How to Fix Valorant Uefi Secure Boot

If Valorant says Vanguard requires UEFI Secure Boot, the fix usually isn’t inside the game. Vanguard checks a Windows security setting that lives in your computer’s BIOS or UEFI firmware.

Before changing anything, find out what your PC is using now. Secure Boot may already be enabled, or the message may actually be about TPM 2.0. Checking first helps you avoid changing BIOS settings you don’t need to touch.

What the Valorant UEFI Secure Boot error means

Vanguard is Valorant’s anti-cheat system. One of its checks looks for UEFI Secure Boot, a firmware setting that helps Windows start with trusted system software.

If Secure Boot is off, Vanguard may show a message saying that UEFI Secure Boot must be enabled before you can play.

That message can appear for a few different reasons:

• Secure Boot is genuinely disabled.
• Windows is starting in Legacy BIOS mode instead of UEFI mode.
• Secure Boot is enabled in firmware, but Windows doesn’t report it correctly.
• Secure Boot is enabled, but its factory security keys are missing.
• The actual message also mentions TPM 2.0, which is a separate requirement.

Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 are often mentioned together in Valorant troubleshooting, especially on Windows 11. They are not the same setting, though. Check both messages carefully before making changes.

Also, Secure Boot is not enabled from Valorant’s settings. You change it in your motherboard or laptop’s BIOS/UEFI menu.

Check BIOS Mode and Secure Boot status in Windows

Start with Windows. This gives you two useful details:

1. Whether Windows is using UEFI or Legacy BIOS mode.
2. Whether Windows currently sees Secure Boot as enabled.

Use System Information

1. Press Windows key + R.
2. Type `msinfo32`.
3. Press Enter.
4. In the System Information window, find BIOS Mode.
5. Find Secure Boot State.

You may see results like these:

• BIOS Mode: UEFI
• Secure Boot State: On

That is the setup Vanguard is looking for.

If BIOS Mode says UEFI but Secure Boot State says Off, the next step is usually to enable Secure Boot in the firmware settings.

If BIOS Mode says Legacy, Secure Boot may not be available until the computer is configured to use UEFI. Don’t randomly switch firmware options at this point. Write down the current settings first, and check your motherboard or laptop instructions before changing the boot mode.

If Secure Boot State already says On, don’t keep enabling it repeatedly. Move on to the TPM check and the troubleshooting section below.

Enter your motherboard's BIOS or UEFI settings

You’ll need to restart the computer and open its firmware setup screen.

The key used to open this screen depends on the computer. It may be shown briefly during startup. Common keys include Delete, F2, or another function key, but your motherboard or laptop may use something different.

You can also use Windows’ restart options if you don’t know the key:

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to the recovery or advanced startup options.
3. Choose Restart now under advanced startup.
4. Select the option for UEFI firmware settings, if Windows provides it.

The exact wording can vary between Windows versions and devices.

Before changing a BIOS setting, take a quick photo of the current screens or write down the values. BIOS menus are not standard across all brands. One motherboard may place Secure Boot under Security, while another puts it under Boot, Authentication, or a similar menu.

Be careful here. Changing unrelated options can affect how Windows starts. Only change the settings needed for Secure Boot or TPM, and leave other options alone unless your device documentation tells you otherwise.

Enable UEFI Secure Boot

Once you’re in the BIOS or UEFI settings, look for a section named Security or Boot.

Search for an item called Secure Boot. Depending on the firmware, you may see a simple setting such as:

• Secure Boot: Disabled
• Secure Boot: Enabled

Set it to Enabled, then save your changes and restart the computer.

The menu may not look exactly like this. You might need to open a Secure Boot submenu first. Some systems also show an operating system type or boot mode setting nearby.

Keep the main goal in mind: Windows should be using UEFI, and Secure Boot should be enabled. Don’t disable Secure Boot just because another guide suggests it as a general troubleshooting step. Vanguard’s message specifically requires it to be enabled, so turning it off normally moves you away from the requirement.

After Windows starts again, open `msinfo32` one more time. Check BIOS Mode and Secure Boot State again. This second check matters because a BIOS change is only useful if Windows sees the setting the way Vanguard expects.

Restore factory Secure Boot keys when required

Sometimes the Secure Boot switch is enabled, but the firmware doesn’t have the keys it needs. These keys are part of the Secure Boot setup. Without them, the setting may not work as expected.

In the BIOS or UEFI menu, look for:

• Key Management
• Restore Factory Keys
• A similar option for installing or restoring default Secure Boot keys

The wording may be different on your motherboard or laptop. The option could use a name that refers to default keys, standard keys, or factory security keys.

If Secure Boot is enabled but Valorant still reports the same Vanguard error, this is one setting worth checking. Open the Secure Boot area, then look for Key Management and the option to restore the factory keys.

Use care before confirming the change. Take a photo of the current settings first, and don’t remove keys unless the firmware instructions specifically tell you to. You are looking for the restore or install-default-keys option, not a delete or clear option.

After restoring the keys:

1. Save the BIOS changes.
2. Restart into Windows.
3. Run `msinfo32` again.
4. Confirm that BIOS Mode is UEFI.
5. Confirm that Secure Boot State is On.
6. Start Valorant again.

If the Windows status still doesn’t change, the firmware may be using a different menu path or another setting may be preventing Secure Boot from working.

Check TPM 2.0 if Vanguard still reports an error

Secure Boot may not be the only problem. Valorant can also show a separate error connected to TPM 2.0.

TPM stands for Trusted Platform Module. It is a security feature used by Windows to protect certain system information. On some computers, it is built into the firmware rather than installed as a separate chip.

First check whether Windows can see TPM:

1. Press Windows key + R.
2. Type `tpm.msc`.
3. Press Enter.
4. Read the status shown in the TPM window.
5. Check the specification version if it is listed.

If the window says that a compatible TPM cannot be found, or the status does not show a ready TPM, the problem may be separate from Secure Boot.

In BIOS or UEFI, TPM-related settings may appear under Security or another hardware security section. The label can vary by system. Some firmware uses a name for a built-in firmware TPM rather than simply calling it “TPM 2.0.”

Don’t assume that enabling Secure Boot also enables TPM. Check the two settings separately, and only change the TPM option if your Valorant message points to TPM 2.0 or Windows shows that the TPM is unavailable.

Once you make a TPM change, save it and restart Windows. Check the TPM status again before opening Valorant.

Fixes for Secure Boot enabled but Valorant still not working

This is the case that causes the most confusion. You enable Secure Boot, restart, and Vanguard still reports the same error.

Work through the checks in this order.

Confirm Windows sees the setting

Open `msinfo32` again. Look at both values:

• BIOS Mode should show UEFI.
• Secure Boot State should show On.

If the first value is Legacy, Secure Boot may not be active in the way Vanguard needs, even if a firmware menu appears to show it enabled.

If Secure Boot State is Off, return to the BIOS or UEFI settings and review the Secure Boot menu. Check whether the setting was saved and whether factory keys need to be restored.

Check for the TPM message

Read the Vanguard error carefully. If it mentions TPM 2.0, enabling Secure Boot alone won’t address that part of the error.

Use `tpm.msc` to check the TPM status, then review the firmware’s security settings if Windows cannot find a compatible TPM.

Restart after every firmware change

BIOS changes do not always take effect until the computer has fully restarted. Don’t rely on the same Valorant session you had open before the change.

Close Valorant and the Riot client before changing settings. After Windows starts, confirm the status in `msinfo32`, then open the game again.

Check the setting after a second restart

If Secure Boot shows On once and then returns to Off after another restart, the firmware may not be saving the change. It may also be using a different Secure Boot configuration than the one you edited.

Return to the BIOS menu and check:

• Secure Boot is still enabled.
• The system is set to use UEFI rather than Legacy mode.
• Factory Secure Boot keys are present if the firmware provides that option.

Avoid changing unrelated boot settings while testing. One wrong boot option can create a separate Windows startup problem.

Don’t use disabling Secure Boot as the normal fix

Some troubleshooting advice tells players to turn Secure Boot off. That conflicts with the Vanguard requirement shown in the error. Disabling it may hide one message temporarily, but it does not meet the stated requirement for playing Valorant.

Use the Windows status checks to find the real mismatch instead: UEFI mode, Secure Boot state, missing keys, or TPM 2.0.

What to do if the error returns after restarting Valorant

If Valorant works briefly and then shows the error again, close the game and check the settings from Windows instead of immediately returning to BIOS.

Run `msinfo32` and confirm that BIOS Mode is still UEFI and Secure Boot State is still On. Then check `tpm.msc` if the message mentions TPM 2.0.

This tells you whether the problem is:

• A setting that did not save.
• A Secure Boot key problem.
• A UEFI and Legacy mode mismatch.
• A separate TPM 2.0 issue.
• A Vanguard check that still does not match what Windows reports.

If your BIOS labels don’t match these steps, or the Vanguard error continues after Windows shows the expected settings, check the exact support documentation for your motherboard or laptop. That manual will show the correct menu names and the safe path for changing Secure Boot and TPM settings on your specific device.