How to download Valorant in 5 steps: free and official from playvalorant.com, plus the Valorant size, platforms, how to install and reinstall Riot Vanguard, and help with stuck downloads and VAN errors.
Last updated: October 10, 2026
The official Valorant download is free and comes from playvalorant.com (or the Epic Games Store and Microsoft Store): download the installer, sign in with your Riot account, install and restart your PC. The installer sets up three programs automatically – the Riot Client, Valorant and the Riot Vanguard anti-cheat. Expect a download of roughly 23 GB and about 26 GB on disk (community measurements, September 2026).
Want to know how to download Valorant and get into your first match quickly? You’re in the right place. The Valorant download is free, but it installs more than just the game: alongside Valorant you get the Riot Client launcher and the Riot Vanguard anti-cheat. Vanguard in particular raises questions for new players – why it needs a restart, what the new on-demand mode does and how to reinstall Vanguard when it throws errors. This guide walks you through the official way step by step, shows you the size, the platforms and the most common pitfalls, and links the right fix for each one. Everything is based on Riot’s own support articles and was last checked on October 10, 2026.
Riot hosts the installer itself on the official Valorant website. You download a small Windows file (EXE) that takes care of the rest – the actual game is pulled in by the Riot Client during installation. Here’s how to install Valorant:
C:\Riot Games\VALORANT.Go to the official download (playvalorant.com)
In its installation article, Riot names exactly these three programs: Valorant, Riot Vanguard and the Riot Client. All three are installed through the Valorant installer, and you need to restart your computer for all of them to install and update. If you skip the restart, you’ll usually see a Vanguard prompt when you launch the game – nothing to worry about, just reboot.
Plenty of people search for a “Riot Client download” because they want to install the launcher first. You don’t have to do that separately: the Valorant installer brings the Riot Client along automatically. The client is the shared launcher for Riot’s PC games. You use it to sign in, launch Valorant, download updates and repair game files if needed. If you already have League of Legends installed, the client is already there – you can install Valorant straight from it.
Yes. Valorant is free-to-play – on PC as well as on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. You don’t pay for the download or a subscription, and every game mode is open to you. Money only comes into play for optional content such as weapon skins or the premium battle pass, which you buy with Valorant Points (VP). You can see what VP cost in our Valorant Points prices overview, and what the pass contains in the battle pass guide.
There’s also a bonus through Xbox Game Pass: according to Riot, an active Game Pass with a linked Riot account gives you all current agents, new agents at release and 20% extra match XP towards the battle pass and events (not missions). Check the exact Game Pass tier directly with Xbox, since plans can change.
Riot doesn’t publish an official storage figure on its system requirements page. Several independent measurements from 2026 land on very similar numbers, though: a download of roughly 23 GB and about 26 GB on disk once installed. The game grows a little with every patch, map and agent.
| What | Size | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Installer (EXE) | under 100 MB | downloads the rest in the Riot Client |
| Download size | about 23 GB | once, then only patches |
| Install size | about 26 GB | grows with updates |
| Recommended free space | 30 GB or more | headroom for the next update |
So plan for 30 GB or more of free space so updates go through without errors. An SSD isn’t required, but it noticeably shortens loading times. And no, Valorant isn’t 70 GB – that figure doesn’t match current measurements; a few outlier measurements come in higher, but most current values sit at around 26 GB. Update sizes vary from patch to patch; see what’s in the current one in the Valorant patch notes.
There are three official ways to get Valorant on PC. All three are free, and in every case Valorant ends up running on Riot’s own tech with the Riot Client and Vanguard – Vanguard is always required for Valorant on PC. On console, you download the game from your console’s store. On Mac and mobile, the picture is bleak.
| Platform | Official source | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Windows PC | playvalorant.com | standard route; Windows 10 (build 19041+) or Windows 11, 64-bit |
| Windows PC | Epic Games Store | listed since November 2021, free, Windows only |
| Windows PC | Microsoft Store / Xbox app | free; Game Pass perks with a linked Riot account |
| PS5 & Xbox Series X|S | console store | free-to-play; not on PS4 or Xbox One |
| Mac | no native version | Riot doesn’t support ARM processors (Apple Silicon), virtual machines or cloud gaming |
| Mobile (iOS/Android) | China only | Valorant Mobile live in China since August 19, 2025, no global date |
Which PC route you choose is up to you. If you already use the Epic Games Launcher or the Xbox app, you’ll find Valorant in that library. For most players, playvalorant.com is the most direct option, because you install without going through another launcher. If you have Game Pass, it’s worth at least linking your Riot account to Xbox to get the perks mentioned above.
On PS5 and Xbox Series X|S you play with the same Riot account as on PC. What carries over from PC, how ranks differ and how Focus mode works is covered in our console guide for PS5 and Xbox. Who can play with whom is explained on the crossplay page.
Hoping for Valorant on your phone? The latest status and a phone check are on Valorant Mobile: release status.
The minimum requirements are low, but a 64-bit version of Windows and DirectX 11 are a must. Riot lists three performance tiers; the table shows the short version:
| Tier | CPU | Graphics |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum (30 FPS) | Intel i3-540 / AMD Athlon 200GE | Intel HD 4000 / Radeon R5 220 |
| Recommended (60 FPS) | Intel i3-4150 / AMD Ryzen 3 1200 | GeForce GT 730 / Radeon R7 240 |
| High-end (144 FPS) | Intel i5-9400F / AMD Ryzen 5 2600X | GTX 1050 Ti / Radeon R7 370 / Arc A310 |
Riot also lists at least 4 GB of RAM and – if you use a dedicated graphics card – 1 GB of VRAM. One important point for Windows 11: Vanguard additionally requires TPM 2.0 and UEFI Secure Boot there, otherwise you’ll get VAN 9001 or VAN 9003. Windows 10 isn’t affected by this rule. Our full check tells you within seconds whether your PC has everything it needs.
All values, FPS tiers and a PC check are on Valorant system requirements & PC check.
The good news first: in almost every case you don’t need to install Riot Vanguard by hand. Vanguard is installed together with Valorant. And if it’s ever missing, Riot says it installs automatically as soon as you launch a game that needs it. It still helps to understand what’s going on – then you’ll also know what to do when errors appear.
Vanguard is Riot Games’ anti-cheat system. It consists of a driver that runs with the highest privileges in the Windows kernel (kernel mode) and a client with a small icon in the taskbar’s notification area, called VGTray. Valorant has used Vanguard since its launch in 2020, League of Legends since 2024. Without Vanguard running, Valorant won’t start.
No, you don’t need a separate download. Vanguard is part of the Valorant installation. Riot puts it this way: if you want to reinstall Vanguard, just boot up one of the games that requires it and it installs automatically. Steer clear of third-party sites offering a “Vanguard.exe” download.
Riot describes Vanguard as “usually an on-boot application”. The driver has to be running before other programs load – that’s the only way it can make sure nothing slips in ahead of it. So after installing, after a Vanguard update and after manually closing it via “Exit Vanguard”, you need to restart before you can play again. The one exception is the new on-demand mode.
On June 24, 2026, Riot introduced an optional mode it calls “Vanguard Pre-Check”. With it, the Vanguard driver no longer starts with Windows but launches with a Riot game – and only runs while you’re playing. The requirements are strict, though:
Windows 11 version 25H2 or newer. Windows 10 is excluded.
TPM 2.0 and UEFI Secure Boot must be enabled.
IOMMU in the BIOS plus Virtualization-Based Security (VBS) and memory integrity (HVCI) in Windows.
According to Riot, about 35% of players already meet every requirement. To find out whether your PC qualifies, use the Vanguard icon in the notification area: the VGTray tool runs the check and lists any requirements that still need attention. Important: the mode is optional. If you change nothing, you keep the current behavior, where Vanguard starts with Windows – and you can play as usual. How to turn on TPM, Secure Boot, HVCI and IOMMU is explained in our Secure Boot, TPM & Vanguard on-demand guide.
When Vanguard reports errors, won’t start or Valorant quits with a VAN code, a reinstall is often the fastest fix. Riot gives this order in its guide to error VAN -81:
If that doesn’t help, Riot lists further official steps for VAN -81: check the date, time and time zone in Windows, set the Vanguard service vgc to startup type “Automatic” (unless you use Pre-Check), perform a clean boot to find interfering background apps, and finally reinstall the game itself. You’ll find the service via Win + R → services.msc → “vgc” → Properties.
A classic annoyance: the download sits at 0.1 KB/s or won’t move past 0%. Riot doesn’t have a dedicated article for this. The tips below are proven community fixes; the firewall exception, administrator rights and reinstalling are also part of Riot’s official installation troubleshooting.
ipconfig /flushdns.Before you spend hours troubleshooting, check the Valorant server status: if Riot is having issues or a patch is rolling out, it isn’t your fault.
Most problems after the Valorant download come from Vanguard. The codes look cryptic, but they’re well documented. Here are the key ones and the guide that fixes each:
| Code | Meaning | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| VAN 9001 | Windows 11: TPM 2.0 not enabled | Enable TPM |
| VAN 9003 | Windows 11: Secure Boot not enabled | Turn on Secure Boot |
| VAN 1067 | Vanguard couldn’t start properly | Fix VAN 1067 |
| VAN -81 | Vanguard service couldn’t be started | Reinstall Vanguard |
| VAN: RESTRICTION: 3 | Game is on an external or secondary drive | Reinstall on C:\ |
| VAN: RESTRICTION: 5 | Memory integrity (HVCI) isn’t running correctly | Enable memory integrity |
| Other VAN codes | Connection, service or security feature | All VAN error codes |
If Valorant won’t install at all, Riot recommends this order: download the installer again, run it as administrator, add Valorant as a firewall exception, install Windows updates and update your graphics driver. If the problem persists, a ticket with Riot Player Support is the next step – how that works is on our Valorant support page.
By default, Valorant goes to C:\Riot Games\VALORANT, the Riot Client to C:\Riot Games\Riot Client and Vanguard to C:\Program Files\Riot Vanguard. The easiest way to change the game folder is during installation: open “Advanced Options” in the installer before clicking “Install” and choose another drive, such as a second SSD.
The Riot Client has no official feature for moving the game later. One special case is VAN: RESTRICTION: 3: according to Riot, it means Vanguard couldn’t verify the game from the drive it’s installed on – which can happen on an external USB drive, a secondary internal drive or any drive other than the Windows drive. Vanguard then needs Valorant on the internal Windows drive. If you don’t install Valorant on C:\, you should know this code.
How to remove Valorant cleanly or move it to another drive is covered in uninstall Valorant & move it to another drive.
No Riot account, no Valorant. The account is free and works across all Riot games. Riot’s terms don’t set one fixed minimum age: if you’re not an adult, depending on your region you need consent from a parent or guardian, and Riot Support says a child must meet the minimum required age for their region (citing GDPR as an example). Age ratings are a separate matter: in Germany, Valorant is rated USK 16 – a USK rating, not an FSK one. That rating is a youth-protection guideline, not a Riot account rule.
Parents can find background on the rating, voice chat and safety settings in our guide Valorant age rating: USK, FSK & tips for parents. If you already have an account and want to manage it, everything about region, Riot ID and security is on the Valorant account page.
Search results for “valorant download” include download portals, APK sites and videos with links in the description alongside Riot. You don’t need any of them. Valorant is free, and Riot provides the installer itself. Any copy from a third-party site is an unnecessary detour where you can’t verify whether the file has been modified.
Valorant is running? Then a quick bit of fine-tuning before your first match pays off. This order saves you frustration later:
Agents, roles, economy and maps are explained in minutes in our beginner’s guide.
The right graphics options for stable FPS are in our tech fix with settings.
Use the crosshair generator to design your crosshair and copy the code straight into the game.
Coming from CS2, Apex or Overwatch 2? The sensitivity converter translates your mouse sensitivity.
If you want to give your Windows PC a once-over anyway, our free tool SpindTune is an optional extra. Its Valorant check shows whether TPM 2.0, Secure Boot and more are ready for Vanguard, and it can remove junk files – only after you click. There’s no performance guarantee; it’s mainly a quick way to check your settings.
Downloading Valorant is easy as long as you stick to the official route: get the installer from playvalorant.com (or Epic or the Microsoft Store), sign in with your Riot account, download roughly 23 GB and restart your PC. Vanguard comes along automatically and installs itself on launch if it’s ever missing.
If Vanguard acts up, the four-step reinstall usually fixes it. On Windows 11, TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot are required, and the new on-demand mode is an optional extra for well-secured PCs. For everything that comes next, the beginner’s guide, crosshair generator and sensitivity converter are waiting for you.
Yes. Valorant is free-to-play on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The download and every game mode cost nothing; you only spend money if you want extras such as skins or the premium battle pass, bought with Valorant Points.
Riot gives no official figure. Community measurements from 2026 put it at roughly 23 GB to download and about 26 GB on disk. Keep 30 GB or more free for updates.
Download the installer from playvalorant.com, sign in with your Riot account, choose a folder under Advanced Options if you like and install. The installer sets up the Riot Client, Valorant and Riot Vanguard; restart your PC when Vanguard asks.
You don’t need a separate download. Vanguard is installed together with Valorant, and if it’s missing, Riot says it installs automatically when you launch a game that requires it. Vanguard usually asks for a restart afterwards.
Riot’s order is: uninstall Riot Vanguard via Installed apps, restart your PC and launch Valorant through the Riot Client – Vanguard reinstalls automatically. If it then asks for a restart, reboot once more.
Yes. Riot lists 64-bit Windows 10 build 19041 or later as the minimum. On Windows 11, Vanguard additionally requires TPM 2.0 and UEFI Secure Boot.
There is no native Mac version, and Riot doesn’t support ARM processors, virtual machines or cloud gaming. Valorant Mobile has only launched in China, on August 19, 2025; there is no global release date yet.
Riot has no dedicated article for this. Proven fixes are pausing and resuming, closing bandwidth-heavy apps and restarting the Riot Client as administrator. For installation problems, Riot also recommends a firewall exception and, if needed, a reinstall.
Menu names in the Riot Client and Windows can change with updates.
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