PUBG Error Could Not Connect [FIXED]

It’s really bothersome when you’re in the mood for some Battle Royale action, and suddenly your PUBG won’t connect to the servers in matchmaking. This is one of the most annoying issues you can encounter in the game for several reasons, including the game server undergoing maintenance. We’ll walk you through several fixes so you can resolve the PUBG error could not connect to servers issue and drop back into the battlefield as soon as possible. 

Check PUBG Game Servers

Since PUBG is one of the biggest live-service games, with over 300,000 players, as shown on Steam, servers must undergo maintenance activities every now and then. This helps the game servers operate at maximum performance without problems. Now, it’s entirely possible that you cannot join a match and encounter this error due to servers being offline. 

To verify whether the servers are live or under maintenance, you can visit the PUBG Support Twitter account. This Twitter handle announces if there’s a maintenance activity scheduled or underway for the servers. If there is an activity, you won’t matchmake for a match. Better try after some time. 

Another way to see if the servers are down due to a problem is through the down-detecter’s PUBG page. In case there’s no activity on the official PUBG Twitter, you can check in here to ensure the servers are live. If the servers are live and you’re still facing this issue, move on to the fixes ahead.

Test Your Network Connection

It’s best that you first test your network connection to rule it out, as the main problem behind the PUBG error could not connect to the servers. Visit the speediest or Fast website, which helps benchmark your internet connection and allows you to gauge if its speed is up to the mark. 

If you don’t find your Speedtest or Fast shows you speed significantly less than what you usually get, then this is the reason behind your connectivity problem in PUBG. You can try the following to resolve it: 

• Restart Your Router/Modem: Shut it down first, then wait for at least 3 minutes before turning it back on to refresh its cache. 
• Switch to Wired Connection: If you’re using the internet through WiFi, it might limit your internet’s speed. Try plugging in a Lan cable from your router to your PC to make the connection significantly stable and faster. 
• Contact your ISP: If nothing else works, you should contact your internet service provider and explain this issue to them. They’ll either inform you that it’s a known problem and it’s currently being worked on. Or they’ll just forward your complaint and hopefully get this issue resolved. 

Exclude PUBG Install Directory in Antivirus

Antivirus can restrict PUBG access to your system resources, including your internet connectivity. This is because Antiviruses are known to generate a false-positive on games and even end up deleting important files. If you don’t even have a dedicated (third-party) antivirus solution installed, Microsoft Windows Defender is always active, and it can cause issues with your game as well. 

To verify if the Windows Defender causing the PUBG error could not connect to servers, try disabling its scanning capabilities first temporarily. Here’s how:

1. First, you have to do is open up Windows Search and type Windows Security. Click on the first result that shows up. 
2. Once inside the settings, head over to the Virus and Threat Protection tab and then click on Manage Settings in this section. 

   

3. Once inside the Windows Defender core settings, turn off the Real-Time Protection setting. 

   

Doing this will disable Windows Defender from your PC. Now try launching PUBG and start matchmaking. If you successfully find a game and don’t encounter a connection error, then this is the main culprit. However, we can’t leave your PC vulnerable to threats, now can we? All you need to do is exclude the PUBG local installation files in Windows Defender. Here’s how:

1. If you’re already in Windows Defender Settings, scroll down until you see Add or Remove Exclusions under the Exclusions settings.

   

2. Once you click on it, all you need to do is click on the +Add an Exclusion option and select Folder from the drop-down menu. Now locate your PUBG installation folder and select it, then add it here. 

   

That’s it. Now your Windows Defending won’t be causing any problems for your game, and it will resolve the PUBG error could not connect to the server issue. 

Close Network Heavy Programs

There are several applications running in your background while you’re playing PUBG. They consume not only your PC hardware resources but your internet as well. This often causes connectivity problems in online games like PUBG. First, you need to identify which applications are taking up your internet bandwidth. Here’s how: 

1. Launch Task Manager by hitting the shortcut key CTRL + SHIFT + ESC.
2. Once you launch Task Manager, click on the performance tab. Here, you have to click on the 3 dots menu on the top right and click on Resource Monitor. 
3. After you open up Resource Monitor, click on the Network tab and then sort the Total Tab by clicking on it. This will show the apps that are using the internet the most on top. 
4. Now go through the programs that are using your internet and simply right-click on the app and select End Process to eliminate the task. 
5. Keep repeating this until you’ve successfully ended all programs that are hogging your internet. 

This will hopefully free up your internet on your PC from other apps. So try launching PUBG now, and get into matchmaking to verify if you’re getting the error again or not. 

Contact PUBG Support

If you’ve exhausted all methods to fix the PUBG error could not connect issue, try contacting PUBG Support. You’ll have to generate support ticked and then provide information in the following template:

(Official Template from PUBG Support Website)

– Date Seen:
(approximately at what date did this start)
– Full explanation of issue:
(Be as specific with this information as you can. Not being specific or exact with your information can prolong troubleshooting)
– Error message details:
(If you receive an error message please let us know what it says)
– Dxdiag Information
(Press Windows Key + R and type dxdiag in the search prompt, click the “Save All Information” to your Desktop and upload as an attachment for support).
– CrashDump Files
(Press Windows Key + R and in the search prompt, type %localappdata%\TslGame\Saved\Crashes – right click the latest crash file, ZIP the file and add it as an attachment to the PUBG Support ticket)

After you’re done providing information, simply send the ticket and wait for the response in your email. The support staff will surely help you resolve this issue and get you back in the game. 

If you’re new to the game, reading our beginner’s guide for PUBG PC is a must!

Did You Finally Get Into A Match?

So here are the most effective methods you can utilize to solve the PUBG error could not connect issue. It happens randomly and can be resolved with ease. However, if nothing works for you, just try either restarting your PC or reinstalling your game as a last-ditch effort. This isn’t something that you’ll have to face for long and will be fixed relatively quickly as compared to other PUBG issues. 

If you’ve resolved your crashing issue and want to play the game at maximum performance, check out our best PUBG PC settings guide.