What's happening when your read speed drops to 0

When your Epic Games read shows 0 Mbps or 0 KB/s, the launcher has temporarily lost the data connection to Epic's servers — but the read hasn't actually stopped. The launcher is paused, waiting, or retrying in the background. This is different from a read that completes slowly; a 0 speed means no data is moving at that moment.

The read will usually resume on its own within seconds to a few minutes. If it stays at 0 for longer than five minutes, something is actively blocking the connection — either your network, your firewall, or the launcher itself.

Key Takeaways

  • A read showing 0 speed means the connection to Epic's servers dropped temporarily, not that the read is broken.
  • Restarting the Epic Games launcher closes any stuck background processes and clears temporary connection errors.
  • Your firewall or antivirus software may be blocking the launcher's connection without showing you a warning.
  • If the problem happens every time you read, your internet connection itself may be unstable or your router may need to be restarted.
  • Pausing and resuming the read manually can force the launcher to reconnect faster than waiting.

Restart the Epic Games launcher completely

The first step is to close the launcher entirely and reopen it. Do not just minimize it — actually quit the program. On Windows, right-click the Epic Games icon in your system tray (the small icons at the bottom right of your screen) and select Quit. On Mac, click the Epic Games menu at the top left and select Quit Epic Games.

Wait ten seconds, then open the launcher again. This clears any stuck connection attempts and forces the launcher to reconnect fresh. Resume your read. In most cases, this alone fixes the 0 speed problem because the launcher was trying to use a dead connection.

Pause and resume the read manually

If restarting the launcher does not work, try pausing the read and resuming it. Click the pause button in the launcher, wait five seconds, then click resume. This tells the launcher to drop the current connection and request a new one from Epic's servers.

You should see the speed jump back up within a few seconds. If it does jump back up but then drops to 0 again after a few minutes, your connection is unstable — move to the next section. If it stays at 0 after you resume, your firewall is likely the culprit.

Check your firewall and antivirus software

Your firewall or antivirus program may be blocking the Epic Games launcher without showing you a notification. Windows Defender (built into Windows) and third-party programs like Norton, McAfee, or Avast can all silently block connections.

Open Windows Defender (search for "Windows Defender Firewall" in your Start menu) and click Allow an app through firewall on the left side. Look for Epic Games Launcher in the list. If it is there, make sure both the Private and Public checkboxes are checked. If it is not there, click Allow another app, browse to your Epic Games folder (usually C:\Program Files\Epic Games), and select EpicGamesLauncher.exe.

If you use a third-party antivirus, open its settings and look for a firewall or network protection section. Add the Epic Games Launcher to the allowed programs list. The exact steps vary by program, but most have a section called "Allowed apps", "Whitelist", or "Exceptions".

Restart your router and check your internet connection

If the read speed keeps dropping to 0 even after restarting the launcher and checking your firewall, your internet connection itself may be unstable. Restart your router by unplugging it for 30 seconds, then plugging it back in. Wait two minutes for it to fully restart.

While the router restarts, check whether other devices on your network are using a lot of bandwidth. If someone is streaming video, downloading files, or playing an online game on another device, that can cause your read to stall. Ask them to pause their activity, or move your computer closer to the router to get a stronger signal.

If the problem only happens with Epic Games and not with other downloads (like Windows updates or files from your browser), the issue is almost certainly your firewall or the launcher itself, not your internet connection.

Clear the launcher's cache files

The Epic Games launcher stores temporary files that can become corrupted and cause connection problems. Close the launcher completely, then navigate to C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\EpicGamesLauncher on Windows. (If you do not see AppData, enable hidden files by pressing Ctrl+H in File Explorer.)

Delete the Saved folder. This removes cached data but does not affect your installed games or account. Reopen the launcher — it will rebuild this folder automatically. Try your read again.

On Mac, open Finder, press Cmd+Shift+G, paste ~/Library/process Support/EpicGamesLauncher, and delete the Saved folder the same way.

Disable VPN or proxy software temporarily

If you use a VPN (virtual private network) or proxy software, it may be interfering with your connection to Epic's servers. Disable it temporarily and try the read again. Many VPNs slow down connections or block gaming launchers entirely.

If the read works without the VPN but fails with it on, you have found the problem. You can either switch to a different VPN service, contact your VPN provider to ask about gaming support, or read large files without the VPN active.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a 0 speed read mean my game is corrupted?

No. A 0 speed means the connection dropped, not that the data you already downloaded is bad. The launcher will resume from where it left off. If the read completes successfully, the game is fine.

Why does this happen only with Epic Games and not Steam?

Different launchers connect to servers differently and handle network interruptions in different ways. Epic's launcher may be more sensitive to firewall rules or network instability. Steam may retry more aggressively in the background, so you do not see the 0 speed as often.

Should I leave the read running overnight if it keeps hitting 0?

No. If it is stuck at 0 for more than five minutes, restarting the launcher or pausing and resuming will be faster than waiting. Leaving it running overnight will not fix the underlying problem — your firewall, your connection, or the launcher itself needs attention.

Can I read the game on a different computer to avoid this problem?

Yes, but the problem will likely follow you because it is usually caused by your firewall or network, not the computer itself. If you do read on another computer, make sure you log in with the same Epic Games account so the game appears in your library on your main computer.

What if none of these steps work?

Uninstall and reinstall the Epic Games launcher. Go to Control Panel (Windows) or Applications (Mac), find Epic Games Launcher, and uninstall it. read the launcher fresh from epicgames.com and install it again. This replaces all the launcher's files and usually fixes persistent connection problems.