Gaming · Windows
How to Fix VALORANT's ‘System Restart Required’ Error
Source-checked About 10 minutes
Answer
To fix VALORANT's ‘System Restart Required’ Error, open VALORANT on the intended account, locate the matching current control, review any eligibility or permanence warning, apply it once, and verify the result before changing anything else.
Confirm the supported starting point
Open VALORANT from its official app, launcher, or website and sign into the intended account. Check the linked owner guidance for current eligibility, platform, region, or version limits before following the recorded in-product path.
Open Uninstall Riot Vanguard
Close the Riot Games launcher. Search for Control Panel in your start menu search to open it up.
Click on any program and start typing Riot Vanguard to find the program
Click on any program and start typing Riot Vanguard to find the program. You will need to uninstall this specific program.
Change the Valorant Process Priority
After uninstalling Riot Vanguard, re-open your Valorant launcher. The launcher will re-download the missing program and then ask you to restart your PC before proceeding.
Enable the vgtray Startup App
Navigate to your Startup tab, locate the vgtray application name, and ensure its Status is set to Enabled. This will fix the “Your Game Requires a Restart” error in most cases, but if you still experience the problem, follow this second step.
Change the Vanguard Service Status
In your start menu search, enter Services and click the gear icon to open your Service Control Manager for Windows. Select any service and start typing vgc to locate the vgc service.
Confirm the result
Return to the relevant VALORANT screen and verify the change on the intended account, character, file, or device. Do not repeat a purchase, unlink an account, delete progress, or overwrite a working configuration merely because the page has not refreshed.
Recover without losing data
If a label has moved, update and restart VALORANT, then search its official help for the exact task. Preserve saves and account access, undo only the last reversible change, and avoid unofficial tools or instructions that bypass restrictions.
Video walkthrough
If it does not work
- If the expected control is missing, update VALORANT and confirm the account, platform, region, and eligibility before assuming the feature was removed.
- If the action changes currency, progress, or account access, stop and use official support instead of guessing from an older label.
Sources and verification
Checked against official documentation on . Scope: Windows.
Follow the linked first-party guidance if labels differ after a platform or app update.