The VALORANT message “A critical error has occurred and the process must be terminated” reports a crash; it does not identify one cause or mean Vanguard is always responsible. On Windows 10 or 11, start with a restart, Windows and graphics-driver updates, and disabling overlays. Then use when the crash happens—and whether a VAN code appears—to choose the next steps.
First, identify what is crashing
Note when the error appears and which process, if any, the dialog names. It could be VALORANT, Riot Client, or a Vanguard-related process. If the dialog offers to create a crash dump and you plan to contact Riot, let it finish before closing the dialog.
- Before the main menu: check Windows, Vanguard initialization, security software, local files, and drivers.
- When entering a match: test overlays and background utilities, then check the graphics driver and Vanguard.
- After a long session: also check temperatures, overclocking or undervolting, memory, and broader system stability.
- A
VANcode or Vanguard initialization failure: follow the specific Vanguard error guidance rather than treating this as only a generic crash. - Other games crash too: investigate Windows, drivers, or hardware as well as VALORANT.
A Windows 11 player’s report about a launch problem after the December 2024 update is an individual report, not proof that the update causes this error generally: Microsoft Q&A.
Try the low-risk checks first
- Close VALORANT and Riot Client, then restart Windows.
- Check Settings > Windows Update, install available updates, restart, and check again. The current Windows interface may vary slightly by build.
- Install the graphics driver from the official NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel site. Laptop owners should check their computer manufacturer’s driver guidance, particularly when the laptop switches between integrated and discrete graphics.
- Turn off game overlays and hardware-monitoring tools for one test launch. Examples include Discord, NVIDIA or AMD overlays, Xbox Game Bar, MSI Afterburner, and RivaTuner Statistics Server.
- Check Riot’s official support or service-status channels for a current incident or patch-related launch problem before spending time on a reinstall. A local process crash alone does not establish that servers are down. Riot has posted patch-specific launch guidance in its technical-support category.
Reset VALORANT’s local cache and configuration
Riot’s crash guidance includes clearing local game-related data. This can test whether damaged cache or configuration is involved, but a configuration reset may remove local preferences such as settings or keybinds. Back up the relevant VALORANT configuration before removing it.
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- Exit VALORANT and Riot Client.
- Open Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Esc and end any remaining Riot or VALORANT processes.
- Press Windows + R, enter
%localappdata%, and press Enter. - Locate the VALORANT game-data and relevant Riot Games cache folders identified by Riot’s crash guide. Back up configuration before deleting or resetting it; do not delete unrelated AppData folders.
- Restart Windows, open Riot Client, and test the game.
If the crash began after a settings change and you need a configuration reset, Riot also documents removing VALORANT saved configuration files in its configuration-reset instructions.
Use a clean boot to find software conflicts
A clean boot tests whether a startup app or non-Microsoft service is interfering with VALORANT, Vanguard, or a driver. It is a temporary diagnostic state, not a recommended permanent setup.
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- Press Windows + R, type
msconfig, and press Enter. - Open Services, check Hide all Microsoft services, then select Disable all. Re-enable Riot or Vanguard services if Riot’s current clean-boot instructions require them.
- Open the Startup tab and use its Task Manager link to disable nonessential startup apps. Prioritize overlays, recording tools, RGB and motherboard utilities, monitoring or overclocking software, other game launchers, and third-party security software.
- Restart and test VALORANT.
- Restore normal startup settings afterward. If the crash stops, re-enable items in groups and test until you identify the conflict.
Test antivirus or firewall interference safely
A firewall can interfere with a client’s network access; antivirus may block or quarantine files or interact with processes. For diagnosis, temporarily disable third-party antivirus protection for one test, then turn it back on immediately. If the game works only during that test, use the security product’s approved-exceptions interface for the official Riot, VALORANT, and Vanguard files in your installation. Do not use exception lists from unofficial sites or leave Windows security features disabled. Riot includes firewall and third-party antivirus checks in its crash troubleshooting guidance.
Reinstall Vanguard when its symptoms point to it
Reinstalling Vanguard is most relevant when Riot Client says it is not initialized, a VAN code appears, the vgc service is missing or not running, or the failure began with Vanguard installation or an update. It is not a universal fix for a generic process-crash message.
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- Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps (or Add or remove programs, depending on Windows) and uninstall Riot Vanguard.
- Restart Windows; a restart may be needed to complete removal.
- Open Riot Client and launch VALORANT so the official installer can reinstall Vanguard.
- Restart again if prompted, then launch the game and let Vanguard initialize.
For the full reinstall sequence, see Riot’s Vanguard and VALORANT dependency guidance. Avoid third-party Vanguard removal tools.
Repair or roll back the graphics driver
If the crash persists, or started immediately after a graphics-driver update, use the official NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel installer to perform a clean installation if that option is available. If the timing strongly points to a new driver, consider rolling back to the previous stable driver instead. Laptop owners should use a driver supported by their manufacturer’s graphics-switching setup. Change one thing at a time so you can tell whether the driver helped.
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Check stability if crashes continue or affect other games
Crashes after extended play—or crashes in multiple games—make a broader stability problem more plausible. Disable CPU or GPU overclocks and undervolts for testing, check CPU and GPU temperatures under load, and run Windows Memory Diagnostic or another reputable memory test. Event Viewer may show application failures, display-driver resets, or hardware errors around the crash time.
Update motherboard BIOS only when there is a relevant compatibility or stability reason and you can follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your exact system. A community user’s report of improvement after a BIOS update is anecdotal, not evidence that a BIOS update is a general VALORANT fix: community report. Do not change firmware settings casually.
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Reinstall VALORANT only after earlier checks
If cache, clean-boot, security-software, Vanguard, and driver checks do not resolve a game-specific crash, uninstall VALORANT through Windows Settings, restart, and install it again using Riot’s official installer. A full VALORANT-and-Vanguard reinstall is a last software remedy, not a guarantee: it cannot repair an unstable driver, faulty hardware, or every Windows compatibility issue. A Windows reset or clean installation is not an appropriate early step.
Keep TPM and Secure Boot troubleshooting specific
TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot concern Vanguard requirements and particular Vanguard errors, especially on some Windows 11 systems; they are not default fixes for this generic crash. If a relevant VAN error appears, follow Riot’s TPM 2.0 guidance and the documentation for that error. Riot warns that BIOS/UEFI menus differ by manufacturer and that incorrect changes can cause system problems. Do not disable Secure Boot or TPM as a generic troubleshooting step.
Send Riot useful crash information
If the crash remains, submit a Riot support request with details that help distinguish a game-specific failure from system instability. Riot’s Repair Tool guidance says to run the current tool as administrator on Windows and attach its resulting ZIP archive to a support request: Riot Repair Tool instructions.
- Exact error text, any named executable, and whether a
VANcode appears. - Whether the crash happens at launch, in the lobby, entering a match, or after a period of play.
- Whether other games or applications crash too.
- Windows version/build, CPU and GPU models, and recent Windows, game, driver, BIOS, or security-software changes.
- Whether a crash dump was created; attach it if Riot requests it.
- The Riot Repair Tool ZIP, if collected as Riot instructs.
Avoid downloading replacement DLLs, registry cleaners, “FPS boosters,” or unverified repair scripts. Do not change several system settings at once: isolate one likely cause and test again.
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