How to Fix “You were removed from the match due to lag, IP, machine, VPN, or cheating” in Fortnite

Are you getting a “There was a problem” or “There was an error” message in Fortnite?

Here’s the full error message, “You were removed from the match due to internet lag”.

Followed by “Your IP or machine, VPN usage, or for cheating”.

The error message happens when you try to join a game mode in Fortnite.

It can happen on a PC on Epic Games, Xbox, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to fix “You were removed from the match due to internet lag, your IP or machine, VPN usage, or for cheating” in Fortnite.

Why am I removed from the match in Fortnite?

You are removed from the match in Fortnite because you’re kicked from the game.

In some cases, Fortnite might have imposed an HWID (hardware ID) ban on one of your PC’s components (e.g. motherboard).

This can happen because you’re using a VPN or cheating in the game.

It can also happen due to a slow internet speed or insufficient storage space.

For some users, the error message might be a false positive due to an issue with EasyAntiCheat and BattleEye.

How to fix “You were removed from the match due to lag, IP, machine, VPN, or cheating” in Fortnite

To fix “You were removed from the match due to internet lag, your IP or machine, VPN usage, or for cheating” in Fortnite, you can try verifying the game files or disabling your VPN.

You can also try clearing Epic Games’ cache, deleting temporary files, freeing up storage space, or contacting Epic Games support.

Fix 1: Verify the game files

Launch Epic Games and go to your library.
Click on the three dots under Fortnite.
Select “Manage” and select “Verify”.
Launch Fortnite after the files are verified.

Fix 2: Disable your VPN

Close Fortnite and Epic Games.
If you’re connected to a VPN or proxy, disconnect from it.
Launch Epic Games and Fortnite again.

Fix 3: Clear Epic Games’ cache

Search for “Run” using the Windows Search Bar and press “Enter”.
Search for “%localappdata%” and select “OK”.
Delete the “EpicGamesLauncher” folder.
Delete the “Epic Games” folder.
Launch Epic Games and Fortnite.

Fix 4: Delete temporary files

Close Fortnite and Epic Games.
Search for “%temp%” using Windows Search Bar and press “Enter”.
Press CTRL + A on your keyboard to select all files.
Press DEL on your keyboard to delete all files.
Launch Epic Games and Fortnite again.

Fix 5: Free up storage space

Search for “Control Panel” using Windows Search Bar, press “Enter”, select “Uninstall a program”, right-click, and uninstall unwanted programs.
Open the File Explorer, select “Downloads”, and delete unwanted downloads.
Open the File Explorer, select “Pictures”, and delete unwanted pictures.
Open the File Explorer, select “Videos”, and delete unwanted videos.

Fix 6: Contact Epic Games Support

Go to epicgames.com/help and log in to your Epic Games account.
Select “Fortnite”, scroll down, and select “Contact us”.
Select your platform and select “Connection, Performance, or Error Codes”.
Describe that you are facing the “You were removed from the match” error in Fortnite by mistake and you need help to fix it.
Submit the form and wait for Epic Games to respond to you.