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If VALORANT freezes during a match, first check whether it happens specifically after you Alt+Tab. Riot’s guidance for that pattern focuses on Windows multitasking and display settings; freezes during ordinary play call for broader checks such as background-process conflicts, drivers, and system requirements. These steps can narrow down likely causes, but general troubleshooting guidance cannot identify the cause of an individual PC’s freeze.
First, identify when and how the freeze happens
Before changing settings, note what occurs just before the freeze and what still works. That helps you choose a relevant troubleshooting path rather than changing several things at once.
- It happens after Alt+Tab: Start with Riot’s Windows multitasking and display suggestions.
- It happens during ordinary play: Check background applications, security software, graphics drivers, and whether the PC meets Riot’s listed requirements.
- Only VALORANT stops responding: The issue appears limited to the game, but that alone does not identify a cause.
- The whole PC locks up: Record that detail for troubleshooting; it is different from a game-only freeze, but does not by itself prove a hardware fault.
Also note whether audio continues and whether the problem began after a game or system update. These clues can help support staff understand the symptoms, but they are not definitive diagnostic tests.
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Riot’s targeted guidance for freezing or stuttering after switching away from VALORANT and back recommends testing Windows multitasking and display settings. Try one change at a time, then return to the game and see whether the symptom changes. Riot Games Support: Alt+Tab in VALORANT.
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- Set Alt+Tab to show open windows only. Open Settings > System > Multitasking and change the Alt+Tab option to show open windows only. Test switching away from and back to the game.
- Turn off Windows animations. In Windows settings, search for Show animations in Windows and disable it. Test again; if it makes no difference, restore the original setting.
- Test fullscreen optimizations. Find the VALORANT executable, open its Properties > Compatibility tab, and change Disable fullscreen optimizations. If the box was clear, test with it checked; if it was checked, test with it clear. Keep the setting that works better, or restore its original state if neither helps.
These are targeted tests for a freeze or stutter associated with Alt+Tab. They are not established fixes for freezes that occur without switching windows.
If VALORANT freezes during ordinary play
Riot’s general guidance for system or critical errors suggests investigating software conflicts, security-software interference, and graphics drivers. That article is not a diagnosis of every mid-match freeze, so use these as measured troubleshooting steps rather than guaranteed fixes. Riot Games Support: system and critical error troubleshooting.
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Close competing applications, then isolate conflicts
Close unnecessary applications running in the background and test a match. If the freezing continues, a clean boot can help determine whether another startup program or service is interfering. A clean boot changes how Windows starts, so follow Microsoft’s instructions for your Windows version and restore normal startup afterward if it does not help. Avoid disabling services indiscriminately.
Check firewall and antivirus interference
Confirm that VALORANT and Vanguard are not being blocked by your firewall or third-party antivirus software. Use the security product’s documented exception controls and Riot’s instructions rather than turning protection off broadly. If you test whether a security product is involved, restore protection immediately afterward.
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Update the graphics driver
Check for a current graphics driver from your GPU manufacturer’s official support channel and follow that manufacturer’s installation steps. Restart Windows after installation, then test the game. If the issue began immediately after a driver change, record the driver version and timing; avoid repeatedly swapping versions without a reason.
Reinstall only after simpler checks
If the less disruptive checks do not help, Riot lists reinstalling VALORANT and Vanguard among options for broader system or critical errors. Reinstallation can take time and is not a guaranteed cure for a mid-match freeze. Follow Riot’s current uninstall and reinstall instructions so both components are handled correctly.
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Check whether the PC meets VALORANT’s requirements
Compare your computer with Riot’s published PC requirements, especially if it is older or has limited memory. Riot lists 4 GB RAM as the minimum, alongside CPU, GPU, operating-system, and DirectX requirements. That minimum is a compatibility reference, not a promise that every system meeting it will run without freezing; meeting the listed requirements also does not rule out software conflicts. Riot Games Support: minimum and recommended PC hardware requirements.
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If your PC has less than the listed minimum, confirm the installed memory and the computer’s upgrade compatibility before considering an upgrade. If it already meets the requirements, the available guidance does not establish that buying more RAM will stop a particular freeze.
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When to contact Riot Support
If the freezes continue after relevant checks, contact Riot Support and describe the pattern instead of making repeated speculative changes. Include:
- Whether the freeze follows Alt+Tab or happens during ordinary play.
- Whether audio continues, VALORANT alone stops responding, or the entire PC locks up.
- When the issue started and whether it followed a game, Windows, or graphics-driver update.
- Your Windows version, CPU, GPU, installed RAM, and graphics-driver version.
- Any error message and relevant logs requested by Riot’s support tools.
Riot’s general troubleshooting pages do not establish a dedicated diagnostic procedure for every mid-match freeze. Follow the support team’s current instructions for collecting and sending logs rather than attaching unrelated files.
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