It's frustrating when you're all set to dive into a game like Valorant or League of Legends, only to be stopped by an anti-cheat error. Riot Games' Vanguard anti-cheat is essential for maintaining fair play, and keeping it updated is crucial. While Vanguard often updates automatically, sometimes it needs a little nudge, or you might encounter issues that prevent it from working correctly. Don't worry, we're here to help you get back into the action!
This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process of ensuring your Vanguard anti-cheat is up-to-date and resolving common issues. So, let's get started!
Step 1: Engaging with the Problem - Understanding Vanguard's Role
Before we dive into the technicalities, let's take a moment to understand what Riot Vanguard is and why it's so important. Riot Vanguard is Riot Games' custom-built game security software. It consists of a client that runs while games like Valorant or League of Legends are active, and a kernel-mode driver that starts with your PC. Its primary purpose is to detect and prevent cheating, ensuring a fair and competitive environment for all players.
Ever wonder why Vanguard needs to run at such a deep level on your computer? It's because many sophisticated cheats operate at a low system level, making them difficult for traditional anti-cheat systems to detect. Vanguard's kernel-mode driver allows it to counter these advanced cheating techniques effectively. However, this deep integration can sometimes lead to compatibility issues or require specific system settings to be enabled.
Now that we understand its importance, let's move on to the practical steps of keeping it updated and resolving issues.
Step 2: The Primary Method - Automatic Updates and System Restart
For most users, updating Vanguard is a seamless process. It's designed to update automatically alongside your Riot Games titles.
2.1: The Standard Procedure - Launching Your Game
- Launch your Riot Game: The most common way Vanguard updates is when you launch a game that uses it, such as Valorant or League of Legends. The game client typically checks for Vanguard updates upon launch.
- Wait for the update: If an update is available, the client will usually prompt you to install it or automatically download and install it in the background. This often happens before the game fully launches.
2.2: The Essential Refresh - Restart Your PC
After any game update or if you suspect Vanguard isn't running correctly, a simple PC restart is often the most effective solution.
- Why restart? Vanguard is a kernel-mode driver, meaning it operates at a very low level of your operating system. For any changes or updates to fully take effect, a system restart is usually required. It ensures that the new Vanguard components are properly loaded and integrated with your system.
- How to restart: Click on the Windows Start menu, then the Power icon, and select "Restart."
Step 3: When Things Go Wrong - Reinstalling Vanguard
Sometimes, Vanguard might get corrupted, fail to update, or cause persistent errors. In such cases, a clean reinstall is the recommended course of action.
3.1: The Clean Slate - Uninstalling Riot Vanguard
- Access Control Panel:
- Press the Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog.
- Type
control paneland press Enter.
- Navigate to Programs and Features:
- In the Control Panel, make sure "View by" is set to "Category."
- Under "Programs," click on "Uninstall a program."
- Find and Uninstall Vanguard:
- In the list of installed programs, locate "Riot Vanguard."
- Right-click on it and select "Uninstall." Follow any on-screen prompts to complete the uninstallation. This process usually takes only a moment.
3.2: Ensuring Removal - Deleting Residual Files (Optional but Recommended)
While uninstalling via the Control Panel removes most files, sometimes leftover files can cause issues.
- Open File Explorer: Press Windows Key + E.
- Navigate to Riot Games folder: Go to
C:\Program Files\Riot Vanguard(or wherever your Riot Games folder is located if you installed it elsewhere). - Delete the Vanguard folder: If the
Riot Vanguardfolder still exists, right-click on it and select "Delete." You might need administrator permissions to do this.
3.3: Reinstallation Trigger - Relaunching Your Game
Once Vanguard is completely uninstalled, you can trigger a fresh installation.
- Launch your Riot Game again: Open your Riot Games client (e.g., Valorant launcher or League of Legends client).
- Automatic download: The client will detect that Riot Vanguard is missing and automatically begin downloading and installing the latest version. This might take some time depending on your internet speed.
- Restart your PC (again!): Crucially, after the new installation is complete, you will need to restart your PC once more for Vanguard to properly integrate with your system.
Step 4: Advanced Troubleshooting - Addressing Common Issues
If the above steps don't resolve your Vanguard issues, it's time to delve deeper. Many problems stem from system settings or conflicts with other software.
4.1: System Requirements - Secure Boot and TPM 2.0
Riot Vanguard, especially for Windows 11 users, has strict requirements regarding Secure Boot and TPM 2.0. If these are not enabled, Vanguard will prevent you from playing.
- Check Secure Boot State and BIOS Mode:
- Press Windows Key + R, type
msinfo32, and press Enter. - Look for "Secure Boot State" and "BIOS Mode."
- Secure Boot State should be "On."
- BIOS Mode should be "UEFI."
- Press Windows Key + R, type
- Check TPM State:
- Press Windows Key + R, type
tpm.msc, and press Enter. - The status should say "The TPM is ready for use."
- Press Windows Key + R, type
- Enabling Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 in BIOS:
- This process varies greatly depending on your motherboard manufacturer (e.g., ASUS, MSI, Gigabyte, ASRock). You will need to restart your computer and enter your BIOS/UEFI settings (usually by pressing Del, F2, F10, or F12 during boot-up).
- Look for settings related to "Boot", "Security", or "Advanced."
- Find options like "Secure Boot", "TPM Device Selection", "Intel Platform Trust Technology (PTT)", or "AMD fTPM."
- Enable these options. You may also need to disable "CSM (Compatibility Support Module)" to enable UEFI mode.
- Save and Exit BIOS.
- Consult your motherboard's manual or search online for specific instructions for your motherboard model.
4.2: Software Conflicts - Antivirus and Other Programs
Sometimes, your antivirus software or other background applications can interfere with Vanguard.
- Temporarily Disable Antivirus: Try temporarily disabling your antivirus program before launching the game. If this resolves the issue, you'll need to add an exception for Riot Vanguard in your antivirus settings.
- Close Background Programs: Use Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) to identify and close any unnecessary programs running in the background, especially those that might affect game performance or system integrity (e.g., macro programs, system cleaners).
4.3: System Integrity - Updating Windows and Running System Scans
Ensuring your Windows operating system is up-to-date and free from corruption can resolve many underlying issues.
- Update Windows:
- Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.
- Click "Check for updates" and install any available updates.
- Run SFC and DISM Scans: These command-line tools can repair corrupted system files.
- Open PowerShell as Administrator: Press Windows Key + X and select "Windows PowerShell (Admin)" or "Terminal (Admin)."
- Run the following commands one by one, pressing Enter after each:
sfc /scannowDISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealthDISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealthDISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup
- Restart your PC after these scans are complete.
4.4: Driver Updates - Graphics Card and Motherboard
Outdated drivers can sometimes lead to compatibility issues.
- Graphics Drivers: Visit the website of your graphics card manufacturer (NVIDIA, AMD, Intel) and download the latest drivers for your specific GPU.
- Motherboard Drivers/BIOS: While less common, an outdated BIOS can sometimes cause issues with secure boot or TPM. Only update your BIOS if you are comfortable with the process and have followed your motherboard manufacturer's instructions carefully, as an incorrect BIOS update can damage your system.
Step 5: Seeking Official Help - Contacting Riot Support
If you've tried all the above steps and are still facing issues, it's time to reach out to the experts.
- Riot Games Support Website: Visit the official Riot Games Support website (
support.riotgames.com - Submit a Ticket: Look for the "Submit a Ticket" option. Provide a detailed description of your problem, including any error codes you've received, the troubleshooting steps you've already taken, and your system specifications. Attaching screenshots of error messages can also be very helpful.
Related FAQ Questions
Here are 10 common "How to" questions related to Vanguard anti-cheat, with quick answers:
How to check if Vanguard is running?
You can usually see the Riot Vanguard icon in your system tray (the bottom-right corner of your taskbar, near the clock). If it's there, it's running.
How to temporarily disable Vanguard?
Right-click the Riot Vanguard icon in your system tray and select "Exit Vanguard." Remember, you won't be able to play Riot Games that require Vanguard until you restart your PC.
How to completely uninstall Vanguard?
Go to Control Panel > Programs and Features, find "Riot Vanguard," right-click it, and select "Uninstall." It's also recommended to delete any remaining "Riot Vanguard" folder in C:\Program Files.
How to re-enable Vanguard after disabling it?
You don't directly "re-enable" it. Simply restarting your computer will automatically launch Vanguard again.
How to fix "Vanguard not initialized" error?
Often, this error can be fixed by restarting your PC. If that doesn't work, a clean reinstall of Vanguard (uninstalling and then launching a Riot game to trigger reinstallation) is usually effective.
How to enable Secure Boot for Vanguard?
Restart your PC and enter your BIOS/UEFI settings (usually by pressing Del, F2, F10, or F12). Navigate to the "Boot" or "Security" section and enable "Secure Boot." Save and exit.
How to enable TPM 2.0 for Vanguard?
Similar to Secure Boot, enter your BIOS/UEFI settings. Look for "TPM Device Selection," "Intel PTT," or "AMD fTPM" in the "Advanced" or "Security" sections and enable it.
How to prevent Vanguard from causing blue screens (BSODs)?
Ensure your Windows is fully updated, all your drivers (especially graphics and chipset) are current, and that Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 are correctly configured. Sometimes, disabling "Memory Integrity" (Core Isolation) in Windows Security can temporarily resolve BSODs, but this reduces system security.
How to find the latest Vanguard anti-cheat version?
Vanguard updates automatically with your Riot Games client. There isn't a direct "version number" displayed to users, but ensuring your game client is up-to-date and reinstalling Vanguard if issues persist will ensure you have the latest version.
How to get help from Riot Games for Vanguard issues?
Visit the official Riot Games Support website (
