Fix the “Epic Games Launcher is currently running” error
Source-checked · About 10 minutes
Answer
If Windows says Epic Games Launcher is currently running, first close any Epic-launched game, then select the notification-area chevron, right-click Epic Games Launcher, and choose Exit. If the message remains, open Task Manager > Processes, select Epic Games Launcher, choose End task, and retry the original launch, update, or uninstall action; clear only Epic's documented webcache folders if the launcher itself still will not work afterward.
1
Close games started by Epic
Save and exit any game launched through Epic, then wait for its window to close. Do not end a game process while it is saving or updating; the launcher can remain active while that game finishes.
2
Exit Epic Games Launcher
Select the chevron in the Windows notification area, right-click the Epic Games Launcher icon, and choose Exit. Wait until the icon disappears, then retry the original action once.
If the same message remains, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc, open Processes, select Epic Games Launcher, and choose End task. Confirm that Epic Games Launcher disappears from Processes; leave unrelated Epic games, anti-cheat services, and Windows processes alone.
4
Retry the original action
Run the same installer, updater, uninstaller, or launcher shortcut once. Success means that action begins without the currently-running message; do not open a second launcher shortcut while it is starting.
5
Restart Windows
If Task Manager no longer shows the launcher but Windows still reports it running, select Start > Power > Restart. After sign-in, retry the original action before opening Epic Games Launcher separately.
6
Clear cache only for a broken launcher
If the running message is gone but Epic Launcher still will not open correctly, exit it, press Windows + R, enter %localappdata%, and open EpicGamesLauncher > Saved. Delete only webcache, webcache_4147, and webcache_4430 when present, then reopen Epic once.
Confirm the original action completes or Epic opens as one visible instance and no duplicate process remains after normal Exit. Stop before reinstalling the launcher: Epic warns that launcher reinstallation removes installed titles.
Video walkthrough
If it does not work
If Task Manager shows a game still closing, wait for it to finish before ending the launcher process or restarting Windows.
If End task fixes uninstalling but not launching, treat those as separate outcomes and use Epic's launcher troubleshooting page for the launch failure.
If the launcher reappears immediately after End task, check Startup apps or another user session before repeatedly ending processes; record that behavior for Epic Support.
Do not delete the full EpicGamesLauncher or installed-game folders; Epic's documented cache step is limited to named webcache folders.
ⓘ Sources and verification
Checked against official documentation on . Scope: Windows.
The retained 2021 video is historical and includes broader file deletion that is not part of Epic's current fix for the running-process message. Follow the scoped Exit and End task procedure below.
