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After installing the Epic Games Launcher, sign in to the Epic account that owns your games, secure it with two-factor authentication, update the Launcher, and choose where games will be installed. Then review Cloud Saves, install a game from your Library, and launch it once before relying on it—especially if you plan to play offline. Menu names can vary slightly by Launcher version.
1. Sign in to the right Epic account
Open the Launcher and sign in with the Epic Games account that owns the games you want to play. An Epic account is separate from a console account or a publisher account, such as Ubisoft, EA, or Rockstar. You may link those accounts, but they are not interchangeable. Choosing a different sign-in method can open or create another Epic account, so check the account before troubleshooting a missing game.
Open Library and confirm that your games appear. If it is empty, check that you used the right account and that a purchase or free-game claim was completed. Regional, age, or account restrictions can also affect access. If the correct account still does not show an owned game, use Epic’s Launcher Support to find the relevant account or missing-game help.
2. Let the Launcher update
The PC and Mac Launcher is designed to update automatically when it starts. If you see Restart and Update, select it and let the restart finish before starting a large download. Launcher updates are separate from game updates: games have their own update settings and may update when launched or when the Launcher processes its download queue. If an update appears to loop, restart the computer and try again.
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3. Secure your account
Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) before building a library around the account. Go to your Epic account’s Password and security section, find Two-Factor Authentication, select Set up, and follow the verification steps. Available methods—such as an authenticator app, email, or SMS—can vary by account or region. Choose the strongest convenient method and keep recovery access to it.
Epic recommends 2FA for account security and requires it for some actions, including certain Epic Store free-game claims, Fortnite gifting, and competitive-event features. It is not required for every account action. Use a unique password, verify your email address, review linked accounts, and sign in only through Epic’s official site or Launcher. Avoid unofficial giveaway, “free V-Bucks,” and account-recovery pages. See Epic’s 2FA guide for current setup details.
4. Review the settings that matter
Open the profile icon in the top-right corner and choose Settings. You do not need to change every option. Prioritize the settings that affect saves, storage, and downloads; adjust the rest to suit how you use the computer.
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| Setting | What to do | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud Saves | Enable Enable Cloud Saves if you play supported games on more than one computer or want their saves synchronized. | Only games that support the feature can use it. Cloud Saves are not a full backup for every game, and different local progress on multiple computers can cause a conflict. Do not delete local save folders while resolving one. |
| Download preferences | Review any available download limits, scheduling, or options for downloads while games are running. | Useful if you need to manage bandwidth or avoid downloads during play; available controls can vary. |
| Notifications | Turn off promotional or social notifications you do not want. | Keeps alerts from becoming distracting. |
| Startup and status | Choose whether the Launcher starts with your computer and review online-status or social-visibility preferences. | These are convenience and privacy choices, not setup requirements. |
| Offline Mode | Configure it only if you expect to play a supported game without internet access. | It does not make every game playable offline; see the offline section below. |
To check Cloud Saves, select the profile icon, choose Settings, and look for Enable Cloud Saves. Epic warns that disabling and re-enabling the feature across multiple machines can lead to conflicts. Read Epic’s Cloud Saves guidance before changing it if you already have progress on more than one computer.
5. Choose where games will be installed
The Launcher’s own installation folder and the folder used for games are separate settings. Usually, you only need to choose the game-install location. Set it before downloading a large title, particularly if your system drive has limited space.
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Epic’s current path for changing the default game folder is Download Manager in the lower-left area → Download Settings → under General, select Change beside the default install directory. You can also choose a different folder for an individual game during installation. For the current steps, see Epic’s installation-path guide.
- Internal SSD: A practical choice for faster loading and asset access. Do not assume it will increase frame rates; those depend on the game and hardware.
- HDD: Can suit a large library when capacity matters more than loading speed.
- External drive: Convenient for extra capacity, but disconnections, changing drive letters, and performance differences can cause problems.
- System drive: Simple to use, but large games and their updates can consume substantial space.
Check the game’s listed storage requirement and leave extra room for updates, temporary files, and related data. Prefer a dedicated games folder over scattered locations, and avoid putting game installations in general OneDrive or Dropbox sync folders unless the game and service explicitly support that arrangement.
Changing the Launcher’s own installation directory is a different operation: Epic says it requires uninstalling and reinstalling the Launcher, and that this removes installed games from the computer. Owned games can be downloaded again, and supported Cloud Saves may preserve progress. Do not change the Launcher’s location just to choose another game drive.
6. Install your first game
- Open Library.
- Select the game you want.
- Choose an installation directory and confirm it is the right drive.
- Check the download size, then select Install.
- Wait for the download and installation to finish. Select the game’s icon or Launch when it is ready.
Those are Epic’s basic installation steps; see its game-install guide if the controls differ in your version. If the connection is slow, close bandwidth-heavy applications. Avoid shutting down the computer or interrupting the installation unless you have to.
A game obtained through Epic may still need a separate publisher account, a second launcher, or another sign-in. Some games also install prerequisites such as DirectX, Visual C++, or Epic Online Services. These steps are title-specific; follow legitimate prompts from the game or its publisher and allow installers to finish.
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7. Launch the game and check its save behavior
On first launch, the game may install prerequisites, download an update, request Windows firewall access, or ask you to sign in to a publisher account. Not every game does all—or any—of these things. Let setup finish, then confirm that the game reaches its main menu before changing several settings at once.
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8. Prepare for offline play only if you need it
Epic’s Offline Mode can let some supported single-player games run without an internet connection, but it is not universal. Multiplayer, Cloud Saves, achievements, and other online services may not work offline, and games that require authentication may still need a connection.
Where the option is available, open the profile menu → Settings → under Preferences, enable Enable Offline Mode Browsing while connected to the internet. Before traveling, launch the installed game once online, close the Launcher normally, disconnect from the internet, and test the game. Do not wait until you are offline to find out whether a particular title supports it. If you are troubleshooting a connection issue, Epic notes that turning this option off may help the computer reconnect. See Epic’s Offline Mode guidance.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.9. Troubleshoot in order before reinstalling
First check Epic’s server status and make sure both the Launcher and game are up to date. Then try the fix that matches the problem. A Launcher problem, damaged game files, an account issue, and a publisher-service outage need different remedies.
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| Problem | Try this first | If it continues |
|---|---|---|
| Library is empty or a game is missing | Confirm the Epic account and sign-in method; check that the purchase or claim completed. | Check for account, region, age, or linked-identity restrictions and use Epic account support. |
| Download will not start | Check server status, network access, available disk space, and Launcher updates. | Use Epic’s current download and network troubleshooting guidance. |
| Game crashes or reports damaged files | Restart the game and Launcher; check updates and graphics drivers; close problematic overlays or background applications. | Verify the game’s files before reinstalling. |
| Launcher is blank, frozen, or crashes | Restart it, check for updates and server issues, and confirm the computer meets the Launcher’s requirements. | Try the cache guidance or other steps in Epic’s Launcher troubleshooting guide. |
| Game on disk does not appear in Library | Confirm you are signed into the account that owns it. | Use Epic support guidance for an existing installation rather than deleting files at random. |
| Game will not launch offline | Reconnect and sign in; check that Offline Mode was prepared while online. | Confirm that the game supports offline play and does not require online authentication. |
Verify a game’s files
For an installed game that crashes or reports damaged files, open Library, select the three-dot menu beside the game, choose Manage, and select Verify. Wait for validation to finish. Epic says this checks for damaged or changed files and replaces files that differ; according to its support guidance, verification does not affect saved data. It can repair an installation, but cannot fix every account, server, hardware, or publisher-launcher problem. See Epic’s file-verification guidance.
Clear the Launcher cache carefully
If the Launcher is blank or frozen, close it before clearing its web cache. On macOS, Epic lists ~/Library/Caches/com.epicgames.EpicGamesLauncher as the cache location; remove the webcache folder if it exists, empty the Trash, and relaunch. Do not delete unrelated folders. Windows users should follow Epic’s current cache-clearing instructions rather than relying on a path that may not match their version. The Launcher troubleshooting guide also lists checking updates, graphics drivers, background apps, and running as administrator on Windows as diagnostic steps—not permanent requirements.
10. Treat reinstalling the Launcher as a last resort
Important: Epic says uninstalling and reinstalling the Launcher removes installed games from the computer. This does not mean the games are removed from the Epic account; you can download owned games again. Before proceeding, protect any local saves you cannot afford to lose and confirm whether the game uses Cloud Saves or another sync method. Do not assume every save is backed up.
Follow Epic’s current reinstall instructions rather than deleting folders by guesswork. Its Windows guidance includes closing the Launcher, running System File Checker where appropriate from an elevated Command Prompt, restarting, and then uninstalling. The command is sfc /scannow. On Mac, Epic lists Launcher-related Library folders that may need attention. Download the installer from the official Epic Games page.
For a child or family account
If the Launcher is for a child, review Epic’s Parental Controls with the parent or guardian. Controls can cover social interactions, age-rated purchases or downloads, and related settings. What is available may depend on age, country, parental consent, cabined-account status, and platform settings, so a child account may not have the same options as an adult account.
Quick checklist
- Signed into the Epic account that owns the games.
- Confirmed the Library shows the expected items.
- Enabled 2FA and verified account recovery access.
- Allowed the Launcher to update.
- Reviewed Cloud Saves and download preferences.
- Selected a game-install drive with enough free space.
- Installed and launched one game, completing any legitimate prerequisites.
- Tested offline play in advance if you need it.
- Know that reinstalling the Launcher removes locally installed games.
Epic currently lists Windows 10 64-bit, Windows 11, or macOS 10.13 or later, 2 GB RAM, and a DirectX 9.0c-compatible GPU as minimum Launcher requirements. These are requirements for the Launcher, not a promise that a particular game will run; check each game’s own requirements. See the Epic Games Launcher download page for its current list.
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