What Is Riot Vanguard? A Guide for LoL and Valorant Players

Riot Vanguard is the anti-cheat system Riot Games uses for Valorant and League of Legends. Introduced with Valorant in 2020, it was added to League of Legends in 2024. Because it runs at the deepest level of the computer, it is praised for its effectiveness against cheats but also raises questions about privacy and performance. In this guide we explain what Vanguard is, how it works, how to fix common problems and why it matters for account trading.

How Does Vanguard Work?

Vanguard has two parts: a client component that runs while the game is open, and a driver that runs in the Windows kernel. The kernel driver starts when the computer boots. The reason is that cheat software keeps moving to deeper levels: if a cheat loads before the game and embeds itself deep in the system, protection that starts later may not see it. By starting with the system, Vanguard aims to stop cheats from loading before it.

That is why you are asked to restart your computer when Vanguard is first installed or updated. You cannot open Riot games without restarting.

What Changed When It Came to League of Legends?

For many years League of Legends used a lighter anti-cheat system. As cheats such as scripts (auto-combos, auto-dodging) spread, especially in high elo, Riot brought Vanguard to LoL in 2024. With this change:

• Vanguard became mandatory and must be active to play LoL as well.
• A large share of known script software stopped working, and big ban waves followed.
• Besides accounts caught cheating, in some cases restrictions could also be applied to the hardware the cheat was used on.

Privacy and Performance: Should You Worry?

Any software running at kernel level theoretically has broad access to the system, so concerns are understandable. Riot states that Vanguard collects only the information needed to detect cheats and does not scan your personal files. Similar kernel-level protections are used in other major competitive games.

In terms of performance, Vanguard uses very few resources outside the game. Some users may see incompatibilities with hardware software that uses old or low-level drivers (fan control, RGB, overclocking tools); Vanguard can block drivers with known vulnerabilities from loading. Updating the software in question usually solves this.

You can turn Vanguard off from its taskbar icon, but you will need to restart your computer when you want to play a Riot game again.

Common Vanguard Errors

Because error codes and fixes can change over time, for persistent problems we recommend checking Riot Support's current help articles.

Why It Matters for Account Trading

Vanguard directly affects the second-hand account market. If you are thinking of buying a LoL or Valorant account, you should know:

• Accounts used with cheats in the past are risky. Cheat detections are sometimes delayed; an account can be closed weeks after you buy it because of past cheating.
• Watch out for boosted accounts. Accounts whose rank rose quickly with suspicious stats can be flagged for review both for cheating and for account sharing.
• Ask the seller for a written statement. The listing should state clearly that the account has never received a cheating penalty. When you receive it, queue for competitive right away and check there is no active restriction.
• Do not keep cheat software on your own computer. Because Vanguard detections can extend to hardware, suspicious "FPS boosters" or "skin changers" can put your newly bought account at risk too.

Remember: Riot's terms do not allow account sales. So there is always a risk when buying an account; the checks above reduce that risk but do not remove it. For other points to check when buying, read our Valorant account buying guide.

Conclusion

Vanguard has made cheating in Riot games much harder and created a fairer competitive environment for honest players. In return you have to accept a driver that runs at boot and occasional compatibility issues. If you are buying an account, choosing accounts with a clean history and staying away from cheat tools matters more than ever.