Quick Answer
Valorant's Vanguard is a kernel-level anti-cheat system designed to block cheaters by potentially 'bricking' (rendering unusable) modified or tampered hardware. It’s mandatory for playing Valorant but only targets malicious actors—not legitimate users.
Key Takeaways
- Never disable Vanguard manually—it’s auto-managed by the game client
- Keep Windows updated to avoid driver conflicts
- Avoid third-party performance tweaks claiming to bypass Vanguard
- Preventing cheating in competitive esports
- Protecting game integrity for fair play
What Valorant's new Vanguard update seems to be bricking cheaters' PCs. Riot's response? "Congrats on your $6k paperweights" means in practice
Quick answer
How to Install Vanguard Anti-Cheat
What You'll Need
Download and install Valorant from https://playvalorant.com/
Run the installer and follow prompts
Allow admin privileges when prompted
Restart PC if required
Optimizing Vanguard Performance
What You'll Need
Disable unnecessary startup programs via Task Manager
Set Valorant process priority to 'High' (Settings > System)
Close background apps (Discord, browsers)
Troubleshooting & Solutions
Common Problems & Solutions
Conflicts with existing drivers/security software (e.g., third-party antivirus, overclocking tools)
- 1Boot into Safe Mode and uninstall conflicting software
- 2Reinstall Vanguard via the Valorant client
- 3Update GPU/BIOS drivers
- Disabling real-time protection before installation
- Using outdated system files
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it’s bundled with Valorant—no extra cost for players.