How do I turn text chat on or off in Fortnite?

Article details

Fortnite offers many communication options, and text chat is a handy tool to coordinate with your teammates or chat with friends. 
If you want to enable or disable it, or just better understand how it works, this guide will explain everything step by step.




Enable or disable text chat: quick guide

Step 1: Go to the main menu
Press the Start button (the three-stroke button) on your controller twice to open the main menu.
If everything goes well, you will see an option to turn text chat on or off.

Tip: If you see the message "Chat unavailable", go to next step to check your settings.


Step 2: Configure chat settings
If the chat is marked as unavailable, you will need to adjust your settings in a new dedicated tab:

Go to game settings:
Go to the main menu.
Select the Settings tab (represented by a gear icon).

Navigate to the "Chat" tab:
This tab allows you to manage your voice and text chat options.

Choose your text chat preferences:
You can define with whom you want to use text chat:
Everyone: All people in your party.
Friend and teammate: The players in your friends list or those of your team.
Friends only: Exclusively your friends.
Person: Completely disable text chat.




Step 3: Use the in-game text chat
Once enabled, text chat is available in any game mode. Here’s how to use it effectively:

Open text chat:
Tap the shortcut dedicated to your platform (often displayed at the bottom of the screen).

Navigate between tabs:
Once the chat is open, you will see two tabs at the top of the view:
Game text chat: To chat with all players in the game (depending on your settings).
Group text chat: Accessible by switching to the right tab. This chat is reserved for your group or team.




Extra tip: Use text chat in competitive modes
Text chat is particularly useful in strategic or competitive modes. Communicate discreetly without attracting the attention of opponents, but make sure to respect the rules of fair play and avoid any toxic behavior.




Conclusion
Enabling or disabling text chat in Fortnite is a simple but powerful feature to customize your communication experience. 
Whether you’re coordinating with your teammates or chatting with friends, this guide will help you manage your options en toute simplicité.