VAN 9001 means Vanguard failed to initialize. It is one of the most common Vanguard errors and one of the most misunderstood: players often try restarting the game client or reinstalling VALORANT first, when the actual problem is a BIOS setting that has nothing to do with the game files. The fix almost always involves enabling Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 in your BIOS or UEFI firmware.
What Does VAN 9001 Mean?
VAN 9001 means Vanguard not initialized. The usual fix is enabling Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 in your BIOS or UEFI settings. Restart your PC after making the changes.
The 9000-series VAN errors became widespread in late 2025 when Riot significantly tightened Vanguard enforcement for Windows 11, and suddenly thousands of players who had been playing fine for years could no longer launch the game.
Vanguard requires both Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 to initialize at the kernel level. If either is disabled in your BIOS, Vanguard cannot start, and VALORANT blocks you from launching until the issue is resolved.
Step-by-Step Fix for VAN 9001
Step 1: Enter BIOS
Restart your PC. During the startup screen (before Windows loads), press the key shown to enter BIOS or UEFI Setup. Common keys:
- Dell: F2
- ASUS: F2 or Delete
- MSI: Delete
- Gigabyte: Delete
- HP: F10 or Esc
- Lenovo: F1 or F2
If you miss the window, restart and try again.
Step 2: Enable TPM 2.0
In BIOS, find the TPM setting. It may be labeled:
- TPM 2.0
- PTT (Intel Platform Trust Technology)
- AMD fTPM (AMD systems)
- Security Device
Set it to Enabled.
Step 3: Enable Secure Boot
Still in BIOS, find the Secure Boot setting. It is usually under the Boot or Security menu. Set it to Enabled.
Note: if Secure Boot was previously disabled, enabling it may require your Windows installation to use GPT partition format. If Windows was installed on an MBR disk, you may need to convert it (this can be done without losing data using Windows' built-in MBR2GPT tool).
Step 4: Save and Restart
Save your BIOS changes (usually F10 to save and exit) and restart. Windows will boot with the new settings. Launch VALORANT after the restart.
VAN 9001 on Windows 11
If you are on Windows 11, Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 should already be enabled since they are required for the Windows 11 upgrade. If you see VAN 9001 on Windows 11, check for driver conflicts instead.
If you are on Windows 11 and already have Secure Boot and TPM enabled, the issue is likely:
- A recent Windows update that temporarily disabled a setting
- A driver conflict after a system update
- A corrupted Vanguard installation that needs to be reinstalled
For Windows 11 with confirmed TPM and Secure Boot, proceed directly to reinstalling Vanguard:
- Open Add or Remove Programs
- Uninstall Riot Vanguard
- Restart your PC
- Open VALORANT or the Riot Client to trigger a fresh Vanguard installation
- Restart again after installation
What If VAN 9001 Persists After Enabling TPM and Secure Boot?
If the error persists after confirming both settings are enabled:
- Update all drivers: particularly your chipset and security-related drivers
- Check for BIOS firmware updates: your motherboard manufacturer may have released a BIOS update that affects TPM compatibility
- Verify Windows is updated: go to Settings, Windows Update, and install all pending updates
- Contact Riot Support: if none of the above resolves it, submit a support ticket at support-valorant.riotgames.com with your system specs and error screenshot
Play VALORANT with Stable Connection After Fixing VAN 9001
With Vanguard initialized correctly, your next concern is keeping your VALORANT matches free from connection instability. ExitLag is a connection optimizer used by over 30 million players across 4,000+ game titles including VALORANT.
Download ExitLag and try it free.
VALORANT, Vanguard, and related marks are trademarks of Riot Games. Used for informational and educational purposes only.
