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If VALORANT will not install or launch on Windows 11, start with the exact error message, then check Windows updates, TPM 2.0, Secure Boot and Riot Vanguard—in that order. TPM and Secure Boot are firmware settings, so do not change boot mode blindly: a Legacy/CSM Windows installation may stop booting if switched directly to UEFI.
This guide separates common symptoms and walks through the least risky fixes first. Riot’s current guidance identifies TPM 2.0 as potentially required for VALORANT on Windows 11; Secure Boot requirements can depend on the configuration or error. Follow the instruction shown by your game and verify the settings in Windows before changing firmware.
Identify what is failing
Before changing settings, write down the full message or VAN error code. Different failures point to different causes:
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- Riot Client will not open or Play does nothing: restart Windows and the client, then check Vanguard.
- The game opens and immediately closes, freezes or shows a black screen: investigate Windows and graphics-driver updates, overlays and other software.
- A message names TPM 2.0 or Secure Boot: check the relevant Windows status before entering UEFI.
- Vanguard is not running, or the game requests a restart: restart Windows; if the message persists, repair Vanguard.
- A VAN code appears: use that specific code to guide the fix. A VAN error does not by itself mean TPM is the cause.
Keep your PC model, Windows version and exact error nearby in case you need to contact Riot Support.
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Try the low-risk fixes first
Restart and update Windows
- Restart Windows, then open the Riot Client and try VALORANT again.
- Open Settings > Windows Update and select Check for updates.
- Install available updates and restart. Check again until Windows Update offers no further updates.
Riot troubleshooting guidance includes updating Windows when Vanguard installation or operation fails. An update may require a restart before its changes take effect.
Update graphics and chipset drivers
For a crash or launch failure without a TPM or Secure Boot message, install current drivers from NVIDIA, AMD or Intel, or from your laptop or PC maker if it supplies customized drivers. Avoid third-party driver-updater utilities. Restart after updating.
Check account and device restrictions
If this is a work- or school-managed PC, or your Windows account cannot install software, an administrator policy may prevent Vanguard from installing or running. Ask the device administrator rather than trying to bypass the restriction.
Check whether TPM 2.0 is ready
Check TPM in Windows before changing firmware. Microsoft documents two ways to inspect it.
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Windows Security
- Open Start, search for Windows Security and open it.
- Go to Device security > Security processor details.
- Look for the TPM specification version. For this check, it should report 2.0.
Microsoft’s [Device Security guide](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/windows-security/device-security-in-the-windows-security-app) describes the security processor information shown there.
TPM Management
- Press Windows + R, enter
tpm.mscand press Enter. - Check whether Windows says the TPM is ready to use.
- Under TPM Manufacturer Information, check Specification Version for 2.0.
Microsoft’s [TPM 2.0 instructions](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/devicesecurity/enable-tpm-2-0-on-your-pc) explain how to check the TPM and describe common firmware labels. If Windows cannot find a TPM, it may be disabled, unsupported or in need of a firmware update; absence from this screen alone does not establish which.
If TPM is disabled or missing
Look up your exact PC or motherboard model before entering firmware. Depending on the manufacturer, the option may be called Intel PTT, Intel Platform Trust Technology, AMD fTPM, AMD PSP fTPM, TPM Device, Security Device Support, TPM State or Trusted Computing. Enable the existing TPM feature if your hardware supports it.
Do not select Clear TPM or reset it as a troubleshooting shortcut. Clearing TPM is different from enabling it and can affect BitLocker or device encryption, Windows Hello and stored security keys. Microsoft says most PCs shipped in the last five years are capable of TPM 2.0, but this is not a guarantee for a specific model.
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Check UEFI mode and Secure Boot
- Press Windows + R, type
msinfo32and press Enter. - In System Summary, find BIOS Mode and Secure Boot State.
- For a Secure Boot check, look for BIOS Mode: UEFI and Secure Boot State: On.
You can also look in Windows Security > Device security for the Secure Boot status. Microsoft describes Secure Boot and its relationship to UEFI in its [Windows 11 Secure Boot guide](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/devicesecurity/windows-11-and-secure-boot).
If BIOS Mode says Legacy or Secure Boot is off, do not simply switch Legacy/CSM to UEFI or enable Secure Boot. A Windows installation set up for legacy boot—often on an MBR-partitioned drive—may not boot after a direct change. Dual-boot setups and older bootloaders can be affected as well. Confirm the conversion procedure for your exact PC with its manufacturer before proceeding.
Enable TPM or Secure Boot safely, if your error calls for it
Firmware menus vary by PC and motherboard. Riot cautions users to consult manufacturer-specific instructions for BIOS or UEFI changes in its [TPM 2.0 guidance](https://support-valorant.riotgames.com/hc/cs/articles/48069730092051-Pr%C5%AFvodce-TPM-2-0). If the required setting is not clear for your model, stop and ask the manufacturer rather than guessing.
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- Photograph current firmware settings so you can restore them.
- Check whether BitLocker or Windows device encryption is enabled and have the recovery key available. Firmware changes can trigger a recovery prompt.
- Do not change unrelated settings. If the system uses Legacy/CSM, do not switch to UEFI until you have confirmed that Windows is prepared to boot that way.
- For a dual-boot PC or a computer with unusual boot configuration, get manufacturer guidance first.
Open UEFI from Windows
- Open Settings > System > Recovery.
- Beside Advanced startup, select Restart now.
- Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > UEFI Firmware Settings > Restart.
If UEFI Firmware Settings is not available, use the manufacturer’s instructions for your model. The route above is documented by Microsoft in its [Secure Boot guide](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/devicesecurity/windows-11-and-secure-boot).
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Change only the needed settings, then verify
- In firmware, enable TPM 2.0 using the option appropriate to your system—such as Intel PTT or AMD fTPM—if TPM is the missing requirement.
- Enable Secure Boot only if the error or your configuration requires it and the system is set up to boot using UEFI.
- Save changes and exit. Allow Windows to boot normally.
- In Windows, rerun
tpm.mscand/ormsinfo32to confirm the expected status. - Restart Windows once more, then open the Riot Client and test VALORANT.
If Windows no longer boots after a firmware change, use the manufacturer’s recovery instructions or support to restore the previous boot configuration. Do not keep changing settings at random.
Restart or reinstall Vanguard
A restart is the least destructive Vanguard fix, particularly after a Windows update, a Vanguard installation or a firmware change. If VALORANT still reports that Vanguard is not running, or installation appears incomplete, reinstall Vanguard. Riot’s [troubleshooting instructions](https://support-valorant.riotgames.com/hc/th/requests/new?ticket_form_id=360003209713) include removing Vanguard and VALORANT, restarting and running the installer with administrator privileges.
- Close VALORANT and the Riot Client.
- Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps, search for Riot Vanguard, open its three-dot menu and select Uninstall.
- If you are fully resetting the game installation, uninstall VALORANT from Installed apps as well.
- Restart Windows.
- Download the installer from Riot’s [official VALORANT page](https://playvalorant.com/en-us/download/).
- Right-click the installer and select Run as administrator, then install the game.
- Restart when prompted, then launch the Riot Client and test VALORANT.
Reinstalling Vanguard can address a missing or damaged anti-cheat installation; it will not make unsupported hardware compatible or correct a boot configuration. Do not delete Riot folders or registry entries unless Riot Support instructs you to.
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| Message or symptom | First action |
|---|---|
| TPM 2.0 required | Check tpm.msc. If TPM is available but disabled, enable the supported TPM setting in UEFI; if absent, check the manufacturer’s specifications or support. |
| Secure Boot required | Check BIOS Mode and Secure Boot State in msinfo32. If the system uses Legacy/CSM, get model-specific boot guidance before changing it. |
| Vanguard not running or restart requested | Restart Windows. If the error remains, uninstall and reinstall Vanguard. |
| Required dependency cannot be installed | Install Windows updates, restart, then reinstall Vanguard or the game if needed. |
| VAN 9002 | Riot says this error generally indicates Windows Exploit Protection is disabled. Search Start for exploit protection and follow Riot’s current [VAN 9002 instructions](https://support-valorant.riotgames.com/hc/el/articles/48069718197907-%CE%A3%CF%86%CE%AC%CE%BB%CE%BC%CE%B1-VAN-9002); do not turn off Windows security features as a workaround. |
| Game closes or crashes after launch | Update Windows and the graphics driver, restart, then test with overlays and monitoring utilities closed. |
| Play button does nothing and no code appears | Restart Windows and the Riot Client. If the problem persists, check Vanguard installation and reinstall it if needed. |
For any other VAN code, check Riot’s current support page for that exact code instead of applying a generic VAN fix.
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Check for software conflicts if launch fixes do not help
Security tools, other kernel-level anti-cheat software, hardware-monitoring or overclocking utilities, RGB or motherboard-management tools, virtualization or sandbox software, remote-access programs, and outdated chipset, storage or network drivers can be worth investigating. Their presence does not prove they caused the problem.
- Check the software maker’s compatibility guidance and install available updates.
- For a controlled test, exit one suspected utility at a time, then try the game. Restore normal operation after the test.
- Do not permanently disable antivirus, firewall protection, Secure Boot or other security features. If a security product appears to block a Riot component, follow its vendor’s guidance rather than disabling all protection.
- If the PC is managed by an organization, do not remove management or security software to test the game.
If VALORANT launches but crashes or freezes
- Install outstanding Windows updates and a current GPU driver, then restart.
- Close overlays, monitoring utilities and overclocking tools for a test. Return hardware clocks to their normal settings if they were changed.
- Check Windows Security for a relevant blocked-driver notification.
- If the failure continues, reinstall Vanguard; reinstall VALORANT only if the game installation also appears damaged.
- Record the crash details and provide them to Riot Support rather than relying on compatibility mode or administrator mode as universal fixes.
If the PC cannot provide TPM 2.0 or Secure Boot
Do not try to bypass Vanguard or disable Windows security requirements. Check the PC or motherboard specifications and ask the manufacturer whether a supported firmware update can enable the required feature. If the hardware does not support the needed configuration, use a supported PC. If Windows reports TPM 2.0 and the required Secure Boot state but VALORANT still rejects them, contact Riot Support with those results.
Microsoft’s Device Security guidance notes that a missing TPM entry can mean the feature is disabled, unsupported or may need a firmware update; the manufacturer can clarify the model-specific case.
What to send Riot Support
If the steps above do not solve the problem, include details that distinguish a Vanguard issue from a Windows or firmware configuration issue:
- The exact error text or VAN code, and when it appears.
- Your Windows version and whether the PC is managed by work or school.
- The PC or motherboard model and GPU model.
- The BIOS Mode and Secure Boot State shown by
msinfo32. - The TPM readiness message and specification version from
tpm.msc. - GPU driver version, recent Windows or firmware changes, and whether reinstalling Vanguard changed the result.
Use Riot’s support portal for the current instructions and ticket options: Riot Support.
Quick Recap
Final verification
- Windows Update has no outstanding updates requiring a restart.
- TPM reports specification version 2.0 when the error requires it.
msinfo32reports UEFI and Secure Boot On when Secure Boot is required.- Riot Vanguard is installed, and Windows has been restarted after its installation or firmware changes.
- Graphics drivers are current, and no known conflicting utility is running during the test.
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