Valorant Won't Open? Check These Troubleshooting Solutions

Are you having trouble launching the popular game, Valorant, on your PC? It can be frustrating when you're ready to dive into a game and it just won't launch. You may be wondering why Valorant won't open or what could be causing this issue.

Launch issues with games are not uncommon and can happen for various reasons. We'll cover common reasons why the game may not be launching, as well as tips for resolving the issue.

Whether you're experiencing a launch issue with Valorant for the first time or have been struggling with it for a while, this guide will provide valuable insights into how to resolve it. So let's cut to the chase and figure out why Valorant isn't launching on your PC!

Check system requirements and update Windows/graphics drivers

Verify System Requirements Before Playing Valorant

Before jumping into the world of Valorant, it is important to verify that your computer meets the minimum system requirements. Failing to do so can cause performance issues, including FPS drops or even crashes. The minimum requirements for playing Valorant on a Windows computer are:

Operating System: Windows 7/8/10 64-bit
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E8400
Memory RAM: 4 GB RAM
Graphics Card: Intel HD 3000

If your computer PC does not meet these requirements, you may experience performance issues while playing the game.

Update Your Windows and Graphics Drivers Regularly

Updating your Windows and graphics drivers regularly is essential for maintaining optimal performance while gaming. Outdated graphics drivers can cause Valorant to crash or fail to launch altogether. To avoid this issue, make sure you have updated your graphics driver to the latest version available.

To update your graphics driver on a Windows computer, follow these steps:

Press the "Windows + R" keys simultaneously.
Type "devmgmt.msc" in the Run dialog box and press Enter.
In the Device Manager window, locate "Display Adapters" and click on it.
Right-click on your graphics card and select "Update Driver."
Follow the prompts to download and install any available updates.

In addition to updating your graphics driver, it is also important to keep your Windows operating system up-to-date with regular security patches and updates.

Troubleshooting Common Issues with Valorant

If you are experiencing issues with Valorant crashing or failing to launch after verifying that your system meets the minimum requirements and updating both Windows and graphics drivers, there are a few additional troubleshooting steps you can try:

Verify that Vanguard (the anti-cheat software required for playing Valorant) is running. You can check this by opening the "Services" window on your computer and scrolling down to "vgc." If it is not running, right-click on it and select "Start."
Verify that your internet connection is stable and strong enough to support online gaming.

By following these steps, you should be able to resolve most issues related to Valorant not launching or crashing during gameplay.

Close all Riot-related processes and relaunch Riot services

Use Task Manager to close all Riot-related processes

If you are experiencing trouble opening Valorant, it may be because there are some lingering Riot-related processes running in the background. These processes can cause conflicts with the game, preventing it from launching correctly.

To fix this issue, you need to open the Task Manager on your computer and stop any Riot-related processes that are currently running. Here's how:

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to open the Task Manager.
Click on the "Processes" tab.
Look for any process that is related to Riot or Valorant.
Right-click on each of these processes and select "End task".
Once you have closed all of these processes, try launching Valorant again.

Relaunch Riot services to fix Valorant not opening

If closing the Riot-related processes does not work, you may need to restart the Riot services as well. Here's how:

Press Windows key + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
Type "services.msc" into the box and press Enter.
Scroll down until you find any service that is related to Riot or Valorant.
Right-click on each of these services and select "Restart".
Once you have restarted all of these services, try launching Valorant again.

Run Valorant as an administrator or in compatibility mode

Running Valorant as an Administrator

One way to solve the issue of Valorant not opening is by running it as an administrator. This option gives the game administrative rights, which allow it to make necessary changes to the system. When players run Valorant as an administrator, they give it permission to access all files and folders on their computer.

To run Valorant as an administrator, right-click on its shortcut icon and select "Run as Administrator" from the context menu. If this option does not appear, you can go to the game's installation folder and find the executable file. Right-click on it and select "Properties." In the properties window, click on the "Compatibility" tab and check the box that says "Run this program as an administrator." Then click "Apply" and "OK."

Compatibility Mode

Another option for players to try if Valorant won't open is compatibility mode. This feature allows users to run programs designed for older versions of Windows on newer ones. It can also help with issues related to graphics drivers or other software conflicts.

To run Valorant in compatibility mode, right-click on its shortcut icon and select "Properties." In the properties window, click on the "Compatibility" tab and check the box that says "Run this program in compatibility mode for." From there, choose a previous version of Windows that you know works well with your computer. Click "Apply" and then try launching Valorant again.

Verify integrity of game files and reinstall Valorant/Vanguard

Verify integrity of game files to fix Valorant not opening issue.

If you are facing issues with Valorant not opening, one of the first steps that Riot Games recommends is verifying the integrity of game files. This process checks for any corrupted or missing files in the game's installation folder and downloads them again if necessary. Here's how to verify the integrity of game files:

Launch the Riot Games client and click on "Valorant" from your list of games.
Click on the gear icon located at the top right corner.
Select "Check for Updates" from the drop-down menu.
Wait for the client to finish checking for updates.
Once done, click on "Verify" under "VALORANT."
Wait for the verification process to complete.

This process can take some time depending on your internet speed and computer specifications.

Reinstall Valorant and Vanguard to resolve the problem.

If verifying integrity doesn't solve your issue, then it's time to take a more drastic step - uninstalling and reinstalling both Valorant and Vanguard. Here's how you can do it:

Open up your Riot Games client
Click on "Uninstall" under VALORANT
Follow all prompts to completely remove VALORANT from your system
After VALORANT is uninstalled, repeat this process for Vanguard
Restart your computer after uninstalling both programs
Reinstall both programs through Riot Games client by clicking install under each program

Reinstalling takes longer than verifying but could be worth it if you're still having issues.

Riot Games recommends checking config files and game files if Valorant won't open

In addition to verifying integrity or reinstalling, another thing that can help resolve issues with Valorant not opening is checking config files or other game files. Here's how you can do it:

Navigate to the folder where VALORANT is installed on your computer.
Look for a folder named "VALORANT." If you cannot find it, check if the game is installed in a different directory.
Open up the "VALORANT" folder and look for a file named "GameUserSettings."
Right-click on the file and select "Open with Notepad."
Check if there are any errors or typos in this file that could be causing issues with launching VALORANT.

If you're not comfortable digging through config files, Riot Games recommends contacting their support team for further assistance.

Disable antivirus/firewall programs temporarily

Antivirus programs can cause Valorant to not open

One of the common reasons why Valorant won't open is due to antivirus or firewall programs. These programs are designed to protect your computer from malicious software and unauthorized access, but sometimes they can interfere with legitimate applications like Valorant.

Bugs in the antivirus program can be the cause of the issue

Antivirus programs are complex software that can have bugs or compatibility issues with other applications. When this happens, it may prevent Valorant from launching properly. Some users have reported that disabling their antivirus program temporarily allowed them to launch Valorant without any issues.

Disabling the program can help identify if it's the cause

To determine if your antivirus program is causing Valorant not to open, you should try disabling it temporarily. This will allow you to see if there is any conflict between your antivirus program and Valorant. If disabling your antivirus program solves the problem, then you know that it was causing the issue.

Only disable one program at a time to pinpoint the issue

It's important only to disable one program at a time when troubleshooting this issue. If you disable multiple programs simultaneously, it will be difficult to determine which one was causing the problem. Therefore, start by disabling your antivirus software first and see if that resolves the issue before moving on to other security-related software.

When disabling an antivirus or firewall program, keep in mind that you're potentially opening up your system for attack while these are disabled. Ensure that you're only doing this as part of troubleshooting steps and enable them again once done.

Change computer resolution or enable TPM and UEFI Secure Boot (Windows only)

Fixing Valorant Startup Issue by Changing Computer Resolution

One of the common reasons why Valorant won’t open on Windows is due to resolution issues. To fix this problem, you can try changing your computer's resolution.

Firstly, right-click on your desktop and select Display Settings. From there, scroll down to the Scale and Layout section and click on the drop-down menu under Display Resolution. Choose a lower resolution than what you currently have, then click Apply.

After changing your computer's resolution, try launching Valorant again to see if it works. If it still doesn't work, try restarting your computer before attempting to launch the game again.

Enabling TPM and UEFI Secure Boot for Added Security

Another way of fixing the issue of Valorant not opening is by enabling TPM (Trusted Platform Module) and UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) Secure Boot on your motherboard. This step adds an extra layer of security to your system while also helping with compatibility issues that may be causing problems.

To enable these features:

Click Start and right-click on PC.
Select Properties from the dropdown list.
Click Advanced system settings located in the left-hand pane.
Under Advanced tab, click Startup and Recovery.
Click Settings located under System startup section.
Note down which OS is selected as default in case anything goes wrong during this process.
Click Edit located under System startup section.
Add the following clicks:

Click Add
Type in "UEFI Firmware Settings"
Click OK
Check "Enable Secure Boot"

Save changes by clicking OK.

It's important to note that not all motherboards support TPM or UEFI Secure Boot so make sure to check if yours does before attempting this solution.