How to Claim Free Games on the Epic Games Store

To claim a free game on the Epic Games Store, sign in on the Epic website or in the Epic Games Launcher, open the game's page, click Get, then click Place Order at checkout, where the total is 0. The game stays in your library for good, even after the offer ends. Here is each step, plus when the free games change and what to do if something goes wrong.

What you need

Just a free Epic Games account. You can claim on the Epic Games Store website in any browser, even on your phone, or in the Epic Games Launcher on a PC. You don't need to install anything to claim a game; you only need the launcher later to download and play it.

If you play Fortnite, Rocket League or Fall Guys, you probably already have an Epic account. Use that same login so every free game ends up in one library.

1. Go to the Epic Games Store and click Sign In in the top-right corner.
2. Log in, or choose Sign Up to create a free account.
3. Turn on two-factor authentication in your account settings under Password & Security (email, text message or an authenticator app). Epic has asked for it to claim some free games, and it keeps your library safe.

How to claim a free game on the website

The free games sit in the Free Games section of the store's home page and on Epic's own Free Games page. Pick the ones marked Free Now, not the ones marked Coming Soon.

1. Sign in on the Epic Games Store website.
2. Open the Free Games page and click a game marked Free Now.
3. Check that the price says Free, then click Get.
4. If asked, confirm your birthdate (for mature-rated games) and accept the game's license agreement.
5. On the checkout screen, make sure the total is 0 (for example $0.00, £0.00 or €0.00) and click Place Order.
6. When the order confirmation appears, the game is in your library.

How to claim in the Epic Games Launcher

Already have the launcher on your PC? Claiming works the same way there.

1. Open the Epic Games Launcher and sign in.
2. Click Store in the menu on the left.
3. Scroll to the Free Games section and click a game marked Free Now.
4. Click Get, then Place Order at checkout (the total is 0).

When the free games change

Epic swaps its free games every Thursday at 11 AM Eastern (8 AM Pacific, 4 PM in the UK for most of the year). Once the new games go live, last week's games go back to their normal price, so claim each one during its free week. For the time where you live, see our guide What Time Do Epic Free Games Change Each Week?, and our Free Epic Games page shows the exact time of the next switch and what is coming next.

From mid-December into early January, Epic has often given away a new game every day, so it pays to check daily then.

Finding and installing your games

Claiming and installing are two separate things. Claiming adds the game to your account for good; installing downloads it to your PC. You can install a claimed game months or even years later, so it's worth claiming anything that looks even a little interesting.

1. Open the Epic Games Launcher and sign in.
2. Click Library in the menu on the left.
3. Find the game (use the search box if your library is big) and click Install.
4. Choose a folder with enough free space and start the download.
5. When it finishes, click Launch to play.

If something goes wrong

• The total isn't 0: stop. You opened a paid edition or a paid add-on, or the offer has already ended.
• The button says Owned or In Library: the game is already on your account, maybe from an earlier giveaway. There is nothing more to do.
• Get or Place Order doesn't respond: refresh the page, sign out and back in, or switch between the website and the launcher. The store can be slow right after new free games go live, so trying again a bit later usually works.
• The security code doesn't arrive: check your spam folder, wait a minute and use only the newest code Epic sent.
• The game isn't in your Library: make sure you are signed in to the same account you claimed with (people with a console-linked account sometimes have two), then restart the launcher.
• It's an add-on, not a game: some free offers are in-game items for a game you need to own separately. The game page says so, so read it before you claim.

FAQ

Do I keep the free games forever?

Yes. Once the free order goes through, the game stays in your library, and you can install and play it any time, even after the offer ends.

Do I need a credit card?

No. A free order (total 0) doesn't ask for payment details. If you're asked to pay, you opened a paid edition or the offer has ended.

Can I claim a game after its free week?

No. After the Thursday switch it goes back to its normal price, so claim it while it's marked Free Now.

Can I claim from my phone?

Yes. Open the Epic Games Store website in your phone's browser, sign in and claim as usual. The game is added to your library, ready to install on your PC.

When do the next free games start?

Every Thursday at 11 AM Eastern. See our Free Epic Games page for the exact date and the games coming next.

Related guides

• What Time Do Epic Free Games Change Each Week?
• How to Add Free Steam Games to Your Library
• Free to Keep vs Free Weekend vs Free to Play: What's the Difference?

Looking for games to claim? See Free PC Games Right Now and our daily free game posts.