VAN 9001
Riot Games Valorant
Severity: ModerateWhat Does This Error Mean?
VAN 9001 means Riot Vanguard (the anti-cheat) has not started properly. Vanguard needs to run at system startup — it cannot start mid-session. Restart your PC (not just the game) and Vanguard will initialize during boot.
Affected Models
- PC (Windows 10)
- PC (Windows 11)
Common Causes
- PC was not restarted after installing or updating Vanguard
- Vanguard service was disabled or stopped
- Another program is preventing Vanguard from starting
- Vanguard was recently uninstalled and reinstalled without rebooting
- Windows update changed startup services
How to Fix It
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Restart your PC — this is the fix 90% of the time.
Vanguard must start at boot time to work. A full restart (not sleep/hibernate) initializes Vanguard properly.
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Check that the Vanguard tray icon appears after restart.
Look for a small shield icon in the system tray (bottom-right of your screen). If it is there, Vanguard is running. Try launching Valorant.
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If Vanguard is not starting: check Windows Services.
Press Win+R, type services.msc, find vgc. Make sure it is set to Automatic and is Running. Right-click > Start if it is stopped.
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Reinstall Vanguard if nothing else works.
Uninstall Riot Vanguard from Add/Remove Programs. Restart your PC. Launch Valorant — it will reinstall Vanguard automatically. Restart again after installation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Riot Vanguard?
Vanguard is Riot Games' kernel-level anti-cheat system. It starts at boot and runs continuously to detect cheats. It is required to play Valorant — the game will not launch without it.
Is Vanguard safe? It runs at kernel level.
Vanguard has been controversial because it runs at the deepest level of Windows (Ring 0). Riot says this is necessary to detect sophisticated cheats. It is widely used by millions of players, but some people prefer to uninstall it when not playing.