If VALORANT opens to a black screen, restart your PC first. Riot’s notice for startup problems after patch 10.05 recommends that step, followed—if the problem continues—by a clean reinstall of your graphics drivers. Those are starting points, not guaranteed fixes for every black-screen issue; use the broader steps below if they do not help.
How to fix a VALORANT black screen on startup
- Restart your PC. Riot lists a restart as the first step in its notice about VALORANT launch problems after patch 10.05. [Riot’s patch 10.05 notice]
- If the black screen remains, consider a clean reinstall of your graphics drivers. Riot says this may help. The notice does not specify a graphics-card brand, driver version, or particular uninstall utility, and it does not guarantee this will resolve the issue.
- Use Riot’s general startup troubleshooting for persistent launch problems. Riot’s guidance includes clearing local game and Riot client files, trying a clean boot, checking firewall exceptions, updating graphics drivers, and—if earlier steps fail—reinstalling VALORANT and Vanguard. These are general startup-error measures, not a confirmed fix for every black screen. [Riot’s startup troubleshooting guide]
- Contact Riot Support if the issue persists. Riot’s startup guidance directs players to submit a support request when its troubleshooting options do not solve the problem.
Use the troubleshooting path that matches the error
If the game shows a VAN error
A VAN code points to Riot Vanguard error-code troubleshooting rather than a black-screen-specific diagnosis. Follow the instructions for the exact code; Riot’s general startup guidance separates VAN errors from system or critical errors. If the listed options do not resolve it, submit a support request through Riot.
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If there is no error code
Try the restart and graphics-driver steps first. If VALORANT still will not open, Riot’s general startup guide covers further software troubleshooting such as a clean boot and firewall exceptions. Choose steps based on the symptoms and any message displayed instead of applying every change indiscriminately.
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Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →What Riot’s black-screen advice does—and does not—establish
The cited black-screen notice is associated with patch 10.05. It recommends restarting and then says a clean graphics-driver reinstall may help while Riot works on a fix. It does not establish whether the issue remains active in the current game build, identify one root cause, or show that the same sequence applies to every player. The general startup guide is broader and should not be treated as proof that any one setting or component caused the black screen.
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Use antivirus changes only as a test
Riot’s general startup troubleshooting includes temporarily disabling third-party antivirus as a diagnostic check. Treat that as a brief test, not a permanent solution: restore your protection afterward. If the game works only while protection is off, use Riot’s guidance to check appropriate exceptions rather than leaving antivirus disabled.
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