For a notification that specifically says Riot Vanguard crashed, save the message and any code, then restart Windows before reopening Riot Client. If Vanguard crashes again, uninstall Riot Vanguard from Settings > Apps > Installed apps, restart, launch VALORANT to reinstall Vanguard, and restart again if prompted. If the code is -81 or 128 and still returns, Riot says to reinstall both Vanguard and VALORANT.
Take a screenshot that includes Riot Vanguard crashed and any number. Continue here only for that Vanguard notification; a VALORANT crash to desktop, graphics-driver dialog, or other VAN code has a different repair path.
2
Restart Windows before reopening Riot Client
Select Start > Power > Restart. After signing back in, open Riot Client and launch VALORANT. Riot states that Vanguard is re-enabled by restarting the computer, so closing and reopening only the game is not the same test.
3
Check for one clean VALORANT launch
Wait for the VALORANT home screen, then open the Practice Range. Vanguard is running normally if the range stays open for five minutes and the Riot Vanguard crashed notification does not return.
4
Uninstall Riot Vanguard if it crashes again
Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps, search for Riot Vanguard, open its menu, and select Uninstall. Confirm the Windows prompts, then restart the PC before trying to reinstall it.
5
Let VALORANT reinstall Vanguard
Open Riot Client and select Play for VALORANT. Allow the Vanguard installation to finish, then restart Windows if Riot requests it. Repeat the home-screen and five-minute Practice Range test after the restart.
6
Use Riot's full reinstall for -81 or 128
If the saved code is -81 or 128 and the service-start failure survives the Vanguard reinstall, uninstall VALORANT and Riot Vanguard, restart Windows, download VALORANT from Riot's official site, and install both again. Riot lists this full reinstall before support escalation for these codes.
7
Attach the new crash evidence to Riot
If Vanguard crashes after the clean reinstall, run Riot Repair Tool as administrator and attach its zip, the exact notification screenshot, code, Windows version, and local time to a Riot technical-support ticket.
If it does not work
If Exit Vanguard was selected from the system tray, restart Windows; Riot says VALORANT will not run until Vanguard is re-enabled by a restart.
If Riot Vanguard is not listed under Installed apps, launch VALORANT once and record what Riot Client shows instead of deleting service files or folders by guesswork.
Do not disable Windows Security or end unrelated background apps for a Vanguard crash. If Riot names incompatible software, act on that exact name and code.
ⓘ Sources and verification
Checked against official documentation on . Scope: VALORANT on Windows PC.
Source-checked against Riot's current Vanguard uninstall and VALORANT error-code articles. The crash notification was not reproduced during review.
