5 Ways to Fix the Valorant Val 43 Error on a Windows PC

The Val 43 error occurs on some players’ Windows PCs when they try to start Valorant. The message for that error code says, “There was an error connecting to the platform. Please restart your game client.” This message appears inside the Valorant loading screen, and the game doesn’t start because of that issue. It’s a connection issue that means the game can’t connect with Riot services. These are some of the confirmed ways to fix the Val 43 error on a Windows 11/10 PC.

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Start VGC

VGC is a Riot Vanguard service that needs to be running for Valorant to start. So, check if this service is running and start it if it’s not. This is how you can start the VGC service.

1. To activate Run, right-click on the button to open the Start menu and select the shortcut for that accessory.
2. Input the services.msc Run command and click OK.
3. Double-click VGC to access configuration settings for that service.
   
   

   The Services window

4. If the startup type is set to Manual or Disabled, select the Automatic option on the drop-down menu.
5. Click on Start within the VGC Properties window to run the service.
   
   

   The VGC Properties window

6. Remember to press Apply to set the new options and click OK to close.

Clear Valorant’s Saved Folder

Some users say clearing Valorant’s Saved folder has fixed the Val 43 error for them. So, maybe that’s a resolution that could work for you as well. Try clearing Valorant’s Saved folder like this.

1. Open Run and input the %localappdata% command inside that accessory’s text box.
2. Click OK to view a Local folder.
3. Open the Valorant folder in the Local directory.
4. Click the Saved subfolder within the Valorant folder.
   
   

   The Saved folder

5. Select everything by pressing Ctrl + A.
6. Press the Del keyboard key to erase everything selected.
7. Restart your PC after clearing the Saved folder.

Reset the Winsock Catalog

A corrupted Winsock catalog can cause gaming connection issues to arise. You can fix that by executing a command that resets Winsock settings as follows.

1. Click Type here to search on the taskbar to activate the tool for finding files.
2. Enter cmd into the file finder box and select Run as administrator for the Command Prompt result.
3. Type netsch winsock catalog inside the Command Prompt window and hit Enter.
   
   

   The netsch winsock catalog command

4. Input netsch int ip reset and press Return.

Delete the RiotClientPrivateSettings.xml File

Valorant players have confirmed that deleting the RiotClientPrivateSettings.xml file can fix the Val 43 error. Deleting that file resets Riot Client settings. This is how you can delete the RiotClientPrivateSettings.xml file.

1. Open File Explorer by clicking its library folder shortcut on the taskbar and navigate to this folder location: C:\Users\<user folder name>\AppData\Local\Riot Games\Riot Client\Data.
   
   

   The RiotClientPrivateSettings file

2. Right-click the RiotClientPrivateSettings.xml file to select Delete.
3. Try running Valorant again by right-clicking its desktop shortcut and selecting Run as administrator.

Repeatedly Press the WASD Keys When Valorant is Launching

This potential resolution admittedly sounds slightly ridiculous. However, many players confirm that repeatedly pressing the WASD keys when Valorant is loading can fix the Val 43 error. Start Valorant, then simultaneously press the WASD gaming keys with three finders repeatedly on the loading screen.

Other Possible Ways to Fix the Valorant Val 43 Error

Some additional fixes for this issue could also be worth a try. Here are a few other possible ways to fix the Val 43 error:

• Restart both your PC and network router.
• Make sure the vgc service is selected within the Services tab of MSConfig.
• Uninstall the Riot Vanguard software. Valorant will automatically reinstall Vanguard when you start the game.
• Sign into to Valorant game website by clicking Play Now on this page.

The potential solutions covered in this guide have fixed the Valorant Val 43 error on many players’ PCs. However, note that this error can sometimes arise because of server-side issues. You can check the server status on this Riot status page to see if players have reported a general outage.