Tired of Riot Vanguard Running on Startup? Here's Your Ultimate Guide to Taking Control
Are you getting frustrated with Riot Vanguard, the anti-cheat software for Valorant and other Riot Games, launching automatically every time you boot your PC? It's a kernel-level program, meaning it starts with your system and runs in the background, even when you're not playing a game. While it's crucial for competitive integrity, its constant presence can sometimes interfere with other applications or just be an unnecessary resource drain.
Don't worry, you're not alone! Many users want to know how to stop this behavior. The good news is, you have options. We'll walk you through a step-by-step guide to manage Riot Vanguard's startup behavior.
 |
| How To Make Riot Vanguard Not Run On Startup |
Step 1: The Quick and Easy Way - Exiting from the System Tray
Let's start with the most straightforward method. If you just want to stop Vanguard from running for your current session without making permanent changes, this is the way to go.
1. Find the Vanguard Icon: Look for the small, red shield icon with a "V" on it in your system tray, which is located in the bottom-right corner of your taskbar. You might need to click the small upward arrow (^) to reveal hidden icons.
2. Right-Click and Exit: Right-click on the Vanguard icon. A small menu will pop up.
3. Confirm Your Action: Select "Exit Vanguard". A confirmation dialog box will appear, asking if you are sure you want to exit. Click "Yes".
What Happens? This will immediately close the Vanguard client and stop the anti-cheat service from running. Important: You will not be able to launch or play Valorant or any other Riot game that requires Vanguard until you restart your computer. When you reboot, Vanguard will automatically launch again.
Step 2: Disabling the Startup Entry in Task Manager
If you want to prevent the visible Vanguard tray icon from launching on startup, you can disable its entry in the Task Manager. This doesn't stop the core kernel-level service, but it can be a good first step.
Tip: Train your eye to catch repeated ideas.
1. Open Task Manager: The fastest way is to press Ctrl + Shift + Esc simultaneously. Alternatively, you can right-click the taskbar and select "Task Manager".
2. Navigate to the Startup Tab: In the Task Manager window, click on the "Startup apps" or "Startup" tab at the top.
3. Locate and Disable Vanguard: Scroll through the list of startup programs and find "Vanguard tray notification" or a similar entry related to Riot Vanguard.
4. Change the Status: Click on the entry to select it, then click the "Disable" button in the bottom-right corner of the window. You can also right-click the entry and select "Disable".
What Happens? This will prevent the Vanguard tray icon from appearing on your startup. However, the core service (vgk.sys) is a kernel-level driver and may still load with Windows. You may find that if you try to launch a Riot game, it will still require a system restart to re-enable Vanguard.
Step 3: Taking Control of the Vanguard Service (Advanced Method)
This is the most effective way to prevent Vanguard from running at startup. We will be changing the startup type of the Vanguard service from automatic to manual or disabled. A word of caution: This method will require you to manually start the service or restart your PC every time you want to play a Riot game.
1. Open the Services Manager: Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box. Type
services.mscand press Enter. This will open the Services window.2. Find the Vanguard Services: In the Services list, scroll down to find the two services related to Riot Vanguard:
VGC (Vanguard user mode client)
VGK (Vanguard kernel mode driver)
3. Modify the Service Startup Type:
Right-click on "vgc" and select "Properties".
In the Properties window, find the "Startup type" dropdown menu.
Change the startup type from "Automatic" to "Manual" or "Disabled". Manual is a better choice as the Riot client can then start it if needed.
Click "Apply" and then "OK".
Repeat the same steps for the "vgk" service.
4. Stop the Services (Optional but Recommended): While still in the Services window, right-click on both
vgcandvgkand select "Stop". This will stop them from running immediately.
What Happens? By changing the startup type to Manual, the Vanguard services will no longer launch automatically with your computer. They will only start when a program (like the Riot client) explicitly requests them to. This is ideal if you play Riot games less frequently and want to keep your system clean. To play a Riot game, you will need to either restart your PC to allow Vanguard to boot, or you can go back to the Services Manager and manually start the services.
Step 4: The Ultimate Solution - Complete Uninstallation
If you're no longer playing any Riot games, or you are simply fed up with Vanguard's persistent nature, the most definitive solution is to uninstall it completely.
1. Open Apps & Features: Press the Windows key + I to open Settings. Go to "Apps" and then "Apps & features".
2. Locate Riot Vanguard: In the list of installed applications, search for "Riot Vanguard".
3. Uninstall the Application: Click on the three dots next to "Riot Vanguard" and select "Uninstall". Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the uninstallation.
4. Restart Your PC: A restart is often required to fully remove the kernel-level components of Vanguard.
Important Note: Uninstalling Valorant or another Riot game does not automatically uninstall Riot Vanguard. You must uninstall it separately. If you launch a Riot game after uninstalling Vanguard, the client will prompt you to reinstall it.
QuickTip: Repetition signals what matters most.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 10 common questions about managing Riot Vanguard's startup behavior, with quick answers to help you out.
How to check if Riot Vanguard is running?
You can check your system tray for the red shield icon. You can also open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc), go to the "Details" tab, and look for vgtray.exe, vgc.exe, and vgk.sys.
How to disable Riot Vanguard temporarily?
The easiest way is to right-click the Vanguard icon in the system tray and select "Exit Vanguard." This will stop it until your next computer restart.
How to re-enable Riot Vanguard after disabling it?
Tip: Pause, then continue with fresh focus.
Simply restart your computer. Vanguard is designed to launch on boot, so a restart will automatically start the services again.
How to stop Riot Vanguard from running in the background after closing a game?
As long as the Riot Client is open, Vanguard may continue to run. You can either exit Vanguard from the system tray as described in Step 1, or close the Riot Client completely.
How to fix Vanguard not starting on startup?
If Vanguard is not starting, first try restarting your PC. If that doesn't work, go to the Services Manager (services.msc), find the vgc and vgk services, and ensure their startup type is set to "Automatic."
How to completely uninstall Riot Vanguard?
Go to Windows Settings > Apps > Apps & features, find "Riot Vanguard," and click "Uninstall." Remember to restart your PC afterward for a complete removal.
Tip: Don’t skip — flow matters.
How to prevent Riot Vanguard from interfering with other software?
If Vanguard is causing conflicts, the best option is to exit it from the system tray when you're not playing a Riot game. If the issue persists, consider a complete uninstallation and only reinstall it when you plan to play.
How to check the status of the vgc and vgk services?
Open the Services Manager (services.msc) and find the vgc and vgk services in the list. Their "Status" column will show if they are "Running" or not.
How to use Command Prompt to disable Vanguard?
You can use the sc config command in an elevated Command Prompt. For example, sc config vgc start= disabled and sc config vgk start= disabled will disable the services. Use this with caution and understand the implications.
How to know if a game requires Riot Vanguard?
Games like Valorant and League of Legends require Vanguard to be running to play. The game client will typically give you an error message and a notification if Vanguard is not active or has been disabled.
 |
