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If VALORANT closes to the desktop during a match, work through compatibility, software updates, graphics settings, and heat checks before making disruptive changes. Riot’s crash guidance covers several kinds of crashes but does not identify one universal cause specific to mid-match exits, so treat each step below as a test—not a diagnosis.
First, note what happens when the game closes
Before changing settings, record whether the crash began after a game, driver, or Windows update; whether other games also close; whether Windows displays an error or blue screen; and your GPU, driver, and CPU details. Those clues can help narrow which checks are relevant, but none alone proves the cause. Riot’s general crash guide includes forced closures, launch black screens, immediate post-launch closures, and full freezes; it does not say that every mid-match crash has the same explanation. Riot’s VALORANT crash troubleshooting guide
Check that your PC meets VALORANT’s requirements
Compare your system with Riot’s current requirements before changing performance settings. The support page lists DirectX 11 compatibility and SSE 4.2 or AVX, as well as 64-bit Windows 10 build 19041 or newer, or 64-bit Windows 11. It also separates hardware specifications into 30, 60, and 144 FPS tiers. These are specification tiers—not crash-rate measurements or a promise that meeting a tier will prevent a crash. Requirements can change, so check Riot’s live page for the current details. Riot’s minimum and recommended PC specifications
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Riot advises keeping video drivers current because updates can include fixes and optimizations. It also notes that outdated Windows or DirectX can contribute to crashes or other hardware-interaction problems. To identify your graphics hardware, open the Windows Run dialog, enter dxdiag, and check the Display tab. Get the matching driver through your GPU manufacturer’s official update channel, and install available system updates through Windows Update. A particular driver version cannot be treated as a general fix without evidence for your specific hardware and setup. Riot’s crash guide
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Reset graphics overrides, then test lower settings
A graphics-card control-panel profile may override settings chosen in the game. Riot suggests restoring the vendor control panel’s defaults if such overrides are in use. If crashes continue, test with VALORANT’s graphics settings turned down, including disabling VSync and anti-aliasing. These are troubleshooting suggestions, not guaranteed fixes. Change only a few settings at a time and write down the original values; that makes it easier to tell whether a change coincided with an improvement and to restore your preferred setup. Riot’s crash guide
Check airflow if the PC gets hot during play
If the computer becomes noticeably hot while VALORANT is running, check that its vents have room to breathe and that dust is not blocking ventilation. Riot suggests improving ventilation, clearing obstructive dust with compressed air, taking breaks, and limiting FPS to below the average in-game FPS. These steps apply to a heat or airflow concern; they are not a general remedy for software crashes. Riot’s crash guide
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Send Riot Support diagnostics if the crash persists
If the game keeps closing after the relevant checks, open a Riot Support ticket and follow the support agent’s request for diagnostic files. Riot’s log instructions describe collecting VALORANT, Riot Client, and Vanguard logs, as well as a process list, network information, and a DxDiag report. These materials give support information about your system and game; they do not, by themselves, establish a cause. Riot’s instructions for gathering VALORANT logs
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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Do not confuse a desktop crash with a vgk.sys blue screen
Riot’s separate vgk.sys troubleshooting result concerns blue-screen errors on Intel 13th- and 14th-generation CPUs. That narrow case is not evidence that Vanguard causes an ordinary VALORANT exit to the desktop. Consider it relevant only if you have one of those CPU generations and Windows shows a blue screen with a vgk.sys symptom; it does not apply just because the game closed during a match.
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