Fortnite is one of those timeless games that everyone can enjoy. From younger generations to more seasoned gamers, the PVP battle royale game with cartoon graphics is one of the most downloaded games in the 21st century.
Of course, we could contribute its popularity to the fact that it’s free, but that would really be a disservice to everything Epic Games included in Fortnite. From the opening scene where you parachute to the ground to the finale where you’ve successfully managed to stay within the safe zone while surviving threats from other players and collecting loot, it’s non-stop action.
Fortnite is often the brunt of jokes, especially as it appeals to younger audiences who simply can’t get enough of the game, but for good reason. If loyal gamers could take it everywhere, they probably would.
Unfortunately for those of us with Android devices, taking Fortnite with us isn’t as easy as downloading the app and logging in. For some reason, Google decided to remove the app from the Google Play Store. But, Epic Games made a simple workaround for all of us.
In this tutorial, we’ll walk you step-by-step through downloading Fortnite on your Android device. So, let’s dive in!
What You’ll Need
Before we get started, let’s do a little system check to ensure you won’t run into any problems. We’ll be using an APK (Android Package File) to first install the Epic Games app, then install Fortnite which means you’ll need the right software to pull this off. And don’t worry if you’ve never downloaded an APK before, it’s simple and the files from Epic Games are fairly trustworthy so we’re not too concerned with security risks.
Checking your system:
- You’ll need at least Android 8.0 or later
- Make sure you have Google Chrome installed and ready to use
- At least 4GB of RAM on your Android device (the game won’t run smoothly or at all without it)
- Free space on your device to make room for the APK and the game
Assuming you have all of these things it’s time to get started. If you follow these instructions it shouldn’t take more than five minutes for you to start playing.
How to Install the Epic Games App
First, we’ll need to install the Epic Games App (Epic Games is Fortnite’s creator so we do trust it). As of December 2020, this is a lot easier if you have a Samsung so we’ll cover that first.
How to Install Epic Games – Samsung
Although Google decided to remove the app from the Google Play Store, Samsung users still have access to the often-forgotten Galaxy store. If you’re using a Samsung device simply pull up the Galaxy Store and search “Epic Games.”
Next, click ‘Install’ and the app will immediately begin to download. Now, you can skip ahead to the instructions and get Fortnite on your phone.
How to Install Epic Games – All Other Androids
Unfortunately, if your only option is the Google Play Store you’ll notice the app simply isn’t there. So, we’ll have to download it straight from the Epic Games Website.
To start, we are bypassing Google Play so the first thing you’ll need to do is tell your device that you want to download an app that isn’t from the Google Play Store.
Step 1 – Settings’ Permissions
Head over to Settings and follow the Apps>Special Access>Install Unknown Apps path.
This may vary depending on the model of your device and the version of Android you’re using so it may be easier to type ‘Install Unknown Apps’ into the search bar in Settings.
Now, locate Google Chrome and tap the toggle switch to allow installs from unknown apps.
Step 2 – Install Epic Games
Next, launch Chrome and visit the website (you can use another browser but Chrome makes it really easy). Once there, locate the Epic Games download button in the middle of the screen and tap on it.
At the bottom of the screen, a pop-up will appear letting you know that downloading an app from an unknown source can damage your device. Fortunately, we know that Epic Games is a reputable developer so go ahead and tap ‘OK.’
Once the download completes, click ‘Open’ at the bottom of your screen.
Now, tap on ‘Install’ in the pop-up that appears (if you didn’t perform step 1 you’ll be directed to the settings first).
That’s all there is to download the Epic Games App. Now, what you came here for – installing Fortnite!
How to Install Fortnite
Now that we have the Epic Games App on your Android device, we can install Fortnite.
Simply open the Epic Games App and tap on Fortnite.
Next, tap ‘Install.’
Note: Fortnite is a large file so be sure to connect to wifi and plan on doing something else for a bit.
Now you can allow all permissions and sign in. Once done, you can start playing just as you would on another device.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I download Fortnite on iOS?
Unfortunately, Apple also revoked Epic Games’ developer status so you won’t find either app in the App Store. Also, the workaround we’ve listed above isn’t available to iOS users because the OS isn’t compatible with APK files (clearly).
Some users who had the game on the iOS previously were able to re-download it under ‘Purchases’ in the App Store but our tests of this in December of 2020 proved it to be unsuccessful. The app simply didn’t appear although we have in fact downloaded it in the past.
However, it’s still worth a try. Simply open the App Store and tap on your avatar in the upper right-hand corner. Select ‘Purchases’ and search for ‘Fortnite.’ If it appears you should be able to click the cloud icon to install the game.
Why did Google get rid of Fortnite?
According to most sources, Google and Apple both revoked Epic Games’ developer privileges in their respective app stores after the developer bypassed the company’s payment methods. For Apple and Google, this meant that the companies would no longer receive a cut of any in-app purchases. Hence the reason it’s still available on the Galaxy Store and other platforms.
We’d assume this ban won’t last forever though so continue to check the app store for Fortnite.
Are APKs Safe?
APKs are relatively safe as long as you verify the developer is reputable. You’ll allow these files access to your device so be careful when downloading anything you don’t trust.
If you rarely download APKs it’s a good idea to go back into the Settings after following the instructions above and toggle the ‘install from unknown sources’ switch back off.
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