The error code VAN 79 on Valorant blocks the launch of a game without providing a clear diagnosis. Riot Games has not released an official description for this specific code. However, the error is related to identifiable causes, ranging from a misconfigured Vanguard service to disabled system security settings in the BIOS.
VAN 79 compared to other Vanguard errors: causes and scope
The VAN 79 code belongs to a family of Vanguard errors that share similar symptoms but have distinct origins. Comparing these codes allows for targeting the correct intervention without wasting time on unnecessary manipulations.
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| Error Code | Main Cause | Recommended First Action |
|---|---|---|
| VAN 79 | VGC service stopped, Secure Boot/TPM 2.0 disabled, software conflict | Check the VGC service in services.msc |
| VAN 81 | Connection error to Vanguard | Restart the PC, reinstall Vanguard |
| VAN 9001 / 9003 | Missing Secure Boot or TPM 2.0 (Windows 11) | Enable Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 in the BIOS |
| VAN 104 | Connection error | Restart the PC, reinstall Vanguard |
| VAN -117 | Vanguard not active | Launch Riot Vanguard, minimal startup |
This table highlights a particularity of VAN 79: it accumulates network, system, and software causes that other codes isolate separately. This makes its diagnosis longer if one proceeds by trial and error without a method.
To better understand what the error code VAN 79 means on Valorant, one must examine each technical layer in a precise order, starting with the Windows service dedicated to Vanguard.
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VGC Service on Windows: the most common bottleneck
The VGC service is the Windows process that runs Riot Vanguard in the background. When this service is stopped or set to manual startup, Vanguard cannot initialize when launching Valorant. The client then displays the VAN 79 code.
The check takes less than a minute. Simply open the services.msc window (Windows key + R, type “services.msc”, confirm), and then locate the “vgc” line in the list.
- If the startup type shows “Manual” or “Disabled,” right-click, then Properties, and change it to Automatic.
- If the service status indicates “Stopped,” click “Start” to relaunch it immediately.
- Restart the PC after this change so that Windows loads the service at the next boot.
From multiple player feedback in 2025-2026, setting the VGC service to automatic startup is enough to resolve VAN 79 without any further manipulation. This is why this step should be attempted first.
Why the VGC service disables itself
Some Windows updates change the startup type of third-party services. Optimization software (like CCleaner, Razer Cortex) also disables services deemed non-priority to free up resources. The VGC service regularly suffers from this.
After each major Windows update, checking the status of the VGC service prevents encountering the error at the next launch of Valorant.
Secure Boot and TPM 2.0: Valorant’s BIOS requirements on Windows 11
Since recent updates to Vanguard, the VAN 79 code has increasingly been associated with the same causes as errors VAN 9001, 9003, and 9090: Secure Boot disabled or TPM 2.0 absent in the BIOS. This link is particularly pronounced on machines running Windows 11.
Valorant requires these two hardware security features to allow Vanguard to function. Without them, the anti-cheat client refuses to start, even if the VGC service is properly configured.
Check the status of Secure Boot and TPM 2.0
For Secure Boot, open “System Information” (msinfo32) and look for the line “Secure Boot State.” The value should indicate “Enabled.”
For TPM 2.0, type “tpm.msc” in the Windows search bar. If the module is present and active, the window displays the version of the TPM. If it indicates an error or that the TPM is not found, it needs to be enabled in the BIOS.
Accessing the BIOS varies by motherboard manufacturer (F2, Delete, or F12 key at startup). The Secure Boot option is usually found in the Boot or Security tab, and the TPM in the Security or Advanced tab. On AMD boards, the TPM may appear under the name “fTPM.” On Intel, it is called “PTT” (Platform Trust Technology).
Windows compatibility and fullscreen optimizations: an unknown fix
Classic articles on VAN 79 stop at Vanguard and the BIOS. More recent feedback shows that some players only resolve the error after modifying the compatibility settings of the Valorant executable.
The file in question is “Valorant-Win64-Shipping.exe,” located in the game’s installation folder. By right-clicking on this file, then Properties, the Compatibility tab provides access to three settings that may interfere with Vanguard.
- Check “Run this program as an administrator” to avoid access rights blocks.
- Check “Disable fullscreen optimizations,” a Windows option that may conflict with the anti-cheat.
- In “Change high DPI settings,” select “Application” as the scaling source, which prevents Windows from resizing the game window.
These three adjustments target graphical and permission layers that Vanguard monitors at startup. Disabling fullscreen optimizations is the setting that most frequently appears in recent fixes for VAN 79.
Reinstalling Vanguard and Valorant: structured last resort
If the VGC service is set to automatic, the BIOS is properly configured, and the compatibility settings are adjusted, reinstallation remains the final option. The clean method is to first uninstall Riot Vanguard separately (via “Add or Remove Programs”), then Valorant, before restarting the game installation. The Riot client automatically reinstalls Vanguard with fresh files.
A restart after uninstalling Vanguard and before reinstalling Valorant ensures that Windows completely purges the old VGC service files. Skipping this step may leave residues that reproduce the error.
If VAN 79 persists after all these steps, the problem may stem from a conflict with third-party antivirus or a firewall blocking Vanguard communications. Adding an exception for the Riot Vanguard folder in your security software, or testing by temporarily disabling it, helps isolate this last cause. Beyond that, Riot Games support remains the contact point for unresolved cases, via a ticket from the Valorant support page.