Fixing common League of Legends problems is usually straightforward once you know where to look. Whether the client refuses to launch, the game crashes mid-match, your ping spikes every few minutes, or a patch gets stuck at 99%, each issue has a reliable cause — and a reliable fix. This guide walks through the six most effective solutions in the order you should try them.
Before you start
You do not need any special tools. Everything in this guide uses built-in Windows utilities (Task Manager, Device Manager, File Explorer) and the League of Legends client itself. Have your Riot account credentials handy in case the repair tool signs you out. These steps apply to the Windows PC version of League of Legends; Mac users can follow most steps with equivalent Mac tools.
How to fix common League of Legends problems
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Step 1: Check the League of Legends server status
Before changing anything on your own machine, confirm that Riot's servers are actually up. Open a browser and visit status.riotgames.com. Select your region from the dropdown and look for any incidents marked "Investigating" or "In Progress." If your server shows a problem, the fix is simply to wait — no amount of reinstalling will help while Riot's infrastructure is down. If all servers show green, the issue is on your end and you can move to the next step.
Always check status.riotgames.com first — a server outage will make every other fix useless until it resolves. -
Step 2: Run the built-in client repair tool
The League of Legends client has its own repair feature that scans your installation for corrupt or missing files and replaces them automatically — no manual hunting through folders required. Launch the client, click the gear icon (Settings) in the top-right corner, then select General from the left menu and click Initiate Full Repair. The scan can take anywhere from five to thirty minutes depending on how many files need replacing. Restart the client once the repair finishes. This single step resolves the majority of crash, black-screen, and patch-failure reports.
The Initiate Full Repair button in Settings > General is the fastest way to fix corrupt game files without reinstalling. -
Step 3: Troubleshoot lag and high ping
Unstable or high ping makes League of Legends nearly unplayable. Work through these fixes in order: first, plug in an Ethernet cable instead of using Wi-Fi — even a short cable drop from a router dramatically lowers ping variance. Next, reboot your router and modem (unplug them for 30 seconds). Then close any applications that consume bandwidth while you play, such as streaming services or cloud backup tools. If ping remains high, try changing your DNS servers to Google's public DNS (8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4) in your network adapter settings. Finally, if your PC is underpowered, enable Low Spec Mode inside the LoL client under Settings > Video to reduce the CPU and GPU load that can cause artificial lag.
Switching from Wi-Fi to Ethernet and rebooting your router are the two fastest ping fixes for most players. -
Step 4: Delete the Cache and Config folders
Over time the Cache and Config folders inside the League of Legends installation directory accumulate corrupt data that can cause crashes, blank screens on login, or settings that fail to save. Deleting these folders is safe — the game recreates them automatically when it next launches, restoring default settings. Navigate to your installation folder (typically
C:\Riot Games\League of Legends\), then delete the Config folder and the Cache folder. Do not touch the Game or RADS folders. Relaunch the client and log back in; you may need to re-enter your video and sound preferences.
Deleting the Config and Cache folders is safe — League rebuilds both automatically and it often clears persistent login or crash issues. -
Step 5: Update or roll back your graphics driver
An outdated or newly broken graphics driver is one of the top causes of mid-game crashes, black screens, and "DirectX error" messages in League of Legends. Open Device Manager (press Windows + X and select it from the menu), expand Display adapters, right-click your GPU, and choose Update driver. Let Windows search automatically, or download the latest driver directly from the NVIDIA or AMD website for the freshest version. If your crashes started immediately after a driver update, choose Roll Back Driver in the GPU's Properties dialog instead — this reverts to the previously installed version that was stable.
Right-click your GPU in Device Manager and update the driver — or roll it back if crashes started after a recent driver install. -
Step 6: Close conflicting background applications
Discord overlays, OBS Studio, recording software, intensive antivirus scans, and even browsers with many tabs open can interfere with League of Legends, causing crashes, stuttering, or failure to launch. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, click the CPU or Memory column headers to sort by resource usage, and end any non-essential processes before starting your game. Pay special attention to applications that inject overlays (Discord, GeForce Experience, Steam). If the problem disappears after closing a specific app, that is your culprit — try updating or disabling its overlay feature rather than closing it entirely every session.
End Discord, OBS, and Chrome in Task Manager before launching LoL to free up CPU and memory and eliminate overlay conflicts.
Extra tips
- Run as Administrator. Right-click the LoL launcher and choose "Run as administrator" if the client freezes on the loading screen or fails to patch.
- Temporarily disable antivirus. Some security suites quarantine LoL patch files. Add your Riot Games folder to your antivirus exclusion list rather than disabling protection entirely.
- Check your firewall. Make sure Windows Firewall — or any third-party firewall — allows outbound connections from LeagueClient.exe and League of Legends.exe.
- Free up disk space. League of Legends needs several gigabytes of free space to apply patches. If your drive is nearly full, patches stall or fail silently.
Troubleshooting
The client gets stuck at 0% when patching
This almost always means a firewall or antivirus is blocking the download. Add your Riot Games folder to your security software's exclusion list, then retry the patch. If that does not work, run the client as Administrator.
I keep getting a "Failed to connect to server" error in-game
This error appears when the game client cannot reach Riot's game servers mid-match. Check status.riotgames.com first. If servers are up, the cause is usually a firewall blocking game ports or a Windows Firewall rule that was added automatically. Remove any LoL rules from Windows Firewall, relaunch, and let Windows prompt you to allow access again.
League of Legends crashes immediately after the splash screen
This is usually a corrupt installation or a driver problem. Run the client repair tool (Step 2) first. If that does not help, update or roll back your graphics driver (Step 5). As a last resort, uninstall the game using the Riot Uninstaller and perform a fresh download from the official site.
Frequently asked questions
Why does League of Legends keep disconnecting mid-game?
Mid-game disconnects are almost always a network issue — Wi-Fi drops, router overload, or ISP packet loss. Switch to a wired Ethernet connection, reboot your router, and close background apps that use bandwidth. If disconnects still happen, run a traceroute to Riot's servers to pinpoint where packets are being dropped.
How do I fix the League of Legends black screen on launch?
A black screen on launch is usually caused by a corrupt game file or a graphics driver conflict. Run the client repair tool first. If the screen is still black after repair, update your GPU driver and make sure your monitor's refresh rate in Windows Display Settings matches a rate your GPU actually supports.
Does reinstalling League of Legends fix most problems?
A full reinstall should be a last resort, not a first step, because it takes significant time and bandwidth. The built-in repair tool (Step 2) fixes corrupt files just as effectively in most cases. Reinstall only if repair, driver updates, and cache deletion have all failed.
Why is my League of Legends ping high even though my internet is fast?
Internet speed (bandwidth) and ping (latency) are different things. High download speed does not guarantee low ping. Ping depends on your physical distance from Riot's servers, router hops, and network congestion. A wired connection and changing your DNS to 8.8.8.8 typically reduce ping more than upgrading your internet plan.
How do I stop League of Legends from crashing in the middle of a ranked game?
Mid-game crashes in ranked are usually caused by graphics driver issues, overlay software (Discord, GeForce Experience), or overheating. Update or roll back your GPU driver, disable all overlays, and use a tool like HWMonitor to check whether your CPU or GPU temperature exceeds 90°C during gameplay. If it does, clean out dust from your PC's fans and heatsinks.
Final thoughts
Most League of Legends problems resolve with one of three actions: checking Riot's server status, running the client repair tool, or updating your graphics driver. Work through the six steps above in order and you will cover the vast majority of issues players encounter. For problems that persist after all six steps, the Riot Support portal has a ticket system and a searchable knowledge base that covers edge cases specific to your region and hardware.
