How To Fix Valorant VGC Not Starting or Stopped
How To Fix Valorant VGC Not Starting or Stopped
Trying to launch Valorant and getting an error about Vanguard? The "VGC not starting" or "VGC stopped" error prevents Valorant from launching because Riot Vanguard, the anti-cheat system, fails to initialize properly. In this tutorial, I walk you through three proven steps to fix the VGC service and get back into your matches.
Step 1: Start VGC and VGK Services via Command Prompt
The quickest way to get Vanguard running is to manually start its services using Command Prompt. This forces the anti-cheat to initialize immediately.
Press the Windows key and type "Command Prompt." Right-click on Command Prompt in the search results and select "Run as administrator." Click Yes if prompted. In the black Command Prompt window, type the following commands and press Enter:
net start vgc
net start vgk
Step 2: Enable VGC in System Configuration
If the services failed to start, they may be disabled in your system configuration. Enabling them ensures they run automatically.
Press the Windows key and type "System Configuration." Click on it from the search results. Go to the "Services" tab. Check the box that says "Hide all Microsoft services" at the bottom . This is important—it hides critical Windows services so you don't accidentally disable them. Now look through the list of remaining services for "vgc" (Riot Vanguard). If the box next to vgc is unchecked, click it to check and enable it . Click Apply, then OK. Restart your PC if prompted.
Step 3: Set VGC Service to Automatic and Restart It
The VGC service may be set to a manual startup type, preventing it from launching when Windows boots. Changing it to automatic ensures it starts every time.
Press the Windows key and type "Services." Click on the Services app from the search results. Scroll down through the alphabetical list until you find "vgc" (listed as "Riot Vanguard" or similar). Right-click on vgc and select "Properties." In the Startup type dropdown menu, select "Automatic" . Click "Apply," then click the "Start" button to start the service immediately if it isn't already running. Click OK to close the properties window.
After completing these steps, restart your PC completely. Once your system reboots, launch Valorant. The VGC service should now start properly, and you should be able to play without errors.
These three steps—starting services via Command Prompt, enabling vgc in System Configuration, and setting vgc to Automatic in Services—fix the "VGC not starting" or "stopped" error for most Valorant players. Try them in order and let me know in the comments which step worked for you.
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