Quick Answer
Valorant crashing on PC is most commonly caused by driver conflicts, corrupted game files, outdated Windows, or Vanguard anti-cheat conflicts. The majority of crashes are fixable through a structured troubleshooting process without reinstalling Windows. Start with the simplest steps: driver update, game file repair, and Vanguard reinstall.
Step 1: Update GPU Drivers and Windows
Outdated or corrupted GPU drivers are the single most common cause of Valorant crashes. Valorant is closely tied to DirectX 11 performance and Vanguard's kernel-level integration, making it more sensitive to driver state than many other games. For Nvidia GPUs: Open GeForce Experience and check for driver updates, or download directly from Nvidia's website. Use DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) in Safe Mode to fully remove old drivers before installing the new version if you are experiencing persistent crashes. For AMD GPUs: Use AMD Adrenalin software to update, or download from AMD's site. AMD's clean install option during driver installation removes residual files that can cause conflicts. Windows Updates: Valorant and Vanguard require Windows 10 version 1903 or later, and Windows 11 is fully supported. Unpatched Windows can cause Vanguard initialization failures that present as game crashes. Check Windows Update and install all pending updates. ## Step 2: Fix Vanguard Anti-Cheat Issues
Riot Vanguard is Valorant's kernel-level anti-cheat and is a frequent crash source when misconfigured or corrupted. Symptoms include crashes at launch, crashes on the loading screen, or crashes mid-game with no error message. Reinstall Vanguard:
- Open Task Manager and end the Vanguard process if running
- Uninstall Vanguard from Windows Apps and Features
- Restart your PC
- Launch Valorant, which will automatically reinstall Vanguard
Check Vanguard compatibility:
- Vanguard requires Secure Boot to be enabled on Windows 11. If Secure Boot is disabled in BIOS, Vanguard will refuse to load and Valorant crashes at startup
- TPM 2.0 must be enabled and visible to Windows on Windows 11 systems
- Virtualization-Based Security (VBS) conflicts with some overclocking tools and RAM tweaks. If you use XMP profiles or CPU overclocking software, test with all overclocks at stock settings
Conflicting software: VPNs, certain antivirus software, and system monitoring tools that operate at kernel level can conflict with Vanguard. Temporarily disable or uninstall these to test whether crashes stop. ## Step 3: Repair Game Files and Reinstall Valorant
Repair via Riot Client:
- Open the Riot Client
- Click the settings gear icon next to the Play button
- Select Repair and let the process complete
This verifies all game files against Riot's servers and replaces any corrupted data. It takes 5-30 minutes depending on your internet connection and storage speed. Valorant full reinstall: If repair does not help, a clean reinstall eliminates corrupted installation directories. Uninstall Valorant from Apps and Features, delete any remaining Riot Games folders in Program Files and AppData, then reinstall fresh. Storage health: If crashes occur alongside other game crashes, disk errors, or system instability, run a storage health check. Use CrystalDiskInfo to check SMART data on your SSD. A failing drive causes file read errors that present as random game crashes. ## Step 4: Hardware and Thermal Diagnostics
If software fixes do not resolve crashes, hardware is the next suspect:
Overheating: Valorant is not GPU-heavy but can pin CPU cores at near 100% usage. Dust-clogged heatsinks, dried thermal paste, or insufficient case airflow cause thermal throttling and crashes. In South African summers and during loadshedding recovery cycles (when components restart hot), thermal issues spike. Check CPU and GPU temperatures using HWInfo64 while in-game. RAM instability: Run MemTest86 (bootable USB test) for one full pass. Unstable RAM causes seemingly random crashes across multiple applications. If your RAM is running at XMP speeds, test at stock JEDEC speeds to see if crashes stop. PSU issues: An underpowered or failing PSU causes system instability under load. If your PC crashes specifically during loading screens or graphically intense moments in Valorant, check that your PSU wattage is adequate for your total system draw. Loadshedding impact in SA: Power surges when loadshedding ends can damage PSUs, RAM, and motherboards. If crashes started or worsened after a power event, run full hardware diagnostics and inspect for surge-related damage. ## Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Valorant crash on the loading screen? Loading screen crashes are most often Vanguard anti-cheat initialization failures. Reinstalling Vanguard, enabling Secure Boot in BIOS (Windows 11), and disabling conflicting kernel-level software fixes most loading screen crash cases. Does reinstalling Valorant fix crashes? Sometimes. A clean reinstall resolves corrupted game file crashes and broken installation issues. If the crash is driver-related, Vanguard-related, or hardware-related, reinstalling Valorant alone will not help. Work through the full diagnostic steps first. Can RAM cause Valorant to crash? Yes. Unstable RAM running at XMP speeds above JEDEC spec is a genuine crash cause in Valorant and many other games. Test at stock speeds to isolate RAM as the variable. Is Valorant compatible with Windows 11 in 2026? Fully compatible. Windows 11 is Riot's recommended platform. Ensure Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 are enabled in BIOS as Vanguard requires both on Windows 11.
