If VALORANT will not open on Windows 11, first note the exact error and restart Windows. The cause may be Vanguard security checks, a graphics driver, damaged Riot Client data, or software interference; Secure Boot and TPM are the priority only when the error points to them. Use the matching step below, then test the game before moving on. If you see VAN9001 or VAN9003, jump to the TPM and Secure Boot checks.
Match the symptom to the likely fix
| What you see | Start with |
|---|---|
| Nothing happens when you click Play | Restart Windows, then check Vanguard, permissions, cache, and background software. |
| Riot Client opens, but VALORANT does not | Check the error code, Vanguard, game files, graphics driver, and client cache. |
| VAN9001 | Check that TPM 2.0 is enabled and detected. |
| VAN9003 | Check UEFI mode and Secure Boot status in Windows. |
| VAN9002 | Follow Riot’s current Exploit Protection guidance; do not change unrelated security settings. |
| VAN: RESTRICTION or VAN: STATUS_SB_POLICY | Check Riot’s current Vanguard restriction guidance and dedicated Secure Boot guidance. |
| Black screen, especially after a patch | Check Riot’s current notices, then investigate graphics drivers, display settings, and overlays. |
| Windows restarts or crashes | Stop ordinary game troubleshooting and investigate system-level crash, driver, or firmware causes. |
| The game works after Restart but not after shutdown | Investigate Vanguard startup or firmware initialization; note the pattern for Riot Support. |
Riot’s published VALORANT PC requirements list Windows 11 64-bit, DirectX 11, at least 4 GB of RAM, and TPM 2.0 plus UEFI Secure Boot for Windows 11. Riot also says cloud gaming and virtual machines are unsupported. These requirements do not mean every launch failure is a firmware problem.
Before changing settings
- Close VALORANT and the Riot Client, including its system-tray process if present.
- Restart Windows rather than signing out or merely closing the game. After startup, allow Vanguard time to initialize.
- Write down the exact VAN code or error text and when the problem began, such as after a Windows, BIOS, graphics-driver, or game update.
- Before changing firmware settings, locate your BitLocker recovery information if device encryption or BitLocker is enabled.
12 ways to fix VALORANT on Windows 11
1. Restart Windows and the Riot Client
A full restart can clear a stuck client process and give Vanguard a fresh start. Close Riot Client, choose Start → Power → Restart, wait for Windows to load, then open Riot Client and try VALORANT. If Vanguard reports that it is not active, do not keep clicking Play; move to step 11.
2. Follow the branch for your exact error
Use the symptom table above rather than applying every fix indiscriminately. VAN9001 and VAN9003 point toward TPM and Secure Boot checks; a black screen more often warrants graphics and display troubleshooting. For VAN9002, use Riot’s current instructions for that specific error. For VAN: STATUS_SB_POLICY, avoid unofficial commands or registry changes and follow Riot’s Secure Boot guidance.
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3. Verify Windows, UEFI, Secure Boot, and TPM status
Run these built-in Windows checks:
- Press Win + R, enter
winver, and confirm your Windows version and build. - Press Win + R, enter
msinfo32. Check BIOS Mode and Secure Boot State. For Secure Boot to be active, Windows should report BIOS Mode: UEFI and Secure Boot State: On. - Press Win + R, enter
tpm.msc. Look for a TPM that is ready for use and a Specification Version of 2.0. - Use
dxdiagfrom Run if you need to inspect DirectX and graphics information.
A firmware menu saying Secure Boot is enabled is not enough if Windows still reports it as Off. Microsoft explains the relationship between UEFI, Legacy/CSM, and Secure Boot in its Windows 11 Secure Boot guide. TPM status is also available under Windows Security → Device security → Security processor; see Microsoft’s Device security overview.
4. Enable UEFI Secure Boot if Windows reports it is off
Only do this if the Windows checks indicate a relevant problem, especially with a Secure Boot error. The Windows route to firmware settings is Settings → System → Recovery → Advanced startup → Restart now, then Troubleshoot → Advanced options → UEFI Firmware Settings → Restart. Menu names vary by computer.
- In firmware, confirm boot mode is UEFI rather than Legacy or CSM.
- Enable Secure Boot without changing unrelated options.
- Save and restart, then recheck
msinfo32for Secure Boot State: On.
Do not blindly switch Legacy/CSM to UEFI. A Windows system installed on an MBR disk may fail to boot after that change. Confirm your system disk’s partition style and follow the computer or motherboard manufacturer’s instructions first. Firmware changes can also trigger a BitLocker recovery prompt. Microsoft notes that Secure Boot certificates issued in 2011 begin expiring from June 2026 and that updates are rolling out for supported Windows systems; that transition is a possible factor in some policy symptoms, not proof of the cause on a particular PC.
5. Enable TPM 2.0 if it is unavailable or disabled
TPM may be integrated into the processor firmware instead of appearing as a separate chip. Common firmware labels include Intel PTT, AMD fTPM, Security Device Support, TPM Device, or Trusted Computing.
- Open UEFI firmware using Advanced startup or the manufacturer’s documented key.
- Find the security, advanced, or trusted-computing section and enable the TPM/PTT/fTPM option.
- Save, restart, and verify in
tpm.mscthat TPM is ready and the specification is 2.0.
Riot’s TPM 2.0 guide cautions that firmware menus differ by manufacturer. Do not clear the TPM as a routine fix: stored keys, Windows Hello, and BitLocker may be affected.
6. Install pending Windows updates
Open Settings → Windows Update → Check for updates, install applicable updates, and restart when prompted. Try VALORANT again before making another change. If the issue began immediately after an update, record that timing; a new patch or driver interaction may call for a different branch rather than repeated firmware changes.
7. Update or clean-install the graphics driver
Get a driver from NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel’s official support site, or from the computer manufacturer for a laptop or branded PC. Do not use third-party driver-updater sites. Install the appropriate driver and restart.
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If a black screen or launch failure began just after a game patch, a clean graphics-driver installation may be more useful than installing over the existing driver. Riot’s installation and technical-help hub has addressed post-patch launch and black-screen troubleshooting, including clean driver installation. A clean install can remove custom graphics profiles.
8. Test overlays and security software for interference
Temporarily close overlays and utilities, then test the game. Candidates include Discord overlay, Xbox Game Bar, NVIDIA or AMD overlays, MSI Afterburner/RivaTuner, RGB and hardware-monitoring tools, VPNs, screen recorders, macro or remapping tools, and third-party anti-cheat or virtualization software.
If you suspect antivirus or firewall interference, pause third-party antivirus only briefly for a test, then turn it back on. If the test identifies the cause, use narrow, product-specific allow-list entries for official Riot, VALORANT, or Vanguard files and check Windows Firewall permissions. Do not leave protection disabled or create broad allow-all rules. Riot’s technical-help hub covers firewall exceptions and temporary antivirus testing.
9. Use a clean boot to find a background conflict
A clean boot is a diagnostic test, not a permanent setup. Microsoft’s current process is documented in How to perform a clean boot in Windows.
- Press Win + R, enter
msconfig, and open the Services tab. - Check Hide all Microsoft services, then choose Disable all. Follow Riot’s instructions if a Riot or Vanguard service must remain enabled.
- Open Task Manager from the Startup tab and disable nonessential startup items.
- Restart and test VALORANT. If it works, re-enable disabled items in groups to identify the conflict.
- Restore normal startup when finished.
10. Reset Riot Client and VALORANT local cache
Try this when the client opens inconsistently, shows stale errors, or appears to have damaged local configuration—not for a TPM or Secure Boot error. Close Riot Client and verify it is no longer running in Task Manager. Enter %localappdata% in File Explorer, then back up or rename relevant Riot Games or VALORANT cache folders rather than deleting everything at once. Restart Windows and reopen the client so it can rebuild what it needs.
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Riot’s technical-help hub describes local AppData cleanup as one possible launch troubleshooting step. Cache rebuilding can reset preferences; it cannot correct firmware requirements or a broken Vanguard installation.
11. Reinstall Riot Vanguard, then VALORANT if needed
Use this when Vanguard is missing, damaged, or repeatedly fails to initialize, or when lower-impact fixes have not worked. Reinstalling only VALORANT may leave the failing Vanguard component in place.
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- Open Settings → Apps → Installed apps.
- Uninstall Riot Vanguard, then uninstall VALORANT.
- Restart Windows.
- Download the installer from the official VALORANT download page and install the game.
- Restart when prompted so Vanguard can install and initialize, then open Riot Client and launch the game.
Riot’s support workflow for dependency and anti-cheat issues includes uninstalling Vanguard and VALORANT, restarting, and reinstalling; see its support request workflow.
12. Collect logs and contact Riot Support
If the game still fails, use Riot’s Riot Repair Tool instructions. On Windows, Riot says to run the tool as administrator, select the relevant game, and attach the generated ZIP to a support ticket. It collects diagnostic logs; it is not a guaranteed automatic repair.
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Check compatibility settings only when relevant
Do not permanently force VALORANT to run as administrator as a universal fix. For a Windows access error, Riot’s instructions say to check that Run this program as an administrator is not selected for the game executable. Right-click the shortcut or executable, choose Properties → Compatibility, and clear compatibility mode unless Riot specifically directs otherwise. The installer may need administrator permission if Windows blocks installation; that is different from forcing the game executable to run elevated every time. Make sure the installation is on an accessible local drive.
Riot’s guidance for this access error is at Windows cannot access the specified device path or file.
When to stop and get help
- Windows will not boot after a firmware change, or the system drive disappears from firmware setup.
- The PC blue-screens, restarts, or becomes unstable while launching the game.
- BitLocker requests a recovery key you cannot locate.
- Your hardware does not provide TPM 2.0 or Secure Boot, or the device uses an unsupported cloud-gaming or virtual-machine setup.
For a boot or BitLocker problem, contact the PC or motherboard manufacturer or a qualified repair professional rather than making further firmware changes. For a VALORANT-specific failure, give Riot the diagnostic details and Repair Tool ZIP described above. Do not try to bypass Vanguard with registry edits, bootloader commands, manual driver deletion, or security-feature workarounds.
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