Fixing Epic Games Launcher Download Speed Issues
So, if your Epic Games launcher is stuck showing zero download speed, you’re definitely not alone. I’ve been there too — waiting forever while the progress bar barely moves, or just jerking along at a snail’s pace. Turns out, plenty of folks experience this, and usually it’s a mix of network hiccups, driver issues, or system settings. After messing around with different solutions, here’s what finally helped me get that download speed back up and running properly.
Updating Network Drivers with Driver Booster
This was honestly the biggest surprise for me — outdated or corrupted network drivers seem to be a common root cause. If your drivers are old, your connection might not be optimized, which can lead to horrible download speeds. I decided to update mine, and it made a noticeable difference.
I started by opening Chrome (because, let’s face it, it’s easy) and typing “Driver Booster” into Google. The first link usually takes you to the official site or a trusted source. Download the free version—that’s enough for most updates. The setup is straightforward, just click through the prompts.
After installation, I launched Driver Booster, clicked “Scan,” and waited a few minutes while it checked for outdated drivers. Once it finished, it flagged some network adapter drivers — these are usually under “Network” or similar in the list. Clicking “Update Now” got the newest drivers installed automatically. Don’t forget, a reboot afterward helps with smooth driver integration, especially when they’re kernel or system-level drivers.
Using Command Prompt for a Network Reset
Next, I ran some commands in Command Prompt—again, it sounds scarier than it is. Search for “cmd,” right-click, select “Run as administrator,” and bam, you get a black window with a blinking cursor. I’ve seen some folks say these steps helped them fix slow download issues, though it’s kinda hit or miss. Still, it’s easy enough to try.
In the command window, I typed these one by one, hitting Enter after each:
netsh int ip reset(resets TCP/IP stack)netsh winsock reset(resets Winsock catalog)ipconfig /flushdns(clears DNS cache)ipconfig /releasethenipconfig /renew(refreshes your IP configuration)
After doing all that, I rebooted my PC. Honestly, these commands really push the network reset button. It’s not anything sketchy — just a standard troubleshooting move. If your system has custom network settings or VPNs, be aware that resetting could temporarily affect those configs.
Switching to Google DNS
Another thing I tried that actually helped was switching to Google’s DNS servers. This felt like a shot in the dark, but it can sometimes unlock faster DNS lookups, especially if your ISP’s DNS is slow or flaky.
Go to Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center. Find your active network connection, then click on it, and hit Properties. Scroll down and double-click Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4).
In that window, select Use the following DNS server addresses. Enter 8.8.8.8 as Preferred and 8.8.4.4 as Alternate, which are Google’s fast and reliable DNS servers. If you want to get fancy, Cloudflare’s 1.1.1.1 is also popular, but I stuck with Google because it’s what I’ve used before.
Click OK and close everything. I’d recommend rebooting afterward, or even rerunning some of the network reset commands I mentioned, to make sure everything’s fresh.
Final Tweaks and Restart
The last step? Just restart the PC. Honestly, rebooting clears out temp files and makes sure all changes stick—especially your new DNS settings. After that, I reopened the Epic launcher and bingo, my download speeds finally shot up to a decent level.
That combo of driver updates, network resets, and DNS tweaks was what finally got me moving again. It really felt like a puzzle, and it took a few hours late at night, but I’m glad I stuck with it. Most of these steps are fairly safe—just be careful with commands, and if you’re unsure, look them up first.
Things to Double-Check
- Make sure your network drivers are up to date.
- Run the network reset commands as Admin — no shortcuts.
- Switch DNS to 8.8.8.8 / 8.8.4.4 (Google DNS).
- Reboot after changes and test again.
- Check your actual internet speed with [Speedtest.net](https://speedtest.net) to verify bandwidth.
- Ensure your router isn’t outdated or needing a firmware update, especially if multiple devices are slow.
In my personal experience, sometimes your ISP might be throttling or having issues, which is out of your hands. But these steps are a good first line of defense to optimize your setup. Also, check in Device Manager that your network adapter isn’t set to save power under Power Management — that can sometimes limit throughput too.
Anyway, hope this helps someone else avoid the same long nights. It’s not always straightforward, but with a bit of patience, those download speeds can come back. Good luck and happy gaming!