Frustrated by Error Code 57? Let's Get You Back into the Action!
Have you ever been ready to jump into a ranked match, your team is waiting, and then… bam! You get hit with the dreaded "Vanguard Anti-Cheat has not been initialized" error, often accompanied by code VAL 57? It's a common and incredibly frustrating issue for many Valorant players.
But don't worry, you're not alone, and this guide is here to walk you through a series of steps, from the simple to the more advanced, to get you back to fragging out on the battlefield. We'll start with the easiest fixes and work our way up.
Let's start with the most basic but often effective solution. Have you tried simply turning it off and on again? Seriously! Before we dive into the technical stuff, let's give your system a fresh start.
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| How To Fix Vanguard Error 57 |
Step 1: The Classic Restart - The First Line of Defense
Sometimes, a temporary glitch or a minor conflict between Riot Vanguard and other system processes can cause this error. A simple restart can clear up these temporary issues.
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1.1. Close Everything Related to Riot Games:
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First, make sure to completely close out of Valorant and the Riot Client. You can do this by right-clicking on the Riot Client icon in your system tray (the small icons in the bottom right corner of your screen) and selecting "Exit."
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To be extra sure, open your Task Manager (press Ctrl + Shift + Esc). In the "Processes" tab, look for anything related to Valorant, Riot Client, or Vanguard (e.g.,
VALORANT.exe,RiotClientServices.exe,vgc.exe,vgtray.exe). Select them and click "End task."
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1.2. Restart Your Computer:
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Now, perform a full system restart. Don't just log out and log back in. Click on the Start Menu, go to the power options, and select "Restart." This will properly shut down and reload all system services, including Riot Vanguard.
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1.3. Relaunch the Game:
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Once your computer has restarted, launch Valorant again. If you're lucky, this simple step will have resolved the issue, and you can jump right back into the game.
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If that didn't work, don't lose hope. It just means we need to dig a little deeper. Let's move on to the next step, which involves checking the core service for Vanguard.
QuickTip: Every section builds on the last.
Step 2: Ensure the Vanguard Service is Running
Riot Vanguard, the anti-cheat system, has a crucial service that needs to be running in the background for the game to launch. Error 57 often means this service, known as VGC, has failed to start.
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2.1. Check the VGC Service Status:
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Press the Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog box.
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Type
services.mscand press Enter. This will open the Windows Services window. -
In the list of services, scroll down until you find "vgc".
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Right-click on "vgc" and select "Properties".
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2.2. Change the Startup Type to Automatic:
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In the Properties window, look for the "Startup type" dropdown menu.
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Make sure it is set to "Automatic". If it's set to "Manual" or "Disabled," this is likely the root of your problem.
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Click "Apply" and then "OK."
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2.3. Start the Service:
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Back in the main Services window, with "vgc" still selected, look for the "Start" button in the left-hand pane (or right-click and select "Start").
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If the service is already running, you can try to "Restart" it.
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Note: If you get an error when trying to start the service, it might be an indication of a deeper issue, which we will address in later steps.
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2.4. Restart and Relaunch:
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After making these changes, restart your computer once more. This is a crucial step to ensure the changes take effect.
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Try launching Valorant again.
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Step 3: A Clean Reinstallation of Riot Vanguard
If the service is set to automatic but still fails to start, it's possible that the Vanguard files are corrupted or were installed incorrectly. A clean reinstallation can often solve this.
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3.1. Uninstall Riot Vanguard:
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Press the Windows Key and search for "Add or remove programs" and open it.
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In the list of installed applications, find "Riot Vanguard".
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Click on it and select "Uninstall." Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the uninstallation.
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3.2. Manually Delete Remaining Files (Crucial Step for a "Clean" Reinstall):
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Even after uninstalling, some residual files might remain. To ensure a truly clean install, you need to manually delete them.
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Press Windows Key + R and type
C:\Program Files\Riot Vanguardand press Enter. -
If the folder exists, delete it.
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Next, open Command Prompt as an administrator. Search for "CMD," right-click on it, and select "Run as administrator."
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In the Command Prompt window, type the following commands one by one, pressing Enter after each:
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sc delete vgc -
sc delete vgk
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These commands ensure the related Vanguard services are completely removed from your system.
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3.3. Restart Your PC:
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This is a mandatory step after uninstalling. Restart your computer to finalize the removal of Vanguard.
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3.4. Relaunch Valorant to Reinstall Vanguard:
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After restarting, launch Valorant from your desktop shortcut or the Riot Client. The game will detect that Vanguard is missing and will prompt you to reinstall it.
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Follow the instructions, and after the installation is complete, it will likely ask you to restart your computer again. Do so.
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QuickTip: The more attention, the more retention.
Step 4: Check for Software Conflicts
Vanguard is a deep-level anti-cheat system, and it can sometimes conflict with other programs running on your PC, especially certain antivirus software, firewalls, or even performance-boosting tools.
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4.1. Disable Antivirus and Firewall Temporarily:
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Go to your antivirus software's settings and temporarily disable its real-time protection.
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Do the same for your Windows Defender Firewall.
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Try launching the game. If it works, you've found the culprit. You will need to either add Valorant and Vanguard to your antivirus's whitelist/exclusion list or consider a different security program.
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4.2. Close Unnecessary Background Programs:
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Open your Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) and check the "Processes" and "Startup" tabs.
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Look for any programs that could be interfering. Temporarily close them and try to launch the game. This can include programs like MSI Afterburner, Razer Synapse, or other gaming-related software.
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Step 5: Update Your System and Drivers
Outdated drivers and an old Windows OS version can lead to compatibility issues with Vanguard. Keeping your system up-to-date is always a good practice for gaming.
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5.1. Update Windows:
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Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.
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Click "Check for updates" and install any pending updates. A fresh Windows update can often include important security patches and driver updates that resolve compatibility problems.
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5.2. Update Graphics Drivers:
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Visit your graphics card manufacturer's website (NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel) and download the latest drivers for your specific GPU.
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Perform a clean installation of the drivers to avoid any residual issues.
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Step 6: Advanced Troubleshooting
Tip: A slow skim is better than a rushed read.
If you've tried everything above and the error persists, you may need to delve into more advanced solutions.
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6.1. Run Valorant in Compatibility Mode:
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Right-click on your Valorant shortcut and select "Properties".
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Go to the "Compatibility" tab.
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Check the box for "Run this program in compatibility mode for:" and select an earlier version of Windows, like Windows 8.
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Click "Apply" and "OK."
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6.2. Change Your DNS Settings:
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Some users have reported that custom DNS settings (like those used with a VPN or DNS filtering service like Pi-hole) can cause conflicts with Vanguard.
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Try changing your DNS to a public one, like Google's DNS (8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4) or Cloudflare's (1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1).
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To do this, go to Network & Internet Settings > Change adapter options. Right-click on your network adapter (e.g., Ethernet or Wi-Fi) and select "Properties". Double-click on "Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)" and change the DNS settings.
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6.3. Disable Windows Test Mode:
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If you've ever enabled Windows Test Mode, it can interfere with Vanguard's security checks.
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Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
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Type the following commands and press Enter after each:
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bcdedit -set TESTSIGNING OFF -
bcdedit -set NOINTEGRITYCHECKS OFF
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Restart your PC after running these commands.
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Related FAQ Questions
Here are 10 quick answers to common questions about Vanguard Error 57.
How to restart the Vanguard service manually? You can restart the service by opening the Windows Services app (services.msc), finding "vgc" in the list, right-clicking on it, and selecting "Restart."
How to uninstall Riot Vanguard completely? Go to "Add or remove programs" in Windows settings, uninstall "Riot Vanguard," then restart your PC. For a full clean, also run sc delete vgc and sc delete vgk in an administrator Command Prompt.
How to check if my drivers are up-to-date for Valorant? Visit your graphics card manufacturer's website (NVIDIA, AMD, Intel) and use their driver update software or manually check for the latest drivers for your GPU model.
QuickTip: Pause at transitions — they signal new ideas.
How to disable conflicting software with Vanguard? Temporarily disable your antivirus, firewall, and any performance-boosting or overlay software (like MSI Afterburner, Razer Synapse, etc.) before launching the game.
How to run Valorant as an administrator? Right-click on the Valorant shortcut and select "Run as administrator." You can also go to the Properties of the shortcut, click the "Compatibility" tab, and check "Run this program as an administrator."
How to change my DNS settings to fix Vanguard error 57? Open Network & Internet settings, go to "Change adapter options," right-click your network connection, go to "Properties," select "Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)," and change the DNS server addresses to public DNS like 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4.
How to fix corrupted Valorant game files? You can try to use the Riot Repair Tool if available or simply reinstall the game entirely, which is often the most reliable way to fix corrupted files.
How to check if Windows Test Mode is enabled? If you see a watermark in the bottom right corner of your desktop that says "Test Mode," then it is enabled. You can disable it using the command prompt as described in Step 6.
How to ensure Vanguard's 'vgc' service is set to automatic? Open the Windows Services app (services.msc), right-click on "vgc," go to "Properties," and change the "Startup type" to "Automatic."
How to contact Riot Support for further assistance? If none of the steps work, you can submit a ticket to Riot Games Player Support through their official website. They can provide more specific, in-depth troubleshooting based on your system logs.
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