Escape from Tarkov Error 213: What It Means and What Helps

Error 213 is the pop-up "error connecting to auth server" in Escape from Tarkov. The authorization server is the first step of every login: it checks the account before the launcher or game lets the player through. When it does not answer, the game shows 213 and no amount of changes on the player's PC will make the server reply.

No official Battlestate Games support page explains this error, and the wiki changelog up to patch 1.3.0 (29 October 2026) never mentions error 213. The explanation below therefore rests on press guides, and it is marked as such.

What it means

Two independent guides give the same reading. Game Revolution, in an article published on 7 March 2020, says the pop-up shows that the game cannot reach the servers and that the problem sits on the server side. Destructoid, in an article of 15 November 2025 (the day 1.0 released), says the authorization server failed to verify the login and describes the cause as too many players logging in at once after the wipe that came with the update.

The error is therefore tied to server load and outages. It is most common on wipe days, major updates and releases, when logins pile up. Neither guide links it to a banned account or a damaged install.

What is worth trying

Step	Why
Retry the login several times	The server may accept the request once the queue thins; Destructoid says this can work but may take many attempts
Update or reinstall the BSG launcher	Destructoid lists this as the fix for launcher users
Check outage reports or Battlestate's social posts	Game Revolution points to DownDetector and the company's Twitter account
Wait	Both guides say load-related 213 should ease once traffic drops

Other sites also suggest verifying game files and creating firewall or antivirus exceptions. Neither guide above says so. These steps are harmless, but they are unlikely to help when the problem is on the server side, so retry and waiting come first.

Other numbered errors in patch notes

Patch notes do name some other error codes, which helps avoid mixing them up:

• Error 214: patch 1.0.2.5 (5 March 2026) fixed players receiving a flea market ban because the verification window failed to appear.
• Error 228: fixed repeatedly in 2025 and 2026, for example when handing in documents to Mr. Kerman (1.0.4.0, 27 March 2026) and when refreshing Hideout zones. It appears inside the game, after login.
• Error 257: fixed in 2025 for unpacking a loot container.

Only 213 is described by the press as a login error, so a code that appears after the main menu has loaded is probably a different one.

Related terms

• Queue times: waiting for raids once logged in.
• Packet loss fix: connection problems on the player's side.
• Pre-wipe and wipe terms: why launch days are crowded.

FAQ

What is Tarkov Error 213?

The "error connecting to auth server" message. The authorization server could not verify the login.

Is Error 213 my fault?

Usually not. Press guides describe it as a server-side problem that rises with login traffic.

How do I fix Error 213?

Retry, update or reinstall the BSG launcher, check outage reports and wait. No official fix list exists.