Mastering Split Screen in Fortnite: A Comprehensive Guide - IVGHOF (2024)

Are you looking to level up your Fortnite gaming experience with split screen mode?

In this article, we will explore what split screen is in Fortnite, why you might want to use it, and how to enable it on your console or PC.

We’ll also walk you through the steps of playing split screen, discuss its limitations, and answer the burning question of whether you can play split screen online.

Stay tuned to learn everything you need to know about split screen in Fortnite!

What Is Split Screen in Fortnite?

Split Screen in Fortnite refers to a feature that allows people to play Fortnite on a single device simultaneously or in parallel. Players have their own halves of the screen, and there is an invisible divider between the two screens.

Fortnite split screen comes in two different versions, with the secondary player either playing on a different texture quality and resolution or visually centralized. The game mode is only available between players playing the Fortnite game on the same gaming system.

Players can use the split-screen feature in Fortnite to combine their efforts and share resources in the same game, be it against each other, their own team, or other teams. Split Screen experience in Fortnite is maximum only for entertainment and recreational value.

Why Would Someone Want to Use Split Screen in Fortnite?

Someone would want to use split-screen in Fortnite to play with friends in the same physical location. Split-screen is useful when you want to play with a group of friends who aren’t conveniently nearby their own game stations, as it allows you to play together with one less gaming station. Fortnite is already free-to-play, and split-screen has no additional cost, making it a cost-effective way to bring more friends into the game.

Another reason to use split-screen on Fortnite is to teach new or casual players best gameplay techniques or provide two-player-specific strategies. Especially for children or other new Fortnite players, they may become better at the game more quickly by watching a split-screen game played in front of them. They are likely to take cues from what the game is showing them and learning the game faster that way.

Some players find enjoyment through the social aspect of video games and sit together on one couch for home cinema or gaming enjoyment. Split-screen is useful in allowing multiple people similar comfortable viewing experiences from a similar visual perspective.

How to Enable Split Screen in Fortnite?

To enable split screen in Fortnite, first ensure your game or platform is connected to your Epic account. From the main menu, go to game selection, then click R2 on Playstation, or RB on Xbox to add a second player. Attach or sign in to whichever controller you wish the split screen player to use, and the second screen will split. Select Login with your other account to add the second player for Fortnite Split Screen.

System Requirements

Split screen in Fortnite is available on PS5 and PS4 but requires certain system and peripheral requirements to work properly. The feature does not work on the Xbox at launch. System requirements vary depending on which version of the console you have.

If you meet system requirements but still can’t get it working, double check that the necessary peripherals are present and functioning properly. Specifically, split screen requires 2 separate TVs or monitors to operate successfully.

Setting Up Split Screen on Console

The step-by-step instructions for setting up split screen on console versions of Fortnite are as follows:

1. Connect two controllers to your console.
2. For the Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One, sign in to the accounts of the other players.
3. Boot up Fortnite with the first controller and sign into your Epic account.
4. Hand the second controller to the player who’s account you’ve logged in with.
5. In Fortnite, press Start on the second controller to join a split-screen session.

Play around with some settings in Fortnite to get comfortable with split-screen gameplay.

Setting Up Split Screen on PC

Split screen is not natively supported on PC, but if you download the BlueStacks 4 or 5 mobile gaming emulator, you can run Fornite Mobile and set up split screen the same way you would on a mobile device. Note that running an Android emulator on PC can be very taxing on the machine, and if it performs poorly, you could have difficulty configuring the proper settings.

How to Play Split Screen in Fortnite?

To play split screen in Fortnite, the first thing you need to do is turn on the second controller and ensure the player, who will be using the first controller, has logged into Fortnite, using any of the following methods as referenced from Epic Games.

1. If you are playing on Xbox One or Xbox Series X/S, you will need each player to be signed into their own Xbox Profile.
2. If you are playing on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, or Nintendo Switch, you will need each player to be signed into their own Nintendo Account, PlayStation Network, or Xbox Live account.
3. If you are playing on PC or Mac, you will need one player logged into an Epic Games account or user created account.
4. If you are playing on a phone or tablet, you will need one player logged into an Epic Games account or user created account.

Choosing a Game Mode

The first step in understanding how to do a split screen in Fortnite is to choose the right game mode. There are multiple game modes in Fortnite:

• Fortnite Battle Royale: The first version of the game that grew to its current worldwide popularity. Up to 100 players connect to a server and fight until only one player or group is left alive.
• Creative Mode: A sandbox version that allows building rather than pure combat.
• Save the World: A paid cooperative, environment building game mode now called Campaign in which a group of players has a shared goal such as guarding a valuable point from attack, such as a power plant, against waves of zombies.

We must select the proper mode based on user requirements for Split Screen play. The standard Fortnite Battle Royale mode permits split screen play. Up until 2021, Save the World Mode would have also worked. As of the latest Fortnite configurations, Save The World remains unavailable for Split Screen Play, thus you are restricted to Battle Royale mode.

Our mission of setting up a successful split-screen Fortnite is 60% complete after tapping the right game mode as Creative Mode does not support Split Screen.

Choosing a Screen Layout

After adding multiple devices, Fortnite automatically splits views into 3 common combinations, and if you don’t choose one, the system may select which layout screen it wants. The three default split-screen layouts on Fortnite are the following:

1. Successive screen setting someplace near the halfway mark
2. Vertically split at a ratio of about 70/30 with the bigger portion on the bottom
3. Horizontally split at a ratio of about 66/34 with the broader portion to the right

The primary device will see the most common screen ratio and the secondary device will see its mirrored output. You can choose any layout based on your preferred perspective and the preferences of your co-player.

Inviting a Second Player

Inviting a second player assumes the second player is a friend or family member who is in the same household. As of late October 2015, Fortnite does not allow for split-screen. Although this feature was tested in an early version of Fortnite Creative, developers found split-screen implementation to be difficult. Players may create a team and invite players to join their party while they run Fortnite in Duo or Squad mode in order to play together. This should accomplish the same overall feel as split-screen, as you share the screen with teammates during gameplay.

Fortnite only allows for duos or squads- splitscreen cannot be accomplished with just a single player on his or her gaming console at home. You must have two players if you wish to play together on one screen. If you have just one person playing but would like to invite a second to play duos or squads, you can either invite a local friend or invite an online friend if you are playing in squads.

However, this does not accomplish the proper feeling of split-screen play. The second player’s activities will not be visible on your screen, as Fortnite does not enable split-screen. Creating a new user on the console, and playing on the other user’s account would also not work in this case.

What Are the Limitations of Split Screen in Fortnite?

The limitations of split screen in Fortnite are as follows:

1. It is not yet available on the PS5 and XBox Series X.
2. It is not available for playing against opponents. Players in split-screen mode can only play against a computer-bot lobby.

Reduced Field of View

• Narrow down the FOV (Field of View) to less than 100 degrees by moving the Main View FOV slider to reduce the distance between the player and the objects on the screen, making it easier to see in a smaller screen.
• Mouse sensitivity should be changed depending on the scaling of the FOV to keep the aiming speed in control.
• Reducing the FOV requires a lot of mouse muscle memory readjustment, so please keep this in mind when users say their aim is off after they have tried to play Fortnite on a smaller screen size.

Limited Screen Space

Highly competive games like Fortnite need significant screen space on both displays. A smaller shared screen may obstruct details necessary for both players. The Fortnite map, inventory management, damage indicators, radar minimap, and player tags are all difficult to see with only half a screen of space.

To maintain high quality in a small space, turn off the secondary screen on the streaming computer. Rather send a duplicate feed to a projector or use a picture-in-picture (PIP) format until time to play. This Fortnite split screen approach will let settings and stream communications get set up using half a screen, but play appropriately with a full screen. You can even stream console footage with overlays on Twitch and other platforms while playing, adopting their PIP screen fully only when in actual gameplay.

Can You Play Split Screen Online in Fortnite?

Players can play split screen in Fortnite online on PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. To play Fortnite in split screen online on PlayStation, you will need two PlayStation Plus accounts, one for each player. Once split screen is enabled and each player is signed in with their own accounts, the host can join a match and the second player can easily join.

On Xbox, playing split screen in Fortnite will require two separate Xbox Gold accounts, one for each player. Each account will also need a linked Epic Games account. After signing in, the host or secondary account holder can connect the second controller and join the match once the first player has joined.

Similarly, on the Nintendo Switch, accounts for both players are required, but there is no need for an online subscription. To play split screen in Fortnite on the Switch with a friend, you must join their lobby, and then they can connect their own controller to the Switch and select your user. This will add them to your lobby and allow both players to play together.

Playing Split Screen on the Same Console

Fornite splitscreen gameplay is only available on PlayStation and Xbox. One player should log in to their Epic account and then turn on a second controller. The second account must be a child account in order to use the same Epic on the same console, known as Intra-Squad access. To get this for a sibling, you need to link your account with theirs by logging into the primary owener’s account from the Fortnite website. Fortnite squads or duos needs to be then chosen to start the split-screen game.

The following are the steps to play Fortnite using a split screen on PlayStation:

1. From the main menu, log on with two various accounts on the PlayStation console.
2. Click the X button to play the game using one of the accounts.
3. Use the second account controller, click the Options button, then click Squad Formation.
4. Select from 2-player mode, 3-player mode, or 4-player mode and then go back to play if necessary.
5. Click the Toggle Split Screen icon two times to switch to split-screen when you want it.
6. Select from either “Play” or “Ready” then form your squad and play!

The following are the steps to play Fortnite using a split screen on Xbox:

1. Have two active Xbox Live accounts on the Xbox console logged in from the main menu.
2. In the locker screen they must unequip their weapon and play the game.
3. Use the second account of the controller, click the menu button, then tap Y.
4. Select Account Type when prompted and then choose “Child” to switch to a child account.
5. Press the B button and then press A.
6. Select Add Friend and follow the on-screen instructions.
7. Select Duos or Squads and you will be able to play the split-screen game.

When a person attempts to use the split-screen feature in Fortnite on either the PlayStation or Xbox, they may be prompted to join a party so that they can enjoy split-screen play with a friend. The maximum number of players they may add at once is 4 players. Along with the benefits of using no hacking or plugins, split-screen Fortnite does not require a big computer system to enjoy. Simply playing using a television and console controller is sufficient and efficient.

Playing Split Screen with a Remote Player

Playing split screen with a remote player requires setting up an Epic Games account and connecting your Fortnite account. For PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 users, you will first to create the second account by following the steps in the previous point, then enter the new Epic Games account information on Fortnite’s lobby. To create and link an account or to connect a PlayStation friend account, you will need to get on Fortnite’s lobby, in the Friends menu, select “Add Friends,” and use the “Add Epic Friends” option or “View your friend list“.

Finally, typing in the username or email of the friend you wish to play with, or have the friend top his/her username inside the “Add Epic Friends” menu. Then you will just have to click the username and send the invite. If you accept or send an invite, the Fortnight friend will appear on the screen where you can select their screen from a dropdown menu.

How to Disable Split Screen in Fortnite?

As of February 2022, the only way to disable split screen in Fortnite on Console and Switch involves settings available on physical video game systems. The feature is not on mobile and PC, so disabling is not a valid question for these other platforms.

For PS4 and PS5, stop split screen by selecting Settings on the home screen. Next, select Devices, then Controllers, and then simply to uncheck the box for Enable Vibration. This will disable split screen on Fortnite as the game only allows split screen play with vibration enabled, as James writes in his article, Split Screen on Fortnite.

For Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, as of the December 2019 update, the menu is slightly different. Select Settings from the home screen, then go to Devices and Connections. Next, select Accessories, and finally Vibration. Simply change the slider to Off and this will stop the currently split-screen game on Fortnite.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is split screen in Fortnite?

Split screen in Fortnite allows two players to play on the same screen, dividing it into two halves. This feature is available on consoles and allows players to team up with a friend or family member to play together.

How do I turn on split screen in Fortnite?

To turn on split screen in Fortnite, both players need to have their controllers connected and be logged into separate accounts. Then, go to the main menu and select “Duos” or “Squads.” One player needs to press the “Options” button, and the other needs to press “X” (on PlayStation) or “A” (on Xbox) to join the game.

Can I use split screen in Fortnite on any platform?

Split screen is currently only available on consoles, specifically PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. It is not available on PC, mobile, or Nintendo Switch.

How do I adjust the split screen settings in Fortnite?

To adjust the split screen settings, both players need to go to the “Settings” menu, and under the “Game” tab, select “Split Screen.” From there, you can adjust the screen size and orientation to your preference.

Can I play split screen with someone who is on a different console?

No, split screen in Fortnite is only available for players on the same console. Cross-platform split screen is not currently supported.

Can I play split screen with more than one person?

No, split screen in Fortnite is limited to two players. If you want to play with more people, you can still do so by connecting to other players online.