League of Legends should not be run in Windows Compatibility Mode. Riot removed support for launching League of Legends and Teamfight Tactics with Compatibility Mode in patch 25.13, released on June 24, 2025. If Riot Client offers to disable the setting automatically, accept the prompt. Otherwise, clear Compatibility Mode manually for the relevant League and Riot executable files.
This guide applies to Windows 10 and Windows 11. Windows Compatibility Mode is not a macOS setting.
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The quickest fix: accept Riot Client’s prompt
When Riot Client detects Compatibility Mode, it may display a prompt asking to disable it. Choose the option to disable Compatibility Mode, then allow Riot Client to relaunch League normally. Riot’s patch 25.13 notes state that declining the change prevents the client from launching.
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If the prompt appears again, exit Riot Client completely, restart Windows, and try once more. If no prompt appears, use the manual procedure below.
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How to disable Compatibility Mode manually
- Close League of Legends.
- Close Riot Client. If it remains in the notification area near the clock, right-click the Riot icon and choose Exit, if that option is available.
- Open File Explorer and locate your League installation folder.
- Right-click the actual
League of Legends.exefile and select Properties. - Open the Compatibility tab.
- Under Compatibility mode, clear Run this program in compatibility mode for:.
- Select Change settings for all users and clear the same option in the second window if it is selected.
- Choose Apply, then OK.
- Repeat these steps for the other relevant League or Riot executable files listed below.
- Reopen Riot Client and launch League normally.
A common default path for the game executable is:
C:Riot GamesLeague of LegendsGameLeague of Legends.exeYour installation may be on another drive or inside a different folder if you selected a custom location.
Which League and Riot files should you check?
Do not assume that every installation uses exactly the same paths or contains every helper file. Check the executable associated with the part of League that is failing.
| File | Check it when | Common location |
|---|---|---|
League of Legends.exe |
The game fails after champion select, during loading, or when entering a match. | <Riot Games folder>League of LegendsGame |
LeagueClient.exe |
The League client does not open or closes before the game launches. | <Riot Games folder>League of Legends |
RiotClientServices.exe |
Riot Client itself fails to start or reports the compatibility problem. | Often inside a Riot Client folder; the exact path varies. |
LeagueClientUx.exe and LeagueClientUxRender.exe |
The warning continues after the primary executables have been checked. | Usually within the League installation folder, if present. |
Community troubleshooting reports commonly recommend checking these executables, but Riot does not publish one universal file path for every Windows installation. Change the setting only on files that actually exist on your PC.
If you started from a desktop shortcut
A shortcut may point to an old executable or have its own compatibility setting. To reach the file Riot actually uses:
- Right-click the League shortcut and select Properties.
- Open the Shortcut tab.
- Select Open File Location.
- Right-click the relevant
.exefile and open Properties. - Clear Compatibility Mode on the executable and under Change settings for all users.
Changing only the shortcut may not change the executable launched by Riot Client.
How to verify that Compatibility Mode is really disabled
- Open the executable’s Properties → Compatibility tab again.
- Confirm that Run this program in compatibility mode for: is unchecked.
- Open Change settings for all users and confirm it is unchecked there too.
- Repeat the check for
League of Legends.exe,LeagueClient.exe, andRiotClientServices.exewhere applicable. - Restart Riot Client. Before playing ranked, test League in a practice tool or custom game.
Riot should no longer display a Compatibility Mode warning when the game launches normally.
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If the checkbox is already unchecked
Windows may still be applying the setting elsewhere. Work through these checks in order:
- Make sure you checked the actual
.exe, not just the desktop shortcut. - Check Change settings for all users.
- Check the game executable, League Client executable, and Riot Client executable separately.
- Make sure you are not launching an obsolete shortcut.
- Restart Windows and try again.
- Create or use a fresh Riot Client shortcut if the old shortcut appears misconfigured.
Community reports suggest that Windows compatibility flags can persist separately from League’s installation files. Therefore, reinstalling League is not necessarily the first or best fix. This behavior is anecdotal rather than an official Riot statement.
Do not confuse Compatibility Mode with other settings
The Windows Compatibility tab contains several independent options:
- Run this program as an administrator: controls administrator privileges. It is separate from Compatibility Mode, so disabling one does not automatically disable the other.
- Disable fullscreen optimizations: changes Windows display behavior and is not a Compatibility Mode setting.
- High-DPI scaling overrides: changes how Windows scales the application interface.
- Windows 11 graphics options: settings such as GPU preference, Auto HDR, and Optimizations for windowed games are managed under Settings → System → Display → Graphics. Microsoft documents these separately from executable Compatibility Mode in its Windows 11 graphics guidance.
- Riot Vanguard: Vanguard security or service errors are different problems. Removing Compatibility Mode may not resolve them.
Leave administrator, fullscreen, DPI, and graphics settings unchanged unless they are part of a separate, specific troubleshooting step. Old guides that recommend Windows 7 or Windows 8 Compatibility Mode for League are outdated for current installations.
What if the Compatibility tab is missing?
This usually means you are viewing a shortcut instead of a Windows executable, the file is not a Windows .exe, the file is in a protected location, or you are not using Windows. Use Open File Location to locate the real executable, then right-click that file and select Properties.
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Do not enable Compatibility Mode merely because the tab exists. Current League installations are intended to launch without Windows emulation.
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Should you run the Program Compatibility Troubleshooter?
Microsoft describes Compatibility Mode and the Program Compatibility Troubleshooter as tools for older applications. In Windows 10 and Windows 11, the documented path is Start → Settings → System → Troubleshoot → Other troubleshooters, followed by Program Compatibility Troubleshooter → Run. See Microsoft’s official compatibility guidance.
For this League-specific issue, manually clearing Compatibility Mode is preferable. The troubleshooter can apply compatibility settings automatically, which may re-enable the very setting Riot no longer supports. Use it only if Riot specifically recommends it for your installation.
If League still will not launch
Compatibility Mode may not be the underlying cause of a black screen, crash, or failed launch. After clearing the setting:
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- Install pending Windows updates and update your graphics driver.
- Start League through Riot Client rather than launching the game executable directly.
- Use Riot Client’s repair option if it is available.
- Check whether Riot Vanguard reports a service or security error.
- Temporarily test without GPU, recording, monitoring, or other game overlays.
- Contact Riot Player Support with screenshots, the exact error message, and relevant logs.
Disabling Compatibility Mode can fix some launch failures, but it is not a universal solution for every crash or black screen. Community reports are mixed and should not be treated as official confirmation of a specific cause.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Advanced last resort: checking registry compatibility flags
Some community reports indicate that Windows may retain executable-specific compatibility flags in:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionAppCompatFlagsLayersA corresponding machine-wide location may also exist. This is an advanced workaround, not the normal solution, and the evidence for this League-specific behavior is community-generated.
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If you use Registry Editor:
- Back up the registry first.
- Remove only an entry that clearly corresponds to the affected League or Riot executable.
- Do not delete the entire
Layerskey. - Stop if the entry is unclear, and use Riot Support instead.
For most players, checking the actual executable and its all-users settings is safer and sufficient.
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Does disabling Compatibility Mode remove League?
No. It only tells Windows to launch the existing executable normally instead of emulating an older Windows version.
Should I enable Windows 7 or Windows 8 Compatibility Mode for League?
No. Riot removed support for launching League in Compatibility Mode beginning with patch 25.13 on June 24, 2025.
Do I need to disable Run this program as an administrator too?
Not because of Compatibility Mode. Administrator privileges are a separate setting; change them only if a separate troubleshooting instruction specifically requires it.
The Bottom Line
Clear Run this program in compatibility mode for: on the real League and Riot executable files, including the Change settings for all users window. Restart Riot Client, test League in a practice or custom game, and investigate Vanguard, drivers, overlays, or corrupted files if the launch problem remains.
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