Why Valorant Has Encountered a Connection Error and How to Actually Get Back In

You're mid-clutch. The Spike is ticking down, your heart is racing, and suddenly, the screen freezes. Then it hits you—that dreaded white box with the soul-crushing message: Valorant has encountered a connection error. It's enough to make anyone want to alt-f4 and never come back.

Honestly, it’s one of the most frustrating things about Riot's tactical shooter. It doesn't matter if you have a high-end rig or a budget setup. This error is a gatekeeper. It treats everyone the same, and it doesn’t care about your Rank.

What is Really Happening Behind the Scenes?

When you see the message that Valorant has encountered a connection error, your client has basically lost its handshake with Riot’s servers. This isn't just your Wi-Fi being "bad." It’s often a breakdown in the communication between Vanguard—Riot’s aggressive anti-cheat system—and the game’s backend.

Vanguard is picky. Very picky. If it detects a momentary flicker in your internet protocol or a background service that looks "suspicious" (even if it's just your RGB lighting software), it cuts the cord. It prefers to kick you out rather than risk a security breach.

Sometimes it’s a server-side hiccup. Riot Games often performs stealth updates or regional maintenance that can cause a desync. If you're playing in North America and the Virginia servers decide to take a nap, you’re going to see that error box.

The Vanguard Factor

You've probably heard people complain about Riot Vanguard. It runs at the kernel level, which basically means it has the keys to the kingdom on your PC. When Valorant has encountered a connection error, Vanguard is often the culprit. It might have stopped running, or it might be blocking a driver it suddenly decided it doesn't like.

Try this: Look at your system tray. Is the little Vanguard icon there? If not, the game won't let you stay connected for more than a few seconds.

The Common Fixes That Actually Work

Forget the generic advice like "restart your router." We've all tried that. It rarely works for this specific Riot error.

Run as Administrator. It sounds basic, but Valorant needs high-level permissions to let Vanguard communicate with the OS. Right-click your Valorant shortcut, go to properties, and check that "Run as administrator" box. It solves about 40% of these connection drops instantly.

VGC Service check. This is the big one.

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1. Hit the Windows Key + R.
2. Type services.msc and hit Enter.
3. Scroll all the way down to "vgc."
4. Right-click it, go to Properties, and make sure the Startup Type is set to Automatic.
5. If it's stopped, click Start.

If the vgc service isn't running, you will get the Valorant has encountered a connection error every single time you reach the main menu. It’s the engine that keeps the connection alive.

Network Buffering and DNS

Sometimes the issue is deeper in your Windows settings. DNS (Domain Name System) acts like a phonebook for the internet. If your ISP’s phonebook is outdated, Valorant can’t find the Riot servers.

Switching to Google DNS (8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4) or Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) is a pro move. It’s more stable for gaming. Also, flush your DNS. Open Command Prompt as an admin and type ipconfig /flushdns. It takes two seconds. It clears out the digital cobwebs that might be redirecting your connection to a dead end.

When It’s Not You, It’s Riot

We have to talk about the "VAN" codes. Usually, when Valorant has encountered a connection error, it's accompanied by a code like VAN 1, VAN 6, or the dreaded VAN 1067.

• VAN 0 or 1: Usually a simple connection hiccup. A restart usually fixes it.
• VAN 6: This is a global "connection error" that usually means Riot's servers are dying. Check the Riot Games Service Status page or Downdetector. If everyone is complaining on X (formerly Twitter), just go get a snack. You can't fix Riot's servers.
• VAN 1067: This one is specific to Windows 11 users and usually involves TPM 2.0 or Secure Boot being disabled in your BIOS.

It’s easy to get caught in a loop of reinstalling the game. Don't do that yet. Reinstalling 30GB of data is a waste of time if the problem is just a blocked port in your firewall.

Firewall Exceptions

Windows Defender is a bit of a helicopter parent. It tries to protect you but often breaks your games. You need to manually allow four specific things through your firewall:

• The Valorant executable.
• Riot Client.
• Vanguard (vgc.exe).
• The shipping binary (usually found in the Live/ShooterGame/Binaries/Win64 folder).

If these aren't whitelisted, the game might start, but the moment it tries to send data back to Riot, the firewall slams the door shut. That's when you see Valorant has encountered a connection error.

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The Hard Truth About Wi-Fi

I know, I know. You don't want to hear it. But if you’re playing on Wi-Fi, you’re asking for trouble. Valorant’s netcode is incredibly sensitive to "packet loss."

Packet loss is when bits of data get lost in the air between your laptop and your router. Even if your internet speed is 1Gbps, a tiny blip of interference from your microwave or a neighbor's router can cause a "desync." When the server doesn't hear from your client for a fraction of a second, it often assumes the connection is dead.

Get an Ethernet cable. Even a cheap 50-foot cat6 cable run across the floor is better than the best Wi-Fi 6E signal. It stabilizes the "ping" and keeps the heartbeat between your PC and the server consistent.

Software Conflicts

Do you use Razer Synapse? Discord? Logitech G Hub?
Sometimes these overlays cause the connection to drop. It’s weird, but software like "Citrix" or certain virtual machine drivers are notorious for triggering Vanguard's kill switch. If you started getting the Valorant has encountered a connection error after installing new work-from-home software, that’s your smoking gun.

Step-by-Step Recovery Plan

If you’re staring at that error right now, follow this specific order. Don't skip steps.

1. Close everything. Use Task Manager to kill every process related to Riot or Valorant.
2. The Vanguard Reboot. Uninstall Riot Vanguard from your "Add or Remove Programs." Restart your computer. Open the Riot Client; it will prompt you to reinstall Vanguard. Do it. Restart again. This fixes about 80% of persistent connection issues.
3. Check for Windows Updates. Specifically "Optional Updates." Sometimes there’s a driver update for your Network Adapter that fixes a known bug with high-speed data transfer.
4. Reset your Network. In Windows settings, search for "Network Reset." This will wipe your network drivers and reinstall them. You'll have to sign back into your Wi-Fi, but it clears out deep-seated configuration errors.
5. Disable IPv6. Some Riot servers still struggle with IPv6. Go to your Network Adapter settings, right-click your connection, hit Properties, and uncheck "Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6)."

Actionable Insights for a Stable Connection

To keep Valorant has encountered a connection error from ruining your next match, you need a proactive setup.

• Static IP: Set a static IP for your gaming PC. This prevents your router from reassigning your address mid-game, which can cause a momentary disconnect.
• Wired Connection: Use Ethernet. Period.
• Minimal Background Apps: Close browsers. Chrome is a memory hog and can sometimes interfere with network priority.
• Monitor Server Status: Before you queue for a Rank-up game, check a site like status.riotgames.com. If there are yellow or red icons, just play Unrated.

The reality is that Valorant's architecture is complex. Between the server-side tick rate and the invasive nature of Vanguard, there are a lot of moving parts. Usually, a clean reinstall of Vanguard or a DNS flush is all it takes to bridge the gap.

If all else fails, reach out to Riot Support with your "Logs." You can use the Riot Repair Tool (RRT) to gather these. It creates a .zip file that tells the devs exactly where the handshake failed. It’s much faster than guessing.

Stop fighting your hardware and start optimizing your environment. Most of the time, the fix is sitting in your Services menu or a simple admin-run shortcut. Get back in the game and win that 1v3.