Valorant Vanguard Error: How to Fix It Step by Step

A Valorant Vanguard error almost always means one thing: Riot Vanguard, the game's anti-cheat, did not start with Windows or is blocked by a system setting. Restart the PC first. If the error comes back, reinstall Vanguard, install the waiting Windows updates, and on Windows 11 make sure Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 are turned on.

What Vanguard is and why it blocks the game

Riot Vanguard is the anti-cheat that Valorant needs on PC. It has two parts. One is a driver that loads while Windows starts. The other is a program that runs beside the game while you play.

The first part explains most errors. Vanguard wants to be loaded from the moment the PC boots, so the game refuses to open when the driver is missing, was closed, or was stopped by a security setting. That is what the message "Vanguard not initialized" tells you: the anti-cheat is installed, but it is not running right now.

You can see its state in the Windows system tray, next to the clock, where Vanguard has its own icon. If you exit Vanguard from that icon, Valorant will not start again until you restart the computer.

The same anti-cheat protects League of Legends on PC, so the steps below work for a Vanguard error there too.

Fixing a Valorant Vanguard error: the first steps

Work through these in order and stop as soon as the game opens.

1. Restart the PC. Choose Restart in the Start menu, not Shut down. A restart loads Windows and its drivers from zero, and Vanguard with them. After Vanguard is installed for the first time, this restart is required.
2. Close everything from Riot and open it again. Exit the Riot Client from its icon next to the clock, then start it and let it finish any update before you press Play.
3. Run the Riot Client as administrator. Right-click its shortcut and choose Run as administrator. This rules out a permissions problem.
4. Install Windows updates. Open Windows Update in the settings, install what is waiting, and restart. Vanguard depends on an up-to-date system, and very old versions of Windows stop being supported.
5. Check your security software. If an antivirus has blocked or quarantined Vanguard's files, allow them in its settings. You do not need to remove your protection.

Reinstall Vanguard when the error keeps returning

A damaged install shows up as an error that comes back after every restart. Removing Vanguard and letting the Riot Client install it again fixes that.

1. Open the Windows settings and go to Apps. Depending on your version of Windows, the list is called Installed apps or Apps & features.
2. Find Riot Vanguard in the list and uninstall it.
3. Open the Riot Client and start Valorant. The client notices that Vanguard is missing and installs it again.
4. Restart the PC when it asks you to, then open the game.

Vanguard comes only through the Riot Client. Never download a "Vanguard installer" or a "Vanguard fix" from another site.

Vanguard errors on Windows 11: Secure Boot and TPM 2.0

On Windows 11, Vanguard requires two security features of the PC: Secure Boot and TPM 2.0. If one of them is off, the game shows an error even though Vanguard itself is fine. The codes VAN 9001 and VAN 9003 point to exactly this.

You can check both without leaving Windows:

• Press the Windows key and R, type msinfo32 and press Enter. In the window that opens, BIOS Mode should say UEFI and Secure Boot State should say On.
• Press the Windows key and R again, type tpm.msc and press Enter. The window should say that the TPM is ready for use, with specification version 2.0.

Both features are switched on in the computer's UEFI settings, the menu that older PCs call the BIOS. The exact names differ from one manufacturer to another, and the TPM is often listed under the processor maker's own name for it, such as Intel PTT or AMD fTPM. Follow the guide from the maker of your PC or motherboard.

If BIOS Mode says Legacy instead of UEFI, do not just flip the switch. A disk that was set up for Legacy mode will not boot in UEFI mode until it is converted. Read the manufacturer's or Microsoft's instructions first, or ask someone who has done it.

If nothing works: Riot support, not workarounds

Search results for this error are full of tools and tricks that promise to switch Vanguard off or get around its checks. None of them is a fix. Valorant cannot be played on PC without Vanguard, and software that tampers with it is treated like a cheat. It can cost you the account.

The right place is Riot's support site. Send a ticket with the exact error message or code, your version of Windows, and the steps you have already tried, so that nobody asks you to repeat them.

Frequent questions

What does "Vanguard not initialized" mean?

It means Vanguard is installed but was not running when the game started. Restart the PC and open Valorant again. If the message returns after every restart, reinstall Vanguard.

Why do I get a Vanguard error only on Windows 11?

Because on Windows 11 Vanguard needs Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 to be turned on. Windows 11 itself runs with Secure Boot switched off, so many PCs have it off without their owners knowing. Check both with the steps above.

Does Vanguard have to run all the time?

Its driver loads when Windows starts. You can exit Vanguard from the tray icon when you are not playing, but you will have to restart the PC before your next match.

Can I play Valorant without Vanguard?

No. The PC version opens only while Vanguard is running, and anything that claims otherwise puts your account at risk of a ban.

Once the game opens again: Valorant Points on Mas4Games

With Vanguard running, the Play button works and the store opens with it. If the error stopped you on your way to a new skin and your account belongs to the Türkiye region, Mas4Games has Valorant Points codes that you redeem yourself in the game client. For questions about an order, the help center has live support.