VAL-43 Valorant

VAL-43 Error - Valorant Game Crash Fix Guide

📅 Published: 2026-02-05 🔄 Updated: 2026-02-05 👥 Reports: 52 ⚡ Severity: 🔴 High

🎯 Quick Answer

The VAL-43 error is resolved by performing a clean reinstallation of the Riot Vanguard anti-cheat system, which becomes corrupted during game updates.

SECTION 1: OVERVIEW

The VAL-43 error is a critical runtime exception that terminates the Valorant client during the initialization phase. This error exclusively affects the Windows platform across versions 10 and 11. The condition manifests following specific game client updates, notably the patch released on February 01, 2026. This is a common occurrence post-update, with a high frequency of reports correlating to specific patch cycles. The error is severity-critical, as it prevents the application from launching entirely, resulting in a game-breaking state. The exact error message displayed is "There was an error connecting to the platform. Please restart your game. Error Code: VAL-43". The error code VAL-43 indicates a failure in the handshake protocol between the game client and the Riot Vanguard anti-cheat service.

SECTION 2: SYMPTOMS

The application terminates during the initial loading sequence, typically after the Riot Games logo splash screen. A black screen appears for 2-3 seconds before the process ends. Frame rate counter applications report a sudden drop to 0 FPS coinciding with the crash event. The system displays a modal error dialog with the exact text "There was an error connecting to the platform. Please restart your game. Error Code: VAL-43". The game process VALORANT-Win64-Shipping.exe exits with code 0xC0000005 (STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION) in Windows Event Viewer. The Riot Client may remain running in the system tray after the crash.

SECTION 3: COMMON CAUSES

Category: Software Conflict Specific technical explanation: Riot Vanguard kernel driver (vgk.sys) version mismatch or corruption following an incomplete game update. The driver fails to validate its integrity against the updated game client, causing a security handshake failure. Why this causes the problem: The game client cannot establish a secure communication channel with the anti-cheat service, triggering a forced termination. Category: Configuration Error Specific technical explanation: Windows system permissions or Group Policy settings block the execution of kernel-mode drivers from Riot Games. This prevents Vanguard from loading at the required privilege level. Why this causes the problem: The game requires Vanguard to run at system startup; if blocked, the VAL-43 error occurs during the security check. Category: Software Conflict Specific technical explanation: Outdated or corrupted Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable packages (2015-2022). Valorant requires specific runtime libraries for its anti-cheat communication layer. Why this causes the problem: Missing DLL files or version conflicts in the runtime cause the client to fail when initializing core components. Category: Hardware Issue Specific technical explanation: GPU driver version 551.23 (NVIDIA) or 23.12.1 (AMD) contains a known memory management bug that conflicts with Vanguard's memory scanning routines. Why this causes the problem: The anti-cheat system's attempt to scan protected memory regions triggers a driver-level fault, crashing the game. Category: Configuration Error Specific technical explanation: Windows Defender Exploit Protection or Controlled Folder Access has an override rule that incorrectly flags VALORANT-Win64-Shipping.exe as malicious, quarantining critical files. Why this causes the problem: The game executable cannot access its own protected configuration and asset files, leading to a crash during load. Category: Network Problem Specific technical explanation: Corporate or ISP-level firewalls block the localhost communication ports (5959, 6969) used for inter-process communication between the Riot Client and Vanguard. Why this causes the problem: The platform connectivity check fails because the local Riot Client services cannot communicate, simulating a server connection error. Category: Game Bug Specific technical explanation: The game's configuration file (C:\Users\[User]\AppData\Local\VALORANT\Saved\Config\Windows\GameUserSettings.ini) contains invalid renderer settings from a previous GPU, causing a DirectX initialization failure. Why this causes the problem: The client attempts to initialize graphics with unsupported parameters, crashing before the main menu loads.

SECTION 4: SOLUTIONS

Solution 1: Clean Reinstall Riot Vanguard

Difficulty: Easy Time Required: 5 minutes Success Rate: High Prerequisites: Administrator access required Steps:

Right-click the system tray icon for Riot Vanguard and select "Exit Vanguard". If no icon is present, proceed to step 2.
Open the Windows Start Menu, type "cmd", right-click "Command Prompt", and select "Run as administrator".
Execute the command: sc delete vgc and press Enter.
Execute the command: sc delete vgk and press Enter.
Navigate to C:\Program Files\ and delete the entire Riot Vanguard folder.
Reboot the system.
Launch the Riot Client normally. It will detect the missing Vanguard and perform a fresh installation automatically.
Launch Valorant.

Technical Explanation: This process removes all corrupted or mismatched Vanguard driver files and service entries from the Windows registry, forcing a clean installation that matches the current game client version. Verification: The system tray displays the Riot Vanguard icon (red eye) on boot. The game launches without the VAL-43 error dialog and proceeds to the main menu.

Solution 2: Repair Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables

Difficulty: Medium Time Required: 10 minutes Success Rate: Medium Prerequisites: Administrator access, internet connection Steps:

Open Windows Settings (Win + I) and navigate to Apps > Apps & features.
In the search bar, type "Microsoft Visual C++".
For each instance from 2015 through 2022, select it and click "Modify". In the installer window that appears, select "Repair". Complete this for all relevant versions.
Download the latest Visual C++ Redistributable package from the official Microsoft website. The direct download link is: https://aka.ms/vs/17/release/vc_redist.x64.exe
Run the downloaded installer with administrator privileges.
Restart the computer.
Launch Valorant.

Technical Explanation: This ensures all required DLL files for the game's communication layer are present and correctly registered in the Windows system, eliminating runtime library conflicts. Verification: Check Event Viewer (Windows Logs > Application) for absence of errors from source "SideBySide" related to VALORANT-Win64-Shipping.exe.

Solution 3: Update or Clean Install Graphics Drivers

Difficulty: Medium Time Required: 15 minutes Success Rate: High Prerequisites: Administrator access, internet connection Steps:

Download the Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) utility from https://www.guru3d.com/download/display-driver-uninstaller-download/.
Download the latest GPU driver from the manufacturer's website: NVIDIA GeForce Experience or AMD Adrenalin Software.
Boot Windows into Safe Mode. Access this by going to Settings > Update & Security > Recovery > Advanced startup > Restart now. Then select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart > Press 4 for Safe Mode.
Run DDU in Safe Mode. Select your GPU vendor (NVIDIA/AMD/Intel) and click "Clean and restart".
After the restart into normal Windows, install the previously downloaded GPU driver package. Select "Custom Installation" and check "Perform a clean installation".
Restart the system as prompted.
Launch Valorant.

Technical Explanation: A clean driver installation removes residual files and registry entries from previous versions that contain memory management bugs conflicting with Vanguard's kernel operations. Verification: The game launches and the GPU is correctly identified in the Valorant settings > Video tab. No graphical artifacts appear during the loading sequence.

Solution 4: Configure Windows Defender Exclusions

Difficulty: Easy Time Required: 5 minutes Success Rate: Medium Prerequisites: Administrator access Steps:

Open Windows Security (Win + I > Privacy & security > Windows Security > Open Windows Security).
Click "Virus & threat protection".
Under "Virus & threat protection settings", click "Manage settings".
Scroll to "Exclusions" and click "Add or remove exclusions".
Click "Add an exclusion" and select "Folder".
Add the following folders:

- C:\Program Files\Riot Vanguard\ - C:\Riot Games\VALORANT\live\ - C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\VALORANT\

Navigate back to Windows Security home. Click "Firewall & network protection".
Click "Allow an app through firewall". Click "Change settings".
Locate and ensure both "VALORANT" and "Riot Client" are checked for both Private and Public networks. If not present, click "Allow another app" and browse to C:\Riot Games\VALORANT\live\VALORANT.exe and C:\Riot Games\Riot Client\RiotClientServices.exe.

Technical Explanation: This prevents real-time scanning from interfering with game file access and allows necessary network communication for the local platform services. Verification: Windows Security logs (Windows Security > Protection history) show no recent blocks or quarantines related to Riot Games files.

Solution 5: Reset In-Game Configuration Files

Difficulty: Easy Time Required: 3 minutes Success Rate: Medium Prerequisites: None Steps:

Ensure the Riot Client and Valorant are fully closed. Check Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) for any remaining processes named "VALORANT" or "Riot" and end them.
Navigate to C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\VALORANT\Saved\Config\Windows.
Rename the entire Windows folder to Windows_Backup.
Launch the Riot Client and start Valorant. The game will generate a fresh set of configuration files.
If the game launches successfully, you may copy your Settings folder from Windows_Backup to the new Windows folder to restore keybinds and sensitivity, but avoid copying GameUserSettings.ini.

Technical Explanation: This eliminates configuration file corruption, particularly in GameUserSettings.ini, which can contain invalid renderer directives that cause a DirectX initialization crash. Verification: A new Windows folder is created upon launch. The game video settings revert to default, confirming the old configuration was not loaded.

Solution 6: Verify Localhost Network Permissions

Difficulty: Advanced Time Required: 7 minutes Success Rate: Low Prerequisites: Administrator access Steps:

Open Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security (search for it in the Start Menu).
Click "Inbound Rules" in the left pane.
In the right pane, click "New Rule...".
Select "Port" and click Next. Select "TCP" and "Specific local ports". Enter 5959, 6969. Click Next.
Select "Allow the connection". Click Next.
Ensure all profiles (Domain, Private, Public) are checked. Click Next.
Name the rule "VALORANT Local Platform". Click Finish.
Repeat steps 3-7, but select "UDP" in step 4.
Open Command Prompt as Administrator and execute: netsh int ipv4 reset and press Enter. Execute: netsh winsock reset and press Enter.
Restart the computer.

Technical Explanation: This creates explicit firewall rules allowing the Riot Client and Vanguard to communicate via localhost ports and resets the Windows network stack to a clean state. Verification: Run netstat -ano | findstr :5959 in Command Prompt after launching the Riot Client. It should show a TCP LISTENING state for that port.

SECTION 5: PREVENTION

Maintain a scheduled monthly update cycle for GPU drivers, using the manufacturer's official utility. Configure Windows Update to install updates automatically, but defer major feature updates for 30 days to ensure game compatibility. Before installing any major Valorant patch, perform a clean shutdown of the Riot Client and Vanguard via the system tray icon. Regularly validate game files through the Riot Client settings before launching after system changes. Monitor the C:\ProgramData\Riot Games\Metadata\valorant.live directory for update logs to identify failed patches. Avoid modifying the vgk.sys driver or its associated registry keys manually.

SECTION 6: WHEN TO CONTACT SUPPORT

Contact Riot Games Support if all solutions fail and the system meets the minimum specifications. Escalation is required when the Windows Event Viewer shows consistent error codes beyond 0xC0000005, such as 0xC0000409 (STATUS_STACK_BUFFER_OVERRUN). Provide the full diagnostic logs from C:\Users\[User]\AppData\Local\Riot Games\Riot Client\Logs and the Vanguard logs from C:\Program Files\Riot Vanguard\Logs. Include the output of the DirectX Diagnostic Tool (dxdiag). Official support channels are accessed via the Riot Games support website; do not use third-party forums for account-sensitive troubleshooting.