Why is Apex Legends matchmaking not working?

Sometimes, a problem with Apex Legends is easy to identify, as an error code will pop up and prevent you from entering the lobby. But other times, the game will make you believe you can load into a match, only for matchmaking to stretch on and on without actually putting you into a game.

Starting up a PvP server can be a tricky business, and there’s little as frustrating as Apex‘s matchmaking not working. If this is currently happening to you, there are a couple of tips and tricks you can try to figure out what exactly the problem is with the matchmaking, and if there’s anything you can do to fix it.

If you’re like me and just want to drop back into a game of Apex as soon as possible but you can’t seem to be able to get the matchmaking to work, here’s what to do.

How to tell if the Apex Legends servers are down

The first thing you should do when matchmaking is slow is to check if the Apex servers are down. If the servers are down, there’s nothing you can do to fix the slow matchmaking, so start there and potentially save yourself some extra work.

Usually, the official Apex Twitter account will tell players if the servers are experiencing significant issues that are keeping players from actually playing the game. Players can also check out third-party sites like Apex Legends Status, which tracks all of the error reports on all platforms. If you see a ton of error reports, it’s most likely a game-wide issue that everyone is experiencing, and there’s not much you can do about it.

How to fix slow matchmaking in Apex Legends

If you check the server reports and it seems that everything is in order with Apex itself, the likeliest fix is either that your individual game is bugged, or you have a connection problem.

Connection problems are the easiest to address, as you’ll most likely be able to solve them simply by restarting your modem and router. Reset your internet connection by turning these off and then on again (or unplugging them and plugging them back in, if they have no on/off switch). If you find you are having Internet issues and resetting your modem and router isn’t working, you might need to call your internet company.

Related: Does Apex Legends have cross-progression?

If the problem is with your game itself, you can try a number of solutions. First, close your game and restart it to see if that clears up any problems you might be having. If that doesn’t do it, check to make sure if your game is completely up to date, or if there are any updates to run. If none of that works and you’re still certain your game is the problem and not the servers or the Internet, your best course of action is most likely to contact EA support, as they’ll give you the best advice on what you can do to get Apex running again.