How to Fix Valorant VAN 9001 / VAN -81 (TPM 2.0 Error)
tpm.msc in Windows, enabling TPM 2.0 (Intel PTT or AMD fTPM) in your BIOS/UEFI, switching boot mode to UEFI, enabling Secure Boot, then reinstalling Vanguard and restarting. Full steps below.What VAN 9001 means
VAN 9001 is Vanguard's way of telling you that a mandatory security layer is missing. Vanguard, Riot's kernel-level anti-cheat for Valorant, requires TPM 2.0 (Trusted Platform Module) and Secure Boot to be active before it will run. TPM is a small security chip — or a firmware feature built into modern CPUs — that verifies your system hasn't been tampered with during boot. Secure Boot makes sure only trusted software loads when your PC starts. Together, they let Vanguard trust the machine it's running on, which is how it keeps cheat tools out.
This error appears almost exclusively on Windows 11, because Windows 11 itself requires TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot — so most players already meet Vanguard's demands. But many self-built PCs and older prebuilts were upgraded to Windows 11 with these features technically present yet switched off in BIOS, or with the board still booting in Legacy/CSM mode, which disables them. On Windows 10, Vanguard does not enforce this requirement, which is why players sometimes only discover the problem after upgrading their operating system.
Common causes
- TPM disabled in BIOS: the firmware TPM (Intel PTT or AMD fTPM) exists on your CPU but is switched off in UEFI settings.
- Legacy/CSM boot mode: booting in Legacy mode instead of UEFI disables Secure Boot and TPM functionality entirely.
- Secure Boot disabled: TPM is on, but Secure Boot is turned off in the Boot or Security tab of BIOS.
- Windows 11 upgrade on unsupported settings: the OS was installed with the requirements bypassed, leaving the firmware unconfigured.
- Corrupted Vanguard installation: Vanguard may need a fresh install to detect newly enabled security features.
- Genuinely unsupported hardware: very old motherboards and CPUs have no TPM 2.0 at all — neither discrete nor firmware-based.
How to fix VAN 9001 — step by step
Work through these fixes in order. Do not skip the restart in step 6 — Vanguard only checks the security state at boot.
- Confirm TPM 2.0 is present in Windows. Press Win + R, type
tpm.msc, and press Enter. If the console says "The TPM is ready for use" and the Specification Version is 2.0, your hardware has it — skip to step 3. If it says a compatible TPM cannot be found, your firmware TPM is disabled and you need step 2. If the version is 1.2, check your motherboard manual for a firmware update that upgrades it. - Enable TPM 2.0 in BIOS/UEFI. Restart your PC and press the BIOS key during boot (usually Del, F2, or F12 — watch the first splash screen). Look under the Security, Advanced, or Trusted Computing section for the TPM setting. On Intel systems it is often labeled "Intel PTT" (Platform Trust Technology); on AMD systems, "AMD fTPM." Set it to Enabled. Exact menu names vary by manufacturer — check your motherboard manual if you can't find it.
- Switch boot mode from Legacy to UEFI. While still in BIOS, find the Boot Mode option (often under the Boot tab). If it says Legacy or CSM, change it to UEFI. Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 do not function in Legacy mode, so this switch is mandatory. Warning: if Windows was installed in Legacy mode, switching to UEFI can prevent it from booting — in that case convert the disk with
mbr2gptfirst, or be prepared to reinstall Windows in UEFI mode. - Enable Secure Boot. In BIOS, navigate to the Boot or Security tab and find Secure Boot. Set it to Enabled. On some boards you must first set the OS Type to "Windows UEFI mode" before the option unlocks. Press F10 to save and exit BIOS.
- Reinstall Riot Vanguard. Once back in Windows, open Settings, go to Apps, then Installed apps, find "Riot Vanguard," and uninstall it. Then launch Valorant from the Riot Client — it will automatically reinstall Vanguard with the newly enabled security features active. Accept the restart prompt when it appears.
- Restart and launch Valorant. Restart your PC so Vanguard initializes fresh with TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot verified at boot. Launch Valorant. The VAN 9001 / VAN -81 error should be gone. Run
tpm.mscagain afterward to confirm the TPM shows as ready for your own peace of mind.
Did this fix it? Quick checklist
- Vanguard tray icon appears and shows as running
- Valorant launches past the loading screen without VAN 9001
tpm.mscreports TPM 2.0 ready for use- System Information (msinfo32) shows Secure Boot as "On"
If the error persists, double-check that you are actually in UEFI mode (in msinfo32, "BIOS Mode" should read UEFI, not Legacy), and make sure Windows is fully updated — some Vanguard updates ship alongside Windows updates. On hardware with no TPM 2.0 at all, your options are a motherboard/CPU upgrade or playing on Windows 10, where the requirement is not enforced.
Frequently asked questions
What is Valorant error VAN 9001?
VAN 9001 (sometimes shown as VAN -81) means Riot's Vanguard anti-cheat cannot start because your PC does not have TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot enabled. Vanguard requires both on Windows 11 to block cheaters at the hardware level.
Can I play Valorant without TPM 2.0?
Not on Windows 11 — Vanguard enforces TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot there. On Windows 10 the requirement is not enforced, so staying on or downgrading to Windows 10 is a workaround, but enabling TPM 2.0 is the supported fix.
Is enabling Secure Boot safe?
Yes. Secure Boot is a standard security feature built into modern PCs. Enabling it does not delete your files or affect your games beyond allowing Vanguard to run.
What if my motherboard has no TPM option?
Most CPUs made after 2016 have a firmware TPM built in (Intel PTT or AMD fTPM) that just needs enabling. Very old boards may lack it entirely, in which case the hardware cannot meet Valorant's Windows 11 requirements.