VAN 185 in VALORANT: your session with Vanguard broke

Connection Error: VALORANT has encountered a connection error. Please relaunch the client to reconnect. Error Code: VAN 185

A long list that starts small

Riot gives VAN 185 nine steps, more than almost any other Vanguard code, but the first four don't involve reinstalling anything. Check the PC meets VALORANT's minimum requirements. Unplug controllers and other USB devices you don't need. Restart the Riot Client properly from the tray. Sign out of the Riot Client on any other PC.

That fourth step is worth a second look in VALORANT. A login still open on another computer can cause a session conflict, which is close to what VALORANT's own VAL 5 code means. If you play on more than one PC, sign out on the others before you go further.

Then the heavy steps

After those come a PC restart, a Vanguard reinstall, a clean boot, the network checklist and finally a VALORANT reinstall. Riot shows VAN 185 in two wordings, the reconnect popup and the Vanguard error box, and both are listed under the steps on this page.

Riot's fix, in Riot's order

1. Check your PC meets the minimum requirements

   Compare your PC with Riot's minimum spec for the game you're launching. Below it, the client or Vanguard can fail to start or drop its session, and none of the steps further down will change that.

   Riot's guide: Check your PC meets the minimum requirements

2. Unplug controllers and spare USB devices

   Unplug controllers, adapters and anything else on USB you don't need to play, restart, and launch again.

3. Restart the Riot Client

   Close the game, then right-click the Riot Client icon in the system tray (bottom right, next to the clock) and pick Exit. Closing the window alone leaves it running. Open it again and launch.

4. Sign out of the Riot Client on your other PCs

   A session still open on another computer can clash with this one. Sign out there first.

5. Restart your PC

   A full restart, not a sign-out. Vanguard's driver loads when Windows boots, so a restart is the only thing that gives it a clean start.

6. Uninstall Vanguard, restart, and let the game reinstall it

   1. Close the game and exit the Riot Client from the system tray.
   2. Right-click the red Vanguard icon in the tray, choose Advanced, then Uninstall Vanguard. If the icon isn't there, search Windows for Add or remove programs and uninstall Riot Vanguard from the list.
   3. Restart the PC. Vanguard is gone if its tray icon doesn't come back.
   4. Open the Riot Client and launch the game. It reinstalls Vanguard and will ask for one more restart before Play unlocks.

   Riot's guide: Uninstall Vanguard, restart, and let the game reinstall it

7. Do a clean boot

   This switches off every non-Microsoft service for one boot, so you can tell whether something in the background is the problem.

   1. Press Win+R, type msconfig and press Enter.
   2. On the Services tab, tick Hide all Microsoft services first (skip it and you'll switch off parts of Windows).
   3. Click Disable all, then tick vgc again so Vanguard still starts.
   4. Apply, OK, restart, and test.

   Some programs ignore a clean boot anyway, third-party antivirus and networking tools most of all. If the error goes away, turn services back on a few at a time until it returns, and you've found it.

   Riot's guide: Do a clean boot

8. Work through Riot's connection checklist

   Last on Riot's list for a reason: only get here once the Vanguard steps above have failed. Riot's PC connection guide covers the usual suspects: a wired connection instead of Wi-Fi, restarting the router, switching to a public DNS, firewall exceptions for the Riot Client and game, and turning off VPNs.

   Riot's guide: Work through Riot's connection checklist

9. Reinstall the game

   Close the Riot Client first, then uninstall VALORANT from Windows' Installed apps list. For a clean reinstall, Riot's guide has you remove the VALORANT and Riot Client folders inside C:\Riot Games, empty the Recycle Bin, then delete the Riot Games and VALORANT folders under %localappdata%. Restart, then download the installer again from Riot's site.

   Riot's guide: Reinstall the game

Related VALORANT errors

• VAN 140
• VAL 5
• VAN 1067
• VAN 293

Source: Riot Games Player Support, Error VAN 185, updated July 17, 2026. Riot's steps are paraphrased here, not copied; checked October 8, 2026.