The VAN9003 error in VALORANT mostly appears for players running the game on Windows 11. Considering the error wasn't known during the Windows 10 era, it caught many players off guard as the error text didn't provide any explanations.

I first encountered the VAN9003 error in VALORANT after upgrading my gaming PC to Windows 11. The process was quite smooth, so I was surprised that I was getting the VAN9003 error. However, I did some digging and solved the error with the following fix.

How do you fix the VAN9003 VALORANT error?

Enabling secure boot for VALORANT is the best fix for the VAN9003 error.

• Restart your PC or laptop.
• Immediately press your BIOS hotkey (commonly F10, F11, F12, or Del).
• Once inside the BIOS, go to the Boot Options section.
• Enable Secure Boot.
• Navigate to the Security tab.
• Make sure TPM is enabled and the Boot Protocol is set to UEFI.
• Save changes and restart your PC.

If you're having trouble navigating BIOS, look up a guide video specific to your motherboard manufacturer.

What is the VAN9003 error in VALORANT?

The VAN9003 error in VALORANT appears when Secure Boot or TPM 2.0 is disabled on a Windows 11 system. These security features are required by VALORANT's anti-cheat software, Vanguard. If either is turned off, Vanguard prevents the game from launching and displays the VAN9003 error.

Windows 10 and console players are unlikely to experience this error. While most modern hardware supports Secure Boot and TPM 2.0, there's a slight chance that you may need to replace your motherboard if you decide to upgrade to Windows 11 and continue playing VALORANT.

While you'll unlikely notice any difference while performing everyday tasks on the operating system, there will be programs and games, like VALORANT, that will require Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 activation. It won't be possible to play the game without these settings enabled, since VALORANT will continue crashing until it detects them as active.

In the worst-case scenario, you can pre-register for VALORANT Mobile and take your gaming action on the go as you consider that PC upgrade for the time being. Alternatively, you can also download the game on a console. VALORANT is cross-platform between Xbox and PlayStation, while it also fully supports cross-progression, so you can continue using your cosmetics on different platforms.