Valorant not loading usually traces to Riot Vanguard, driver issues, Windows updates, or a server outage.
Game stuck on the splash screen, blank window, or the Play button loops? This guide gives you a clean checklist to get back in a match fast. Start at the top, work down, and stop when the game launches.
Valorant Not Loading On PC — Quick Fix Order
Work through these steps in this order. Each step takes a minute or two, and many issues end by step three.
Here’s a fast map of symptoms to fixes. Use it to jump to the step that fits your screen.
| Symptom | Quick Fix | Where To Do It |
|---|---|---|
| Stuck at splash | Restart PC | System |
| Play loops | Exit launcher and relaunch | Tray + Task Manager |
| Blank window | Clean GPU install | Vendor driver app |
| Vanguard error | Reinstall Vanguard | Apps settings |
| Very slow boot | Wait first run | Let shaders build |
| Crash on load | Repair game files | Launcher settings |
| Login spins | Check status page | Web browser |
Step 1: Check For A Service Outage
Open the official status page and see if your region shows outages or degraded service. If servers are red, wait it out; no local tweak can bypass a live outage. For a quick read, use the Riot service status.
Step 2: Fully Close And Relaunch Riot Client
Hit Exit on the tray icon, end RiotClientServices and VGTray in Task Manager, then launch again. A hung launcher is a frequent cause of the loop.
Step 3: Restart The PC To Reload Vanguard
A reboot reloads the anti-cheat at the kernel level and clears stale driver hooks. If the game starts after a restart, you likely ran into a stuck Vanguard session.
Step 4: Update Graphics Drivers Cleanly
Use the GPU maker’s clean install option to remove old components. Fresh drivers fix blank windows and crashes tied to outdated DirectX modules.
Step 5: Repair Game Files In The Launcher
Open the game tile, pick the gear icon, and run a repair. Corrupt files from a patch or a power cut often block the loading sequence.
Step 6: Reinstall Vanguard From Add Or Remove Programs
Uninstall Riot Vanguard, reboot, then start the game so it reinstalls fresh. This resets the low-level service and its drivers.
Step 7: Update Windows And Enable Optional .NET And Visual C++
Install pending Windows updates, then repair your Visual C++ redistributables. Many crash reports trace back to missing runtime files after a system rollback.
Quick Check: Is It A Server Issue Or Your PC?
Try a 30-second split test. Launch a different online game or run a speed test. If those are fine while this game hangs, the bottleneck is likely the launcher, Vanguard, or files. If the network stalls across apps, fix that first, then retry.
Clean Boot To Catch Conflicts
Third-party tools can hook into the game at launch. Do a clean boot: hide all Microsoft services in msconfig, disable the rest, and reboot. If the game starts, re-enable items in small batches until the culprit shows itself.
Common clashes include RGB suites, mouse macro tools, VPN clients, bandwidth shapers, and old game overlays. Keep those off during matches.
Read Logs The Fast Way
Open Reliability Monitor from the Start menu. Look for red X entries tied to the launcher or the game. Click View technical details to see faulting modules.
Event Viewer can help too: Windows Logs > System and Application, filter for Error around the minute you tried to launch. Module names like d3d11.dll, vcruntime140.dll, or vgk.sys point to drivers or runtimes.
Patches, Cache, And First Boot
Large patches rebuild shaders on first run. Leave the process for a few minutes on the first boot after a patch, and avoid clicking in and out of the window. Killing the app mid-build can corrupt the cache and create a loop on the next start.
Why Vanguard Blocks Launches On Some Windows 11 PCs
On Windows 11, the anti-cheat needs Secure Boot and TPM 2.0. If one is off, the launcher shows VAN 9001 or VAN 9003. If TPM fails to start, you may see VAN 9090.
How To Confirm Secure Boot And TPM 2.0
Press Win+R, type msinfo32, and check BIOS Mode and Secure Boot State. Then run tpm.msc to confirm the module is present and ready. If either is off or missing, launch will fail on this OS.
How To Turn Them On Safely
Enter UEFI setup from Windows Settings > Recovery > Restart now. Look for Secure Boot under Boot and fTPM/TPM 2.0 under Security. Save changes, then boot back to Windows and try the game again. If you need step help, see the Microsoft guide to enabling TPM 2.0.
Other Common Causes And Fixes
Not every case ties to the kernel driver or Windows 11. Here are more blockers that stall the splash screen or the anti-cheat.
Blocked Services Or Startup Type
The VGC service must be set to Automatic and running. Open services.msc and start it if stopped; set the startup type, then reboot.
Disk Errors Or Low Space
If your OS drive is nearly full, shader cache writes fail. Free 10–15 GB, run chkdsk, and try again. Slow HDDs can also add huge delays; SSDs help a lot here.
Overlays, Capture Hooks, And RGB Tools
Disable third-party overlays, screen recorders, and LED suites. These inject at launch and can collide with the anti-cheat.
Overclocking And XMP
Dial back GPU or RAM overclocks. Borderline memory timings can pass stress tests but still crash games that load many modules fast.
Time And Region
If your clock is far off, certificates fail. Sync time, set the region, and retry.
Match Your PC To The Game’s Specs
This shooter runs well on modest hardware, but there is a floor. If your CPU lacks SSE 4.2 or AVX, load can stall. Check your parts against the listed specs on the official page.
How To Check Your Hardware Fast
Press Win+R, type dxdiag to see CPU, RAM, and DirectX. Open Task Manager > Performance while the game loads to watch spikes or bottlenecks.
Clean Reinstall Path That Fixes Most Stuck Launches
If nothing above worked, do a full clean-up. This stack clears stale drivers, broken installs, and cache issues in one pass.
Step A: Remove Vanguard
Uninstall Riot Vanguard, reboot, and confirm the VGC service is gone from Services.
Step B: Remove The Game
Uninstall the game from the launcher. Delete leftover folders in ProgramData, Program Files\Riot Vanguard, and AppData\Local if present.
Step C: Clear Temp Caches
Empty %localappdata%\Temp and the DirectX shader cache via Disk Cleanup. This removes stale files that can break the first boot.
Step D: Reboot And Reinstall Fresh
Install the launcher, install the game, let Vanguard install, and reboot once more before the first run.
When A Black Screen Or Freeze Appears Mid Load
If the logo shows and then nothing, your GPU path is the likely suspect. Use windowed mode launch options, then switch back to full screen once inside.
Quick GPU Paths
Delete Config in Documents\VALORANT to reset video settings. Turn off HDR in Windows, toggle Game Mode, and disable full-screen optimizations on the .exe.
Error Codes Cheat Sheet
Here are common launch codes and what to do next. Match your popup, apply the action, and test.
| Error Code | What It Means | Quick Action |
|---|---|---|
| VAN 9001 | Secure Boot off | Enable in UEFI |
| VAN 9003 | TPM 2.0 off | Enable fTPM/TPM |
| VAN 9090 | TPM failed | Reboot, check BIOS |
| VAN -81 | Vanguard not init | Start VGC, reinstall |
| VAN 140 | Client update | Update launcher |
| VAN 1067 | Network block | Allow through firewall |
Network Settings That Can Block Login
If the Riot Client signs in forever, flush DNS with ipconfig /flushdns, reset Winsock, and try a wired link. Add the game and the launcher to your firewall’s allow list. Avoid double NAT or VPN during first launch after a patch.
Laptop-Specific Tips
Set the laptop to High performance, plug in power, and pick the high-power GPU for the launcher and the game in Graphics settings. Out-of-date hybrid drivers can black screen at launch until the discrete GPU takes over.
Windows 10 Tips That Save Time
On Windows 10, you do not need TPM or Secure Boot for this title, but you still need the kernel driver to start cleanly. Install all queued updates, make sure Device Guard or memory integrity is not blocking vgk.sys, and reboot twice after a driver change.
Storage And File System Health
Install the game on an SSD if you can. Mechanical drives can load maps, textures, and shaders in long bursts that look like a freeze.
Run SFC /scannow in an elevated terminal, then DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth. These tools repair system files that the game depends on for runtimes and DirectX.
Safe Settings To Leave On
Keep Game Mode on, keep hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling on modern cards, and let the launcher auto-start so Vanguard can initialize early. Leave pagefile on System managed size. Disable only tools you truly need off; blanket tweaks can create new faults.
When To Reinstall Windows
If launch fails across multiple games, system files may be damaged beyond easy repair. Back up, then use Reset this PC to keep files while reinstalling Windows. Install the game first, test launch, then add apps gradually.
Prevent The Next Lockup
Keep Windows and drivers fresh, avoid beta GPU branches on match days, and give the anti-cheat room to load. Most launch loops come from a small set of repeatable causes. Once you clear them, starts are smooth.