How To Fix A Critical Error Has Occurred In Valorant

Go through the fixes mentioned below step-by-step and get your game working again. Remember to create a restore point before tinkering with your PC’s settings.
Popular FPS game Valorant is just another software on your Windows PC. This means you can encounter software, permissions, or driver issues for the same. The main reasons why a critical error happens in Valorant are:

User Permissions – Valorant sometimes fails to read the files necessary to run as a normal user. That is why a lot of time the game crashes and shows an error box. Outdated Drivers – When the display driver or BIOS is outdated in your device it will create an error. Valorant runs on the latest and compatible drivers otherwise it runs into errors. Compatibility – The Windows OS you are using can be incompatible with the files in Valorant. This happens when Windows receives security updates and it doesn’t go with the Valorant’s version. File Conflicts and Corruption – Any new update in the game or Windows can conflict with the files in Valorant. Sometimes interrupting an update corrupts files in the software. Third-Party Overlay – Valorant does not allow third-party apps or overlays. So if there are any third-party apps even if it an antivirus software it will create a critical error.

1. Run Valorant as Administrator

User permissions is an issue that many software encounter in Windows. This error occurs when Windows does not let your software run as a normal user. The same happens with Valorant sometimes. To fix this, run Valorant as an administrator by following these steps:

  1. First, locate Valorant on your desktop screen and right-click on it.
  2. Then, go to Properties.
  3. Once you are in the properties, go to the Compatibility tab.
    4 Now, enable the “Run this program as an administrator” option. Click Apply and OK for the change to take effect.
  4. After that, restart your system and open Valorant. This should fix the “A Critical Error Has Occurred” issue in Valorant.

2. Update Windows

A lot of times Valorant fails to open even when it has not received any new updates. A common reason behind that can be regular Windows security updates. Make sure to update your Windows if it has any new updates or installations pending.

3. Vanguard Service Fix “vgc”

Sometimes the error occurs due to Vanguard, Valorant’s anti-cheat engine, which needs to be running in the background at all times. But, it sometimes stops after random updates or unexpected Windows shutdowns. To fix this issue, follow the steps below:

4. Update Display Driver

Valorant requires up-to-date drivers to run smoothly and deliver the best performance. So, if your display drivers are outdated, it can cause your Valorant game to crash. Follow the steps below to fix this issue:

5. Enable Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 (Windows 11)

The VAN 9003 error occurs when the game fails to launch in Windows 11 due to security restrictions and a conflict with the Valorant client. To fix it, follow the steps below:
Note: Do not select the discreet fTPM option if it is available. Also, check out our guide on how to fix Valorant TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot error in our dedicated guide.

6. Full-Screen Optimization Fix for Valorant

Another simple way to fix the “A Critical Error Has Occurred” issue is by changing the compatibility for the Valorant client. Here’s how you can go about it:

7. Update BIOS

Another common problem that might cause the “A Critical Error Has Occurred” issue in Valorant is when your motherboard’s BIOS has become outdated. It is always important to check if your motherboard BIOS is up-to-date. An outdated BIOS can cause multiple software-related errors on your Windows machine. You can follow your motherboard manual to learn how to update the BIOS. You can also check out our guide for the motherboard BIOS update.

8. Reinstall Valorant or Change Launcher

If the above fixes don’t work, try uninstalling Valorant and reinstalling it again. Reinstalling the game or the Riot Games client could also resolve the critical error. To uninstall Valorant or the Riot client, follow these steps:
If you want to play Valorant from a different launcher, then you can also install the Epic launcher and download Valorant from there. This will solve any critical error causing due to your Riot client. For that, you can get Valorant on Epic Games Store here.

9. Uninstall Third-Party Apps

Third-party apps like antivirus or MSI Afterburner can also cause errors in games like Valorant. Even GPU apps such as Nvidia GeForce Experience can conflict with Valorant and cause visual glitches or errors. To minimize such issues, simply use Windows Defender antivirus. Stop using Rivatuner, Nvidia GeForce Experience, and MSI afterburner while playing Valorant, or uninstall them completely.