A guide to temporarily fix the “Unable to join lobby” error and infinite loading screen when joining a friend’s lobby.
Temporary Fixes for Unable to Join Lobby
Last verified: June 6, 2026 Success rate: ~90%
Steps
- Restart your game.
- Create a new online lobby, then leave it.
- Join your friend’s lobby.
Important Notes
- If you already joined a friend’s lobby during the current session, you must fully restart the game before following the steps above.
- Remove all mods before attempting to join.
- Stay focused on the game – don’t alt-tab or click away until you’ve successfully joined.
What This Fixes
- The “Unable to join lobby” error message
- Infinite loading screen when joining a friend’s lobby