If you’ve just downloaded Apex Legends for the first time, or you’re coming back after a long break to make a secondary smurf account, you’ve probably asked one question right as the game boots up: can you skip Apex Legends tutorial? I’ve been playing Apex since its original launch, and I’ve set up more than a few secondary accounts to play with lower-rank friends over the years, so I’ve tested every possible method to get around the 10-minute intro walkthrough when I don’t need it. I also remember my first time playing, when I tried to skip the tutorial and ended up completely lost in my first match because I didn’t know how to slide or use tactical abilities. This guide breaks down exactly what’s possible, what’s worth doing, and what you should avoid to keep your account safe.
Can You Skip Apex Legends Tutorial? Official Options Explained
First, let’s cover the official rules from Respawn Entertainment, the developer of Apex Legends. As of the latest game update, there is no built-in one-click skip option for players accessing the game on a brand new, unlinked EA account. That means if you’re signing up for EA for the first time to play Apex, you will have to play through the full tutorial the first time you launch the game, no exceptions. First-time players on a brand new EA account cannot officially skip the Apex Legends tutorial as of the latest patch.
The only official exception applies to players who are linking a pre-existing EA account that already has Apex Legends progress to a new platform. For example, if you’ve played Apex on Xbox for years and you’re switching to PC, linking your existing EA account to your Steam profile will let you skip the tutorial entirely, because the game recognizes you already have experience with the core mechanics. A lot of players used to rely on an internet disconnect glitch to skip the tutorial a few seasons back, but Respawn patched that exploit in late 2023, and trying it now will usually just cause your game to crash and force you to restart the tutorial from the beginning anyway.
What You’ll Miss If You Bypass the Apex Legends Tutorial
Even if you find a workaround to skip the tutorial, it’s important to know what you’re giving up before you do it. The 10-minute walkthrough isn’t just a boring instruction manual: it’s packed with small rewards and helpful context that most new players don’t know about. First, you’ll get hands-on practice with Apex’s unique movement mechanics, including sliding, wall climbing, and zipline use, that work very differently from other popular battle royales like Fortnite or Warzone. You’ll also get a walkthrough of how tactical, passive, and ultimate abilities work, which is the core of Apex’s team-based gameplay.
Completing the tutorial unlocks exclusive free rewards that you can’t get any other way as a new player. These rewards include one standard Apex Pack with a guaranteed rare or higher item, 200 crafting metals that you can use to unlock character skins, and the base Bangalore starter skin that’s no longer available in the in-game store. If you skip the tutorial, you won’t get any of these rewards, and you’ll have to earn Apex Packs the hard way by leveling up your account. Many new players who skip the tutorial also report feeling completely overwhelmed in their first 10+ matches, because they don’t understand basic mechanics like how to ping items for their team or how to respawn a fallen teammate.
Workarounds for Returning Players Who Want to Skip the Tutorial
If you’re a returning player with dozens or hundreds of hours of Apex experience under your belt, sitting through the tutorial again on a new account can feel like a huge waste of time. While there’s no official skip button for new accounts, there are a few safe, ban-free workarounds that most players have success with, depending on your platform. Never use third-party mods or cheat tools to skip the tutorial, as this can result in a permanent ban on your EA account. Stick to these tested, legitimate methods instead:
- Link your existing EA account that has already completed the tutorial to your new platform first, before launching the game. This will trigger the game to recognize your existing progress and skip the tutorial automatically, even if you’re playing on a new console or PC storefront.
- If you’re on PC and already have Apex installed on one account, log into your new EA account via the EA app first, then launch Apex directly from your desktop shortcut instead of the store page. Many players report this skips the tutorial prompt for secondary accounts 90% of the time.
- If you hit a tutorial soft lock on an existing account, close the game fully, clear your cache for your platform, and restart. The game will usually recognize your account progress and boot you straight to the main menu without forcing you to replay the walkthrough.
None of these methods violate Respawn’s terms of service, so you don’t have to worry about losing access to your account if you use them. I’ve used the desktop shortcut trick for three separate secondary PC accounts over the past year, and it’s worked every single time without any issues. If one method doesn’t work for you, try the next one, and you’ll be in the main menu in no time.
Should You Skip the Apex Legends Tutorial? Pros and Cons to Consider
At the end of the day, whether you should try to skip the tutorial depends entirely on your experience level with Apex Legends. Let’s break down the pros and cons for both new and returning players to help you make the call. For brand new players who have never played Apex before, there are almost no benefits to skipping the tutorial, even if you find a way to do it. You’ll miss out on free rewards, you won’t learn the core mechanics that make Apex unique, and you’ll almost certainly have a frustrating experience in your first few matches. If you’re a brand new player, we always recommend completing the full tutorial before jumping into public matches.
The 10 minutes you spend going through the walkthrough will save you hours of frustration later, when you don’t have to look up basic controls mid-match. For returning players, the equation is very different. You already know how to move, loot, and use abilities, so the tutorial doesn’t offer any new value, and you’re not going to be surprised by any core mechanics. Returning players with 50+ hours of playtime can safely skip the tutorial if they have the option, with little to no downside. The only exception is if Respawn adds a major new mechanic to the game and integrates it into the tutorial, which has only happened once before, when they added movement tutorials for new controller players a few seasons back. In that case, it’s worth running through the tutorial once to get a feel for the new mechanic before you jump into matches.
So now you have a clear answer to can you skip Apex Legends tutorial, plus all the context you need to decide if skipping is the right choice for you. If you’re new, take the 10 minutes to run through the walkthrough, claim your free rewards, and get a feel for how the game works before you drop into King’s Canyon for the first time. If you’re a seasoned player just making a new account to play with friends, use the safe workarounds we listed to skip the boring stuff and get straight to the action. I still run through the tutorial every once in a while when I’m testing new controller sensitivity settings, just to get a low-pressure chance to test my aim before I jump into ranked matches, so don’t write it off entirely even if you’re a long-time player.