NERFPLZ.LOL
VALORANT error

VAL 29: your firewall is blocking VALORANT

VALORANT

Riot's name for this error

This is a network issue.

What it means

Riot calls 29 a network issue and traces it to Windows Firewall, or antivirus, not letting VALORANT through.

What to try first

Remove the old VALORANT and Riot Client entries in Windows Firewall and add fresh ones for VALORANT, Vanguard and the Riot Client.

Riot's table carries a warning. Riot has flagged its VALORANT code list as out of date, because a bug is making some VALORANT errors show up wrong. If the steps here don't match what you're seeing, Riot suggests a support ticket.

Is it you or Riot? If a lot of players got the same code at once, it's likely the servers. Check Riot's service status page for VALORANT before you start reinstalling things.

A network error with a local cause

Riot's code table calls VAL 29 a network issue and points to the firewall. Riot's longer VALORANT firewall article, which this page follows, is more specific: something has gone wrong between VALORANT and Windows Firewall, and antivirus running alongside it can make it worse. Your internet may be fine. It's your own PC refusing the connection.

Why Riot has you delete the old entries

The first step doesn't just add VALORANT to the firewall. Riot has you remove the VALORANT and Riot Client entries already there and create new ones, then add Vanguard's vgc.exe and the Riot Client separately. Starting clean means every rule matches the files you have now.

If you installed VALORANT somewhere other than C:\Riot Games, use your own path everywhere below. Riot keeps a full reinstall, run as administrator, as the last thing to try.

Riot's fix, in Riot's order

  1. Let the Riot Client through your firewall

    In Windows Defender Firewall, open Allow an app through Windows Firewall and click Change settings. Delete the VALORANT and Riot Client entries already there, then use Allow another app to add three fresh ones with every box ticked:

    • C:\Riot Games\VALORANT\live\VALORANT.exe
    • C:\Program Files\Riot Vanguard\vgc.exe
    • C:\Riot Games\Riot Client\RiotClientServices.exe

    Those are the default install paths. If you put VALORANT on another drive, point at that copy instead.

    Riot's guide: Let the Riot Client through your firewall

  2. Run VALORANT as administrator

    Right-click the VALORANT shortcut and choose Run as administrator. Riot suggests this alongside the firewall fix for the network code.

  3. Add VALORANT to your antivirus exceptions

    If you run antivirus beyond Windows Security, add these files to its exception or allow list (default install paths):

    • C:\Riot Games\VALORANT\live\VALORANT.exe
    • C:\Riot Games\VALORANT\live\ShooterGame\Binaries\Win64\VALORANT-Win64-Shipping
    • C:\Riot Games\VALORANT\live\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UnrealCEFSubProcess.exe
    • C:\Riot Games\Riot Client\Riot Client Services.exe
    • C:\Program Files\Riot Vanguard\vgc.exe
    • C:\Program Files\Riot Vanguard\vgm.exe

  4. Reinstall VALORANT as administrator

    Riot keeps this for last. Uninstall VALORANT, download the installer again, then right-click it and choose Run as administrator so nothing blocks the install.

    Riot's guide: Reinstall VALORANT as administrator

  5. Send Riot a support ticket

    If the steps above don't clear it, open a ticket with Riot Player Support from the VALORANT support site and include the exact code you saw. Riot can see account-side problems that you can't.

Other wordings of the same error

  • VAL 29
  • VAL29
  • VALORANT error code 29
  • Error Code: VAL 29
  • Error Code 29 VALORANT

Source: Riot Games Player Support, Your Firewall VS. VALORANT, updated May 18, 2026. Riot's steps are paraphrased here, not copied; checked October 8, 2026.