A Comprehensive Guide: Installing and Troubleshooting Riot Vanguard
Hey there, fellow gamer! Are you ready to dive into the action-packed world of Valorant or League of Legends, only to be stopped dead in your tracks by a pesky installation error? Don't worry, you're not alone. Many players encounter issues with Riot Vanguard, the anti-cheat software that's essential for playing Riot Games' titles.
But before you rage-quit and throw your PC out the window, let's take a deep breath and walk through the process of getting Riot Vanguard up and running. This guide will not only show you how to install it, but also how to troubleshoot common problems, making you a pro at dealing with this often-finicky program. So, are you ready to conquer this challenge and get back to the game? Let's begin!
Step 1: Understand What Riot Vanguard Is and How It Works
First things first, what exactly is Riot Vanguard? It's Riot Games' custom-built, anti-cheat system designed to ensure competitive integrity in their games. It's not a separate application you download on its own; it's automatically installed alongside Riot Games' titles like Valorant and League of Legends.
A key point to understand is that Riot Vanguard is a kernel-mode driver, meaning it runs in the background at a very deep level of your operating system to detect and prevent cheating software. This is why it can sometimes conflict with other programs or system settings. When you install a Riot game, the client will automatically handle the Vanguard installation on your PC's next reboot.
Step 2: The Automatic Installation Process
Since Vanguard is part of the game's installation, the process is pretty straightforward if everything goes smoothly.
A. Installing the Game:
Download the Riot Client: If you haven't already, head to the official Riot Games website and download the client for the game you want to play (e.g., Valorant or League of Legends).
Run the Installer: Run the downloaded installer and follow the on-screen prompts to choose your installation location and other settings.
Launch the Game: Once the game is installed, launch it from the Riot Client.
B. The Vanguard Integration:
Automatic Download: During the game's installation or initial launch, the Riot Client will automatically download the necessary Vanguard files. You don't need a separate download link for it.
Restart Your PC: You will be prompted to restart your computer to finalize the Vanguard installation. This is a crucial step. Vanguard is an "on-boot" application, meaning it needs to start with your system to function correctly.
Check the System Tray: After the reboot, you should see the Riot Vanguard icon (a red and white shield) in your system tray (the bottom-right corner of your taskbar). This indicates that it's running.
Step 3: Troubleshooting Common Installation Issues
Sometimes, the smooth automatic installation gets a bit bumpy. Here's a step-by-step guide to fixing common problems.
A. "We couldn't install a required dependency" Error:
This is a very common error and often means that the Vanguard installation is corrupted or has been disabled.
Sub-heading: Method 1 - Re-enable the vgc service
Press the Windows key + R to open the Run box.
Type
services.mscand press Enter to open the Services window.Scroll down and find the service named "vgc".
Right-click on it and select Properties.
In the "Startup type" dropdown, change it to "Automatic".
Click Apply and then OK.
Restart your PC.
Launch the Riot Client and the game again. It should now update and install Vanguard successfully.
Sub-heading: Method 2 - Reinstall Vanguard Manually
If the above method fails, a clean reinstall of Vanguard can often fix the issue.
Uninstall Vanguard: Go to your Control Panel (or "Apps & features" in Windows Settings) and uninstall Riot Vanguard.
If you can't find it there or the uninstallation fails, you can use the Command Prompt.
Open Command Prompt as an Administrator (right-click the Start menu and select "Command Prompt (Admin)" or "Windows PowerShell (Admin)").
Type the following commands one by one, pressing Enter after each:
sc delete vgcsc delete vgk
Close the Command Prompt and restart your PC.
Go to
C:\Program Files\and manually delete the "Riot Vanguard" folder if it still exists.Launch your Riot game again from the Riot Client. It should now prompt you to reinstall Vanguard. Follow the on-screen instructions.
B. "VAN" Error Codes (e.g., VAN 57, VAN 9001):
These error codes are often related to system settings that Vanguard requires.
Sub-heading: Addressing Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 (for Windows 11):
For Windows 11 users, Vanguard requires Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 to be enabled for security purposes. If you get a VAN9001 or VAN9003 error, this is likely the cause.
Check if they are enabled:
Press Windows key + R, type
tpm.msc, and press Enter. If the status says "The TPM is ready for use" and "Specification Version: 2.0," you're good.Press Windows key + R, type
msinfo32, and press Enter. Look for "Secure Boot State" and "BIOS Mode". They should say "On" and "UEFI", respectively.
If they are not enabled, you will need to enable them in your computer's BIOS/UEFI settings.
Warning: Modifying BIOS settings can be risky. If you are not comfortable with this, please seek help from a professional or your computer/motherboard manufacturer's support.
To access your BIOS, you typically need to restart your computer and press a specific key during startup (e.g., F2, F10, F12, or Del). The key varies by manufacturer.
Once in the BIOS, navigate to the Security or Boot settings and enable Secure Boot and TPM.
Save your changes and exit the BIOS. Your PC will restart.
After the restart, launch the Riot Client and the game.
C. Vanguard Not Running or Launching:
Sub-heading: The System Tray Icon is Missing:
If you don't see the Vanguard icon, it's not running.
Restart your PC. As a kernel-mode driver, it needs a fresh boot to start properly.
If restarting doesn't work, follow the manual reinstallation steps in Step 3.A.
Sub-heading: Check for Software Conflicts:
Sometimes, other programs like antivirus software, firewalls, or certain overlays can interfere with Vanguard.
Temporarily disable your antivirus or firewall to see if that resolves the issue.
Add the Riot Games and Riot Vanguard folders to your antivirus or firewall's whitelist or exceptions list.
Step 4: Final Steps and Ongoing Maintenance
A. Keep Windows Updated:
Ensure your Windows operating system is up-to-date. Vanguard may require the latest security patches to function correctly.
Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and check for updates.
B. Update Your Drivers:
Keep your graphics card and other drivers updated.
You can use software from your GPU manufacturer (NVIDIA GeForce Experience, AMD Radeon Software) or your motherboard's website.
C. Contact Riot Support:
If all else fails, the Riot Games support team is your best bet.
Submit a ticket through their official support website and provide them with all the details, including any error codes you're getting and the steps you've already tried.
10 Related FAQ Questions
How to uninstall Riot Vanguard?
You can uninstall Riot Vanguard through your Windows "Apps & features" settings in the Control Panel. If that doesn't work, you can use the Command Prompt with administrator privileges and run the commands sc delete vgc and sc delete vgk.
How to check if Riot Vanguard is running? Look for the Riot Vanguard icon (a red and white shield) in your Windows system tray, typically in the bottom-right corner of your screen. If you see it, it's running.
How to fix Riot Vanguard not starting? First, try restarting your PC. If that doesn't work, manually reinstall Vanguard by uninstalling it first and then launching a Riot game to trigger the re-installation.
How to fix a "VAN" error code? A "VAN" error often points to system security settings. For Windows 11, check and enable Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 in your BIOS. For other errors, restarting your PC or reinstalling Vanguard can help.
How to reinstall Riot Vanguard without reinstalling the game? You don't need to reinstall the game. Simply uninstall Riot Vanguard from your Windows settings or via Command Prompt, then launch the game. The Riot Client will prompt you to reinstall Vanguard automatically.
How to know if my PC is compatible with Riot Vanguard? Riot Vanguard runs on Windows 10 (version 1803 or newer) and Windows 11. For Windows 11, you must have Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 enabled. Riot Games does not support ARM processors.
How to disable Riot Vanguard? You can right-click the Vanguard icon in the system tray and select "Exit Vanguard." However, you will not be able to play any Riot Games title that requires it until you restart your PC.
How to enable vgc service?
Open the Services window by typing services.msc in the Run box (Windows key + R). Find the "vgc" service, right-click on it, go to Properties, and set the "Startup type" to "Automatic".
How to fix "We couldn't install a required dependency" in Valorant? This is often fixed by re-enabling the vgc service or performing a clean manual re-installation of Riot Vanguard.
How to contact Riot Games support for Vanguard issues? Visit the official Riot Games support website, select the relevant game, and submit a ticket explaining your issue and the troubleshooting steps you've already taken.