Start by noting exactly what happens when you launch VALORANT and any error code or message. A VAN code calls for the matching Riot Vanguard instructions; a general crash, black screen, or Windows file-access message needs a different path. Work through the steps below in order, changing one thing at a time where practical.
Identify what is stopping the launch
Before changing settings, try opening the Riot Client and note where the process stops. Does the client open but the Play button do nothing? Does the game window appear and go black, or close with a crash? Is there a VAN code or a Windows message? Record the exact text and code, since Riot’s guidance treats Vanguard errors separately from general launch crashes.
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Restart Windows and check for a patch-related issue
- Restart Windows once, then try launching VALORANT again.
- If the problem started right after a game update, check Riot’s current installation and technical-support notices for a known issue affecting that patch. Riot’s surfaced notice for patch 10.05 recommended a restart for a post-patch launch failure or black screen and said a clean graphics-driver reinstall might be considered. That advice is specific to patch 10.05, not a universal fix; follow the current notice for the patch you are running. Riot installation and technical support.
If the message contains a VAN code, follow its exact Vanguard instructions
Use the Riot Vanguard article for the code or restriction you actually see. Riot documents distinct issues involving Secure Boot and TPM, Exploit Protection, and virtualization-based security; those settings are not interchangeable, and changing them without a matching error can create unnecessary risk or fail to address the cause. Open the relevant current Riot article, follow its instructions for that code, and restart only when directed.
These links open localized support pages. If your code differs, search Riot Support for that exact code rather than applying settings from an unrelated VAN article.
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For a general launch crash, test for background software conflicts
Riot’s launch-crash guidance includes a clean boot. Microsoft describes clean boot as a way to start Windows with essential drivers and startup programs so you can isolate whether background software is interfering with an app or game. It is a diagnostic test, not a guaranteed repair: if VALORANT opens in a clean boot, a disabled service or startup app becomes a plausible lead, but the test does not identify which one by itself.
- Sign in to Windows as an administrator. If the PC is managed by an organization, its policies may prevent these changes.
- Open Start, search for
msconfig, and open System Configuration. - On the Services tab, select Hide all Microsoft services, then select Disable all.
- Open Task Manager’s Startup apps tab and disable the enabled startup items. Keep a record of what was enabled before changing it.
- Restart the PC and test VALORANT.
Some functionality may be unavailable while Windows is in this temporary state. To return to normal startup, restore the services and startup items you recorded. Follow Microsoft’s clean boot instructions for Windows if the current Windows interface differs from these steps.
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Try Riot’s other general launch-crash remedies
If the game still will not open, Riot’s general guidance lists additional checks. Use Riot’s current instructions for exact folder locations and security exceptions; the launch article available for this guidance is localized, and Windows security settings can vary by configuration.
- Clear the game cache: Riot’s guidance includes clearing cache data under the user’s AppData\Local location and the game folders under Riot Games. Follow the current Riot article’s instructions rather than deleting folders by guesswork.
- Check firewall access: Riot points to its PC connection guide for firewall exceptions. Use the current guide and add only the exceptions it specifies.
- Test third-party antivirus interference: If you temporarily disable third-party antivirus to test, restore it immediately after the test. Do not leave protection disabled.
- Update the graphics driver: Obtain the appropriate driver for your graphics hardware through its manufacturer’s supported update method.
- Reinstall only if earlier checks fail: Riot lists reinstalling VALORANT and Vanguard as a later step, after other launch troubleshooting.
Where practical, make one change at a time and test the launch before moving on. Riot’s launch-crash guidance is here: Riot’s launch troubleshooting article.
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Use the administrator checkbox fix only for the matching Windows message
If Windows says it “cannot access the specified device, path, or file,” Riot’s instructions for that specific error say to check that the game executable is not set to run as administrator:
- Right-click the relevant VALORANT executable and choose Properties.
- Open the Compatibility tab.
- Make sure Run this program as an administrator is unchecked, then select Apply.
Do not apply this as a general launch fix if you are seeing a different symptom. If the same file-access error persists, Riot’s article says to reinstall. Riot’s instructions for the Windows file-access message.
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Contact Riot Support if VALORANT still will not open
If the matching error guidance and general troubleshooting do not resolve the problem, contact Riot Support. Include the exact error or code, when the issue began, whether it followed an update, and the steps you already tried. Provide logs if Riot requests them, using its instructions for collecting them.
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