How to remove the Apex Legends Infinite Loading Screen Error?

It was not so long ago that the gaming community woke up to the unannounced launch of Apex Legends. It proved to be a productive ploy as the game has gone on to hook up to 8 million regular players each week.

Do you know what else came unannounced? The infinite loading screen in Apex Legends. For a game that prides itself on quick reflexes and sudden counter-attacks that leave the opponent flat-footed, these loading screens are a sore point. They tend to dampen most of the excitement that follows the player when they start up the game.

So, what can be done about this issue? If you are one of the gamers who have been looking for a solution to the infinite loading screen error in Apex Legends, this guide is for you. After perusing everything and applying the tips in here, be assured that the issue will become a thing of the past.

What Is the Apex Legends Infinite Loading Screen Error?

Games and glitches are familiar bedfellows, especially on the Windows platform. But for Apex Legends, in particular, the forever loading screen error has dampened some of the enthusiasm for the first-person shooter that has been described as a Fortnite killer. But what is this infinite loading screen, and why is it happening?

On the heels of the release of one of the more recent patch notes for Apex Legends came the infinite loading screen. And it didn’t confine itself to one platform. Gamers on Windows, PlayStation and Xbox have been dealing with this rampant issue.

As for affected gamers, once they launch the game, what awaits them is a loading circle that spins forever and ever, with no end in sight, and it does nothing apart from spinning continuously. As if that isn’t annoying enough, no matter how long you wait, the game won’t bless you with the sight of the lobby. You’re waiting in vain. Your only recourse when the error happens is to restart the game and hope that it loads into the main lobby this time.

But why is the error happening? Neither EA Origin nor the game developers, Respawn, have been very forthcoming about what is happening. Presumably, they are mostly stumped as well. Even so, the nature of the error lends itself to some pretty clear conclusions — at least in our opinion. One, it looks like the issue is on the server side of the multi-player gaming equation. That is, the error is likely caused by glitches with the servers that handle Apex Legends.

Even so, issues on the local computer cannot be discounted. Apex Legends, much like any other online massive multiplayer, relies on a stable internet connection. And we aren’t talking about the kind of bandwidth sufficient to visit a news or sports website, either. It is possible for low signals or unstable connections, not to mention loose ones, to interfere with the connection to the servers.

Finally, driver issues cannot be discounted in all this. Never mind errors with video card drivers that often result in issues like FPS drops or game stutter in our favourite online games, obsolete network card drivers can affect the ability of the computer to efficiently use internet connections. This, in turn, can adversely affect the connection to the Apex Legends servers.

In short, the origin of the infinite spinner circle in Apex Legends isn’t clear, nor are the game developers particularly clear on this issue either. Although a few tips have been released and have worked for many, some continue to experience this issue despite all the troubleshooting.

That is by the by. Gathered here are the most effective solutions for when you encounter the infinite loading screen in the game. If one doesn’t work for you, another probably will. The idea is to keep trying them, one after the other, until the game finally connects to the main lobby.

How to Fix the Apex Legends Infinite Loading Screen Error

Despite your best efforts, you haven’t managed to get past the loading screen in Apex Legends. You aren’t alone in this matter. Many fans of the first-person shooter have been crying loud and long on EA forums about the same issue.

When this problem occurs, we recommend that you, first of all, restart the game. This is a simple solution that has nevertheless worked for a significant number of gamers. We aren’t exactly sure why restarting the game seems to work sometimes, but it is what it is.

If that doesn’t work, rebooting the system itself isn’t a bad idea. Perhaps the game got stuck due to a glitch or two in the software component responsible for network connection or it is a failure on the part of the driver software. No matter what the root cause is, the Apex Legends infinite loading screen has been known to be solved merely by restarting the machine.

So, when you face the issue for the first time, close the game and start it again. Then, restart the machine as well. This is both a possible solution and preparation for the real troubleshooting work if Apex Legends continues to display an infinite loading screen instead of loading the game.

Reset the DNS Cache on Your Computer

While there are many reasons why the Apex Legends game is stuck on an infinite screen, DNS poisoning shouldn’t be discounted as we have explained previously. For this reason, flushing the DNS is a significant step in the troubleshooting process. To flush the DNS simply means to clear the cache of all the entries, including invalid and poisoned records. The computer is then forced to repopulate the cache with addresses from your network’s DNS server.

As an online game, Apex Legends requires a connection to the internet. Your computer’s DNS cache stores the address of the game server locally. If it is poisoned and thus resulting in the infinite loading screen, clearing the DNS cache is a surefire way to get things working normally.

To clear the DNS, you need to use the flushdns command in an elevated Command Prompt. Don’t worry, the steps are not complicated at all as you will see.

1. Access the Windows 10 Quick Access menu. To do this, move your cursor over the Start Menu icon and right-click.
2. From the Quick Access menu, select Command Prompt (Admin), and a Command Prompt window with administrative privileges will open.
3. In the elevated CMD window, type ipconfig /flushdns and hit the Enter key.
4. If the DNS flush is successful, you should see the message: Windows IP configuration successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache. You might get a variant of the message such as Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache. Either one means that the operation is successful.

You might want to reboot the machine after this, but it isn’t necessary. Fire up Apex Legends once more, and it should quickly load the game.

Check Your Internet Connection

Besides possible DNS poisoning, the infinite loading screen in Apex Legends might be due to a faulty connection. This can be caused by any number of reasons that have to do with the network hardware or software.

First of all, check that your router is switched on and has a strong network signal. Apex Legends might not load successfully if your computer is receiving too little bandwidth or the connection is poor. If the signal bars are depleted, you can try moving the router around to pick up the strongest possible signal in your location.

For a wired router, ensure that the connecting cable is working and properly inserted into the right ports. Try another port, perhaps, or test the network with another device. It is also a good idea to restart the router to clear any network-related cobwebs.

On your Windows 10 PC, open another application that requires an internet connection. A browser will do just fine for this purpose. Try and browse and check the results. You might find that websites load slowly or don’t load at all, giving you valuable clues to the origin of this issue.

If you have established that the connection is smooth and doesn’t have issues, try another of the fixes provided here.

Use Another Steam Account to Play the Game

Most gamers on Apex Legends link their game to their Steam accounts. On the surface, this is a no-brainer. Linking to Steam quickly connects you with your friends that also play the game, enabling faster team formation and other benefits. Plus, you can easily save your game data, and everything is just so much more organized that way.

However, some users discovered that trying to play the game with a linked Steam account causes issues like the infinite loading screen. As in, if they sign in with a previously linked Steam account, the game goes haywire.

Solution? Some users simply signed in using a completely new different account. If you have multiple Steam accounts, you can also use the one that has never been linked with Apex Legends to sign in. This worked for them; it can work for you too.

The procedure to do this is simplicity itself. Simply navigate to the browser link you originally used to sign in with a Steam account and use it to link a completely different Steam account to the game. It is that simple.

1. Close the game, and in Task Manager, you should end any process related to the game.
2. Visit the Steam website to create an account.
3. Go to your EA history page. You should find the link you used to link your Steam account to the game here.
4. When you’ve found the browser link, copy it and paste it into the address bar of the tab where the Steam website is open.
5. You should see the Sign in through Steam button on the loaded page. Click it.
6. The next window should display a sign-in bar for you to enter your account credentials. Click the small Not You? button within this bar.
7. Now, log in with an alternative Steam account you’ve never used before.
8. When you’ve registered the new account, a new window will be shown telling you Congrats! You’ve successfully linked your Steam account. Save the link for this page as you might need it later.
9. Now, close everything.
10. Open EA Origin and sign in using the newly registered Steam account if required.
11. Launch Apex Legends and enjoy the game.

This step has proven effective for some gamers who found it impossible to go past the loading screen for Apex Legends. However, even if it doesn’t work for you, the next fix surely should.

Check for Updates to Apex Legends

It goes without saying that game developers pay attention to how their releases perform out there. So, if you and a sizable number of gamers are experiencing the infinite loading screen, you can bet your house that the developers are aware of it. With developers’ Twitter and Facebook pages just a click away these days, it has never been easy to pass across reports of bugs and glitches.

The developers of Apex Legends have been made aware of the infinite loading screen — or endless loading spinner, as they put it. They have been working hard on internal fixes that would make the bug go away for good.

The Apex Legends official page has advised gamers who have been getting the annoying infinite loading screen to perform a disconnection. Basically, they claimed that disconnecting from the server and trying to connect again solves the issue. Although there is no solid data on how many gamers that has worked for, since it is a recommendation from the developers, it is worth trying out as well.

If you’re not sure of what to do, simply disconnect from the servers by signing out of the game. Wait for a few minutes and connect again. If a connection is established, the game will be loaded for you right away. However, if connection issues persist, it may be that the developers are still grappling with server issues.

Make Sure Your Computer Meets all the Requirements for Apex Legends

The concept of minimum and recommended requirements is not a new one. A lot of resources and data go into modern games, and the developers recommend that only users whose computers meet certain minimum requirements should install the game.

Of course, it is still possible to play some games on PCs that don’t meet some of the requirements, especially with the aid of graphics tweaks. On the flip side, it is almost impossible to do so without experiencing issues ranging from significant frame rate drops to connection issues. For your perusal, we have taken the liberty to present the minimum and recommended system requirements for Apex Legends. We will also show you how to check your computer’s specs so you can make comparisons.

Minimum Requirements for Apex Legends on PC

OS: 64-bit Windows 7

Processor (AMD): AMD FX 4350 or Equivalent

Processor (Intel): Intel Core i3 6300 or Equivalent

Memory: 6GB – DDR3 @1333 RAM

Graphics card (AMD): AMD Radeon™ HD 7730

Graphics card (NVIDIA): NVIDIA GeForce® GT 640

DirectX 11 compatible video card or equivalent

Online Connection Requirements: 512 KBPS or faster Internet connection

Hard-drive space: 22GB

Recommended Requirements for Apex Legends on PC

OS: 64-bit Windows 7

Processor (AMD): Ryzen 5 CPU or Equivalent

Processor (Intel): Intel Core i5 3570K or Equivalent

Memory: 8GB – DDR3 @1333 RAM

Graphics card (AMD): AMD Radeon™ R9 290

Graphics card (NVIDIA): NVIDIA GeForce® GTX 970

DirectX 11 compatible video card or equivalent

Online Connection Requirements: Broadband Connection

Hard-drive space: 22GB

Since you’re on Windows 10, you shouldn’t have any issues on the software side. However, ensure your PC meets the other specs listed.

Here is how to check the specifications of your computer:

1. Right-click the Start menu icon to reveal the hidden Windows 10 Power Settings menu.
2. Select Settings from this menu. You can launch the Settings app faster by pressing the Windows Logo key and selecting Settings from the Start menu.
3. On the Settings home page, select System.
4. When the System window comes up, select About in the left menu pane.
5. In the right pane (the About screen), check your computer’s basic information under Device specifications. Observe specs like your computer’s RAM and CPU.
6. To find the specs for your video card, select Display at the top of the left menu pane.
7. Under the Display tab, go to Advanced Display Settings > Display adapter properties for display 1.
8. A small Display Properties window will open. You can check your video card details here and compare them with the specifications for Apex Legends.

If your investigation reveals that your computer doesn’t meet some of the minimum requirements for the game, the infinite loading screen might be a manifestation of this issue. You will either have to upgrade the affected component or play the game on a better system.

Check Your Antivirus Program

Having a stable Internet connection is a sine qua non for playing Apex Legends. Unfortunately, your antivirus software might not share the same view. Multiple reports have emerged claiming that the infinite screen and related connection issues in the game stem from internet blockage for the game. In a situation where the security software classifies EA Origin as potentially unsafe, your connection might be cut off.

The solution to this is to whitelist the platform so it won’t be blocked anymore. How you do this depends on the antivirus you use. You can delve into its blacklist or permitted applications list and check whether Origin is blocked or not. If it is, follow the procedure specified for the particular security software to unblock the app.

When you’re done whitelisting the game platform, launch Origin and play Apex Legends. Hopefully, you won’t be seeing any more of the annoying forever loading circle.

Note: If Windows Defender is your protection software of choice, you can add an exclusion for Origin in the Virus & Threat Protection tool:

1. Open Settings and go to Update & Security > Windows Security > Protection Areas > Virus & Threat Protection.
2. Find the Virus & Threat Protection Settings group and select Manage Settings.
3. Under the Manage Settings area, select Exclusions, then click Add or remove exclusions.
4. The next step is to select the Add an exclusion option.
5. In the dropdown menu, select the type of item you want to add to the exclusion list. We recommend you choose Folder so you can add the entire Origin folder on your machine.
6. After selecting Folder, use the opened File Explorer window to navigate to the Origin folder. When you’ve selected the folder, click the Select Folder button to add it.

That’s all. Close the Settings app and fire up Origin. Click Play on the Apex Legends page to run the game. Verify that it loads successfully without any interfering perpetual spinning circle.

Additional Steps to Fix the Apex Legends Stuck on the Loading Screen Issue in Windows 10

Surely, you have already solved the infinite loading screen error in Apex Legends. If you’ve come this far, however, you might still be looking for a solution that fixes the issue once and for all. There is a chance you haven’t tried all that you can; therefore, we have added these additional steps for you.

Update Windows

It is no news that each update to Windows brings along significant features and security patches and fixes to known issues. In other words, if you think you’ve reached the end of the road in your search for solutions to a bug on Windows 10, updating the firmware might just be your last card. It is a pretty useful last card to play, as well.

Of course, updates can bring issues along; but, more often than not, they can help solve intractable bugs in the latest games. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, really. The game might not be working or might be loading an infinite screen because of some missing components you might not be aware of. Even if you are, you might not even know where to look for these components. Windows is always gathering the latest patches and program updates to software and drivers from the most popular manufacturers. It bundles everything, along with the core tweaks to the OS itself, into regular updates to Windows.

Perhaps, this is why Microsoft pushed for automatic Windows updates. This way, issues that prevent applications and games from working properly can be patched regularly. You should get one in the coming days. However, if you are desperate to get your game working again, you can force the update manually.

1. Open the Settings app through whichever method you’re accustomed to. The easiest way is to just press the Windows logo key to open the Start Menu and select Settings from there.
2. From the Settings main page, select the Update & Security option.
3. In the Update & Security window, select Windows Update from the left menu tab.
4. In the Windows Update window on the right, click the Check for updates button.
5. Windows Update will check for any new updates. If it finds one available, it will download it automatically.
6. When you’re ready to update the machine, click the Restart Now button.
7. The system will be rebooted to allow Windows to install the updates. This might take a while depending on the size of the downloaded update.
8. When the installation finishes, the machine will reboot into the sign-in screen.

Next, sign in to your account and load the Apex Legends game. You will know that the updates fixed the issue when the game loads into the main lobby instead of getting stuck on the loading screen as usual.

Update Your Drivers

Drivers can cause issues when playing games. These issues can be hard to discern or link back to the root cause at first. However, it remains a fact that driver issues can have far-reaching effects on gameplay or whether the game even loads at all. For example, if your video card driver is out of date, you likely won’t be able to enjoy the game for long before you start noticing framerate drops and other significant graphical glitches.

In the same vein, if the network card driver is missing or corrupted, you may as well bid a constant, stable network connection adieu. This will have a noticeable impact on online games like Apex Legends. You won’t get a stable connection, and the game might not even connect to the servers at all. This could be the cause of the infinite loading screen or at least one reason for it.

What you do in this case is pretty simple: update your drivers. You can do this by yourself without the aid of special software, or you can use Device Manager in Windows 10 for most of the heavy lifting. If neither method works to your satisfaction, a tool like Auslogics Driver Updater is always there for you.

Update Drivers Manually

This process seems straightforward at first. You find out the make and model of your network card and the manufacturer. Next, you visit the download page of the manufacturer and search for the latest driver for your hardware. You download the appropriate one to your desktop and then install it.

However, what is simple in theory often proves complicated in practice. First, you might have a hard time learning the precise model of your hardware, especially if it is manufactured by a less popular OEM. Furthermore, you might end up searching in vain for the correct driver or even installing the wrong one, possibly causing additional issues.

Moreover, making sure the driver you’ve downloaded suits your operating system and its architecture to a tee often poses more problems. In short, this method may end up being more trouble than you bargained for.

For this reason, it is recommended that you use either the Device Manager or a Microsoft-approved third-party tool like Auslogics Driver Updater to bring your network and video card drivers up to date.

Update Drivers with Device Manager

The Device Manager is best described as the central location for all the hardware components that together make up your computer. Information about the monitor, dedicated video cards, network card speakers, connected printers, USB, and even the keyboard and mouse can be found there. You can also use it to download drivers optimized for the OS on your machine.

The main benefit of using the method to update your network card driver is that whatever is downloaded is sure to be suitable. Windows does the searching for you and surely won’t download the wrong driver. With that said, it can be unreliable in some cases. It may not be able to find the latest driver for the device.

With that said, using this method is better than nothing. So, let’s get right into the steps:

1. Open the Windows 10 Quick Access menu.
2. Select Device Manager from the menu.
3. Scroll down the list of device components until you find Network adapters.
4. Click the Network adapters node to expand it.
5. Right-click your network card and select Update Driver.
6. The driver update window will open. You will be presented with two options. Select the first one, which is Search automatically for updated driver software.
7. Windows will go online to look for the best and latest compatible driver for the hardware. Once found, it will automatically download it to the machine and install it as well.
8. You might have to wait a bit for the process to finish. When it does, you will likely get a prompt to restart the computer. Even if you don’t, restart the computer on your own anyway.
9. The new driver will replace the old one, and your hardware will begin using it.

Now, launch Origin and try to play Apex Legends.

The Device Manager might return a message that your driver is up to date. It might also tell you it couldn’t find the drivers you wanted. Sometimes, updated drivers actually exist, but Windows just couldn’t find them.

Update Drivers Automatically

This is where tools like Auslogics Driver Updater come in. It is important to note that you should only use third-party tools that have a stamp of approval from Microsoft. This means they can work with Windows 10 without any issues.

So, to make sure that you get the latest drivers for your network card, video card, and any other hardware whose driver requires updating, simply download and install Auslogics Driver Updater. After launching this tool, it will immediately scan your computer and present all the hardware drivers according to whether they are up to date, obsolete, or missing. It is up to you to click the required button to update those that are too old.

1. First of all, download the Auslogics Driver Updater installer file from this link.
2. Double-click the downloaded file to run the setup.
3. Choose your preferences, then click the Click to Install button and wait for a minute or two. The product will be installed on your machine.
4. If you configured the tool to run after the installation, the program will open and immediately scan the machine for missing and old drivers. If you didn’t, launch the program and then click the Scan button to trigger this action.
5. At the end of the scan, you will be presented with an overview of your hardware drivers.
6. Click the Update button beside your network card entry, and the tool will download and install the driver for the hardware.
7. Repeat the process for other hardware whose drivers require an update.
8. After you’ve updated everything that needs updating, reboot the machine.

Hopefully, through these additional steps, you have been able to solve the issue of the infinite loading screen in the Apex Legends game on Windows 10.

Conclusion

Game errors are doubtless an annoying side effect of the proliferation of online games that require high-specced computers. Some of them deny gamers the pleasure of even getting to the main gaming screen. Apex Legends fans and casual gamers alike will testify to how annoying and frustrating this could be.

However, through this guide, we have explained everything that can currently be done about the issue. Many users have testified to the efficacy of the methods explored here. After trying them out, you will hopefully join the throng of those whose issue with the forever spinning circle in Apex Legends has been resolved.