Valorant error VAN 84 — what it means and how to fix
You launch Valorant and instead of the game you get "VAN 84". The client closes immediately with no further details. This error belongs to Riot Vanguard, the anti-cheat system: it failed to start or detected incompatible software. The good news is that in most cases the issue is resolved in 10–15 minutes without reinstalling the game.
Why VAN 84 happens
- Active VPN or proxy. Vanguard blocks connections routed through third-party tunnels — this is the most common cause.
- Outdated or conflicting driver. Old network card drivers or virtual network adapters left behind by VPN clients are frequent culprits.
- Vanguard service is not running. If the anti-cheat is disabled or crashes, the game won't start.
- TPM 2.0 or Secure Boot is off (Windows 11). Riot requires TPM to be enabled on some configurations.
- Conflict with antivirus or firewall that blocks Vanguard processes.
How to fix VAN 84
- Disable your VPN and proxy completely. Close the VPN client entirely, don't just disconnect the tunnel. Also check Windows settings: Settings → Network → Proxy → make sure manual proxy is off.
- Restart the Vanguard service. Press
Win + R→ typeservices.msc→ find vgc → right-click → Stop → Start. Then reboot your PC. - Remove virtual network adapters. Open Device Manager → expand "Network Adapters" → uninstall any entry labelled "Virtual" or "TAP". These are leftover adapters from VPN clients.
- Update your network card drivers. Go to the motherboard or laptop manufacturer's website and download the latest LAN or Wi-Fi driver.
- Check TPM and Secure Boot. Enter BIOS/UEFI and make sure TPM 2.0 is enabled and Secure Boot is on.
- Add Vanguard to your antivirus exclusions. The folder path is
C:\Program Files\Riot Vanguard\. Add the entire directory to the whitelist. - Reinstall Vanguard. Via "Programs and Features" uninstall Riot Vanguard separately (not the game itself), then launch Valorant — it will install the anti-cheat automatically.
FAQ
VAN 84 only appears when I use a VPN — is that normal? Yes, that is expected behavior. Vanguard blocks VPN connections as potentially suspicious. Disable your VPN before launching Valorant.
Does a full Valorant reinstall help? Not always. Try reinstalling only Vanguard first — it's faster and sufficient in most cases.
The error came back after a Windows update — what should I do? Windows updates sometimes reset driver settings. Repeat steps 3–4: remove virtual adapters and update your network driver.
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