Riot Vanguard is the anti-cheat software required to play Valorant, and you don't need to download it separately — it installs automatically when you install Valorant on your PC. This guide walks you through every step, from visiting the official download page to launching Valorant with Vanguard active and running.
What you need before you start
Before installing, confirm your system meets the basics:
- Operating system: Windows 10 (64-bit, version 1903 or later) or Windows 11. Vanguard does not support 32-bit Windows or macOS.
- Secure Boot and TPM: On Windows 11, Riot Vanguard requires Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 to be enabled in your BIOS/UEFI. Most modern PCs have these on by default.
- Administrator rights: You'll need to accept a Windows User Account Control (UAC) prompt during installation.
- A Riot Games account: Free to create at playvalorant.com if you don't have one yet.
How to download and install Riot Vanguard
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Step 1: Go to playvalorant.com and click Download
Open your web browser and navigate to the official Valorant site at playvalorant.com. Click the large Download button on the homepage. This downloads the ValorantInstall.exe file — a small launcher that handles the full installation, including Riot Vanguard, automatically. Never download Valorant or Vanguard from third-party sites; only the official Riot Games installer is safe and signed.
The Download button on playvalorant.com gets you the installer that includes Riot Vanguard. -
Step 2: Run the Valorant installer
Once the file finishes downloading, open it — in Chrome or Edge, click Open file in the download bar; in Firefox, choose Open from the downloads panel. Windows will display a User Account Control prompt asking if you want to allow the app to make changes to your device. Click Yes. This permission is necessary because Vanguard installs a kernel-level driver, which requires elevated privileges.
Click Yes on the UAC dialog — this is required for Vanguard's driver to install correctly. -
Step 3: Wait for Valorant and Vanguard to finish installing
The installer downloads and installs both Valorant and Riot Vanguard simultaneously. You'll see progress indicators for each. Vanguard installs as a kernel-level driver (vgk.sys), which is what allows it to detect cheats at a low system level. The total installation size is several gigabytes, so download time varies with your connection speed. Do not close the installer window until both bars complete.
Valorant and Riot Vanguard install in parallel — wait for both progress bars to complete. -
Step 4: Restart your PC when prompted
After installation, Riot Vanguard will ask you to restart your computer. This is not optional — the Vanguard driver must be loaded at boot time to function correctly. Click Restart Now in the Vanguard dialog, or restart manually through the Windows Start menu (Start → Power → Restart). The reboot takes the usual amount of time and you don't need to do anything special during it.
Restarting is mandatory — Vanguard's driver loads during the Windows boot process. -
Step 5: Launch Valorant — Vanguard starts automatically
After your PC restarts, double-click the VALORANT shortcut on your desktop. Riot Vanguard starts automatically in the background before the game loads. You'll see a small Vanguard icon in the Windows system tray (bottom-right), confirming it's active and protecting your session. From this point on, Vanguard will launch at Windows startup — you don't need to start it manually before playing.
Vanguard runs silently in the system tray whenever Valorant is open — no manual steps needed.
Tips and things to know
- Vanguard runs at startup. On Windows 11, Vanguard loads when Windows starts, not just when Valorant runs. You can temporarily disable it through the system tray icon, but you must re-enable it before playing.
- Disk space. Valorant uses around 30 GB of disk space. Make sure your install drive has enough room before you begin.
- Firewall and antivirus. If Windows Defender or another antivirus flags the installer, add an exception for the Riot Games folder. Reputable security software will recognize the signed Riot installer.
- Only one Riot client needed. If you already play League of Legends or another Riot game, you already have the Riot Client and Vanguard. You can install Valorant directly from the Riot Client library.
- Uninstalling. To remove Vanguard, go to Windows Settings → Apps → search "Riot Vanguard" and uninstall it. Valorant will also be removed from your system if you uninstall the Riot Client.
Troubleshooting common issues
Valorant says "Vanguard is not initialized"
This almost always means Vanguard didn't start with Windows. Open the system tray, right-click the Vanguard icon, and choose Restart Vanguard. If there's no tray icon, restart your PC and try again. If the error persists, reinstall Vanguard from the Riot Client (Settings → Repair).
Installation fails or stalls
Close all Riot Games processes in Task Manager, delete any partially downloaded files in your Riot Games installation folder, and run the installer again as Administrator (right-click the .exe → Run as administrator).
Vanguard says Secure Boot is not enabled (Windows 11)
You need to enable Secure Boot in your BIOS or UEFI settings. Restart your PC and enter the firmware settings (usually Del or F2 during boot), then find the Secure Boot option under the Security or Boot tab and enable it. Save and exit. If your system also needs TPM 2.0, this is typically found under Security in the same BIOS menu.
The installer download is very slow
The initial ValorantInstall.exe file is small (under 5 MB). If it's slow, try a wired Ethernet connection instead of Wi-Fi. The bulk of the download happens inside the installer itself, which also uses multiple servers to maximize speed.
Frequently asked questions
Is Riot Vanguard free to download?
Yes. Riot Vanguard is completely free and installs automatically with Valorant. There's nothing to purchase or separately download.
Do I need to download Vanguard if I already play another Riot game?
If you've already installed a Riot game that uses Vanguard (such as Valorant itself), the anti-cheat is already on your system. Simply install Valorant through the Riot Client and it will use the existing Vanguard installation.
Can I play Valorant without Riot Vanguard?
No. Riot Vanguard is mandatory for Valorant. The game will not launch if Vanguard is disabled or missing. This is enforced to maintain fair gameplay in ranked and unranked matches.
Does Riot Vanguard work on Mac or Linux?
Riot Vanguard — and Valorant itself — are Windows-only. They are not officially supported on macOS or Linux. Some players run Windows in a virtual machine or via Boot Camp, but Vanguard may block this configuration because it cannot verify the hardware environment.
Is it safe to leave Riot Vanguard running all the time?
Riot Games states that Vanguard only actively scans when Valorant is running. On Windows 10 you can disable it via the tray icon between gaming sessions; on Windows 11 it loads at boot but does not actively monitor your system when Valorant is closed. If you have concerns, you can uninstall it at any time through Windows Settings.
You're ready to play
Installing Riot Vanguard is straightforward — download the official Valorant installer, run it, accept the UAC prompt, wait for the installation to complete, restart once, and you're done. Vanguard takes care of itself from that point forward, running silently whenever you launch Valorant. If you run into any issues during setup, the troubleshooting steps above cover the most common problems. Once you're in, check out the official Valorant website for agent guides, patch notes, and everything else you need to get started.
