How to Fix League of Legends VAN 81 Error?

League of Legends can close with VANGUARD ERROR: VAN -81 even though the Riot Client opens and your internet works. Vanguard, the game’s anti-cheat software, has failed to start properly or stay connected, so League cannot continue.

Often called VAN 81, Riot documents this as VAN -81: a connection problem, not a ban. A disabled service or interrupted Vanguard installation can leave League installed but unable to run.

VAN -81 alone is not an instruction to change your BIOS. If another message names TPM, Secure Boot, or a VAN: RESTRICTION, follow that specific warning through Riot’s security requirements guide.

1. Restart Windows and Reopen Riot Client

Closing League does not reload Vanguard’s Windows components. Restarting Windows reloads them after an update or after you exited Vanguard.

1. Save your work and close League. Right-click the Riot Client tray icon near the clock and select Exit.
2. If the client remains open, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc and end the remaining Riot Client or League processes.

   

3. Select Start > Power > Restart. After Windows loads, open Riot Client and launch League.

If League opens, test in the Practice Tool or a custom game long enough to cover any previous delayed crash. Reaching the lobby does not confirm that Vanguard will remain running.

2. Check Riot’s Status and Your Windows Clock

A login incident can prevent play after a restart. An incorrect date or time can also disrupt the secure connection Vanguard needs.

1. Open Riot Games Service Status, select League of Legends, and choose your region.

   

2. If a relevant incident is listed, wait for Riot to resolve it before changing services or reinstalling.
3. Check Settings > Time & language > Date & time. Correct the date, time, and time zone; enable Set time automatically and select Sync now if available.

If the status page is clear but several friends in your region fail at the same time, a new incident may not be posted yet. If only this PC still fails, check whether Vanguard can start.

3. Check the Vanguard Service and Startup Settings

Vanguard can be installed while its vgc service is disabled. However, Vanguard Pre-Check deliberately runs it on demand.

Check the Vanguard tray icon: if you enabled Pre-Check, a stopped service outside gameplay can be normal. Keep its on-demand setup rather than forcing Automatic.

For the standard startup setup, use an administrator account and follow Riot’s vgc service instructions:

1. Press Windows + R, enter services.msc, and press Enter.
2. Find vgc, right-click it, and select Properties.
3. Set Startup type to Automatic. Apply the change, click Start if stopped, then OK.

   

A previous clean-boot test may have disabled the service. In that case, press Windows + R, enter msconfig, and open Services. Check Hide all Microsoft services, make sure vgc is checked, and select Apply > OK.

Restart Windows and test. If vgc is missing or Start returns an error, record the exact message and reinstall Vanguard. If it runs but stops during play, repeatedly changing its startup type will not fix the interruption.

4. Check Network Filters and Security Blocks

If Vanguard starts but Riot Client still cannot connect, check software that filters game traffic. Prefer app exceptions to turning off protection. Note the existing permissions for rollback if a change does not help.

1. Disconnect a personal VPN or proxy for one test, then reopen Riot Client. Restore it if nothing changes. On a managed PC, ask IT before changing network settings.
2. Open Windows Security > Firewall & network protection > Allow an app through firewall > Change settings.
3. Check the installed executables in Riot’s League firewall list, including Riot Client, League, vgc.exe, and vgm.exe. For a missing entry, select Allow another app > Browse and use its actual installation location.
4. Allow only the network profile you use. Private-only permission will not apply while Windows classifies the connection as Public. Do not mark an untrusted network Private to make the game work.
5. Check your security app’s blocked-file history. For a confirmed block involving an official Riot file, update the app and follow its vendor’s exception instructions. Keep antivirus and firewall protection enabled.

On PCs with Killer networking software

Riot documents interference from Killer’s traffic prioritization. First try Killer Intelligence Center > Settings > Killer Prioritization Engine and turn it off, then restart. Older versions call it Advanced Stream Detect.

If that option is unavailable, follow Riot’s Killer service procedure:

1. Open services.msc. Find Killer Network Service or Rivet Bandwidth Control, then open its Properties.

   

2. Note its original startup type, choose Disabled, and select Apply > OK.

   

3. Restart Windows and test League. Do not disable the network adapter or unrelated Windows services.

If League works, update the identified networking software or leave its prioritization off. If nothing changes, restore the service’s original setting. PCs without Killer software do not need these changes.

5. Reinstall Riot Vanguard

A missing service, a failed service start, or an incomplete anti-cheat update calls for a Vanguard reinstall, not an immediate League redownload. Other Riot games, including VALORANT, may share this installation.

1. Close all Riot games and exit Riot Client. Search Windows for Add or remove programs.
2. Find Riot Vanguard and select Uninstall.

   

3. Restart Windows, then open Riot Client and launch League. Allow it to reinstall Vanguard.
4. Restart again after installation, even if Play becomes available without a restart prompt. Then test League.

If Vanguard will not uninstall, Riot’s removal guide includes a manual procedure. Reserve it for a failed normal uninstall.

If VAN -81 still appears after reinstalling, check League’s files and background software rather than repeating the same uninstall.

6. Repair League Without Deleting Client Data

If Vanguard now starts but League still fails to open, the game’s installed files may need repair. Riot’s built-in repair replaces missing or damaged files without removing the whole game.

1. Sign in to Riot Client. Open your profile icon > Settings > League of Legends.
2. Select Repair and follow the prompts.
   
3. After it finishes, reopen League and test. If the client is stuck downloading rather than repairing, the Riot Client update troubleshooting steps cover that separate problem.

The %localappdata%\Riot Games folder shown below contains client data, including logs. Deleting the entire folder is not a proven VAN -81 repair and can remove evidence needed by support. Leave it in place unless Riot requests a specific cleanup.

If VAN -81 still appears with vgc running, test for a background conflict before redownloading League.

7. Use a Clean Boot to Identify a Conflict

A service that starts normally and then stops can be interrupted by another program. A clean boot tests League with nonessential background software disabled, without uninstalling everything.

1. Press Windows + R, enter msconfig, and open Services.
2. Check Hide all Microsoft services, click Disable all, then re-check vgc before applying the changes.

   

3. Open Startup > Open Task Manager. Temporarily disable enabled startup apps, close Task Manager, and select Apply > OK in System Configuration.
   
4. Restart, open Riot Client manually, and test in a custom game.

The Windows clean-boot walkthrough adds screenshots. For League, keep vgc checked even where a general guide says to disable all third-party services.

If League works, re-enable items in small groups, restarting and testing each time. Update the program that makes the error return, then restore the other items.

If VAN -81 still appears, restore the original Services checkboxes in msconfig and re-enable your recorded startup apps in Task Manager. A clean boot does not exclude every driver or security-software conflict.

If VAN -81 Still Appears

One League reinstall is reasonable after these checks fail. Close Riot Client, uninstall League through Windows’ app list, then reopen Riot Client and select Install for League.

Preserve wanted local replays and settings before additional folder cleanup. Account purchases and progression are not stored only on this PC.

Download the Riot Repair Tool, run it as administrator, and select League. Attach its ZIP of logs to a Riot Support ticket. This log collector is separate from the client’s Repair button.

Include the error screenshot, Windows version from winver, whether Pre-Check is enabled, and whether League closes before or during a match. If vgc fails to start, include that Windows error too.