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What to Do if Valorant Vanguard Flags Your PC After a Hardware Upgrade

A Vanguard warning after an upgrade is not automatically a cheating accusation. Find the exact VAN code, check only the security requirements it names, and use model-specific firmware instructions.
Length3 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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If Valorant’s Vanguard shows a VAN:Restriction warning after you upgrade hardware, start with the exact restriction code—not a generic BIOS tweak. Riot’s code-specific instructions identify which security feature Vanguard needs verified. A restriction blocks launch until the listed requirements are met; it does not automatically mean Riot suspects you of cheating.

First, identify the exact Vanguard message

  1. Copy or photograph the full text and code. The wording matters: a VAN:Restriction code and a VAN 9005 error do not have the same troubleshooting path.
  2. Check VGTray for the linked troubleshooting page. Riot says Vanguard may require one or more security features depending on the system configuration.
  3. Open Riot’s support article for that precise code. Follow the requirements it names; do not assume every restriction requires TPM, Secure Boot, Memory Integrity, and IOMMU all at once. Riot’s VAN:Restriction guidance directs players to matching code-specific help.

A restriction means the current configuration is too similar to configurations that bypass security features, according to Riot. Riot explicitly says that receiving one does not necessarily mean it suspects you of cheating. Riot’s December 18, 2025 Vanguard security post explains the distinction.

Check only the security feature your code names

Riot’s restriction guidance may refer to TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, Memory Integrity (also called HVCI or VBS), or IOMMU. These serve different roles: TPM is a hardware security feature, Secure Boot helps prevent unauthorized startup software, Memory Integrity uses virtualization-based protection, and IOMMU limits device access to memory.

Use Windows Security for the available status checks

Open Windows Security > Device security. Review the security processor/TPM area, Secure Boot status, and Core isolation information. Microsoft’s instructions explain where Windows displays these protections: Device security in the Windows Security app.

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If the code calls for Memory Integrity

Check Windows Security > Device security > Core isolation details and inspect Memory Integrity. It requires hardware virtualization to be enabled in UEFI/BIOS. If Windows reports an incompatible driver, identify and update or remove that driver using the device or PC maker’s guidance; Microsoft notes incompatible drivers can prevent Memory Integrity from turning on. Microsoft’s Core isolation guidance covers the setting.

If the code calls for Secure Boot, TPM, or IOMMU

Use the exact Riot guide for the code to determine what must be enabled. Windows Security can show whether Secure Boot and TPM are active, but enabling them may require firmware settings. For IOMMU or an early-boot firmware issue, consult the motherboard or PC manufacturer’s instructions for your exact model rather than guessing from a generic BIOS walkthrough.

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When a motherboard or firmware change may be relevant

A board replacement or firmware update can change how security features are initialized, but timing alone does not prove the upgrade caused the warning. Riot reported a specific issue in which some manufacturer firmware signaled that pre-boot DMA protection was active even though IOMMU had not initialized correctly early in boot. Riot said hardware partners produced BIOS updates addressing that issue. This is evidence of a possible firmware pathway, not evidence that every hardware upgrade triggers a restriction. Riot’s December 18, 2025 post describes the issue.

If Riot’s matching instructions call for a firmware update or a firmware setting, find the official support page for the exact PC or motherboard model and follow its steps. Microsoft notes that Secure Boot configuration is in firmware and that a system using Legacy/CSM boot may need to switch to UEFI; changing boot mode without checking the Windows installation and vendor directions can make the PC fail to boot. See Microsoft’s Secure Boot guidance and the PC maker’s documentation.

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Do not confuse VAN 9005 with a restriction code

VAN 9005 has its own Riot troubleshooting instructions, which call for checking TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, and Memory Integrity in sequence. A VAN:Restriction message instead needs the guide for its specific restriction code. Riot’s restriction article says to use the matching support guidance for other codes; use the VAN 9005 guide only when that is the error displayed.

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Restart and retry, then send Riot Support logs if needed

  1. After changing a Windows or firmware setting, restart Windows so the change can take effect.
  2. Launch Valorant and check whether the same code remains.
  3. If the named requirements are satisfied but the warning persists, follow the code-specific Riot guide’s escalation instructions. For persistent VAN 9005, Riot says to submit a Player Support ticket with logs; restriction guides also direct players to support when the stated requirements are met and the warning remains.

Do not treat replacing the motherboard, buying a separate TPM, or installing a generic BIOS utility as a default fix. The appropriate step depends on the code, the current security status, and model-specific manufacturer guidance.

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