Does Valorant Require Secure Boot

If you’re seeing a Vanguard Secure Boot error (or a message that Secure Boot must be enabled), then yes—Valorant (via Riot Vanguard) requires UEFI Secure Boot in the situations where Vanguard runs its system-security checks. Most PCs can use Secure Boot, but it can be turned off (sometimes even by default), or it may not be recognized correctly by the system checks. The fix is usually not “replace your BIOS.” Start by verifying your Secure Boot + TPM status, then change the right setting in the right place.

Does VALORANT require Secure Boot?

Short version: Valorant requires UEFI Secure Boot when Riot Vanguard checks it on your PC.

In practice, that usually means one of these situations:

• Secure Boot is enabled and detected → Vanguard’s check should pass, and Valorant should start normally.
• Secure Boot is disabled → Vanguard typically complains and may block launch with a Secure Boot-related error.
• Secure Boot isn’t supported / not available (or you’re not in UEFI mode) → Vanguard can’t verify what it needs, and you may get an error instead of starting the game.

A lot of players treat “Secure Boot” like it’s a simple on/off switch. It isn’t. You can have it:

• supported but turned off,
• enabled but not recognized,
• or effectively missing depending on your boot mode and firmware setup.

That’s why this is written like a decision path, not just a “click these BIOS menus” walkthrough.

Why Riot Vanguard checks Secure Boot and TPM 2.0

Riot Vanguard is the anti-cheat component for Valorant. Part of its job is to verify certain security features on your system before letting the game run.

You’ll see two terms come up a lot:

• UEFI Secure Boot: a security feature in modern PC firmware that helps make sure only trusted boot components load.
• TPM 2.0: TPM stands for *Trusted Platform Module*. It’s a hardware security chip (or a firmware equivalent) that can store and prove device state.

Support pages and results pages often describe Vanguard’s checks as including Secure Boot and TPM 2.0. So if Secure Boot is off, not detected, or TPM 2.0 isn’t present/enabled the way Vanguard expects, you can get blocked even if Valorant installs fine.

Secure Boot requirements on Windows 11

This is where the issue often shows up first for players, because Windows 11 tends to push people toward modern boot and security setups.

A few key points:

• Most PCs support Secure Boot, but it can be turned off by default in your BIOS/UEFI settings.
• Vanguard errors usually mean the check didn’t pass—most often because Secure Boot isn’t enabled, or because your security setup doesn’t match what Vanguard expects.
• If you’re on Windows 11 and the error mentions UEFI Secure Boot, treat it as: “Vanguard can’t confirm that feature is enabled in the way it requires.”

Windows 10 and Windows 11 don’t always behave identically for every edge case. For troubleshooting, though, the logic is still the same: check whether Secure Boot is actually enabled and whether TPM 2.0 is available and active.

How to check whether Secure Boot is enabled

On Windows, the quickest way is the built-in System Information screen.

1. Press Windows key + R
2. Type: `msinfo32`
3. Press Enter
4. Look for these lines:

• Secure Boot State
• BIOS Mode

What to look for:

• Secure Boot State: On → Secure Boot is enabled (at least as Windows reports it).
• Secure Boot State: Off → you likely need to enable it in your firmware (BIOS/UEFI).
• BIOS Mode should usually show UEFI if you’re using modern firmware boot.

If Secure Boot shows On in Windows but Vanguard still reports a Secure Boot error, that often means the detection/boot mode situation doesn’t match what Vanguard expects. The next section is where that usually gets clarified.

How to enable UEFI Secure Boot for Valorant

This part is firmware-level, so menu names vary by motherboard brand. The basic steps are usually the same.

Step-by-step

1. Reboot your PC.
2. Enter your firmware setup (BIOS/UEFI).

• Common keys are F2, Del, Esc, or F10. (Some PCs show the key briefly during startup.)

1. Find a security option that looks like:

• Secure Boot
• Boot Security
• UEFI Secure Boot

1. Set Secure Boot to Enabled.
2. If there’s an OS Type option (sometimes labeled something like “Windows UEFI mode”), choose the Windows/UEFI-friendly option if it’s available.
3. Save changes and reboot.

Don’t forget TPM 2.0 while you’re here

Since Vanguard also checks TPM 2.0, it’s worth verifying that too.

• Look for TPM, AMD fTPM, or Intel PTT
• Make sure it’s enabled
• Save and reboot

After that, check again in Windows:

• Secure Boot State in `msinfo32`
• TPM status (you’ll confirm it using Windows tools in the next section)

What to check when Secure Boot is enabled but VALORANT still reports an error

This is the frustrating scenario: Windows says Secure Boot is on, but Valorant still shows a message like “Secure Boot must be enabled” or a Vanguard Secure Boot error.

Use this checklist to separate “wrong setting” from “Vanguard isn’t seeing it the way it expects.”

1) Confirm Secure Boot state again in Windows

Open `msinfo32` and verify:

• Secure Boot State really shows On
• BIOS Mode shows UEFI

If Windows still shows Off after you changed BIOS settings, you may have:

• saved the change incorrectly,
• changed the wrong profile (some systems have multiple),
• or booted in a different mode than you expected.

2) Check TPM 2.0 status (Vanguard uses it too)

Even with Secure Boot correct, you can still fail the check if TPM 2.0 is missing or not enabled.

In Windows, check TPM info using the built-in security tools, and confirm it’s active. If TPM 2.0 isn’t available, Vanguard can still block launch.

3) Think about your boot mode and firmware state

If your setup sometimes boots in inconsistent ways (for example, changing disks, switching boot order, or restoring something), Vanguard may see a mismatch.

After you change Secure Boot, reboot fully. Don’t keep doing “instant reboot” style restarts until everything is stable.

4) Watch for “enabled but not recognized” situations

This is common with dual-boot systems and unusual boot setups.

The key point is simple:

• Windows may show Secure Boot as On,
• but Vanguard’s check can still fail if the system security state at boot doesn’t match what it expects.

If you recently changed settings, expect to test again after a clean reboot.

Can you play VALORANT without Secure Boot?

In practice, you can run into a hard block without Secure Boot—especially when Vanguard expects UEFI Secure Boot and can’t verify it.

If Secure Boot support is missing (or effectively unavailable because of your boot setup), Vanguard may show a Secure Boot-related error instead of letting Valorant run.

So the practical answer is:

• If Vanguard can’t detect/confirm Secure Boot, expect Valorant to refuse to start.
• Don’t rely on bypasses as a plan. Vanguard is built to block in these cases.

If your goal is “just make it work,” the safest approach is still to get Secure Boot (and TPM 2.0) into the state Vanguard expects.

Secure Boot considerations for Windows and Linux dual-boot systems

If you dual-boot with Linux, you may see conflicting advice. Some people say you can leave Secure Boot off for Linux and still play Valorant. Others say to keep it enabled. The reality depends on your system and boot setup:

• Dual-boot can change what’s booted and how it’s signed/trusted.
• Secure Boot can affect whether your Linux boot chain works.
• You don’t want a “workaround” that breaks Linux every time you want to play.

Here’s a decision-minded way to handle it:

1. Check your current state in Windows

• Confirm Secure Boot state and TPM 2.0 status.

1. If Valorant blocks you, assume Vanguard needs Secure Boot in the form it expects.
2. Change only what you must

• Enable Secure Boot (UEFI) and make sure TPM 2.0 is active.

1. After enabling Secure Boot, test Linux boot normally.

• If Linux stops booting after the change, you’ve learned the trade-off.
• Don’t guess—verify on your actual system.

If you’re getting an error while dual-booting, treat it as a sign that your security/boot chain isn’t consistent with what Vanguard wants when Windows boots.

Because the details vary a lot between systems, it’s usually not worth hunting “guaranteed bypasses.” Vanguard can change how it checks your machine.

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If you’re troubleshooting right now, start with the basics: check Secure Boot in `msinfo32`, confirm TPM 2.0 is active, then enable UEFI Secure Boot in your BIOS/UEFI (and save changes). After that, move on to other settings.