before you launch the game. You can enable it shortly after launching Apex Legends, but you will still be unable to use the microphone.
5. Troubleshoot your connection
- Restart your PC, router, and/or modem
- Use wired connections instead of Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi is less reliable than Ethernet)
- Change your wireless channel to a less noisy one
- Run a pathping test
- Call your ISP and ask them if they can do anything about it
- Upgrade your Internet subscription (if it’s possible and long overdue)
- Replace Ethernet cables if they’re old or worn out
The troubleshooting advice we’ve included in this short list is not Apex Legends-specific. These are common steps you can take to improve the overall quality of your connection.
However, if you’re experiencing connectivity issues in Apex Legends, they might even help you curb these issues, or even get rid of them for good.
However, you must keep in mind that if the problem occurs on the server’s side, waiting it out might be the best way to tackle it. You can even try using a VPN, but this fix will only work if the issue occurs somewhere between you and the game server (endpoints excluded).
Without a doubt, getting randomly disconnected can really bring the worst out of you. That and not being able to join a game, in the first place.
Even if the game seemed to work perfectly the night before, you may discover it no longer wants to connect you to the server. Sometimes it’s because of the game server that may throw the clock code error, and there’s little you can do about it other than waiting.
Among the most common issues, we remind of:
- Freezing
- Server timeout
- Crashing
- Frequent disconnections
Let us know which of the above tricks worked for you in the comments area below.
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