Riot Games’ Valorant is a tactical first-person shooter that’s taking the world by storm. However, as polished an experience Valorant is, it still faces random bugs and glitches here and there, and one of them stops Valorant from launching.
The issue arises when Vanguard either not running or not being able to launch when the game starts. This error is already documented as Code 57 in the Valorant launcher.
In this article, we’re going over eight solutions to Valorant not launching on your PC.
Restart your computer
This should be the number one fix in your troubleshooting list when diagnosing issues with your computer. Restarting your PC can resolve several errors, Valorant not launching included.
Also read: Valorant’s ranking system explained: What’s new in Episode 2?
Check your PC Specs
If your PC doesn’t meet the minimum required specs for Valorant, likely, the game won’t launch at all. Check to make sure that your PC meets these requirements.
Minimum requirements
| Operating System | Windows 7/7/10 64-bit |
| Processor | Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 |
| Memory | 4GB RAM |
| Graphics Card | Intel HD 4000 |
Recommended requirements
| Operating System | Windows 7/7/10 64-bit |
| Processor | Intel Core i3-4150 |
| Memory | 8GB RAM |
| Graphics Card | Nvidia GeForce GT730 |
Also read: Valorant’s voice actor list: All 14 agents and announcer
Change your computer resolution
Some outdated GPUs don’t have great support for high res gaming. Lowering your resolution can help the game get to grips with the hardware and fix the Valorant not launching issue.
Step 1: Right click on an empty area on the desktop and click Display Settings.
Step 2; Under Scale and layout, change the Display resolution to a bit lower than what you’re using.
You might need to test multiple resolutions before finding one that works with the game.
Update your graphics drivers
Outdated graphics drivers can cause a lot of issues with games and other GPU intensive programs. Updating your GPU drivers can help get the game up and running.
Step 1: Press Windows key + R to open the Run prompt. Type in devmgmt.msc and hit enter.
Step 2: Scroll down to find Display adaptors. Double click it to expand and see all your graphics cards.
Step 3: Right-click on your graphics cards and select Update driver.
Step 4: Select Search automatically for updated driver software. Windows will automatically download and install any updates is available.
Also read: How to fix Valorant network problem?
Run Valorant in compatibility mode
Sometimes a Windows update can cause conflicts with games or programs on your PC. Try running the game in compatibility mode to check if that resolves the Valorant not launching issue.
Step 1: Press the Windows key and search for Valorant. Click on Open file location.
Step 2: Right-click on the Valorant icon and click Properties.
Step 3: Head over to the Compatibility tab and check the Run this program in compatibility mode for option.
Step 4: If you’re using Windows 10, select Windows 8 from the dropdown. Similarly, if you’re using Windows 8, set the dropdown to Windows 7.
Restart your PC and try launching Valorant again.
Run Valorant as administrator
Sometimes, giving admin permissions to certain games and programs can resolve issues, including the Valorant not launching error.
All you have to do is press the Windows key and search for Valorant. Click on Run as administrator. Your game should launch.
Also read: How to refund skins in Valorant?
Close all Riot processes
If any residual Valorant processes are working in the background, they can stop the game from launching.
Step 1: Right click the taskbar and select Task Manager.
Step 2: Under the Processes tab, scroll to find any Valorant or Riot processes, click them and click on the End Process button on the bottom right.
Once all processes are closed, restart Valorant to see if your issue got resolved.
Reinstall Valorant
If nothing else works, reinstalling the game is pretty much your last resort.
Step 1: Press Windows key + X to launch the Quick Access menu and select Apps and features
Step 2: Find Valorant in the list, click it and click the Uninstall button.
Once the uninstall is complete, download the latest version of Valorant from the Riot Games’ website, restart your PC and try again. If nothing else, this should help you fix the Valorant not launching error.
Also read: How to fix the ‘Valorant Connection Error’?
