How to Install and Optimize League of Legends on Windows
Source-checked · About 20 minutes plus download time
Answer
Download the Windows installer from Riot's League of Legends page, run it, sign in to the Riot Client, and let League and Riot Vanguard finish installing. Restart if Vanguard asks, then open League through the Riot Client and click Play. For a lower-spec PC, test Riot's reduced Video settings in a Custom Game after the installation works.
League currently requires 64-bit Windows 10 build 19041 or newer, or Windows 11. The graphics hardware must support DirectX 11 feature level 11_0, and Riot lists 16 GB of free storage. On Windows 11, TPM 2.0 must be enabled. Check Riot's requirements before downloading if any of those details are uncertain.
Open the official League download page and select Download for Windows. When the download finishes, open the League installer from the browser's Downloads list or the Windows Downloads folder.
Approve the Riot Games installer when Windows asks, choose the installation location, and select Install. Sign in to the Riot account you want to use, or create one, then keep the Riot Client open while it downloads League of Legends and its required components.
4
Restart if Riot Vanguard asks
League on Windows installs Riot Vanguard. If the Riot Client says a system restart is required, restart Windows before trying to play, then reopen the League shortcut. Do not keep pressing Play while the restart message is still present.
5
Open League and verify the installation
The League desktop shortcut now opens the game's page in Riot Client first. Select Play and wait for the League home screen. The installation is complete when the signed-in profile and Play queue controls load without an install, update, or Vanguard restart message.
6
Apply Riot's low-spec Video settings
Start a Custom Game, press Esc, and open Video. Set Resolution to the desktop resolution, Character Quality, Environment Quality, and Effects Quality to Very Low, Shadows to No Shadow, Frame Rate Cap to 60 FPS, and leave Vertical Sync and Anti-Aliasing unchecked. Apply the changes before returning to the match.
7
Test performance in the Custom Game
Move around and use several abilities in the same Custom Game. The setup is successful if the game remains responsive and holds close to the 60 FPS cap during effects. If it does, raise one visual setting at a time; if it does not, keep these settings and continue with the full FPS troubleshooting guide.
If it does not work
If the Windows installer never opens, download a fresh copy from Riot's page and run that file once. Do not use the older Epic Games route shown in the retained video.
If Play is greyed out with a hardware warning, compare the PC against Riot's current DirectX 11 and Windows requirements; changing in-game settings cannot make unsupported hardware launch League.
If Riot Client shows a Vanguard error or a restart-required message after rebooting, follow the exact VAN code shown rather than reinstalling League repeatedly.
ⓘ Sources and verification
Checked against official documentation on . Scope: League of Legends on Windows PC.
This route covers a new Windows installation and a conservative first performance setup. It does not cover Linux, macOS, or repair an existing broken installation.
