Having Trouble Launching VALORANT or League of Legends? Let's Get You Back in the Game!
Ever hit that "Play" button on your favorite Riot game, only to be met with a frustrating message that says "Vanguard Not Initialized" or "System Reboot Required"? You're not alone. This is a common hiccup with Riot's anti-cheat software, Riot Vanguard, which needs to be running in the background for you to play games like VALORANT or League of Legends.
While Riot Vanguard is designed to start automatically when your computer boots up, sometimes things go wrong. Perhaps a conflicting program is blocking it, a service got stuck, or a recent update caused a glitch. Whatever the reason, we're here to help you get it running manually, step by step, so you can jump back into the action without a full system restart.
Let's dive in and fix this together!
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| How To Start Riot Vanguard Manually |
Step 1: Check the Basics and Engage the Services
Before we get into anything complex, let's start with the most common and straightforward solution. This is where we check if the Riot Vanguard service is simply stopped and then give it a nudge to start.
First things first, let's talk to your computer's services. Think of your services as the essential workers running behind the scenes to make your computer function. Vanguard has a special service it needs to run.
Press the Windows key + R on your keyboard to open the 'Run' dialog box.
In the box, type
services.mscand hit Enter. This will open the Services window, which might look a little intimidating, but don't worry, we're just looking for one specific thing.In the list of services, click anywhere and type
von your keyboard. This will jump you down to the services that start with the letter 'V'.Look for a service named "vgc". The description should be something like "Vanguard."
Now, let's check its status. Look at the "Status" column. Does it say 'Running'? If it does, you might have a different issue, and we'll address that later. If it's 'Stopped' or blank, you've found the culprit!
Time to take action! Right-click on the "vgc" service and select Properties.
In the Properties window, find the 'Startup type' dropdown menu. It should be set to 'Automatic'. If it's not, change it to Automatic.
Click the 'Start' button under 'Service status'. If it starts successfully and the status changes to 'Running', you're golden! Click 'Apply' and 'OK', close the Services window, and try launching your game.
If you get an error message when trying to start the service, don't lose hope. We have more tricks up our sleeve in the next steps!
Step 2: A More Forceful Approach - Command Prompt
Sometimes, the Services window is stubborn. If you couldn't start the service in Step 1, it's time to bring in the big guns: the Command Prompt. We will use a powerful command to force the service to start.
Open Command Prompt as an Administrator. This is a crucial part of the process.
Click on the Start Menu and type
cmd.Right-click on "Command Prompt" in the search results and select Run as administrator.
If a User Account Control (UAC) prompt appears, click 'Yes' to grant the necessary permissions.
Use the command to start the service. In the Command Prompt window, type the following command and hit Enter:
sc start vgcYou should see a message that says
[SC] StartService SUCCESS. This means the service has been successfully started.Now, close the Command Prompt and try launching your game again.
Pro Tip: If you want to check the status of the service using Command Prompt, you can type sc query vgc and hit Enter. This will show you the current state of the service.
QuickTip: Reading twice makes retention stronger.
Step 3: The Repair and Reinstall Method (The Ultimate Fix)
If the previous steps didn't work, it's highly likely that your Riot Vanguard installation is either corrupted or a file is missing. The most reliable way to fix this is to reinstall it. Don't worry, you don't have to reinstall your entire game!
Sub-heading 3.1: Uninstalling Riot Vanguard
This is a two-part process: uninstalling the Vanguard application and then ensuring its services are completely removed.
Uninstall from Apps & Features:
Click on the Start Menu and type
Add or remove programs.Open "Add or remove programs" from the search results.
In the list of applications, search for 'Riot Vanguard'.
Click on 'Riot Vanguard' and select Uninstall.
Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the uninstallation.
Remove the services using Command Prompt (as Admin):
Open Command Prompt as an administrator again (as shown in Step 2).
Type the following two commands one by one, pressing Enter after each one:
sc delete vgcsc delete vgk
You should see a message that says
[SC] DeleteService SUCCESSafter each command. This ensures that the services are completely gone.
Reboot your PC. This is a critical step. A reboot is necessary to completely clear any lingering files or processes related to Vanguard.
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Sub-heading 3.2: Reinstalling Riot Vanguard
Launch your Riot game client (VALORANT or League of Legends).
The client will detect that Riot Vanguard is not installed and will automatically prompt you to download and install it.
Follow the on-screen instructions.
Once the installation is complete, the client will likely ask you to restart your computer. This is non-negotiable. Vanguard is a kernel-level anti-cheat, meaning it needs to start with your operating system to function properly.
After the reboot, you should see the Riot Vanguard icon in your system tray, and you should be able to launch your game without any issues.
Step 4: Advanced Troubleshooting - The 'vgk.sys' File
In some rare cases, the vgk.sys driver file might have a permission issue. This is a more technical step, so proceed with caution.
Tip: Don’t just scroll to the end — the middle counts too.
Locate the Vanguard installation folder. By default, it's usually at
C:\Program Files\Riot Vanguard.Find the file named
vgk.sys.Right-click on
vgk.sysand select Properties.Go to the Security tab.
Click on Edit and make sure that 'Full control' is allowed for all users or your user account.
Click 'Apply' and 'OK'.
Restart your computer and try launching the game.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How to check if Riot Vanguard is running?
You can check if Riot Vanguard is running by looking for its small red icon (a 'V' with a shield) in your system tray, which is located in the bottom-right corner of your taskbar. If you don't see it, it's not running.
How to uninstall Riot Vanguard without uninstalling the game?
You can uninstall Riot Vanguard separately from the game by going to "Add or remove programs" in your Windows settings. Simply find "Riot Vanguard" in the list and click uninstall.
How to fix Vanguard 'VAN 1067' or 'VAN 57' error?
These errors often indicate that Vanguard is not running or is having a connection issue. First, try restarting your PC and the Riot client. If that doesn't work, follow the steps in this guide, especially the reinstall method, to ensure the service is running correctly.
QuickTip: Pause when something clicks.
How to make sure Vanguard starts automatically with Windows?
In the Services window (services.msc), find the 'vgc' service, right-click, and go to 'Properties'. Make sure the 'Startup type' is set to 'Automatic'. This is the default setting, but it can sometimes get changed.
How to fix Vanguard not starting after a Windows update?
Windows updates can sometimes interfere with drivers. The best solution is often to perform a clean reinstall of Riot Vanguard as described in Step 3. This will ensure that all the necessary files and services are correctly integrated with your updated system.
How to troubleshoot a 'System Reboot Required' message?
This message means that Vanguard needs a fresh start with your system to function properly. Try restarting your computer. If the message persists, follow the manual startup steps or the reinstall guide.
How to check for conflicting software that might be blocking Vanguard?
QuickTip: Pause after each section to reflect.
Certain software, especially other anti-cheat programs or security software, can conflict with Vanguard. Try performing a 'Clean Boot' in Windows (you can find a guide on the Microsoft support website) to start your PC with minimal programs and see if Vanguard runs.
How to start the 'vgk' service manually?
The 'vgk' service is the kernel-mode driver, and it's designed to start on boot. It's not meant to be started manually in the same way as 'vgc'. If you are having issues with vgk.sys, a clean reinstall and a reboot are the most effective solutions.
How to allow Vanguard through a firewall?
Your firewall might be blocking Vanguard. You can go into your Windows Firewall settings and add an exception for Riot Client and any related Riot programs to ensure they are not being blocked.
How to submit a ticket to Riot Games support for Vanguard issues?
If all else fails, the best course of action is to contact Riot Games support. You can submit a ticket on their official support website, providing a detailed description of the problem and the steps you've already taken. This will help them assist you more effectively.
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