Fortnite was working normally until I installed Proton VPN. I uninstalled the VPN later that same day, but Fortnite has continued showing the error "FortniteClient-win64-shipping.exe – Application error: The application was unable to start correctly (0xc000007b). Click OK to close the application." I've already tried several fixes and would appreciate advice on what else to check.
1 Answer
Fully disconnect from Proton VPN first, then turn off features such as the kill switch and any VPN-related firewall or network filter. After that, uninstall the VPN and restart your computer. VPN software can leave behind network drivers or security components even after the main app is removed, which may interfere with games or their anti-cheat software.
Can Proton VPN actually cause this kind of Fortnite startup error, or should I focus on repairing the game files and runtime components?
How can I disable the kill switch and firewall settings before uninstalling it?