Apple and Epic Games aren’t on the best terms right now, with the two titans going head-to-head in court arguably at the cost of iOS gamers around the world. For those unaware, Epic Games tried to sidestep Apple’s 30% commission in in-app purchases in Fortnite, so Apple simply removed the game from the App Store, and it won’t be coming back until Epic reverts changes to its system – or Epic wins the ongoing court case.
The latest development is a dangerous one: Apple announced it was revoking support for Sign in With Apple in Fortnite, the Epic Games Store and anywhere else you sign in to your Epic Games account, giving gamers just days to change the way they log in or risk losing access to their Epic accounts altogether. Thankfully, the deadline has since been extended, but switching from Sign in With Apple should still be a very high priority for gamers. Here’s how to do it.
Why should I change from Sign in With Apple?
The push to move away from the Sign in With Apple option in Fortnite was instigated by Apple itself, as part of the ongoing battle between it and Epic Games over the controversial move for Fortnite to sidestep Apple and Google’s 30% commission.
In a 9 September tweet, Epic confirmed that Apple would discontinue support for the login option as soon as 11 September, giving gamers just two days to make the change or risk being locked out of their accounts – maybe permanently.
Thankfully, Apple has since provided an indefinite extension to the deadline, but Epic still recommends changing as soon as possible to avoid any potential headaches in the future – especially with the constantly changing nature of the court case.
UPDATE: Apple previously stated they would terminate “Sign In with Apple” support for Epic Games accounts after Sept 11, 2020, but today provided an indefinite extension. We still recommend you prepare your accounts now for “Sign In with Apple” removal. https://t.co/hUDCKcajGo
— Epic Games Store (@EpicGames)
September 10, 2020
How to switch from Sign in With Apple on Fortnite
Thankfully, the process is pretty simple – you just need to head to the Epic website.
- Head to the Epic website and sign into your account with the ‘Sign in with Apple’ option as you do on your iPhone or iPad.
- Hover over your account in the top-right and click Account.
- In the General tab, click the edit icon next to the email address field and enter the email you’d like associated with your Epic account.
- Click Confirm.
- Check your email for a verification link – click it to confirm the changes.
- As well as changing your email address, some former Apple ID users will have to create a new password to complete the move. You can do this via the Security & Privacy tab on the Epic Games site, or via the Forgot Your Password? option at the login of any Epic-powered service.
What happens if I miss the deadline?
Even with the extension on the original harsh 11 September deadline, Epic fully expects Apple to pull Sign in with Apple support at some point and suggests users make the switch as soon as possible. If Apple does unexpectedly remove access – which it probably wouldn’t do without any warning – there’s still a chance that you’ll be able to recover your account. It all depends on an email from Epic:
- Check the email inbox of the account associated with your Apple ID for a message from Epic with the subject line “IMPORTANT! Epic Games account update required for continued access.”
- Open the email and make a note of the nine-digit verification code.
- Head to the Epic Games support page, scroll down and click Contact Us.
- Fill out the relevant contact information and include the verification code you noted down earlier.
- Send the help request.
The process relies on contacting Epic directly, so it’s likely that the process will take a few days – especially if the support team is inundated with similar emails – but be patient. It is worth noting that while most gamers should be able to regain access, it’s not a guarantee, so we’d recommend making the switch now before your hand is forced.
