How to Fix VALORANT Not Opening

How to Fix VALORANT Not Opening or Launching on PC

Nothing is more frustrating than getting ready for a game of VALORANT, only to find that it won’t launch. Sometimes, the Play button stays greyed out, while in other cases, it briefly turns red before going back to grey, leaving you stuck in an endless loop of clicking with no results.

If that sounds familiar, don’t worry! Here are some possible reasons why VALORANT isn’t launching and some quick fixes to get you back in the game.

1. Check if VALORANT’s Servers Are Down

Before troubleshooting, first make sure the issue isn’t on Riot’s end. If the servers are down due to maintenance or an outage, you won’t be able to launch the game no matter what you try. You can check the server status on Riot’s official website or their social media pages.

2. Run VALORANT as Administrator

This simple fix works more often than you’d think. Right-click on the VALORANT icon and select Run as administrator.

Once you do that, wait at least 30 seconds for the game to launch. If it’s taking a while, resist the urge to keep clicking the Play button—it won’t help and might even make things worse.

3. Restart Your PC

It sounds basic, but restarting your computer can actually fix a lot of issues, including VALORANT refusing to open. If running the game as an administrator didn’t work, give this a shot.

4. Close VALORANT and Riot Games in Task Manager

If you see an error saying VALORANT is already running but nothing is opening, it might be stuck in the background.

To fix this:

1. Press CTRL + ALT + DEL and open Task Manager.
2. Find VALORANT in the list of running processes, right-click it, and choose End task.
3. Do the same for the Riot Games app.
4. Try launching VALORANT again.

5. Update Windows and Graphics Drivers

An outdated system or graphics driver can cause all sorts of errors, including preventing VALORANT from launching.

• Update Windows: Check for updates in your system settings and install any pending ones.
• Update Graphics Drivers: Go to your GPU manufacturer’s website (NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel) and download the latest drivers, or use their official software to update them automatically.

By following these steps, you should be able to get VALORANT up and running again. If the issue persists, you might need to reinstall the game or check for other system conflicts.