Getting the “A Critical Error Has Occurred” message in Valorant can be really frustrating, especially when you’re ready to jump into a match. Instead of loading smoothly, the game suddenly crashes or refuses to start, leaving players stuck on their PC. This error usually happens because of system glitches, outdated drivers, or corrupted game files—but the good news is, it can be fixed with a few simple steps. In this beginner-friendly blog, we’ll explain in easy language how to fix the Valorant “A Critical Error Has Occurred” message, so you can get back to gaming without interruptions.
Step 1: Update Your Graphics Drivers
Open the Start menu and search for Device Manager. Go to Display Adapters and find your graphics card. Right-click it and select Update Driver. Choose “Search automatically for drivers” and make sure you’re running the latest version.
Step 2: Check Windows Updates
Go back to the Start menu and open Settings. Select Update and Security. Click “Check for updates” and install anything available. Sometimes this step alone fixes the error, so make sure you don’t skip it.
Step 3: Configure System Services
Open the Start menu, search for Run, and open it. Type msconfig and press Enter. Go to the Services tab and check “Hide all Microsoft services.” Scroll down and ensure VGC is checked. Click Disable All, then Apply and OK. A restart will be required later but not yet.
Step 4: Enable VGC Service
Search for Services from the Start menu. Scroll down and find VGC. Double-click it and set Startup Type to Automatic. Set Service Status to Running. Click Apply and OK.
Step 5: Run Network Reset Commands
Search for CMD, right-click, and choose Run as Administrator. Type these commands one by one: net winsock reset and ipconfig /flushdns. Close the window when done.
Step 6: Adjust Valorant Compatibility Settings
Right-click the Valerant shortcut and open Properties. Go to the Compatibility tab and enable two options: Disable full screen optimizations and Run this program as administrator. Click Apply and OK.
Final Step: Restart Your PC
Now restart your PC. After restarting, launch Valerant again. The critical error message should now be gone.
