How to Fix Valorant VAN9005 Error

Valorant‘s competitive 5v5 tactical gameplay thrills FPS fans—when it‘s working. Lately though, many players encounter frustration from the notorious VAN9005 error preventing launch.

After digging into the issue as a tech specialist and Valorant enthusiast, I‘ve put together this comprehensive troubleshooting guide to get you back fragging ASAP.

What Exactly is the VAN9005 Error?

VAN9005 signals that your system is out of compliance with Riot‘s strict security requirements for running Valorant.

Specifically, it means Vanguard—Valorant‘s kernel-level anti-cheat driver—cannot initialize due to your BIOS lacking crucial virtualization-based security (VBS) features:

UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface)
TPM (Trusted Platform Module) 2.0

Enabling these provides the VBS prerequisites to launch Valorant.

But what do UEFI and TPM actually do? Let‘s quickly break them down:

UEFI

Short for Unified Extensible Firmware Interface, UEFI replaces the clunky old BIOS firmware used by motherboards.

With modern UEFI, you get:

Faster boot times
Improved graphics and mouse support
Secure boot to prevent malware injection
Integrity checks to verify system files
Pre-OS malware scanning

This enhances security and stability versus legacy BIOS. No wonder Vanguard mandates it.

TPM 2.0

Trusted Platform Module or TPM is a hardware chip on your motherboard used for encryption/decryption and secure storage of sensitive data like passwords, keys, and certificates.

TPM 2.0 delivers:

Stronger encryption algorithms like SHA-256
Enhanced authorization and policy controls
More internal memory for keys/hashes
Faster encryption speeds

With TPM 2.0 enabled, Vanguard can leverage advanced security capabilities for anti-cheat protection.

Now let‘s get to the good stuff: actually fixing VAN9005…

Fixing VAN9005 by Enabling UEFI and TPM 2.0

If your system fully supports UEFI and TPM 2.0, here‘s how to enable them in BIOS:

Access the BIOS

Reboot and press the BIOS key (F2, F10, DEL) continuously to enter firmware setup.
Unsure of your BIOS key? Search "[Computer Model] BIOS key" to find it.

For example, if I had an Asus laptop, I‘d search "Asus laptop BIOS key" to determine the proper key is F2 for my model.

Switch BIOS to UEFI Mode

In the BIOS, navigate to the Boot tab. Look for "Boot Mode" or "Boot Option."
Change the setting from Legacy/CSM to UEFI mode.

You may see UEFI labeled as EFI, Extensible Firmware Interface, or other variations by motherboard vendors. The key is moving away from legacy BIOS to UEFI.

Why UEFI over Legacy BIOS?

UEFI	Legacy BIOS
Fast boot times	Slow boot process
Graphics & mouse support	Text-only, keyboard nav
Secure boot	No boot malware protection
File system integrity checks	No system file validation
Pre-boot malware scanning	No pre-OS security

Enable TPM 2.0

Go to the Security tab and find the TPM options.
Enable TPM support and initialization. May need to set admin BIOS password first.
Ensure TPM version shows as 2.0, not 1.2.

Save changes and exit BIOS. Boot back into Windows.

VAN9005 should disappear with UEFI and TPM 2.0 now active.

Time to jump into Valorant! Well…after we cover older systems lacking UEFI/TPM next.

Resolving VAN9005 on Legacy Systems

Some aging PCs don‘t support Valorant‘s UEFI and TPM requirements. If you confirmed:

BIOS mode shows Legacy, not UEFI
TPM is unavailable or only version 1.2

Then you‘ll need to disable VBS as a workaround.

Warning: Disabling VBS reduces your system security. Only use if UEFI/TPM are truly unsupported.

Here‘s how to turn off VBS:

Open Command Prompt as admin and run:

bcdedit /set hypervisorlaunchtype off

Restart your PC.
In Windows Security Center, confirm "Memory Integrity" is off under Core Isolation.

With VBS now disabled, give Valorant a try and VAN9005 should be resolved. But your system security takes a hit.

VAN9005 Troubleshooting Tips

If VAN9005 persists despite your best efforts, here are some things to check:

Verify UEFI/TPM are enabled in Windows after BIOS changes.
Add Valorant exclusions to antivirus and firewall apps. Temporarily disabling them can also help.
Update BIOS, chipset, and other system drivers. Outdated firmware causes issues.
Windows and Valorant MUST be fully updated. Missing patches trigger VAN errors.
Try clean installing GPU drivers using Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU).
As a last resort, reset Windows while keeping files intact. VAN9005 may require a fresh OS state.

With some targeted troubleshooting, you should nail down the culprit. But feel free to ask for help in the comments if needed!

Closing Thoughts

Valorant‘s VAN9005 error ultimately comes down to a mismatch between your PC‘s configuration and Riot‘s stringent VBS security requirements.

By enabling UEFI and TPM 2.0, or disabling VBS as a workaround, you can circumvent the restriction and get back to your Valorant grind.

For tackling other common Vanguard errors, also check out my guides on fixing VAN9001 and VAN9003. Let me know if this helped get your game up and running again!