VAN 39 is nearly identical in cause to VAN 1 and VAN 45 — Vanguard is not running in its required state. It specifically surfaces when Vanguard has been updated but the new driver version has not been loaded into the kernel yet, requiring a restart.
What does Valorant VAN 39 mean?
Vanguard runs as a kernel-mode driver that must be loaded before Valorant launches any game session. VAN 39 indicates that the driver is either not running or the installed version does not match what Valorant expects — typically because a Vanguard update was applied but not yet activated by a system restart.
The pending restart cycle
VAN 39 is especially common after Riot releases a Vanguard update. The update installs the new driver files but cannot swap out the running kernel module without a reboot. Until you restart, the old driver (or no driver) is active, causing VAN 39.
Antivirus interference
Some antivirus products block the Vanguard driver during load, causing VAN 39 even after a restart. Adding Vanguard to your AV exclusion list and rebooting usually resolves this.
How to fix step by step
- 1Restart your PC — this is the primary fix for VAN 39 after a Vanguard update.
- 2After restart, check the system tray for the Vanguard icon before opening Valorant.
- 3If VAN 39 persists, right-click the Vanguard tray icon and choose Restart.
- 4Add Vanguard's installation folder to your antivirus exclusions.
- 5Open Services (services.msc) and verify that vgk service is set to start automatically.
- 6Uninstall and reinstall Vanguard from the Valorant launcher settings.
- 7If nothing works, run the Valorant repair tool in Riot Client settings.
How VAN-39 differs from related codes
- Error VAN-1: Vanguard, Valorant's anti-cheat system, is not running or failed to initialize, so your client is not authorized to launch a match. (user-side)
- Error VAN-45: Vanguard's anti-cheat process failed to start or was terminated. Valorant cannot run without an active Vanguard session. (user-side)