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If VALORANT is stuck at “0% Download,” shows “Preparing download,” or reports that it failed to launch or update, start with Riot’s service-status page for your region. If there is no incident, use the least invasive fixes first: test the documented Avast or AVG Passive Mode workaround for a 0% download, then check installer permissions, firewall communication, Windows updates, and graphics drivers. Failed-launch cases may require a clean boot, a Riot-documented DevOverrideEnable change, a VALORANT reinstall, or a Vanguard reinstall. If the sequence fails, open a Riot Player Support ticket and attach the requested logs rather than repeatedly reinstalling the game.
Is VALORANT actually down, or is the download stuck on my PC?
Check Riot’s service-status page for the region where you play before changing files, registry settings, or security software. Service incidents are regional and change over time, so a page showing no VALORANT issue is only a snapshot; it does not guarantee that every region or a later check is clear.
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If the status page lists an incident affecting VALORANT or the Riot Client, wait for Riot to resolve it and avoid repeated reinstalls. If no incident is listed, continue with the local checks below and note the time you checked the status page in case you later contact support.
How do I fix a VALORANT update stuck at 0%?
When the client remains at “0% Download,” Riot identifies a possible antivirus conflict, particularly with Avast or AVG. The vendor’s documented test is temporary Passive Mode, used only while the update runs and disabled immediately afterward.
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Test the Avast or AVG workaround
- Open the installed Avast or AVG application.
- Enable its Passive Mode, following the wording used by your edition of the antivirus.
- Return to the Riot Client and start the VALORANT update again.
- As soon as the update completes, turn Passive Mode off and confirm that normal protection is active.
This is a targeted compatibility test, not advice to leave antivirus protection disabled. If the update still does not move, restore normal protection and continue with the installation checks rather than repeatedly toggling security settings.
What installation checks should I perform before reinstalling VALORANT?
Riot’s installation guidance puts basic installer, permission, firewall, Windows, and graphics-driver checks ahead of a full reinstall. Work through them in this order so you can tell which change affected the result.
- Redownload the installer. Delete or set aside the copy that may have been interrupted, then obtain a fresh Install VALORANT application from Riot. A damaged installer can fail before the game files are applied.
- Run the installer as administrator. Right-click the Install VALORANT application and choose Run as administrator. Approve the Windows permission prompt and let the installer finish without closing the Riot Client.
- Review the firewall exception. In Windows security settings, check that the Riot Client, VALORANT, and Vanguard are allowed to communicate on the networks you use. If a third-party firewall asks whether to allow a Riot component, allow the signed Riot component rather than blocking it.
- Install pending Windows updates. Complete Windows Update and restart when Windows requests it. Riot notes that a restart is needed for programs to install and update correctly.
- Update the graphics driver. Install the current driver supplied for your graphics hardware, then restart Windows before trying the Riot Client again. Outdated or corrupted drivers are listed by Riot as possible contributors to launch and update failures.
After each major change, try one update. If the percentage advances, let that operation complete instead of interrupting it to test another fix.
What should I do when VALORANT says “Failed to Launch” while starting or updating?
“Failed to Launch” can involve more than the download itself. Riot lists the DevOverrideEnable registry setting, background programs, firewall communication, graphics drivers, corrupted game files, and Vanguard among the causes to check.
1. Check the Riot-documented DevOverrideEnable setting
Riot says this setting can interfere with system-integrity checks and prevent the Riot Client from installing, updating, or launching games. Follow Riot’s current instructions for locating and disabling DevOverrideEnable; do not guess at registry locations or change unrelated values.
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Registry edits affect Windows globally. Before changing the value, close the Riot Client, make a restore point or another appropriate backup, record the original setting, and restart Windows if Riot’s instructions request it. If you cannot identify the exact value described by Riot, skip the edit and move to the reversible checks or ask Player Support for guidance.
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Background utilities can block the client, Vanguard, or the update process. Use Riot’s clean-boot procedure to start Windows with nonessential startup programs and services disabled, then try the launch or update once.
A clean boot is a diagnostic state, not a permanent gaming configuration. If VALORANT works there, re-enable disabled items in groups and test between groups until you identify the conflicting program. Restore normal startup when testing is complete.
3. Recheck firewall communication
Confirm that the Riot Client, VALORANT, and Vanguard are not blocked by Windows Firewall or another security product. A rule that was created for an older installation can stop working after an update, so remove a stale block and allow the current installation when prompted.
4. Update or repair the graphics driver
Riot includes outdated or corrupted graphics drivers in its failed-launch troubleshooting. Install the appropriate current driver for your GPU, restart Windows, and test again. If the problem began immediately after a driver change, record that timing for support rather than repeatedly installing unrelated driver packages.
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5. Reinstall VALORANT only after the earlier checks
If the installer, permissions, firewall, Windows, driver, registry, and clean-boot checks do not resolve the problem, reinstall VALORANT using Riot’s current instructions. A reinstall can replace corrupted game files, but it takes longer and may not help when the underlying cause is a service incident, firewall rule, or Vanguard installation.
6. Remove and reinstall Vanguard when Riot’s sequence calls for it
Vanguard is a separate Riot component involved in game integrity and launch. Riot’s failed-launch guidance includes removing and reinstalling Vanguard when the earlier steps have not worked. Follow Riot’s removal and reinstall instructions exactly, restart when requested, and then test the client before making additional system changes.
Which fix should I try first?
Match the remedy to the symptom and choose the least intrusive action that addresses it. The table below reflects Riot’s documented order and the relative reversibility of each step.
| Symptom | Likely lead | First action | Relative intrusiveness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stuck at 0% Download | Antivirus conflict, especially with Avast or AVG | Temporarily enable the vendor’s Passive Mode, run the update, then disable Passive Mode immediately | Low and reversible |
| Installer will not complete | Installer corruption, permissions, firewall rules, Windows state, or graphics drivers | Redownload the installer, run it as administrator, check firewall access, install Windows updates, and update the graphics driver | Low to moderate |
| “Failed to Launch” during startup or updating | DevOverrideEnable, background programs, firewall, drivers, corrupted files, or Vanguard |
Use Riot’s registry-setting guidance, clean boot, firewall check, driver update, reinstall, and Vanguard sequence | Moderate to high |
| No obvious local cause | Regional or time-sensitive Riot service issue | Check the status page for your region before invasive changes | Lowest |
Do not jump directly to a registry change or complete reinstall for a simple 0% symptom when the Passive Mode test and installation basics have not been tried. Conversely, do not keep repeating the same antivirus toggle when the client reports a failed launch and Riot’s clean-boot or Vanguard steps are the better match.
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A January 24, 2025 secondary report described rare update speeds near 0.1 kb/s and discussed competing bandwidth use and limited drive space as possible contributors. That report is contextual rather than an authoritative Riot diagnosis, so use it to check your own conditions without treating it as proof of a server or hardware fault.
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- Pause large downloads, cloud synchronization, video streams, and other traffic on the same connection while testing the update.
- Check that the drive holding VALORANT has enough free space for the patch and temporary files. A nearly full drive can prevent an installer from expanding or replacing files.
- Leave the Riot Client open long enough to distinguish a slow transfer from a completely stalled one. Note whether the percentage, downloaded-byte count, or disk activity changes.
These checks do not replace Riot’s documented antivirus, installer, firewall, Windows, driver, clean-boot, and Vanguard procedures. They are useful context when the client is progressing extremely slowly rather than remaining at exactly 0%.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.When should I stop troubleshooting and contact Riot Support?
Open a Riot Player Support ticket after you have checked regional service status and completed the relevant documented local sequence. Persistent failures are more efficiently handled with evidence than with repeated destructive reinstalls.
Describe the exact wording shown by the client, such as “0% Download,” “Preparing download,” or “Failed to Launch.” Include when the problem began, your region, whether the status page showed an incident, which steps changed the behavior, and whether the issue occurs in a clean boot. Riot explicitly requests logs for the failed-launch path, so attach the logs requested in its support instructions.
Keep the original error text and timestamps. If the issue returns after a temporary fix, tell support which fix worked and for how long; that is more useful than reporting only that the game “still will not update.”
How can I avoid making the problem worse?
- Check service status before changing local files or reinstalling.
- Use Passive Mode only for the Avast or AVG test and turn it off immediately after the update.
- Do not edit unrelated registry values while investigating
DevOverrideEnable. - Use a clean boot as a temporary diagnostic state and restore normal startup afterward.
- Restart Windows when Riot or Windows requests it; Riot states that a restart is needed for all programs to install and update.
- Do not install random driver tools or purchase hardware to solve a software symptom. Riot’s documented path centers on settings, drivers, Vanguard, reinstalling the game, and support logs.
Riot’s published troubleshooting guidance does not provide a validated success rate for these fixes. Treat each step as a diagnostic action, record the result, and escalate when the documented sequence is exhausted.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does VALORANT say “Preparing download” for so long?
That message can indicate a client-side installation or security check rather than an ordinary download. Check regional service status, then review firewall access, pending Windows updates, graphics drivers, and any Avast or AVG Passive Mode conflict before reinstalling.
Will reinstalling VALORANT delete my account or competitive progress?
The troubleshooting guidance concerns replacing local game files and components; your Riot account data is handled separately by Riot’s services. Sign in with the same account after installation, and ask Player Support about any account-specific concern before removing files.
Is it safe to disable my antivirus while VALORANT updates?
Riot documents Passive Mode for Avast or AVG as a temporary workaround when an update is stuck at 0%. Use that named mode only during the update and re-enable normal protection immediately afterward; do not leave antivirus protection disabled as a general fix.
What logs should I send with a failed-launch ticket?
Attach the logs requested in Riot Player Support’s failed-launch instructions, along with the exact error wording, timestamps, region, and steps already attempted. Keeping those details together helps support distinguish a service event from a local client, driver, firewall, or Vanguard failure.
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