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Why Can’t You See Your Friend in Lost Ark?

Why Can’t You See Your Friend in Lost Ark?

Embarking on a journey with your friends is one of the best feelings while playing MMOs. Lost Ark undoubtedly feels better with teammates by your side. However, the Friends system isn’t as straightforward as one might think. 

Due to this, players often encounter weird bugs and glitches that should not be present otherwise. However, this often happens due to a logical error on your side. One of the prime examples of this case is the inability to see your friend in-game.

The reason why you cannot see your friends is that you’re currently residing on the wrong channel. Switch your channel to the one your friend is in and you should be able to see him / her again. 

With that said, there is more to it than simple channel switching. The Multiplayer world of Lost Ark is segmented into smaller segments. Therefore, it is worth taking a look at how the Friends Multiplayer system works in Lost Ark.

How to Play Lost Ark With Your Friends

Staying true to the MMO genre, Lost Ark gives you an easy-to-access Friends menu. Simply press U on your keyboard to open the Friends sub-menu. Add your friends and invite them to your party. However, there are a few prerequisites to fulfill before you can jump into the game. 

Match Your Channels

There are times when you and your friends can be assigned to different channels. If your friend’s name is grayed out despite him being visible in the minimap then, you should switch your channels. Once you have the same channels, it will be possible to play with them. 

Related: Can’t Mount in Lost Ark? How to Fix It

Here is how to check your channels in Lost Ark:

  • Head to the top right corner of your screen and click on the channel box. 
  • In the channel box, scroll down until you find your desired channel. We recommend choosing a channel with a green dot. 
  • Ask your friends to join the same channel, simply reload the game and you’re good to go!

Play on The Same Server

The box you need to check is that you and your friends are on the same server. You won’t be able to see them if your servers differ. Unfortunately, Lost Ark does not give you the capabilities to switch your server. However, it is still possible to make multiple characters, and each of them can live on a different server. 

Therefore, pick a server from the servers list and ask your friends to join the same as well. A numerical in the format of <number>ms will be shown with each server. Make sure to join a server with the lowest latency possible. 


With that said, Lost Ark houses a total of 5 classes with 15 character choices, so it’s hard to get bored. You can play with your friends, go on a solo raid or sell your wares, it is all up to you. Don’t limit yourself to a single character and try to play with your friends as much as possible to enjoy Lost Ark to its utmost.