It's an exciting time to be a League of Legends player, as Riot Games is constantly working to ensure a fair and competitive environment. One of the biggest recent changes to achieve this is the integration of Riot Vanguard, their proprietary anti-cheat software, into League of Legends. If you've been having trouble launching your game or are simply wondering what this new addition means for your gameplay, you've come to the right place!
Are you ready to dive back into the Rift, free from cheaters? Let's get your system ready and activate Riot Vanguard, step by step!
Understanding Riot Vanguard and Why It's Essential
Before we jump into the "how-to," let's briefly touch upon what Riot Vanguard is and why it's now a requirement for League of Legends.
Riot Vanguard is a comprehensive anti-cheat system developed by Riot Games. It was first introduced with VALORANT and has proven highly effective in combating cheating in that title. Its purpose in League of Legends is the same: to create a more secure and fair gaming environment by detecting and preventing unauthorized software and modifications that give players an unfair advantage.
Why is it necessary? In recent times, cheating in League of Legends has become a more prevalent issue, impacting the integrity of competitive play. Vanguard operates at a "kernel level" on your computer, meaning it runs with high privileges, allowing it to detect even sophisticated cheats that operate deep within your system. While this level of access has raised some privacy concerns among players, Riot Games asserts that it's crucial for effective anti-cheat measures and operates in compliance with data privacy laws.
Important Note: You cannot play League of Legends or VALORANT without Riot Vanguard properly installed and running.
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| How To Activate Vanguard League Of Legends |
Step 1: Initial Installation - The Automatic Way (Most Common)
For the vast majority of players, activating Riot Vanguard is a surprisingly hands-off process. Riot Games has designed it to integrate seamlessly with your League of Legends installation.
Sub-heading: If You're Installing League of Legends for the First Time or Updating
What to Expect: If you're a new player installing League of Legends for the first time, or an existing player updating your game to a version that requires Vanguard (which all current versions now do), Vanguard will be automatically downloaded and installed alongside the game. You don't need to find a separate download link or run a different installer.
Your Action: Simply proceed with your standard League of Legends installation or update process. The Riot Client will handle the rest. Once the game client indicates the update or installation is complete, you'll usually be prompted to restart your computer. This restart is crucial for Vanguard's kernel-level driver to initialize correctly.
Make sure to restart your PC as prompted. This is often overlooked but is a vital step for Vanguard to begin operating properly.
Sub-heading: Verifying Vanguard is Running
After your PC has restarted, you can quickly check if Riot Vanguard is active:
Look for the Icon: Check your system tray (the area on the right side of your Windows taskbar, near the clock). You should see a small, red Riot Vanguard icon. This indicates that the anti-cheat software is running in the background.
Launch League of Legends: Open your League of Legends client as usual. If Vanguard is successfully running, the game should launch without any "Vanguard not running" errors.
Tip: Skim once, study twice.
Step 2: Troubleshooting - When Vanguard Doesn't Cooperate
Sometimes, despite the automatic installation, Vanguard might not activate correctly, or you might encounter error messages. Don't worry, these issues are often resolvable.
Sub-heading: Common Error Messages and Their Quick Fixes
Riot Vanguard errors usually start with "VAN" followed by a number. Here are some common ones and what to do:
VAN 57 / VAN -81 / VAN 1067 (Vanguard Not Running / Connection Errors): These often indicate Vanguard isn't launching or connecting properly.
Solution: Restart your PC and the Riot Client. This is the most basic yet often effective solution.
If that doesn't work: Proceed to Step 3: Reinstalling Riot Vanguard.
VAN9001 (TPM 2.0 is not enabled) / VAN9005 (Virtualization-based security (VBS) settings): These errors relate to specific Windows security features.
Solution: You'll need to enable TPM 2.0 and possibly UEFI firmware and Virtualization-based Security (VBS) in your computer's BIOS/UEFI settings. This is a more advanced step and requires careful attention. Consult your motherboard's manual or an online guide for your specific PC model. Riot Games also provides detailed articles on their support website for these errors.
VAN9006 (Older Version of Windows): Vanguard requires an up-to-date Windows operating system.
Solution: Update your Windows. Ensure you are running at least Windows 10, build number 10.0.17134 (Version 1803) or later. It's generally recommended to keep your Windows OS fully updated for security and compatibility.
Sub-heading: Check for Software Conflicts
Sometimes, other programs on your computer can interfere with Vanguard's operation.
Antivirus/Firewall Software: Your security software might be blocking Vanguard.
Solution: Temporarily disable your antivirus or firewall and try launching League of Legends. If it works, you'll need to add League of Legends and Riot Vanguard to your security software's exception list or whitelist. Remember to re-enable your security software afterward!
Overlay Programs/Other Utilities: Programs that create overlays (like Discord overlay, MSI Afterburner, Rivatuner) or other system utilities can sometimes conflict.
Solution: Try closing any unnecessary background applications before launching League of Legends. If you suspect a specific program, try disabling it.
Step 3: Reinstalling Riot Vanguard (The "Reset" Button)
If simple restarts and troubleshooting don't work, a fresh reinstallation of Riot Vanguard is often the most reliable solution.
Sub-heading: Uninstalling Riot Vanguard
Access Apps & Features:
Right-click on the Start button (Windows icon) and select "Apps and Features" or "Installed apps" (depending on your Windows version).
In the search bar, type "Vanguard" or "Riot Vanguard."
Uninstall Vanguard:
Locate "Riot Vanguard" in the list.
Click on it and select "Uninstall."
Follow any on-screen prompts to complete the uninstallation. You might be asked for administrator permission.
Important: After uninstalling, restart your computer. This ensures all Vanguard components are properly removed.
Sub-heading: Reinstalling Riot Vanguard (Automatic)
Launch League of Legends: Once your computer has restarted, simply launch the League of Legends client as you normally would.
Automatic Reinstallation Prompt: The Riot Client will detect that Vanguard is missing and will automatically prompt you to reinstall it. Follow the on-screen instructions.
Final Restart: After Vanguard is reinstalled, you will likely be prompted to restart your PC again. Do so to complete the activation.
QuickTip: Pause before scrolling further.
Step 4: Deeper System Checks (For Persistent Issues)
If you're still facing issues after the above steps, it's time to dig a bit deeper into your system's health.
Sub-heading: Running Windows Updates
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Why it matters: As mentioned, Vanguard requires an up-to-date Windows OS. Microsoft regularly releases security and compatibility updates that can directly impact Vanguard's functionality.
Your Action:
Go to Start Menu > Settings > Windows Update.
Click "Check for updates" and install any available updates.
Restart your computer after updates are installed.
Sub-heading: Checking for Malware
Potential Interference: Malicious software can interfere with legitimate programs, including anti-cheat systems.
Your Action: Run a full scan with your trusted antivirus or anti-malware software (e.g., Windows Defender, Malwarebytes, etc.). Remove any detected threats.
Sub-heading: Reinstalling League of Legends (As a Last Resort)
When to do this: This is a more time-consuming step and should only be considered if all previous methods have failed. It ensures a completely fresh installation of both the game and Vanguard.
Your Action:
Uninstall Riot Vanguard (as described in Step 3).
Uninstall League of Legends from "Apps and Features."
Restart your PC.
Download the latest League of Legends client from the official Riot Games website and perform a fresh installation. This will also reinstall Riot Vanguard.
Step 5: Contact Riot Support (When All Else Fails)
If you've meticulously followed all the steps above and are still unable to activate Riot Vanguard or play League of Legends, it's time to reach out to the experts.
Sub-heading: Providing Detailed Information
What to do: Visit the Riot Games Support website and submit a ticket.
Be Prepared: When contacting support, provide as much detail as possible:
The exact error message(s) you are receiving.
What steps you have already tried (be specific!).
Your computer's operating system (Windows 10/11, version).
Any recent changes to your system (new hardware, software installations).
Screenshots of the error messages or your system tray (if Vanguard is missing).
Riot Support has dedicated teams to help with Vanguard-related issues and can offer more personalized solutions based on your specific system configuration.
10 Related FAQ Questions (How To)
QuickTip: Look for repeated words — they signal importance.
Here are 10 common "How to" questions related to Riot Vanguard and League of Legends, with quick answers:
How to know if Riot Vanguard is running?
You can check for the small, red Riot Vanguard icon in your Windows system tray (bottom-right corner of your taskbar). If it's there, Vanguard is active.
How to update Riot Vanguard?
Riot Vanguard updates automatically alongside your League of Legends game client. You generally don't need to manually update it.
How to uninstall Riot Vanguard?
Go to "Apps and Features" (or "Installed apps") in Windows Settings, find "Riot Vanguard," and click "Uninstall." Remember to restart your PC afterward.
How to reinstall Riot Vanguard after uninstalling it?
After uninstalling Vanguard and restarting your PC, simply launch the League of Legends client. It will automatically detect the missing Vanguard and prompt you to reinstall it.
How to fix "Vanguard Not Running" error (VAN 57)?
Restart your computer and the Riot Client. If that doesn't work, try uninstalling and then reinstalling Riot Vanguard.
Tip: Read at your natural pace.
How to enable TPM 2.0 for Vanguard (VAN9001 error)?
This requires entering your computer's BIOS/UEFI settings during startup. The exact steps vary by motherboard manufacturer, so consult your PC's manual or an online guide.
How to add Vanguard to antivirus exceptions?
Open your antivirus software, navigate to its settings or exclusions section, and add the League of Legends game folder and the Riot Vanguard installation folder (usually C:\Program Files\Riot Vanguard) as exceptions.
How to check my Windows version for Vanguard compatibility?
Press Windows Key + R, type winver, and press Enter. This will display your Windows version and build number. Ensure it's Windows 10, build 10.0.17134 or newer.
How to prevent Vanguard from slowing down my PC?
Vanguard is designed to be lightweight, but if you experience issues, ensure your Windows is updated, close unnecessary background applications, and check for software conflicts. Sometimes, reinstalling can help.
How to report a Vanguard issue to Riot Games?
Visit the official Riot Games Support website (
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