If you’ve ever gotten tilted after losing a fight to a random squad mate who swears they’re better than you, or you just want to test your mechanical skills against a friend without 18 other players interrupting, you’ve probably asked: can you 1v1 in Apex Legends? For years, players begged Respawn for official 1v1 modes, and while the process isn’t as straightforward as queuing for a standard battle royale match, it’s absolutely possible to pull off head-to-head duels with other players. I’ve spent hundreds of hours messing around in custom lobbies and limited-time modes to test every possible way to run 1v1s, so this guide will break down exactly what works, what doesn’t, and how to make your 1v1s as fun and fair as possible.
Can You 1v1 in Apex Legends Officially?
For a long time, Respawn restricted custom lobby access to only content creators and esports players, which meant regular players had to rely on sketchy third-party mods or lucky public lobby matches to pull off 1v1s. That changed a few seasons back, when the studio rolled out custom private lobbies for all players, regardless of account level or follower count. There’s still no dedicated 1v1 queue you can jump into like you can in games like Valorant or Call of Duty, but custom lobbies are a fully supported official way to run head-to-head duels.
All custom 1v1 lobbies are completely allowed by Respawn’s terms of service, so you don’t have to worry about getting banned for running private duels with friends. Every once in a while, Respawn also drops limited-time modes that feature 1v1 mechanics, like the Duel LTM that let players challenge each other to head-to-head fights mid-battle royale, or 1v1 variants of Gun Run that let you test your weapon skills against a single opponent. These LTMs are rare, but they’re a great option if you don’t want to go through the hassle of setting up a custom lobby yourself.
How to Set Up a Fair 1v1 Lobby in 3 Simple Steps
Setting up a 1v1 lobby only takes a few minutes, but picking the wrong settings can lead to unbalanced fights or arguments before you even get to the first engagement. I’ve tested dozens of setting combinations to find the setup that works for both casual friendly duels and competitive 1v1 sets, and you can follow these steps to get it right on your first try:
If you want to make the duels more competitive, you can even set up a point system where the first player to 7 wins takes the set, or add modifiers like only shotguns allowed for a more chaotic experience. I usually keep respawns on and set a 10 minute timer when I’m dueling friends, so we can get as many fights in as possible without having to restart the lobby every single round.
Pro Tips to Win Your Apex Legends 1v1 Duels
Even if you’re a solid battle royale player with a high ranked rank, 1v1 duels require a totally different skill set than fighting as part of a squad, since you don’t have teammates to back you up if you miss a few shots. The good news is that you can pick up these skills really fast if you know what to focus on.
First, prioritize movement over aim first – Apex’s unique movement mechanics like slide jumping, wall bouncing, and strafing are far more important than raw aim in 1v1s, since you can make yourself almost impossible to hit if you’re moving correctly. I’ve beaten players with twice my K/D just by mixing up my movement so they can’t land a full mag on me. You don’t need to know every fancy movement trick either, just mixing in random direction changes and crouch spamming mid-fight will throw off most players’ aim.
Next, pick a legend that fits your playstyle, but don’t sleep on low-ability picks if you’re going for a fair fight. Wraith’s phase shift is obviously overpowered in 1v1s, so if you want a more skill-based fight, stick to legends like Bangalore or even Crypto, who have abilities that don’t give you a huge unfair advantage in head-to-head combat. Always keep a health cell handy mid-fight – It’s tempting to empty your entire mag trying to finish a low-health opponent, but if you miss your last few shots, ducking behind cover to pop a quick cell will give you a huge edge when you re-engage. Also, don’t forget to adjust your sensitivity if you’re used to fighting at long range in battle royale. Most 1v1 fights happen at close to medium range, so a slightly higher sensitivity will let you track moving targets faster without overshooting your aim.
Common 1v1 Mistakes to Avoid
I’ve seen hundreds of 1v1s fall apart or end in arguments because players make simple, avoidable mistakes before they even load into the map. The biggest mistake I see is players not communicating rules clearly before the fight starts. It’s super frustrating to be up 5-2 in a shotgun-only duel only for your opponent to pull out a R-301 and claim you never explicitly banned it. Take 30 seconds to list out all your rules before you hit play, and you’ll avoid 90% of potential arguments.
Never use exploits or glitches to gain an advantage – Things like infinite stim glitches or wall hacks will get you reported, even in private lobbies, and they completely ruin the point of a friendly duel. Respawn actively bans players for using exploits regardless of what lobby type they’re in, so it’s never worth the risk. Another common mistake is picking a map spot with too much third party risk, even in private lobbies. If you pick a spot with lots of high loot, you might end up distracted by loot spawns instead of focusing on the fight, or you could get stuck behind environmental obstacles that give one player an unfair edge.
Also, don’t take 1v1 losses too seriously. Most people run 1v1s to practice their mechanics or have fun with friends, not to prove who’s the “best” Apex player overall. I’ve lost plenty of 1v1s to players who are way worse than me at battle royale, just because they specialize in close-range 1v1 fights. It’s not a reflection of your overall skill, so don’t tilt over a bad round.
At the end of the day, if you were asking can you 1v1 in Apex Legends, the answer is a resounding yes, and it’s one of the best ways to practice your mechanics, settle friendly beef, or just mess around without the pressure of a ranked battle royale match. You don’t need any special access or mods to run a 1v1, just a friend to duel and a few minutes to adjust your custom lobby settings. Next time you’re tired of getting third partied in ranked, give a 1v1 duel a shot – you might be surprised how much it improves your overall gameplay, even when you jump back into standard squads.