Fix: “VAN: RESTRICTION – HVCI Enabled” Error in Valorant
The error “VAN: RESTRICTION – HVCI enabled” appears when Valorant’s anti-cheat system, Vanguard, detects that Hypervisor-Protected Code Integrity (HVCI), also known as Memory Integrity, is disabled or not functioning properly. In simple terms, this means the system cannot enforce certain critical security measures, which prevents Vanguard from running.
Memory Integrity is a Windows security feature that uses Virtualization-Based Security (VBS) to ensure only trusted code runs in kernel mode. Vanguard depends on this feature to create secure, hardware-enforced boundaries that block unauthorized modifications. When HVCI is turned off, either manually by the user or due to incompatible drivers Vanguard cannot validate the system’s integrity, resulting in this error.
This error is often caused by disabled Memory Integrity settings or driver incompatibilities (commonly older GPU, storage, and network drivers). It can also be triggered by conflicting Windows features like Windows Sandbox, Hyper‑V, Windows Hypervisor Platform, or Virtual Machine Platform. These features don’t always disable HVCI directly but may reserve virtualization resources, preventing HVCI from running correctly on some systems.
Before proceeding, make sure your drivers are updated to HVCI-compatible versions. Outdated or legacy drivers are a common reason why Memory Integrity fails to enable. Also, ensure that Virtualization is enabled in your BIOS, since HVCI relies on virtualization support at the hardware level.
How to Enable Memory Integrity
- Press “Windows key + X” on your keyboard and select Settings.
- Click “Update & Security”.
- Navigate to Windows Security > Device Security > Core isolation details.
- Toggle on “Memory integrity”.
- Restart your PC to apply the changes.
Note: If the option fails to stay enabled after restart, it usually means incompatible drivers are blocking HVCI.
Don’t See the Core Isolation Option?
If the Core Isolation section is missing, your system may not support VBS or it may be disabled via Group Policy. You can check compatibility using Microsoft’s Device Security documentation.
Final Step: Reinstall Vanguard (If Needed)
If Valorant still doesn’t launch after enabling HVCI, reinstall Riot Vanguard:
- Open Add or Remove Programs, uninstall Riot Vanguard, then relaunch Valorant to reinstall it automatically.
- Alternatively, use Riot’s Repair Tool in the Riot Client.
