How To Lower Vanguard Cpu Usage

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Is Vanguard's CPU usage putting a chokehold on your gaming experience? Are you tired of stuttering, lagging, and input delays in your favorite Riot Games titles like Valorant? You're not alone! Many players encounter high CPU usage from Riot Vanguard, the anti-cheat software, which can significantly impact system performance. But don't despair! This comprehensive guide will walk you through a series of steps to help you lower Vanguard's CPU usage and get back to smooth, responsive gameplay.

Let's dive in and reclaim your PC's performance, shall we?

Step 1: Initial Checks and Restarting Processes

Before we delve into more advanced solutions, let's start with some basic troubleshooting steps that often resolve temporary glitches. It's surprising how often a simple restart can fix a multitude of problems!

Sub-heading: Give Your Game and Vanguard a Fresh Start

• The Problem: Sometimes, a temporary hiccup in the game or Vanguard's processes can lead to abnormal CPU consumption.
• The Fix: Ending and restarting these processes can clear any minor conflicts and free up resources.

How to do it:

1. Open Task Manager: Right-click on your Start button (Windows icon) and select Task Manager from the context menu. You can also press Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
2. Locate Processes: In the "Processes" tab, find any processes related to Valorant (or the Riot game you're playing) and Vanguard. Look for names like "Valorant," "League of Legends," and specifically "vgc.exe" or "Riot Vanguard."
3. End Tasks: Right-click on each of these processes and select "End task." This will forcefully close them.
4. Restart the Game: Once both the game and Vanguard processes are closed, launch your game again. Vanguard will automatically restart when the game launches.
5. Observe: Check your Task Manager again to see if the CPU usage has improved.

Sub-heading: Whitelist Vanguard in Your Security Software

• The Problem: Your antivirus or firewall might be overzealously scanning Vanguard, causing it to consume more CPU resources than necessary.
• The Fix: Adding Vanguard to your security software's exclusion list can prevent these conflicts.

How to do it:

1. Access Security Settings: This process varies depending on your antivirus software. Generally, you'll open your antivirus program and look for settings related to "Exclusions," "Whitelists," or "Allowed Apps."
2. Add Vanguard: You'll need to add the Vanguard executable file to the exclusion list. The primary Vanguard executable is typically vgc.exe, often found in C:\Program Files\Riot Vanguard. You might also consider whitelisting the entire Riot Vanguard folder.
3. Consult Documentation: If you're unsure, refer to your specific antivirus software's documentation or support website for precise instructions on how to add exclusions.

Step 2: Optimizing Vanguard's Resource Allocation

Now that we've covered the basics, let's delve into how you can tell Windows to prioritize other applications over Vanguard, thus reducing its impact on your CPU.

Sub-heading: Adjusting Vanguard's Process Priority

• The Problem: By default, processes run with a "Normal" priority. Lowering Vanguard's priority tells your CPU to allocate fewer resources to it, giving preference to other tasks, especially your game.
• The Fix: Manually setting Vanguard's priority to "Low" or "Below Normal."

How to do it:

1. Open Task Manager (Details Tab): Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager. Go to the "Details" tab.
2. Locate Vanguard Process: Find vgc.exe (or a similar Vanguard-related process) in the list.
3. Set Priority: Right-click on vgc.exe, hover over "Set priority," and choose "Low" or "Below normal."
   • Note: While "Low" is more aggressive, "Below normal" is often a good starting point as it offers a noticeable improvement without potentially causing instability.
4. Confirm: Click "Change priority" if prompted.

Sub-heading: Changing Processor Affinity

• The Problem: Vanguard might be utilizing more CPU cores than necessary, potentially impacting the cores your game relies on heavily.
• The Fix: Limiting the number of CPU cores Vanguard can use can free up resources for your game.

How to do it:

1. Open Task Manager (Details Tab): As before, open Task Manager and navigate to the "Details" tab.
2. Locate Vanguard Process: Find vgc.exe in the list.
3. Set Affinity: Right-click on vgc.exe and select "Set affinity."
4. Deselect Cores: In the "Processor Affinity" window, you'll see a list of your CPU cores. By default, all will be checked. Experiment with deselecting one or two cores for Vanguard.
   • Caution: Do not deselect "CPU 0" as this is often the primary core for system processes. Start by deselecting a couple of higher-numbered cores. If this causes instability, re-enable them.
5. Confirm: Click "OK" to apply the changes.
6. Restart PC (Recommended): For this change to take full effect and persist, it's highly recommended to restart your computer.

Step 3: System-Wide Optimizations and Driver Updates

Sometimes, high CPU usage isn't solely Vanguard's fault. Your overall system configuration and outdated drivers can also contribute.

Sub-heading: Updating Drivers (Especially Graphics and Chipset)

• The Problem: Outdated graphics drivers or chipset drivers can lead to inefficiencies and performance bottlenecks, which can indirectly increase CPU load, even for background processes like Vanguard.
• The Fix: Keeping your drivers up-to-date ensures optimal compatibility and performance.

How to do it:

1. Graphics Drivers:
   • NVIDIA: Go to the official NVIDIA website, navigate to their "Drivers" section, and use their automatic driver detection or manually select your GPU model to download the latest Game Ready Driver.
   • AMD: Visit the official AMD website, go to "Support & Drivers," and download the latest Radeon Software for your GPU.
2. Chipset Drivers: Visit your motherboard manufacturer's website (e.g., ASUS, MSI, Gigabyte, ASRock) and locate the support page for your specific motherboard model. Download and install the latest chipset drivers.
3. Restart: After installing any driver updates, restart your computer.

Sub-heading: Disabling Third-Party Overlays

• The Problem: Applications like Discord, Steam, NVIDIA GeForce Experience, and MSI Afterburner often have in-game overlays that, while useful, consume additional system resources and can conflict with anti-cheat software.
• The Fix: Temporarily disabling these overlays can significantly reduce CPU strain.

How to do it:

1. Discord Overlay:
   • Open Discord, go to User Settings (cog icon).
   • Under "Activity Settings," click on "Game Overlay."
   • Toggle off "Enable in-game overlay."
2. Steam Overlay:
   • Open Steam, go to your "Library."
   • Right-click on the game (e.g., Valorant, if you launch it through Steam) and select "Properties."
   • Under the "General" tab, uncheck "Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game."
3. NVIDIA GeForce Experience Overlay:
   • Open GeForce Experience.
   • Click on the "Settings" icon (cog).
   • Under "General," toggle off "In-Game Overlay."
4. Other Overlays: If you use other applications with overlays (e.g., MSI Afterburner, Xbox Game Bar), disable them as well.

Step 4: Advanced Troubleshooting and Game-Specific Settings

If the previous steps haven't yielded the desired results, it's time to explore some more in-depth solutions.

Sub-heading: Restarting the Vanguard Service

• The Problem: Sometimes, the Vanguard service itself (vgc service) might get stuck or operate inefficiently.
• The Fix: Restarting the service can resolve these internal issues.

How to do it:

1. Open Services: Type "Services" in the Windows search bar and press Enter to open the Services application.
2. Locate VGC Service: Scroll down the list and find the service named "Vgc."
3. Restart Service: Right-click on "Vgc" and select "Restart."
   • Alternatively, you can click "Stop" first and then "Start" to ensure a full refresh.
4. Observe: Relaunch your game and check CPU usage.

Sub-heading: Adjusting In-Game Graphics Settings

• The Problem: While Vanguard is anti-cheat, high in-game graphics settings can also put a significant load on your CPU, especially if your GPU is struggling to keep up.
• The Fix: Lowering certain graphics settings can reduce the overall system strain.

Key settings to consider lowering (in your game's settings):

• Resolution: Lowering the game's resolution is often the most impactful change.
• Shadow Quality: Shadows are notoriously CPU-intensive. Lowering or disabling them can provide a significant boost.
• Particle Quality/Density: Intricate particle effects can put a strain on your CPU.
• View Distance/Level of Detail (LOD): Reducing how far the game renders details can help.
• Anti-aliasing: While it smooths jagged edges, it can be demanding. Experiment with lower settings or disabling it.
• V-Sync: While it prevents screen tearing, it can introduce input lag and sometimes impact CPU if not synced properly. Try disabling it to see if it helps.

Sub-heading: Disabling "Fast Startup" (Windows Feature)

• The Problem: Windows' "Fast Startup" feature, designed to speed up boot times, can sometimes interfere with how programs and services (like Vanguard) load, potentially leading to conflicts and higher CPU usage.
• The Fix: Disabling this feature ensures a cleaner system startup.

How to do it:

1. Open Control Panel: Search for "Control Panel" in Windows search and open it.
2. Navigate to Power Options: Click on "Hardware and Sound," then "Power Options."
3. Choose Power Button Action: On the left pane, click on "Choose what the power buttons do."
4. Change Unavailable Settings: Click on "Change settings that are currently unavailable."
5. Disable Fast Startup: Under "Shutdown settings," uncheck the box next to "Turn on fast startup (recommended)."
6. Save Changes: Click "Save changes" and restart your PC.

Step 5: Reinstalling Vanguard (As a Last Resort)

If all else fails, a clean reinstallation of Vanguard might be necessary to resolve any corrupted files or deep-seated issues.

Sub-heading: Performing a Clean Reinstallation

• The Problem: Corrupted Vanguard files or an improper installation can lead to persistent high CPU usage.
• The Fix: Uninstalling and then reinstalling Vanguard ensures you have a fresh, clean copy.

How to do it:

1. Uninstall Valorant (or the Riot Game): Vanguard is deeply integrated with Riot Games titles. To fully uninstall Vanguard, you usually need to uninstall the associated game first.
   • Go to Settings > Apps > Apps & features.
   • Find "Valorant" (or the Riot game) in the list, click on it, and select "Uninstall."
   • Follow the on-screen prompts.
2. Uninstall Riot Vanguard Separately: After uninstalling the game, locate "Riot Vanguard" in the "Apps & features" list.
   • Click on it and select "Uninstall."
   • Confirm the uninstallation.
3. Restart Your PC: This step is crucial for ensuring all residual Vanguard files are cleared.
4. Reinstall the Game: Download and reinstall your Riot game from the official Riot Games website. Vanguard will be reinstalled automatically alongside the game.
5. Check CPU Usage: After reinstallation and the game is running, monitor your CPU usage in Task Manager.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How to check Vanguard CPU usage?

You can check Vanguard's CPU usage by opening Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) and navigating to the "Processes" or "Details" tab. Look for "Riot Vanguard" or "vgc.exe" in the list, and the "CPU" column will show its current usage percentage.

How to stop Vanguard from running at startup?

Vanguard is designed to run at system startup to function as an effective anti-cheat. While you can manually stop the "vgc" service in "Services," it will restart automatically when you launch a Riot game. There is no official way to permanently prevent it from running at startup if you intend to play Riot games.

How to update Vanguard?

Vanguard updates typically occur automatically alongside game patches for titles like Valorant and League of Legends. You generally don't need to manually update it.

How to know if Vanguard is causing high CPU usage?

If you observe significant CPU spikes or consistently high CPU usage from "Riot Vanguard" or "vgc.exe" in Task Manager, especially when you're not actively playing a Riot game or even when your system is idle, it's likely causing high CPU usage.

How to disable third-party overlays that might conflict with Vanguard?

To disable third-party overlays, open the respective application (e.g., Discord, Steam, NVIDIA GeForce Experience) and navigate to their settings. Look for options related to "Overlay," "In-Game Overlay," or "Game Overlay" and toggle them off.

How to change Vanguard's process priority?

Open Task Manager, go to the "Details" tab, find "vgc.exe," right-click on it, hover over "Set priority," and choose "Low" or "Below normal."

How to change Vanguard's processor affinity?

In Task Manager's "Details" tab, right-click on "vgc.exe," select "Set affinity," and uncheck some CPU cores (avoid CPU 0). Click "OK" and restart your PC.

How to reinstall Vanguard for a fresh start?

To reinstall Vanguard, first uninstall the associated Riot game (e.g., Valorant) from "Apps & features" in Windows Settings. Then, uninstall "Riot Vanguard" separately. Restart your PC, and then reinstall the Riot game; Vanguard will be reinstalled automatically.

How to reduce CPU usage in-game for better performance with Vanguard?

Lower your in-game graphics settings, focusing on resolution, shadow quality, particle effects, and view distance. These settings directly impact CPU load during gameplay.

How to contact Riot Games support for persistent Vanguard issues?

If you've tried all troubleshooting steps and still experience high CPU usage or other issues with Vanguard, you should contact Riot Games Support through their official website. They have dedicated teams to assist with anti-cheat software problems.

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