If you’ve ever landed at Fragment East, grabbed a Flatline, and gotten one-shot out of nowhere by a player who didn’t even peek the corner, you’ve probably wondered how do people cheat in Apex Legends to pull off those impossible plays. Cheating has been a persistent pain point for Respawn’s battle royale since its launch, and while the devs roll out regular anti-cheat updates, bad actors still find workarounds to ruin matches for casual and ranked players alike. I’ve been grinding Apex since season 2, and I’ve seen every type of hack imaginable, from obvious aimbots that snap across the map to subtle exploits that are almost impossible to spot at first glance. This guide breaks down the most common cheats, how to identify them, and what you can do if you run into a cheater in your lobby.
How Do People Cheat in Apex Legends? The Most Common Hacks and Exploits
When people ask how do people cheat in Apex Legends, these are the first hacks that usually come to mind, but there are also a lot of more subtle exploits that many players don’t know about. Aimbot is the most well-known hack, it locks a player’s crosshair to enemy hitboxes automatically, even if the target is moving erratically or hiding behind partial cover. Wallhacks (ESP) let players see enemies, loot, and even trap placements through walls, so they always know exactly where opposing squads are positioned. No recoil / no spread mods eliminate weapon kick and bullet spread, so even a fully auto R-99 can land every shot at 100 meters without any adjustment from the player. Speed and movement hacks let players run faster than normal, slide infinitely, or even fly around the map to avoid gunfire and get to high-tier loot first.
Beyond these well-known hacks, there are far more subtle exploits that even seasoned players often miss:
- Damage multipliers that let players kill you with 1-2 body shots from even a weak weapon like the Mozambique
- Auto-heal mods that activate shield cells and syringes instantly without any animation time
- Item duplication glitches that let cheaters spawn unlimited heals, ultimate accelerants, or gold backpacks for their entire squad
- Ranked exploits that let players skip rank up requirements or derank infinitely to smurf in lower lobbies without penalty
Many of these subtle exploits are designed to fly under the radar of both anti-cheat tools and other players, so they’re often used by cheaters who want to climb ranked lobbies without getting caught immediately.
How to Spot a Cheater in Your Apex Lobby (Even the Subtle Ones)
The most obvious cheaters are easy to spot, but many bad actors use low-level hacks that fly under the radar if you’re not paying attention. I’ve had multiple matches where I thought a player was just really good, only to pull up the replay and see they were tracking me through walls the entire time. First, pay attention to crosshair movement: a legitimate player will have small, natural adjustments as they track targets, while a hacker using aimbot will have snappy, unnatural crosshair jumps that lock straight to enemies even if they’re moving erratically.
Another red flag is if a player seems to know exactly where you are at all times, even if you’re completely silent and hiding in a spot no one could have seen you enter. For example, if you’re camping in a closed building in World’s Edge and a player throws a perfect arc star through the window right at your feet without peeking first, that’s almost always a sign of wallhacks. Also, be wary of players who never miss a shot even when they’re spraying from long range, or who take zero damage even when you land multiple confirmed headshots on them. Don’t write off every good player as a cheater, but if multiple things feel off about someone’s gameplay, it’s worth reporting them after the match.
Why Cheaters Keep Getting Around Apex’s Anti-Cheat System
Respawn uses Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC) for Apex, which is one of the most widely used anti-cheat tools in the gaming industry, but it’s far from perfect. Most paid hacks are updated weekly to bypass EAC’s latest detection rules, and many cheaters use separate hardware devices to run hacks instead of installing software directly on their PC, making them almost impossible to detect remotely. Free hacks are often detected within a few days, but cheaters who are willing to pay $20-$50 a month for premium hack services can usually play for weeks or even months without getting banned.
Another big issue is smurfing, which is technically not a hack, but it’s a form of cheating where high-ranked players create new accounts to play against lower-skilled opponents. Respawn has rolled out smurf detection tools in recent seasons, but many smurfs still slip through the cracks, especially in lower ranked lobbies. It’s also worth noting that console players aren’t immune to cheating, either. While console hacks are less common than PC hacks, there are still ways for players to mod their consoles or use third-party devices to get aimbot and wallhacks on PlayStation and Xbox.
What You Can Do If You Encounter a Cheater in Apex Legends
If you’re 100% sure you’re playing against a cheater, the worst thing you can do is tilt and start yelling in chat, that just gives the cheater the attention they’re looking for. Instead, focus on collecting evidence if you can. If you’re playing on PC, you can use the built-in replay feature to record the cheater’s gameplay, which will make it much easier for Respawn’s support team to review the report and issue a ban. Always report cheaters through the in-game report tool first, that sends a direct notification to the anti-cheat team with all the lobby data and player IDs attached.
You can also submit a support ticket with your replay footage if you want to make extra sure the cheater gets banned, but most in-game reports are reviewed within 72 hours. Don’t waste your time trying to fight a cheater or take them down to “prove” you’re better, most of the time they’ll just use their hacks to kill you instantly anyway. Just finish the match, report them, and move on to the next lobby. Also, avoid playing with people who admit to using hacks, even if they’re on your team, because if they get banned, there’s a chance you could get a temporary penalty for playing with them repeatedly.
At the end of the day, cheating is an unfortunate part of almost every online multiplayer game, and knowing how do people cheat in Apex Legends makes it much easier to spot bad actors and get them removed from lobbies faster. Respawn is constantly updating its anti-cheat tools to catch new hacks, but players also play a big role in keeping lobbies fair by reporting suspicious players whenever they see them. You don’t have to accuse every player who gets a lucky shot of cheating, but if you notice multiple red flags in someone’s gameplay, don’t hesitate to submit a report. The more reports the anti-cheat team gets, the faster they can identify and ban cheaters, making the game more fun for everyone who’s playing fairly.