{"id":90874,"date":"2026-03-20T10:56:03","date_gmt":"2026-03-20T02:56:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lightningxvpn.com\/blog\/?p=90874"},"modified":"2026-03-31T10:42:58","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T02:42:58","slug":"valorant-not-opening","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lightningxvpn.com\/blog\/en\/valorant-not-opening\/","title":{"rendered":"Valorant Not Opening: 10 Fixes to Get Valorant Running Again"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>If you are facing the \u201cValorant not opening\u201d issue or Valorant getting stuck in the Riot Client, this guide will walk you through 10 detailed and proven methods to fix the issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Causes \u201cValorant Not Opening\u201d?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If Valorant is not launching, it can be caused by the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Riot Vanguard is not running properly<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Corrupted or missing game files<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Outdated graphics drivers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Windows compatibility conflicts<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Antivirus\/firewall blocking access<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1.&nbsp;Restart Your Computer (Basic but Effective)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Sometimes, Valorant not opening is caused by temporary system glitches or background processes interfering with the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Why this works:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Restarting the computer clears RAM, stops stuck processes, and resets system services like Riot Vanguard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Steps:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"1\">\n<li>Close all running applications.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Click the <strong>Start Menu<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Select <strong>Power &gt; Restart<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Wait until your PC fully reboots.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Launch Valorant again from the Riot Client.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Tip: After restarting, don\u2019t open too many apps before launching Valorant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Run Valorant as Administrator<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Permission-related issues are a very common reason for Valorant not opening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Why this works:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Valorant and Riot Vanguard require system-level permissions to function properly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Steps:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"1\">\n<li>Right-click the <strong>Valorant shortcut<\/strong> on your desktop.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Select <strong>Run as administrator<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If prompted, click <strong>Yes<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If it works, set it permanently:\n<ul>\n<li>Right-click shortcut &gt; Properties.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Go to the <strong>Compatibility<\/strong> tab.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Check <strong>Run this program as administrator<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Click Apply.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Ensure Riot Vanguard Is Running Properly<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Riot Vanguard is essential. If it\u2019s disabled or broken, you\u2019ll encounter Valorant not launching issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Why this works:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Valorant cannot start without Vanguard\u2019s anti-cheat service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Steps:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"1\">\n<li>Press <strong>Windows + R<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Type <strong>services.msc<\/strong> and press Enter.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Scroll down to find <strong>vgc<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Right-click it &gt; Select <strong>Start<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Right-click again &gt; Properties.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Set <strong>Startup type<\/strong> to <strong>Automatic<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Click Apply &gt; OK.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Restart your PC.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Tip: If the service is missing, reinstall Vanguard (see Fix 9).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also read: <a href=\"https:\/\/lightningxvpn.com\/blog\/en\/how-to-change-region-in-valorant\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">How to Change Region in Valorant: An Easy Tutorial<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Update Your Graphics Drivers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Outdated GPU drivers are a major cause of Valorant not opening or crashing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Why this works:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>New drivers fix compatibility issues and improve game stability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Steps:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"1\">\n<li>Right-click <strong>Start Menu<\/strong> &gt; Open <strong>Device Manager<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Expand <strong>Display adapters<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Right-click your graphics card.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Select <strong>Update driver<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Click <strong>Search automatically for drivers.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Alternative method:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Visit official GPU websites:\n<ul>\n<li>NVIDIA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>AMD<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Intel<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Download the latest version of your graphics driver manually.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Tip: Perform a clean installation of your graphics driver if possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. Temporarily Disable Antivirus or Firewall<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Security software sometimes blocks the Valorant game, causing the \u201cValorant not opening\u201d error.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Why this works:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Antivirus may mistakenly detect Riot Vanguard as a threat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Steps:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"1\">\n<li>Open your antivirus program.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Disable real-time protection temporarily.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Open <strong>Windows Security<\/strong> &gt; Firewall.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Turn off the firewall temporarily.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Launch Valorant again.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>If it works:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Add these to the exceptions of your antivirus or firewall:\n<ul>\n<li>Valorant<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Riot Client<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Riot Vanguard<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Tip: Always re-enable protection after testing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">6. Repair or Verify Game Files<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Corrupted or missing game files can lead to Valorant not launching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Why this works:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The repair tool scans and replaces broken files.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Steps:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"1\">\n<li>Open the <strong>Riot Client<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Click on your profile icon (top right).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Go to <strong>Settings<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Select <strong>Valorant<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Click <strong>Repair<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Wait for verification to finish<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Tip: This may take several minutes depending on your system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">7. Update Windows to the Latest Version<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>An outdated system can trigger compatibility issues, leading to Valorant not opening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Why this works:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Windows updates include important patches for drivers and system components.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Steps:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"1\">\n<li>Press <strong>Windows + I<\/strong> to open Settings.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Go to <strong>Update &amp; Security<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Click <strong>Windows Update<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Select <strong>Check for updates<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Download and install all updates<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Restart your PC<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">8. Reinstall Riot Vanguard (Highly Effective Fix)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If Vanguard is corrupted, Valorant may not open.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Why this works:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Reinstalling resets the anti-cheat system completely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Steps:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"1\">\n<li>Press <strong>Windows + R<\/strong>, type <strong>appwiz.cpl<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Find <strong>Riot Vanguard<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Click <strong>Uninstall<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Restart your computer.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Launch Valorant.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Vanguard will reinstall automatically.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Restart again when prompted.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">9. Reinstall Valorant Completely<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If all else fails, a full reinstall is the best solution for \u201cValorant can\u2019t open\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Why this works:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It removes all corrupted files and resets configurations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Steps:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"1\">\n<li>Press <strong>Windows + R<\/strong>, type <strong>control<\/strong>, and press Enter to open Control Panel.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Go to <strong>Programs<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lightningxvpn.com\/blog\/en\/how-to-uninstall-valorant\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Uninstall Valorant<\/a> and Riot Client.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Delete leftover folders:\n<ul>\n<li>C:\\Riot Games<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>C:\\Program Files\\Riot Vanguard<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Restart your PC.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Download the latest installer of Valorant from <a href=\"https:\/\/playvalorant.com\/en-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" title=\"\">Valorant\u2019s official website<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Install and launch. Ensure a stable internet connection during installation.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">10. Try a VPN<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Some schools, offices, or WiFi may block gaming services. If you are unable to open Valorant, you may use a VPN to bypass these restrictions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/lightningxvpn.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">LightningX VPN<\/a><\/strong> is a fast and stable VPN for PC, Mac, Android, iOS, etc. It offers fast servers in 70+ countries and helps you easily unlock games, apps, websites, and services worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-1 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width-75 has-custom-font-size is-style-outline\" style=\"font-size:clamp(0.875rem, 0.875rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 0.292), 1.05rem);\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-base-2-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/lightningxvpn.com\/download\" style=\"border-style:none;border-width:0px;border-radius:100px;background-color:#ffb700;padding-top:10px;padding-right:30px;padding-bottom:10px;padding-left:30px\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Get LightningX VPN<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized has-custom-border\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"535\" height=\"622\" src=\"https:\/\/lightningxvpn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/lightningx-vpn-en-2.png\" alt=\"LightningX VPN\" class=\"wp-image-86796\" style=\"border-width:1px;width:443px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lightningxvpn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/lightningx-vpn-en-2.png 535w, https:\/\/lightningxvpn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/lightningx-vpn-en-2-258x300.png 258w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 535px) 100vw, 535px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/lightningxvpn.com\/blog\/en\/vpn-for-valorant\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">VPN for Valorant: Lower latency &amp; Change Your Location<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Tip:<\/strong> If you still can\u2019t open Valorant, consider reaching out to <a href=\"https:\/\/support-valorant.riotgames.com\/hc\/en-us\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" title=\"\">Valorant Support<\/a> for further troubleshooting.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you are facing the \u201cValorant not opening\u201d issue or V [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":91444,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"wp-custom-template-en","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[500],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"lang":"en","translations":{"en":90874,"cn":90881,"tw":90884,"ja":90887,"ko":90888,"ru":90892,"fr":90895,"de":90897,"id":90903},"pll_sync_post":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lightningxvpn.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90874"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lightningxvpn.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lightningxvpn.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lightningxvpn.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lightningxvpn.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=90874"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/lightningxvpn.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90874\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":90909,"href":"https:\/\/lightningxvpn.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90874\/revisions\/90909"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lightningxvpn.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/91444"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lightningxvpn.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=90874"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lightningxvpn.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=90874"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lightningxvpn.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=90874"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}