League of Legends Client Not Opening? Fix!

The League of Legends client is failing to initialize, leaving you stuck at a non-responsive screen or with no launcher at all. This usually happens because a previous session hung in the background or local game files have become corrupted.

Why this happens

Stuck processes often prevent a new client instance from starting, while corrupted local data or overly aggressive firewall rules can block the launcher's connection.

Steps

1. 01
   Press Ctrl, Shift, and Esc to open Task Manager, navigate to the Details tab, and select End Task for every instance of LeagueClient.exe and RiotClientServices.exe to clear stuck sessions.
2. 02
   Right-click your League of Legends desktop shortcut, select Properties, open the Compatibility tab, check Run this program as an administrator, and click Apply to resolve permission conflicts.
3. 03
   If the Riot Client opens, click the profile icon, go to Settings, select League of Legends, and click Start Repair under the Repair Game Files section to replace corrupted files.
4. 04
   Search for Windows Defender Firewall in the Start menu, select Allow an app or feature, click Change settings, and add LeagueClient.exe, RiotClientServices.exe, and vgc.exe with both Private and Public access enabled.
5. 05
   If all else fails, uninstall the game via Windows Settings, manually delete the C:/Riot Games folder, delete the Riot Games and League of Legends folders inside %localappdata%, restart your PC, and perform a clean install.

Still not working?

If you see a VAN error code, this is a Vanguard anti-cheat issue and will not be fixed by these steps. Ensure TPM 2.0 is enabled in your BIOS settings if you are running Windows 11, as Vanguard requires this for authentication.

Frequently asked questions

Will repairing my game files delete my custom settings?

Yes, repairing or reinstalling the game typically resets your local configuration files, though your account-side settings will remain saved on Riot's servers.

Why does my firewall block the League client?

Windows Defender or third-party antivirus software sometimes flags the client or the vgc.exe anti-cheat service as a security risk, preventing it from communicating with the game servers.