Fix: Valorant Invalid Access to Memory Location Error

2020’s Valorant is a free-to-play first-person hero shooter video game that has been developed and published by Riot Games that’s available for Windows only. Initially, it was teased in the codename ‘Project A’ back in 2019 then the closed beta program began then finally it’s officially available for everyone. However, it seems that there are some issues or errors still bothering players, and the Valorant Invalid Access to Memory Location Error is one of them.

According to multiple reports on Reddit, it seems that a particular memory error is appearing whenever players are trying to launch the Valorant game. Now, some reports are suggesting that closing unwanted applications running in the background might fix the issue completely. This error usually occurs whenever Valorant players try running the game with the minimum amount of RAM around 4GB. It basically causes issues with the game running.

1. Reboot the PC

It’s highly recommended to restart the computer properly because a temporary system glitch or cache data issue can bother you a lot. Though it’s a common step and may not come in handy for all affected players, you should try it out once.

2. Run Riot Client as Administrator

The next thing you can do is to just give the proper admin access to your specific game executable file from the installed game folder to allow all the ongoing connections easily. To do so:

Right-click on the Valorant exe shortcut file on your PC.
Now, select Properties > Click on the Compatibility tab.

Make sure to click on the Run this program as an administrator checkbox to checkmark it.
Click on Apply and select OK to save changes.

3. Redownload the Riot Client

Some of the affected Valorant players did mention that after re-downloading the Riot Client on the PC from the official Riot Games webpage and loading the Valorant game has fixed the issue completely. The thing is that Riot Client checks for the game file automatically every time you launch Valorant. So, if there is an issue with the missing or corrupted game files, Riot Client will fix that itself.

4. Update Valorant

You’ll have to re-download the Valorant game from the official Riot Games link and install the same to get the latest version.

5. Don’t Use VPN

Try not to use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) or a Proxy server on your PC because it increases the ping delay and the game can’t open properly. Make sure to turn off VPN or Proxy server temporarily before launching the Valorant game to cross-check if the Invalid Access to Memory Location Error is still bothering you or not.

6. Run SFC and DISM Tool

SFC or System File Checker tool is useful enough to find out whether any program file or a disk drive has some issues or not on a Windows system. If there is an issue, you can try manually fixing it by following the steps below. To do this:

Click on the Start Menu and type cmd.
Now, right-click on Command Prompt from the search result.
Select Run as administrator > If prompted, click on Yes to give admin privileges.
Once the command prompt window opens, type the following command and hit Enter to execute it: [There is a space before /]

sfc /scannow

Now, wait for the process to complete. Depending on the disk size and problematic data, it may take some time.
Once done, you can note down the detected issues to search for solutions. Make sure to restart your computer to change effects immediately.

Try using the Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) command on your Windows PC to fix several issues with corrupted or missing files. DISM is a command-line tool that can be used to mount and service Windows images before deployment. To do so:

Click on the Start Menu and type cmd.
Now, right-click on Command Prompt from the search result.
Select Run as administrator > If prompted, click on Yes to give admin privileges.
Once the command prompt window opens, type the following command and hit Enter to execute it:

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Scanhealth

Then type the following command and hit Enter:

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth

Then type the following command and press Enter:

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Now, wait for the process to complete and exit the command prompt.
Finally, restart your computer to apply changes.

7. Delete Temporary Files

Sometimes a bunch of system temporary files may cause multiple issues with the system performance or program launching whatsoever. It’s always a better idea to delete the temporary files on the PC by following the steps below. Don’t worry! It won’t affect your user data.

Press the Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
Now, type %temp% in the box and hit Enter to open the Temporary Files folder.
Just press the Ctrl + A keys to select all the temporary files at once.
Next, just press the Delete button on your keyboard and confirm it to remove all temporary files.
Sometimes a couple of temporary files may not get deleted. In that case, just skip the delete process for them.
Once done, close the folder, and reboot the PC to apply changes.
Finally, launch the Riot client and open Valorant to check for the issue.

8. Close Background Tasks

You should try closing all the unnecessary background running tasks on the system that may consume a lot of system resources. Issues with the system resources can trigger game lags, crashes, errors, etc. Try to free up the storage and memory space as much as possible.

Press the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys to open Task Manager.
Click on the Processes tab > Select the task that you want to close.
Once selected, click on End Task. Make sure to do the steps for each task individually.
Once done, just restart your computer to change effects immediately.

9. Update Graphics Driver

Mostly an outdated or corrupted graphics driver version on your Windows PC can cause several issues with the game launching or gameplay. It’s recommended to check for the latest update and install the update as early as possible. The latest build always brings bug fixes and enhancements whatsoever. To do this:

Press Windows + X keys to open the Quick Link Menu.
Now, click on Device Manager from the list > Double-click on Display adapters.
Right-click on the dedicated graphics card that you’re using.
Next, select Update driver > Choose to Search automatically for drivers.
If there is an update available, the system will automatically download & install it.
Once done, restart the computer to apply changes.

Must Read: How to Fix Valorant VAN9001 Error on PC

10. Update Windows

It’s always a better idea to update Windows OS build to the latest version so that system improvements and general bug fixes can replace the older or buggy system version. To do so:

Press Windows + I keys to open up the Windows Settings menu.
Next, click on Update & Security > Select Check for updates under the Windows Update section.
If there is a feature update available, select Download and install.
Wait for some time until the update gets completed.
Finally, reboot your PC to apply changes immediately.

11. Check for Optional Updates

Sometimes Microsoft pushes a feature update or any kind of optional update to a separate location that most users don’t even know so far. You should also check for the optional updates by following the steps below to ensure there is no driver or security patch update pending. To do that:

Press Windows + I keys to open up the Windows Settings menu.
Click on Windows Update from the left pane > Click on Advanced Options.
Now, scroll down a bit, and you’ll find the Additional options section.
Click on Optional updates > If there is an update available, make sure to select the update.
Click on Download & install > Once the update is installed, reboot the system.
Finally, you can launch the Valorant game on the PC to check for the issue.

12. Force Close Riot Vanguard

It can possible that somehow the Riot Vanguard service is conflicting with some other background running services or temporarily having a glitch on your computer. By force closing the anti-cheat system, you may be able to use it properly.

Make sure that the Riot Vanguard service is fully closed and not running in the background. To do this:
- Go to the system tray icon on the Taskbar > Right-click on the Riot Vanguard icon.
- Click on Exit Vanguard.
Next, open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl+Shift+Esc keys > Go to Processes > Then check whether the Riot Vanguard is running or not.
- If still running, click on Vanguard and choose End Task.
Finally, restart your PC and launch the Valorant game again to check whether the Error Code 57 has been fixed or not.

13. Enable Vanguard Service

The chances are also high that your Riot Games Vanguard service isn’t running properly on your PC. To recall, Riot Games do offer the Vanguard anti-cheat system on its PC games to prevent hackers and cheaters from ruining the gaming experience. Sometimes the anti-cheat system may not work smoothly if it gets disabled for some reason. Here we’ve provided two different ways to easily enable Riot Vanguard service on your PC.

Press Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
Type services.msc and hit Enter to open Services.
Now, look for VGC from the list and right-click on it.

How to Fix Valorant Error Code VAN 68

Go to Properties > Set the ‘Startup Type’ to ‘Automatic’. [If not selected yet, make sure to select it]
If in case, it’s not running, click on Start > Select Apply and OK to save changes.
Finally, restart your computer to apply changes.

Once you’re done with the first method, it’s time to follow the second method below using the System Configuration option.

Click on the Start menu > Type msconfig and click on the System Configuration from the search result.
Once the system configuration window pops up, click on the Services tab.
Now, find out the VGC service from the list of Riot Games.
Click on the VGC checkbox to enable it.
Next, click on Apply and then OK to save changes.
Restart your computer and try running Valorant again to check the error.

14. Update Valorant

Try rebooting the system and launching the Valorant game via Riot Client to check whether the update is available or not. If available then make sure to install the update properly and then check for the issue again. Sometimes an outdated or buggy patch version can trigger multiple issues with the game launching or game running.

15. Temporarily Disable Antivirus

In most scenarios, the stock or third-party antivirus software may block all the ongoing processes or connections of the game files which can eventually trigger multiple issues. You should turn off the antivirus software temporarily to check if the Valorant game is running fine or not. To do so:

Press the Windows key on the keyboard to open the Start menu.
Now, type Settings in the search bar, and click on it to open.
Go to Windows & Security > Click on Windows Security from the left pane.
Then click on Open Windows Security > Head over to Virus & threat protection.
Next, click on the Manage Settings menu > Turn OFF the Real-time protection feature.
Finally, launch the Riot client and open Valorant to check for the Invalid Access to Memory Location error again.

16. Reinstall Valorant

Try uninstalling and reinstalling the Valorant game on your PC to remove any kind of system glitch or cache data issue. Sometimes a corrupted game installation can become stubborn enough to throw out launching errors. Just head over to the official Riot Games website and download the latest version of the game installer file. Ensure to install the game on a different drive (if possible).

17. Try Upgrading Current RAM Size

It’s also recommended to try upgrading the current RAM size to a higher size (more than 4GB) so that the Valorant game runs properly. If your computer supports a higher RAM upgrade then increase the RAM size to at least 8GB for an optimal gaming performance apart from compatible CPU and GPU.

18. Contact Riot Games Support

If none of the methods worked for you then you should contact Riot Games Support for the dedicated customer support help desk. The support staff should help you with technical aspects to avoid such an issue to appear again. It’ll help the developers to work on the particular Valorant Invalid Access to Memory Location error and provide a resolution as early as possible.

That’s it, guys. We assume this guide was helpful to you. For further queries, you can comment below.

Fix: Valorant Invalid Access to Memory Location Error