How Do I Manage Friends on Epic Games?
Managing your friends list on the Epic Games Launcher is straightforward, providing various tools to connect with, block, or limit interactions with other players. It’s a crucial aspect of enjoying multiplayer games and the overall social experience within the Epic Games ecosystem. Managing friends effectively involves adding new friends, removing or blocking unwanted contacts, adjusting friend request settings, and understanding the platform’s limitations. Let’s delve into the details of how you can manage your Epic Games friend list with ease.
Adding and Removing Friends
Adding Friends
To begin building your network, you’ll first need to understand how to add friends on the platform. The primary method involves using the Epic Games Launcher.
- Open the Epic Games Launcher: Start by launching the application on your computer.
- Navigate to the Friends Icon: Look for the Friends icon in the top right corner of the launcher. It usually resembles two people.
- Add Friend: Click the Add Friend button. A small window will pop up.
- Enter Friend’s Display Name or Email: In the designated field, type in the display name or email address of the person you wish to add as a friend.
- Send Request: Click Send Request. The other player will receive a notification and can either accept or decline your request.
Once a player accepts your request, they are added to your friend list, and you both can see each other’s online status and join the same multiplayer games.
Removing or Blocking Friends
Sometimes, it’s necessary to remove a friend or even block someone from contacting you.
- Open the Friends List: Click the Friends icon in the top right corner of the Epic Games Launcher.
- Select a Friend: Click on the name of the friend you want to manage. This will open their profile.
- Click the Ellipses: Look for the ellipses (…) button, usually located next to the player’s name.
- Choose an Action: From the drop-down menu, select either BLOCK or UNFRIEND.
- UNFRIEND will remove the player from your friend list, but they can still send you a friend request again.
- BLOCK will remove the player from your friend list and prevent them from contacting you again or sending you further friend requests.
- Confirm Your Action: Click the confirm button to complete the process.
Adjusting Your Friend Settings
Epic Games provides several options to control who can send you friend requests and how you manage social interactions. You can access these settings through your Account and Privacy settings.
Friend Invite Permissions
Here’s how to adjust your friend invite settings:
- Open the Epic Games Launcher.
- Click on your profile icon in the top right corner.
- Select Settings.
- Click on Account and Privacy.
- Under Social Privacy, find “Friend Invite Permission”.
- Select your desired permission:
- Anyone: You can receive friend requests from any other Epic Games user.
- Friends of Friends: You will only receive friend requests from users who are friends with your existing friends.
Other Social Privacy Settings
While adjusting friend requests is crucial, the “Social Privacy” section also provides other options that could be beneficial. Explore these settings to further customize your in-game experience.
Understanding Friend Limits
There is a cap on how many friends you can have. For most players, the limit is 1,000. However, if you exceeded this number before August 19, 2020, your cap has remained the same. Once you hit the limit, you must remove existing friends before adding any new ones. This ensures that the platform runs smoothly and efficiently.
Cross-Platform Play and Friend Visibility
If you’re cross-playing on platforms like consoles, you may need to adjust your game privacy settings to see your Epic Friends in the main menu. To do this, ensure your game privacy settings are set to Friends Only or Public to view your friends across all connected accounts, specifically in Fortnite.
Cancelling Sent Friend Requests
If you change your mind about a friend request, you can easily cancel it:
- Open the Friends List: Access your friend’s list from the Friends icon.
- Go to Sent Friend Requests: Check the “Pending” or “Sent Requests” sections.
- Cancel a Request: Locate the request you want to cancel and tap or click the Cancel button next to it.
Managing Friends on Other Platforms
While this article mainly focuses on Epic Games, it is important to know how to manage friends on other gaming platforms linked to the Epic network.
- Steam: You can manage friends through the Friends & Chat interface in the lower right corner of the Steam client.
- Nintendo Switch: Access your friend list through your User Page on the HOME menu.
Player Cards and Mutual Friends
When you click on a friend in the Social Panel, you can view their Player Card. This not only allows you to manage your friendship but also shows your mutual friends. This feature helps you connect with others through your existing network.
Account Privacy
Epic Games also lets you manage your overall account privacy. You can manage these settings by logging into your Epic Games Account online and navigate to My Profile section. From there you can adjust your privacy settings including marketing permissions. This is different from in-game social privacy, as account privacy controls profile visibility and data usage, not just social interactions.
Settings Access
You can always access settings within the launcher.
- Open the Epic Games Launcher
- Click your profile icon
- Select Settings
Sharing Epic Games Accounts
It is strictly against Epic Games’ terms of service to share your account with anyone, and this could lead to a ban. If the Epic Games system detects that your account is being used from a different IP address, your account may be flagged for potential misuse.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can I see deleted friend requests on Epic Games?
No, unlike some other platforms, Epic Games does not allow you to see previously deleted or rejected friend requests.
2. What happens if I remove a friend request on Epic Games?
When you remove a friend request, the sender won’t receive a notification and they cannot send another request for one year. If you block them, they cannot send more friend requests until unblocked.
3. Why can’t I accept friend requests on Epic Games?
You might not be able to accept requests for several reasons. You might be at the limit of 500 pending incoming requests, have 500+ pending outgoing friend requests, or you may already have a pending request from the player trying to add you.
4. What is the age limit for Epic Games?
If a child is under 13, they will require parental consent to use certain features of the Epic Games Store and its services.
5. Can I see my mutual friends on Epic Games?
Yes, by clicking on a friend within your social panel you can see mutual friends on their Player Card.
6. How do I make my Epic Games profile private?
You can adjust privacy settings by logging into your Epic Games account and navigating to the My Profile section.
7. Can I increase my friend list on Epic Games?
No, the maximum friend list for most users is 1,000, and cannot be increased beyond that. However, if your account already had more than 1,000 friends on August 19, 2020, your limit will remain at that previous number.
8. Why am I getting so many friend requests on Epic Games?
You may be receiving numerous friend requests because your profile is visible in the People You May Know section, or players see you share common interests, or that your profile was suggested to many people.
9. Can I block someone on Epic Games without unfriending them?
No, when you block someone, they are automatically removed from your friend list.
10. How do I manage friends across different platforms on Epic Games?
Ensure your in-game privacy settings are set to Friends Only or Public for cross-platform visibility, particularly in games like Fortnite.
11. Can I share my Epic Games account with a friend?
No, sharing accounts is against Epic Games’ Terms of Service, and could result in a ban.
12. How do I find my friends on the Epic Games Launcher?
Your friends list is located through the Friends icon in the top right corner of the launcher.
13. Can I use my Rocket League friends on Epic Games?
Yes, at free-to-play, all of your Rocket ID friends were transferred to Epic Friends and are visible in your games.
14. How do I stop friend requests on iPhone?
You can stop receiving friend requests in the Find My App by navigating to the Me tab and turning off Allow Friend Requests. (This is specific to Apple’s Find My App and not for Epic games directly.)
15. Is there a way to see who sent me a friend request I deleted on Epic?
Unfortunately, no, there is no way to see a record of friend requests that you have deleted or rejected.
By understanding and utilizing these settings, you can effectively manage your friends and customize your social experience on Epic Games, ensuring a safe, enjoyable, and engaging gaming experience.