How to Create a Private Creative Session in Fortnite

Find the Creative island in Fortnite's Discover screen, open its details, and choose Private under the island's matchmaking options. Start the island while alone if you want a solo session, or invite your friends to the party before you launch. A private session uses your existing party without filling the lobby with strangers.

1. Decide whether you're playing an island or editing one

These steps are for launching an island to play. For example, you might want to practice a course on your own, or try a puzzle map with one friend. Private matchmaking controls who joins that play session.

If you're building an island, the editor's Permissions setting controls who can change it. Epic describes Private editing permissions as allowing only the owner to make changes. Keep that setting in mind if someone joins your island to look around and you want to keep control of the build. When you want to play a published island with friends, use the matchmaking setting on the island's page instead.

2. Find the island and select Private

1. From the Fortnite lobby, open Discover or the search control.
2. Search for the island by name or paste the exact island code if you have it.
3. Open the island's details and check the title and creator so you pick the correct experience.
4. Find the island options and change the session from Public to Private if the option is available.
5. Select the island, check the setting in the lobby, and use Play when ready.

If you are looking for a course with several versions, the island code can be easier to verify than the title alone. Compare the creator and the details before launching. This also helps if you are trying to meet a friend who already loaded a different version with a similar name.

3. Get your party ready before launching

For a solo run, check that you are the only person in your party when you start. For a group session, send the invites from the lobby and wait until your friends are listed. If someone else is leading, ask them to select the island and check that Private is shown before starting. Confirm that the island supports the number of players you are bringing.

If you want to practice a specific round, choose an island whose description fits the exercise. Some islands expect multiple teams or a minimum number of players for the intended experience. A private queue can keep strangers out, but the island may still use the rules set by its creator. If the map loads but you cannot start the intended round, check the player requirements and try an island built for your group size.

4. Troubleshoot a missing Private option

Return to the island details and check for the island options before changing any account settings. The availability of a Private queue depends on the selected experience. Test with a different Creative island if you need to tell whether the missing option is specific to that map. Recheck the setting each time you select a different island.

If you landed with players outside your party, return to the lobby and confirm which session option was selected. If a friend is absent instead, check that they joined the party before it queued and that the party did not exceed the island's capacity. Recreate the lobby with the intended roster, then start the session again.

5. Keep the island handy for next time

Save the island code somewhere your group can find it. The next time you play, search with that code and check the Private setting again before starting. If you use the same island for practice, make a note of any useful mode or difficulty choices inside the map so you can repeat the setup.

A private Creative session is separate from a custom Battle Royale match that uses a matchmaking key. For a Creative island with the Private option, the people who should join are the people already in your party. Check the roster and the island before you start, especially if you switched modes since the previous match.

If friends are looking at different islands in Discover, have the party leader read out the island code and the creator name. That avoids confusion between islands with similar thumbnails.