Unlock Ranked in Apex Legendsby completing Road to Ranked

To unlock Ranked in Apex Legends on a new PC account, reach account Level 20 and complete all three sets of Road to Ranked challenges. Play the challenges in Core mode: Wildcard and Mixtape do not count towards them.

If your account already had Ranked access before Road to Ranked launched, EA says you keep that access. Check whether Ranked is available before starting the challenge route. This guide covers the PC game and EA's requirements checked on 3 October; it does not promise a workaround for a broken progress counter.

Check your level and remaining challenges

Look at your in-game account information to check your account level and progress towards the next level. Account Level 20 is the entry requirement; Bronze, Silver and the other competitive tiers are separate ranks. EA's Takeover patch notes specifically include reaching Level 20 as one of the unlock challenges, so gaining levels alone does not complete the entire route.

Check your Road to Ranked progress and work through every unfinished objective across its three sets. EA's public guides do not publish the full current checklist or a precise menu path, so use the objectives displayed in your game rather than a remembered challenge count. The documented tasks include surviving rounds and using class perks such as Assault Bins and Survey Beacons.

Use Core matches to make progress

Select an Unranked Core playlist while Ranked is locked. EA lists Ranked and Unranked as Core modes, and explicitly excludes Wildcard and Mixtape from Road to Ranked progress. Follow any more specific mode condition written on your individual objective. After the match, compare its progress with the earlier counter before committing to more matches in that playlist.

For the account-level requirement, EA recommends staying with your squad: longer survival earns more XP, and reviving or respawning allies also awards XP. Playing with friends provides bonus XP. These are ways to progress towards Level 20, not substitutes for completing the remaining Road to Ranked objectives.

Check the whole party before queuing

Once the requirements are complete, return to mode selection and check that Ranked can be selected. If you are grouped with friends, check each member's eligibility: the unlock restrictions apply to everyone in the party. Having one eligible player does not give a new squadmate access.

If your level and all three sets show completion but access remains blocked, record the displayed counters and the party's eligibility before contacting EA support. Those checks help distinguish an unfinished requirement from a progress problem; they are not a confirmed fix for a stuck account.