Troubleshooting apex connection to server timed out can be as easy as restarting your computer or as complex as adjusting the open ports on your router, depending on what’s causing the problem.
What Does Connection to Server Mean?
Your game is locally stored on your personal computer, but the matches are played from a server that everyone connects to. When you’re unable to connect to a game server, it means that you can’t reach the remote connection that establishes the match and links you to the other players.
Apex Legends Connection to Server Timed Out
When you try to join a match and get the error message that your connection to the server timed out, it means that your game and the server haven’t communicated. Whatever connection you have to EA’s online services is broken and must be repaired.
Restart the Game
Sometimes all you need is a simple client restart to fix the timeout issue you’re experiencing. Since Apex might be having problems, it’s best to restart by closing the program entirely via the task manager. Once the game is gone, restart it and see whether you can join a match.
Run as Administrator
When running a program as an administrator, it has more rights and access than programs without administrator status. Sometimes running a game like Apex with administrator rights can help solve issues with the program. Once you’ve done this, try rerunning Apex to see whether you can join a match. If it doesn’t fix the problem, you can go back to the file and uncheck the box to remove administrator permissions.
Restart Your Computer
Closing the game and restarting your computer can also help re-establish your connection to the game servers. It’s a simple solution but works surprisingly often. Once the computer is back on, let everything fully load before you run Apex Legends.
Check If Apex is Still Up and Running
Sometimes you can’t connect to the server because the server itself is having problems. A quick way to check is to ask your friends who you’re playing with whether they’re experiencing the same error via Discord or another chat program. If they are, the problem is probably the servers, and you’ll all have to wait until they’re back online. You can also go to a site like Down Detector to see whether other users report problems with Apex Legends. When there is a specific spike in reports, multiple users are having issues accessing the game.
Clear Your Cache
If files in your game cache are damaged or corrupted, clearing your cache might fix the timeout issue. Once you’re done, restart your computer. Then try to play Apex Legends again to see whether this creates a stronger server connection.
Check Network Adapter Drivers
Some players getting this error message found luck with updating their network adapter drivers. Old drivers can cause problems in other programs, but they’re quick and easy to update. If you discover that you do need updated drivers, let the installation process finish. Next, shut down your computer and turn it back on. Finally, restart Apex Legends and try to join a match.
Update Router Firmware
Sometimes a firmware update for your router can cause problems connecting to Apex Legends. Sign in to the control panel for your router and look for the option to update its firmware. Once the process is complete, you can restart your computer and try to connect again.
Open Ports in Your Router
Opening specific ports can help games function better because an open port is designed to accept incoming connections. Which ports you should open depends on what type of device you’re using since there are different ones for consoles and PC. To open ports, you’ll have to configure your router settings. Before you set up port forwarding, make sure you’re playing on a device with a static IP address. That’s something else you can change in your router settings, if necessary. It might be called DHCP Settings, Static IP, or something similar.
Change Security Permissions
One fan found a fix that requires changing Apex Legend’s security permissions in Windows. It worked for many different players after an update made their connections to the servers less stable, and they started experiencing this error. Once you’re done, restart your computer and try to connect to Apex Legends again. While none of these solutions will work for everyone, there’s a good chance that one of them can help you connect to Apex Legend’s servers again. Start with the most straightforward solution and work your way through to the more complicated ones so that you’re sure the simple issues are fixed. Frequently, you’ll find one of the first things you do helps you get back into the game.
