If you’ve ever logged into Apex Legends and immediately got eliminated by a three-stack of pred players before you even found blue armor, you’ve probably wondered if there’s a low-pressure way to practice. A ton of new and returning players ask can you play Apex Legends with bots to brush up on skills without getting stomped every match. The good news is you don’t have to stick to the new player onboarding lobbies to get bot practice – there are multiple official, Respawn-approved ways to play against AI opponents, no sketchy exploits required.
Can You Play Apex Legends With Bots Outside of New Player Onboarding?
Most players know that brand new Apex accounts get 10 introductory matches filled almost entirely with bots, to help new players learn the basics without facing off against seasoned veterans. But once you pass those initial matches, you can still access bot play whenever you want. I’ve had multiple friends who took year-long breaks from the game use bot matches to re-learn movement mechanics and recoil patterns before jumping back into public lobbies, and it cut their adjustment time in half.
It’s important to note right off the bat that we’re only talking about official bot modes here. Exploiting glitches to get into public bot lobbies or using smurf accounts to farm low-skill lobbies is against Respawn’s Terms of Service, and can lead to temporary or permanent account bans. There’s no need to risk your account when there are perfectly legitimate ways to play against bots whenever you want.
Official Apex Legends Modes That Support Bot Play
Respawn has added multiple official bot play options over the years, catering to everyone from total beginners to competitive players looking to warm up. You can access all of these modes directly from the main menu, no special permissions or downloads required:
- Firing Range Dummies: The most accessible bot play option, available to all players at any time. You can toggle passive or aggressive dummies, test every weapon and legend in the game, and practice everything from aim to movement without any time limits or pressure.
- Custom Lobby Bot Fill: You can create a private custom lobby and fill any empty player slots with bots, with difficulty settings ranging from easy to hard. You can adjust match settings like loot density, circle speed, and game mode (solo, duos, trios) to fit exactly what you want to practice.
- Limited-Time Practice Events: Respawn occasionally rolls out temporary event modes focused entirely on bot play, designed to help players build specific skills. Past events have included aim training modes, movement practice courses, and legend ability drills all played against AI opponents.
One of the biggest perks of all these official modes is that none of your stats from bot play carry over to your public profile. You don’t have to worry about ruining your K/D ratio or win rate if you’re just testing out a new legend or messing around with weird weapon loadouts. I’ve spent entire custom bot matches just practicing grapple jumps with Pathfinder, and none of those failed attempts show up on my public stats. Apex Legends bot play is designed to be zero-stakes, so you can experiment as much as you want.
How to Use Bot Matches to Improve Your Apex Skills
Bot matches aren’t just for new players – they’re a valuable practice tool for every skill level, if you use them correctly. The predictable movement of AI opponents lets you focus on specific skills without dealing with the erratic jukes and third-party attacks that are common in public lobbies.
For beginners, start with easy difficulty bots to get the basics down. Practice looting a full loadout in under 90 seconds, learn the most common map callouts, and test out every legend to find which one fits your playstyle best. Don’t worry about winning matches at this stage – focus on getting comfortable with the game’s core mechanics.
Intermediate players can use medium difficulty bots to work on more specific skills. Recoil control practice is especially effective in bot matches, since you can focus entirely on controlling your weapon’s kick without worrying about getting shot in the back while you’re lining up a shot. You can also practice peeking, positioning, and team combos if you bring a couple friends into your custom bot lobby.
Advanced players shouldn’t sleep on hard difficulty bots either. I spend 10 minutes in a hard bot lobby every time I log on to warm up my aim and movement before jumping into ranked matches, and it’s cut my early-game elimination rate by almost 20%. Hard bots are also great for testing new weapon loadouts or legend ability combos before you take them into high-stakes ranked matches. If you’re trying to learn how to use a new weapon like the Nemesis burst rifle, bot matches let you get a feel for its fire rate without wasting matches in public lobbies.
Important Rules to Know for Bot Play in Apex Legends
While bot play is low-pressure, there are a few key rules you should keep in mind to make the most of your practice sessions and avoid risking your account.
Exploiting glitches for public bot lobbies is never allowed. You might see videos online claiming to show you how to get into public lobbies full of bots by leaving matches early or changing your server location, but Respawn actively detects and bans accounts that use these exploits, especially if you use them to farm ranked points or exclusive badges. Stick to the official modes we listed earlier, and you won’t have anything to worry about.
Another thing to note is that bot matches don’t count for any in-game challenges or badge unlocks. If you’re grinding for a 20 kill badge or a specific event challenge, you’ll have to complete those in public lobbies. That said, you can still use bot matches to practice the skills you need to unlock those badges faster. For example, if you’re working on a sniper kill challenge, you can practice your long-range aim against bots before jumping into a public match.
Don’t get stuck playing only against easy bots for too long. Easy bots are great for learning the basics, but they don’t have the reaction time or creativity of real players. If you only play against easy bots, you’ll struggle to adjust when you jump back into public lobbies. Mix up the difficulty level as you get more comfortable, to keep challenging yourself and improving your skills. Even if you’re a seasoned player, hard bots can push you to refine your aim and movement faster than casual public matches.
So, can you play Apex Legends with bots? The answer is a resounding yes, and it’s one of the most underrated practice tools available for players of all skill levels. You don’t have to jump straight into lobbies full of seasoned sweats if you’re still getting your bearings, or if you just want to mess around with a new legend without the pressure of ranking up. Stick to official, Respawn-approved bot modes, mix up difficulty levels as you improve, and you’ll notice your gameplay getting sharper faster than you expect.