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League of Legends usually fails to start for one of four reasons: a Riot service incident, Vanguard not running or not initialized, a Windows security prerequisite such as TPM 2.0 or Exploit Protection, or interference/corruption in local files, drivers or security software. Check Riot’s service-status page first, then follow the branch that matches the point where launch stops.
Identify exactly where launch stops
Close League and Riot Client, then try once more while noting the last visible stage. The symptom determines which fix is safest and fastest.
| Launch stage | Likely branch | Start with |
|---|---|---|
| Riot Client will not open | Service outage, Windows or client startup problem | Check Riot service status, install Windows updates and restart |
| Client opens, but Play does nothing | Vanguard is disabled, stopped or failed initialization | Restart with Vanguard enabled; investigate the displayed VAN code |
| A Vanguard error appears | TPM, Exploit Protection or Vanguard service configuration | Apply the error-specific section below |
| Game reaches champion select, then never loads | Security software, driver, compatibility setting or damaged files | Use the post-selection troubleshooting branch |
Run the baseline checks first
- Check Riot’s service-status page. If it reports an incident affecting League or the Riot Client, local changes will not repair the outage. Wait for service to recover before changing your installation.
- Install every available Windows update and restart. Vanguard is an on-boot application. It must be active whenever the League Client is open and during gameplay.
- Make sure Vanguard has not been disabled or exited. Re-enable it if necessary and restart Windows before launching League again. Disabling or uninstalling Vanguard prevents League from running.
- Retry once after the restart. If the same VAN code or launch stage returns, continue with the matching branch rather than repeatedly opening the client.
Fix VAN 2266: Vanguard is not ready
Riot describes VAN 2266 as Vanguard being unable to verify that the PC is ready to run the game or encountering an initialization problem.
- Install pending Windows updates and restart.
- Open Windows Services, locate the
vgcservice, open its properties, set Startup type to Automatic, apply the change and restart. - If initialization still fails, uninstall Riot Vanguard manually, restart Windows, and launch League. The launch process should reinstall Vanguard.
- If the error persists, perform a clean boot to identify a conflicting startup application, then retry League with only essential services enabled.
- As the final local step, reinstall League. If VAN 2266 remains, contact Riot Player Support and attach the requested logs, the exact code and the steps already completed.
Fix VAN 9001: TPM 2.0 is not detected
VAN 9001 means Vanguard requires TPM 2.0 but does not detect it as enabled on the PC.
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- Enter your device’s UEFI/firmware settings using the manufacturer’s documented startup key.
- Enable the firmware TPM option (the label varies by processor and manufacturer, such as Intel PTT or AMD fTPM) and save the change.
- Boot Windows, restart once more, and launch League.
If your hardware or firmware does not provide TPM 2.0, consult the device manufacturer’s documentation or Riot Support rather than changing unrelated security settings.
Fix VAN 9002: Windows Exploit Protection was changed
VAN 9002 usually means Windows Exploit Protection is disabled or overridden.
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- Open Windows Security, then go to App & browser control and Exploit protection.
- In System settings, restore these mitigations to Use default: Control Flow Guard (CFG), Data Execution Prevention (DEP), Mandatory ASLR, Bottom-up ASLR, High entropy ASLR, Structured Exception Handling Overwrite Protection (SEHOP), and heap integrity.
- In Program settings, remove entries for Riot Games, Riot Vanguard and Riot game titles so they no longer override the system defaults.
- Restart Windows and try League again.
Only change the listed settings. If another application requires a custom mitigation, record that exception before removing it so you can restore it after testing.
When the game fails after champion selection
If champion select completes but the game window never loads, work through these checks in order.
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1. Use a clean boot
Perform a Windows clean boot and launch League before re-enabling nonessential startup services. If the game works, re-enable items in groups until the conflicting program is identified.
2. Test security-software interference
Antivirus and firewall products can block the client, game or Vanguard. Add exceptions for these Riot executables, using your security product’s own procedure:
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C:Riot GamesLeague of LegendsLeagueClient.exeC:Riot GamesLeague of LegendsLeagueClientUx.exeC:Riot GamesLeague of LegendsLeagueClientUxRenderer.exeC:Riot GamesLeague of LegendsGameLeague of Legends.exeC:Riot GamesRiot ClientRiotClientServices.exeC:Program FilesRiot Vanguardvgc.exeC:Program FilesRiot Vanguardvgm.exe
If exceptions cannot be created, temporarily disabling or uninstalling the security product is a diagnostic test only. Re-enable or reinstall it immediately after testing; Riot does not require a particular security vendor.
3. Update the graphics driver
Install the current graphics driver supplied for your GPU, restart Windows, and retry. A driver update is especially relevant when the client closes as the game window should appear.
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4. Remove compatibility mode
Open the properties of the League game executable, select Compatibility, and ensure compatibility mode is disabled. Apply the change and launch normally.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Repair League files before reinstalling
- Open Riot Client and the profile menu.
- Choose Settings, select League of Legends, and click Repair.
- After the repair completes, restart Riot Client and test a game.
- If the problem remains, close Riot Client and clear the League game folder and Riot Games game folder under
C:Users<you>AppDataLocal, then retry. - Use a clean League reinstall only after these repair and cache-clearing steps fail. Reinstalling is Riot’s final local-file remedy for hidden corruption.
Choose the least disruptive remedy first
| Remedy | Reversibility | Best evidence it addresses |
|---|---|---|
| Restart after updates or Vanguard re-enable | Immediate and fully reversible | On-boot Vanguard or pending Windows changes |
Set vgc to Automatic |
Reversible service setting | VAN 2266 and stopped Vanguard service |
| Enable TPM 2.0 or restore Exploit Protection defaults | Reversible firmware or Windows security change | VAN 9001 or VAN 9002 |
| Clean boot and security exceptions | Reversible; exceptions affect security policy | Post-selection hangs and blocked executables |
| Repair or clear local files | Repair is low impact; cache clearing can reset local data | Client or game-file corruption |
| Reinstall Vanguard or League | Most disruptive | Persistent initialization failure or hidden file corruption |
What to include when contacting Riot Support
Submit a Player Support ticket if the ordered fixes fail. Include the exact VAN code, the launch stage, your Windows version, whether TPM or Exploit Protection changes were made, the security software installed, and every Riot step already attempted. Attach the logs requested by Riot for unresolved VAN 2266 and post-champion-select failures. This gives support a reproducible failure point instead of only “Play does nothing.”
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