How to Fix Valorant Not Launching and No Error Message Issues

When the "Play" button in the Riot Client grays out and then returns to red without launching Valorant or displaying an error message, it can be a frustrating and confusing experience. This "silent failure" is a common problem that many players face. The good news is that it can often be solved with a few troubleshooting steps.Here’s a breakdown of the potential causes and a comprehensive guide on how to fix the issue.

Why is Valorant Failing to Launch Silently?

The silent launch failure is typically caused by a conflict that prevents the game or its anti-cheat system, Riot Vanguard, from starting correctly. Common culprits include:

• Riot Vanguard Service Issues: The VGC (Vanguard) service may be disabled, blocked, or simply not running, which is a mandatory requirement for the game.
• Conflicting Background Processes: Certain applications, especially those with overlays (like Discord or Steam) or security software (like Citrix), can interfere with Vanguard.
• Outdated or Corrupted Drivers: Graphics drivers or even core Windows files can be corrupted or outdated, preventing the game from initializing.
• Insufficient Permissions: The game may lack the necessary administrator rights to run properly on your system.
• Game File Corruption: Critical game files or components (like DirectX or Visual C++ runtimes) may be missing or corrupted.

How to Fix Valorant Not Opening or Launching

Here are a number of solutions, starting with the simplest and moving to more involved fixes.

1. End Unnecessary Background Processes

Open your Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc. Look for and end any tasks related to:

• RiotClientServices.exe
• Valorant.exe
• Any third-party applications that use overlays, such as Discord or Steam.
• Note: Avoid stopping vgc.exe (Vanguard) as it will likely require a PC restart to get it running again.

2. Run as Administrator and Adjust Compatibility

Ensuring Valorant has the right permissions can solve many launch issues.

Right-click the Valorant shortcut on your desktop.

Select Run as administrator.

If this works, make it a permanent fix: Right-click the shortcut, go to Properties, click the Compatibility tab, and check the box for "Run this program as an administrator."

While you're there, you can also try checking the box to "Disable fullscreenoptimizations," which has resolved issues for some users.

3. Enable or Restart the VGC (Riot Vanguard) Service

Riot Vanguard's anti-cheat service is a must-have for the game to launch. If it's not running, you can enable it manually.

Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog.

Type msconfig and press Enter.

In the System Configuration window, go to the Services tab.

Check the box for "Hide all Microsoft services" to filter the list.

Look for the vgc service and make sure it is checked. If it's not, check the box, click Apply, then OK, and reboot your PC.

If it is already checked but the game still fails, try unchecking it,rebooting, and then re-enabling it and rebooting again to perform aclean restart of the service.

4. Update Graphics Drivers and Windows

Outdated system components can cause a variety of crashes and launch failures.

• Graphics Drivers: Go to your GPU manufacturer's official website (NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel) and download the latest drivers for your specific graphics card.
• Windows Updates: Make sure your Windows 10 or 11 operating system is fully up to date. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and click "Check for updates."

5. Repair or Reinstall Valorant and Vanguard

If the issue is caused by corrupted files, a repair or fresh installation is the best solution.

Repair: Open the Riot Client, go to Settings, find Valorant in the game list, and click Repair.

Reinstall: If the repair fails, you may need to perform a clean reinstallation. Go to your Control Panel or Settings to uninstall both Riot Vanguard and Valorant. Then, download and install the game again from the official Valorant website.

6. Other Advanced Fixes

If the above methods don't work, consider these more specific solutions that have helped other players.

• Disable Conflicting Services: Some users on Reddit have found that a specific conflicting service, like Citrix AppProtection, was the cause. You can use the msconfig method mentioned above to disable non-essential services and see if that solves the issue.
• Rename RiotGamesPrivateSettings.yaml: A corrupted settings file can sometimes prevent a launch. Navigate to %localappdata%\Riot Games\Riot Client\Data and rename the RiotGamesPrivateSettings.yaml file to .yaml.1. This will force the client to generate a new file on launch.
• Check Minimum System Requirements: As a last check, ensure your PC meets the game's minimum requirements, especially for CPU, RAM, and your OS version.

Component	Minimum Specs (30 FPS)
CPU	Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 or AMD Athlon 200GE
RAM	4 GB
Storage	20 GB
Video Card	Intel HD 4000 or AMD Radeon R5 200
OS	Windows 10 or 11

By methodically going through these steps, you should be able to identify and resolve the issue preventing Valorant from launching on your PC.

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