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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsiTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
If VALORANT will not open on Windows 11, start by noting exactly what happens and any error code. A VAN error needs Riot’s matching Vanguard instructions; a general launch crash calls for a different sequence. Restart Windows, check whether the problem followed a patch, then work through the steps that match your symptom rather than changing security settings at random.
First, identify what happens when you launch VALORANT
Try opening the Riot Client and clicking Play once. Note whether the client itself fails, the button does nothing, the game opens to a black screen, or a message appears. Copy any error wording and code exactly. Riot distinguishes Vanguard (VAN) errors from general system or critical launch crashes, so the message determines which troubleshooting branch to follow. Riot’s launch troubleshooting guide points players with VAN codes to the matching Vanguard guidance.
Restart Windows and check for a patch-related issue
Restart the PC once, then try again. If the failure began immediately after a VALORANT update, check Riot’s current installation and technical-support notices for a known issue tied to that patch. Riot’s surfaced notice for patch 10.05 recommended restarting for a post-patch launch failure or black screen, with a clean graphics-driver reinstall as a possible next step. That notice is specific to patch 10.05, not a standing fix for every black screen. Riot’s installation and technical-support category is the place to check for current notices.
If you see a VAN code, follow its exact Vanguard instructions
Use Riot’s support article for the exact VAN code shown. Vanguard errors can relate to different restrictions, including Secure Boot or TPM, Exploit Protection, and virtualization-based security; they do not all call for the same Windows change. Do not toggle these protections speculatively. Follow the steps in the matching Riot article and restart only when those instructions say to. Riot’s VAN restriction guidance and VAN 9002 guidance illustrate why the error code matters; use the current article for your own code and region.
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For a general launch crash, test for background-software conflicts
Riot includes a Windows clean boot among its recommendations for system or critical launch crashes. A clean boot starts Windows with essential drivers and startup programs so you can test whether another service or app is interfering. It is a diagnostic, not a guaranteed repair: if VALORANT opens in this state, background software becomes a plausible cause, but the test does not identify which program is responsible. If it still fails, that result weakens this particular explanation without revealing the cause.
Perform a clean boot in Windows 11
- Sign in to Windows with an administrator account.
- Open Start, search for
msconfig, and open System Configuration. - On the Services tab, select Hide all Microsoft services, then select Disable all.
- Open Task Manager’s Startup apps tab and disable the startup items that are enabled. Keep a record of what you change.
- Restart Windows and test VALORANT.
Microsoft notes that some functionality may be unavailable while Windows is in a clean-boot state. If a work or school organization manages the PC, its policies may prevent these changes. Microsoft’s clean-boot instructions cover Windows 11 and Windows 10.
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Restore normal startup after the test
When testing is finished, use System Configuration to return Windows to normal startup and re-enable the startup items you disabled. Restore from your notes so the PC does not remain in a reduced-startup state.
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If the crash is not a VAN-code issue, Riot’s launch guide also lists cache cleanup, firewall exceptions, checking for third-party antivirus interference, graphics-driver updates, and reinstalling VALORANT and Vanguard if earlier steps fail. Change one thing at a time where practical, then retry the game; that makes it easier to tell whether a step changed the symptom.
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- Clear the game cache: Riot’s guide describes clearing cache under the user’s AppDataLocal location and the game folders under Riot Games. Folder and cleanup instructions can vary by locale or current support guidance, so consult Riot’s current launch article rather than deleting unfamiliar folders.
- Check firewall access: Use Riot’s PC connection guidance for the current exception instructions. Do not create broad exceptions beyond what Riot specifies.
- Test antivirus interference: Temporarily disable third-party antivirus only long enough to test whether it blocks launch, then turn it back on. Avoid leaving protection disabled.
- Update the graphics driver: Use the appropriate driver update for your graphics hardware. Riot mentions driver updates as a general troubleshooting step; a clean reinstall was raised in the patch-specific 10.05 notice, not as a universal requirement.
- Reinstall as a later step: If the other applicable steps fail, Riot lists reinstalling VALORANT and Vanguard. Follow Riot’s current uninstall and installation directions.
The Riot launch guide used here is localized in Czech, so its detailed folder and security-exception directions may differ from current English or regional instructions. Use the current Riot Support page for the exact paths and settings: Riot launch troubleshooting.
Use the administrator checkbox fix only for the matching Windows message
If Windows says “Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file,” Riot’s instructions for that specific error say to inspect the game executable’s settings. Right-click the executable, select Properties, open Compatibility, and make sure Run this program as an administrator is not selected. Riot advises reinstalling if the problem persists. This is not a general recommendation to run VALORANT or its installer as administrator. See Riot’s instructions for the specified-device, path, or file error.
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Contact Riot Support if VALORANT still will not open
If the matching error guidance and applicable launch steps do not resolve the problem, contact Riot Support. Include the exact error text or VAN code, when the issue began (especially whether it followed an update), and the steps you tried. Provide logs if Riot requests them, using its current instructions. Riot’s launch guidance directs players to Support when its listed troubleshooting steps fail.
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