Vanguard, Riot Games' anti-cheat system, is notorious for its intrusive nature, often requiring a system restart after installation or updates. This can be incredibly frustrating, especially when you just want to jump into a game of Valorant or League of Legends without the downtime. While Riot's official stance is that a restart is almost always necessary for Vanguard to function correctly and securely, there are specific scenarios and workarounds that might allow you to launch Vanguard without a full system reboot.
This guide will walk you through these possibilities step-by-step, helping you understand when it might be achievable and what limitations you might face. Fair warning: these methods are not officially supported by Riot Games and may not always work. They rely on the specific state of your system and recent updates. Always proceed with caution and be prepared for a restart if these methods prove unsuccessful.
How to Potentially Launch Vanguard Without Restarting: A Step-by-Step Guide
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| How To Launch Vanguard Without Restarting |
Step 1: Hold on a second! Before we dive in, are you absolutely sure you need to avoid a restart?
Think about why you're trying to bypass the restart. Is it because you're in the middle of a crucial download, rendering work, or simply don't want to wait? Understanding your urgency will help you decide if these methods are worth the potential hassle. Sometimes, a quick restart is truly the path of least resistance.
If you're still with me, let's explore the possibilities!
Step 2: Understanding the "Why" Behind the Restart (and When You Might Get Away With It)
Vanguard's deep integration into your system's kernel requires it to load at a very low level to effectively detect cheating. This often necessitates a fresh boot to ensure all its components are initialized correctly and have the necessary permissions.
However, there are two primary scenarios where you might be able to avoid a restart:
QuickTip: Stop to think as you go.
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Scenario A: Minor Vanguard Updates (No Core Kernel Changes) If Vanguard has received a small, non-critical update that doesn't fundamentally alter its core kernel-mode drivers, it might be able to load without a full reboot. These are usually bug fixes or minor detection improvements.
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Scenario B: First-Time Installation with Specific System Configurations (Rare) In very rare cases, if your system is in a very "clean" state and you're installing Vanguard for the very first time, it might occasionally load without a restart. This is highly uncommon and usually only happens if there are no conflicting drivers or security software.
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When a Restart is Almost Always Required:
- Major Vanguard version updates.
- Fresh installation of Valorant/League of Legends after a long period.
- System security changes (e.g., new antivirus, Windows updates affecting kernel).
- Vanguard errors explicitly asking for a restart.
Step 3: The "Check for Updates First" Maneuver
Before attempting any trickery, always ensure your game (Valorant or League of Legends) is fully updated. Sometimes, the game client itself can trigger necessary Vanguard updates.
Sub-step 3.1: Launch the Riot Client or Game Client
Open your Riot Client or the specific game client (Valorant, League of Legends). Let it check for any pending game updates.
Sub-step 3.2: Observe Vanguard's Status
- If you see a "Vanguard needs to restart" message immediately: This is a strong indicator that a restart is unavoidable.
- If you don't see that message, but the game won't launch and says Vanguard isn't running: Proceed to the next step.
Step 4: Attempting to Manually Start the Vanguard Service (The Gentle Nudge)
This is the most common workaround that sometimes works for minor updates or if the service simply didn't start automatically.
Sub-step 4.1: Open Services Manager
- Press
Windows Key + Rto open the Run dialog. - Type
services.mscand press Enter. This will open the Services window.
Sub-step 4.2: Locate Vanguard Services
Scroll down and look for services related to Vanguard. You'll typically find:
vgc(Vanguard User Mode Service)Vanguard Anti-Cheat(or similar, depending on the exact version)
Sub-step 4.3: Attempt to Start vgc
- Right-click on the
vgcservice. - If the "Start" option is available and not greyed out, click it.
- Observe the status: If it successfully starts and shows "Running," that's a good sign!
Sub-step 4.4: Attempt to Start Vanguard Anti-Cheat (if present)
- Right-click on the
Vanguard Anti-Cheatservice (if it's a separate entry). - If "Start" is available, click it.
- Important Note: If either service gives an error message like "Error 1053: The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion" or "Error 1058: The service cannot be started, either because it is disabled or because it has no enabled devices associated with it," then a restart is almost certainly required. These errors indicate a deeper issue preventing Vanguard from initializing.
Step 5: Launching the Game (The Moment of Truth)
After attempting to manually start the services, try launching your game (Valorant or League of Legends) again.
QuickTip: Scan quickly, then go deeper where needed.
Sub-step 5.1: Launch Valorant/League of Legends
Open the game client as you normally would.
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Sub-step 5.2: Observe Game Behavior
- If the game launches successfully and you can enter a match: Congratulations! You've managed to bypass the restart.
- If the game still gives a "Vanguard not initialized" or "Vanguard needs a restart" error: Unfortunately, the manual start didn't work. Proceed to the next step for a last-ditch effort (though your chances are slim).
Step 6: Running the Game as Administrator (The "Hail Mary" Pass)
Sometimes, permission issues can prevent Vanguard from launching correctly. Running the game as an administrator can occasionally bypass these, though it's less likely to resolve a "restart required" prompt directly.
Sub-step 6.1: Close All Riot/Game Processes
Ensure all Riot Client and game processes are completely closed. Check your Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) to be sure.
Sub-step 6.2: Launch Game as Administrator
- Navigate to your game's executable file (e.g.,
Valorant.exe). - Right-click on the executable.
- Select "Run as administrator."
Sub-step 6.3: Observe Results
- If it launches and works: Great!
- If it still fails: At this point, it's highly probable that a full system restart is the only solution. Don't keep trying the same steps repeatedly; you'll only frustrate yourself.
Step 7: Accepting the Inevitable (and Making it Quicker Next Time)
If none of the above methods worked, a restart is genuinely necessary. Rather than fighting it, embrace it!
Sub-step 7.1: Perform a Clean Restart
Go to your Start Menu, click the power icon, and select "Restart." Avoid "Shut down" followed by manually turning on, as a proper restart flushes more system processes.
Tip: Focus on one point at a time.
Sub-step 7.2: Optimize Your Boot Time
- Disable unnecessary startup programs: Use Task Manager (
Ctrl+Shift+Esc-> Startup tab) to disable programs you don't need running immediately at boot. - Consider an SSD: If you're still on a traditional hard drive, upgrading to a Solid State Drive will dramatically decrease your boot times. This makes restarts far less painful.
- Keep your system lean: Regularly clean up temporary files and unnecessary software.
Related FAQ Questions
How to check Vanguard status without launching the game?
You can check the status of Vanguard services by opening the Services Manager (services.msc) and looking for vgc and Vanguard Anti-Cheat. Their "Status" column will show if they are running.
How to troubleshoot Vanguard not starting after an update?
First, try manually starting the vgc service in Services Manager. If that fails, a system restart is almost always required. Ensure your Windows is fully updated and no conflicting security software is running.
How to prevent Vanguard from requiring a restart after every update?
Unfortunately, you cannot prevent Vanguard from requiring a restart after major updates, as it's designed for deep system integration. For minor updates, the manual service restart method (Step 4) might occasionally work.
How to verify Vanguard is running correctly?
Launch your Riot game (e.g., Valorant). If the game launches without any anti-cheat errors and allows you to queue for matches, Vanguard is running correctly. You can also check the vgc service status in services.msc.
How to update Vanguard manually?
Vanguard usually updates automatically with your game client. There's no separate manual update utility for Vanguard. If an update is required, your game client will prompt you or automatically download it.
QuickTip: Skim for bold or italicized words.
How to fix "Vanguard not initialized" error without restarting?
Attempt to manually start the vgc service in Services Manager. If that doesn't resolve it, a restart is almost always necessary to allow Vanguard to properly initialize its kernel-mode components.
How to make Vanguard restarts faster?
Upgrade to a Solid State Drive (SSD), disable unnecessary startup programs, and keep your Windows installation clean and optimized.
How to determine if a Vanguard update is major or minor?
Riot Games doesn't explicitly label Vanguard updates as major or minor. Generally, if the game prompts for a system restart, it's a significant update affecting kernel-level components. If it's a silent update in the background, it's likely minor.
How to know if my antivirus is interfering with Vanguard?
Temporarily disable your antivirus software (consult your antivirus's documentation for how to do this safely) and then try launching the game. If it works, your antivirus might be the culprit. Remember to re-enable your antivirus afterward.
How to completely uninstall and reinstall Vanguard without system issues?
You can uninstall Vanguard through the "Add or remove programs" in Windows Settings. Search for "Riot Vanguard" and uninstall it. Then, restart your PC. Reinstalling Valorant or League of Legends will automatically reinstall Vanguard.
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