Step 1: The Frustrating Reality - Let's Talk About Vanguard
Feeling stuck? Are you getting an error message about Vanguard every time you try to launch your favorite game? Let's face it, many players have hit this roadblock. You're not alone in asking, "Can I just play League without this?" The short answer is complicated, but the long answer is a step-by-step guide to understanding exactly what you're up against and what your real options are.
Ready to dive in and get to the bottom of this?
Step 2: The Short and Honest Answer
Let's get straight to the point: You cannot play League of Legends on your PC without Riot Vanguard.
Riot Games has made it a mandatory, non-negotiable requirement for launching the game. As of early 2024, Vanguard is integrated directly into the League of Legends client. If Vanguard is not installed, running, and in a healthy state, the game will simply not launch, and you will be met with an error message. There are no official or legitimate workarounds to bypass this anti-cheat system.
Step 3: Understanding the "Why" - What is Riot Vanguard?
To understand why you can't play without it, you need to know what Vanguard actually is.
Riot Vanguard is a robust, kernel-level anti-cheat software developed by Riot Games. It's the same system used in VALORANT, and it was integrated into League of Legends to combat a rising tide of scripters, botters, and cheaters.
Why is it so strict?
Kernel-Level Access: Vanguard runs at the kernel level of your Windows operating system. This is the deepest level of your OS, where the most fundamental processes and drivers live. This deep access is necessary to detect and prevent cheats that also operate at this level, making them invisible to traditional anti-cheat programs.
A Proactive Approach: Unlike anti-cheats that only scan for known cheats, Vanguard is designed to proactively monitor for suspicious activity and prevent cheating from happening in the first place.
Creating a Fair Playground: Riot's goal is to ensure a fair and competitive environment for all players. They believe that a strong, mandatory anti-cheat is the only way to achieve this, even if it comes at the cost of some players' convenience or privacy concerns.
Step 4: The Technical Checkpoints Before You Can Even Launch
So, what does Vanguard actually check for? To run League of Legends, your computer must pass a series of security checks orchestrated by Vanguard.
Sub-heading: System Requirements and Secure Boot Many modern PCs are required to have Secure Boot enabled in the BIOS/UEFI settings. Secure Boot is a security standard that ensures only trusted software can launch during the boot process. If this is disabled, Vanguard will likely block the game from launching and prompt you with a specific error. You need to enable this in your motherboard's firmware settings.
Sub-heading: Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 For many users, particularly on Windows 11, Vanguard requires your system to have a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 chip enabled. This is a hardware-based security module that provides cryptographic functions. It's a key requirement for modern security features, including Windows 11's integrity checks. If your PC doesn't have it or it's disabled, you're out of luck until you enable it or upgrade your hardware.
Sub-heading: Vanguard's Live Check Even if you have the software installed, Vanguard must be running actively in the background. If you attempt to close its process from the Task Manager or disable it from your startup programs, the League of Legends client will detect this and refuse to launch. It's a live, continuous check.
Step 5: "Workarounds" that DON'T Bypass Vanguard (and what they actually do)
You might see videos or forum posts claiming to have a "simple trick" to bypass Vanguard. Be extremely skeptical. These methods are either outdated, dangerous, or simply don't work. Let's debunk a few:
Attempting to Uninstall Vanguard: If you uninstall Riot Vanguard from your computer, the League of Legends client will simply reinstall it the next time you try to launch the game. You'll be stuck in an endless cycle.
Disabling Vanguard Services: You can technically disable the Vanguard service (vgc) from the Windows Services console. However, this will not allow you to play the game. The League client will immediately detect that the service is not running and will block your launch, often with a clear error message instructing you to restart your computer.
Using a "Bypass" Tool: Any third-party software claiming to bypass Vanguard is highly malicious. These are often trojans, keyloggers, or other malware designed to steal your account information and personal data. Installing such software will not help you play League and will almost certainly compromise your system.
Step 6: The Only Real Solutions If You're Facing Issues
So, if you can't bypass it, what can you do if Vanguard is causing you problems? You have to troubleshoot and fix the underlying issue.
Sub-heading: 1. Check Your PC's Security Settings This is the most common reason for Vanguard blocking a launch.
Check for Secure Boot: Reboot your PC and enter your BIOS/UEFI settings (usually by pressing F2, F10, F12, or Delete during startup). Look for a "Boot" or "Security" tab and find the "Secure Boot" option. Make sure it is Enabled.
Check for TPM 2.0: In your BIOS, look for "TPM," "PTT," or "fTPM" under a "Security" or "Advanced" tab. Ensure it is Enabled.
Sub-heading: 2. Reinstall League of Legends and Vanguard Sometimes, files get corrupted. A clean reinstall can fix many issues.
Go to
Settings > Apps > Apps & features.Find and uninstall "Riot Vanguard" and "League of Legends".
Restart your computer.
Download the latest client from the official Riot Games website and reinstall the game. Vanguard will be reinstalled automatically.
Sub-heading: 3. Check for Software Conflicts Vanguard can sometimes conflict with other programs, especially other anti-cheats, antivirus software, or driver-level monitoring tools. Temporarily disable your antivirus or any other similar software and see if that resolves the issue.
Sub-heading: 4. Contact Riot Games Support If you've tried everything and are still facing issues, the best course of action is to submit a support ticket to Riot Games. Provide them with your error code, a description of your problem, and a list of steps you've already taken. They have dedicated teams to help with Vanguard-related issues.
Step 7: A Look to the Future and Alternatives
Riot is constantly refining Vanguard to improve compatibility and reduce false positives. Keep your Windows operating system and drivers up-to-date, as this can often resolve compatibility issues.
As for playing without it, the only way to play a version of League of Legends without Vanguard is to play on a different platform, such as Wild Rift on mobile. However, the PC version of the game will require Vanguard for the foreseeable future.
10 Related FAQ Questions
How to check if my PC has Secure Boot enabled?
You can check this by pressing the Windows key + R, typing msinfo32, and hitting Enter. In the System Information window, look for "Secure Boot State." It should say "On." If it says "Off," you'll need to enable it in your motherboard's BIOS/UEFI settings.
How to enable TPM 2.0 in my BIOS? Reboot your computer and enter your BIOS/UEFI (usually F2, F10, Del). Look for a "Security" or "Advanced" tab. The setting might be called "TPM," "Intel PTT," or "AMD fTPM." Enable it, save your changes, and exit.
How to uninstall Vanguard from my computer?
Go to Settings > Apps > Apps & features in Windows. Find "Riot Vanguard" in the list, click on it, and select "Uninstall." You'll need to restart your PC to complete the process.
How to reinstall Vanguard for League of Legends? You don't need to reinstall it separately. Simply uninstall Riot Vanguard and then launch the League of Legends client. The client will detect that Vanguard is missing and automatically download and install the latest version for you.
How to fix Vanguard "VCRUNTIME140.dll" error? This error often indicates a missing or corrupt Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable file. You can fix this by downloading and installing the latest versions of both the x86 and x64 redistributables from the official Microsoft website.
How to troubleshoot Vanguard errors? First, restart your PC. If the issue persists, check your Windows security settings (Secure Boot, TPM). If those are correct, try a clean reinstall of League of Legends and Vanguard. For persistent issues, contact Riot Games support.
How to contact Riot Games support for Vanguard issues? Go to the official Riot Games Support website, select League of Legends, and find the "Submit a ticket" option. Provide a detailed description of your problem, including any error codes you've received.
How to find out if my PC meets Vanguard's requirements? Vanguard requires a 64-bit Windows OS, Secure Boot, and for Windows 11, TPM 2.0. If you meet these criteria and have a stable internet connection, your PC should be compatible.
How to stop Vanguard from running on startup? You can't. Vanguard is designed to run automatically at startup to ensure it's active before any games that require it are launched. Disabling it will only prevent you from playing League of Legends.
How to disable Vanguard temporarily? You can temporarily disable Vanguard by right-clicking the Riot Vanguard icon in your system tray (bottom-right of your taskbar) and selecting "Exit Vanguard." However, you will need to restart your computer to launch the game again. The game client will not launch until the Vanguard service is running.
