🔧 Epic Games Error Fix · 8 Proven Fixes

How to Fix Epic Games Launcher Error LS-0013: Game Failed to Launch

By GameAddaUpdated October 28, 20268 min read

You click Launch on Fortnite, Rocket League, or any other Epic Games title — and instead of the game, you get a short, unhelpful message: error code LS-0013. The game never starts, the launcher just sits there, and retrying gives you the same result. If that sounds familiar, this guide will walk you through exactly what LS-0013 means and how to fix it, from the two-minute checks to the last-resort reinstall.

The good news first: LS-0013 is almost always a local problem on your PC, not a server outage and not an account issue. Your games, purchases, and progress are safe. The launcher is simply failing to start the game executable, and the cause is usually one of a small set of things: a corrupted game file, a permission problem, a stale launcher cache, or another program getting in the way. Work through the fixes below in order and you will most likely be playing again within the hour.

What does error LS-0013 actually mean?

In plain English, error LS-0013 means the Epic Games Launcher could not launch your game. The "LS" stands for Launcher Service, and 0013 is the code for a launch failure: the launcher told Windows to start the game, and Windows (or the game itself) refused or crashed immediately. Unlike a network error, LS-0013 happens before the game even gets going — which is why you see it on the launcher screen rather than inside the game.

That timing is actually a useful clue. Because the failure happens at launch, the suspects are things that sit between the launcher and the game executable: the game files themselves, the permissions the launcher runs with, the launcher's own cached data, security software that intercepts new processes, and background apps that hook into games. One of those is almost always the culprit, and the fixes below take them in order of likelihood.

What causes error LS-0013?

Across years of player reports, the usual causes of LS-0013 are well mapped:

Try this first — it fixes most LS-0013 cases: In the launcher library, click the three dots next to the game, choose Manage, then click Verify. Let the scan finish, then launch the game. If that alone does not work, close the launcher completely, right-click it, and choose Run as administrator before trying again. Those two steps together resolve the majority of LS-0013 reports.

1Verify the game files

Corrupted files are the single most common LS-0013 cause, and the launcher has a built-in repair tool for exactly this. Open the Epic Games Launcher, go to Library, click the three dots under the game, choose Manage, and click Verify. The launcher scans every file in the installation and re-downloads anything damaged or missing. This can take a while for large games, so let it finish completely before testing. Your saves and settings are not touched by this process.

If Verify reports no problems and the game still fails with LS-0013, do not assume the files are fine — move on to the permission and cache fixes below, which catch the cases Verify cannot see.

2Run the launcher as administrator

Permission problems are the second most common cause, and they are easy to test. Close the Epic Games Launcher completely — check the system tray and right-click its icon to choose Exit, since the launcher keeps running in the background otherwise. Then right-click the launcher shortcut and choose Run as administrator. Try launching the game again.

If the game starts under administrator rights, the problem was permissions: the launcher could not read or execute a file it needed. To make the fix permanent, right-click the shortcut, open Properties → Compatibility, and check Run this program as an administrator. Also check that the game folder itself is not set to read-only: right-click the game folder, open Properties, and make sure the Read-only box is unchecked.

3Clear the launcher web cache

The Epic Games Launcher stores web data in a cache folder, and when that cache corrupts, launches can fail with LS-0013 even though the game files are perfect. Clearing it is safe — the launcher rebuilds it automatically.

The first launch after clearing the cache will be slightly slower while the launcher rebuilds its data. That is normal, and if LS-0013 is gone, the old cache was the problem.

Do not download LS-0013 fixer tools from random sites: Third-party utilities claiming to repair Epic Games errors are a common source of malware, and some modify game files in ways that can trigger anti-cheat flags in games like Fortnite. Every fix in this guide uses only the launcher's own tools and Windows settings — nothing else is needed.

4Close conflicting background apps

Apps that hook into games at launch are a known LS-0013 trigger. Before launching, close or disable these temporarily:

Launch the game with everything closed. If it works, re-enable apps one at a time to find the troublemaker — then leave that one off while gaming, or check for an update to it.

5Check your antivirus and firewall

Security software is supposed to protect you, but it sometimes decides a game executable is suspicious — especially right after an update changes the file. Open your antivirus (Windows Security counts) and add two exclusions: the Epic Games Launcher folder and the game's install folder. Then open Windows Defender Firewall → Allow an app through firewall and make sure the Epic Games Launcher and the game are both allowed on private and public networks.

Also check your antivirus quarantine: if a game file was quarantined, restore it and then run Verify (Fix 1) to make sure nothing else is missing. If LS-0013 started right after an antivirus update, this is very likely your cause.

6Update Windows and your graphics drivers

Games depend on system components that ship with Windows updates and graphics drivers. Install every pending update in Settings → Windows Update, then update your graphics driver from NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel — ideally with a clean install option if your driver installer offers one. Also install the latest Visual C++ Redistributables from Microsoft's site if you have never installed them, since missing runtimes can stop a game executable from starting at all. Restart your PC after these updates, then try the game again.

7Repair or reinstall the Epic Games Launcher

If every game in your library fails with LS-0013, the launcher itself is probably damaged rather than any single game. Uninstall the Epic Games Launcher from Settings → Apps, restart your PC, and download a fresh copy from the official Epic Games website. Your installed games stay on disk: after reinstalling the launcher, point it at your existing game folder (or let it detect the games) instead of re-downloading everything. Sign back in, verify the game once, and launch.

8Reinstall the game as a last resort

If one specific game still fails after all of the above, its installation is damaged in a way Verify cannot see. Uninstall the game from the launcher library, restart your PC, and reinstall it fresh. Yes, it is a big download — but LS-0013 is fixed by Verify, admin rights, or the cache clear in the large majority of cases, so this step is genuinely rare. After reinstalling, keep the antivirus exclusions from Fix 5 in place so the fresh files are not blocked again.

Quick checklist to keep error LS-0013 away

Frequently asked questions

What does Epic Games error LS-0013 mean in plain English?

It means the launcher tried to start your game and failed — usually because a game file is corrupted, the launcher lacks permission to run the game, or a background app or security program blocked the launch. It is a local problem on your PC, not a server or account issue.

Is error LS-0013 caused by Epic Games servers being down?

Almost never. LS-0013 is a local launch failure. If Epic's servers were down you would see connection or login errors instead, and your other games would usually fail too. If only one game fails with LS-0013, the cause is on your PC.

Will verifying game files delete my saves or progress?

No. Verifying only checks and repairs the game installation files. Your saves live elsewhere, and for most Epic games your progress is also tied to your Epic account or synced to the cloud.

Why does LS-0013 keep coming back after I fix it?

A recurring LS-0013 usually means the root cause was never removed: an antivirus rule that keeps quarantining a file, a permission problem that resets, or a failing drive that keeps corrupting files. Work through the antivirus, permissions, and drive-health checks in this guide.

Do I need to reinstall the Epic Games Launcher to fix LS-0013?

Usually not. Most cases are fixed by verifying files, running as administrator, or clearing the web cache. Reinstall the launcher only if every game fails, and reinstall the game itself only as the final step.

Can LS-0013 get my Epic account banned?

No. LS-0013 is a launch error, not a cheating detection or account violation. Your account, library, and purchases are completely safe while you fix it.

For most players, error LS-0013 ends at Fix 1 or 2 — verifying the files or running the launcher as administrator clears whatever was blocking the launch, and you are back in the game in under an hour. The frustrating part is how little the error tells you, but the pattern is consistent: corrupted files, permissions, a stale cache, or a blocking program, in roughly that order. Fix those, and LS-0013 stays gone. And if you would rather skip launchers and patches for a while, the free browser games here on GameAdda start with a single click. 🎮