League of Legends server lag is mainly caused by unstable internet connections, high ping or packet loss, server-side issues, background programs consuming bandwidth, or outdated hardware and drivers.
🔍 Possible Causes
Server-side problems / maintenance
Sometimes Riot’s servers for your region may be having issues or undergoing maintenance.
ISP / routing issues
The path between your ISP and Riot’s servers might have congestion or bad routing, causing high latency or packet loss.
Wi-Fi / network instability
Wireless connections suffer interference, packet loss, or signal drops, which lead to lag spikes.
Background applications / bandwidth hogs
Downloads, streaming, or other network-heavy apps running in the background might steal bandwidth or cause jitter.
Game client / corrupted files / software conflicts
The LoL client itself or corrupted game files, conflicting antivirus/firewall rules, overlays, etc. can introduce delays or stutters.
High server load / regional overload
During peak times or after updates, server load in some regions might spike, affecting stability.
Lag specific to League
Many report that only LoL lags while other games work fine. This points to either routing or client specific issues.
Also Read : Riot Server Lag | Optimize Your System & Software
đź› Steps You Can Try to Fix / Mitigate Lag
Here’s a checklist to work through. Try in order and see if the problem improves:
Check server status
Visit Riot’s official status page for your region.
Check Riot Support’s Twitter (@RiotSupport) for announcements.
Use tools like Downdetector to see user reports.
Switch to wired connection (Ethernet)
If you’re on Wi-Fi, try plugging in a LAN cable. That removes wireless instability.
Restart router / modem
Power cycle your network gear (unplug → wait 30s → plug back) to clear possible routing issues.
Close background apps / bandwidth hogs
Shut down streaming, downloads, VPNs, or cloud sync apps while you’re playing.
Repair game files / use Riot’s repair tool
In the LoL client, use the “Repair” or “Scan & Repair” feature to fix corrupted files.
Update network drivers & OS
Make sure your network card/adapter drivers are up to date, and your operating system has latest patches.
Disable VPNs / proxies / custom DNS
Unless the VPN is for network optimization, turn it off to test. Also, reset to default DNS or switch to public DNS (like Google’s 8.8.8.8 / 8.8.4.4 or Cloudflare 1.1.1.1).
Add League / Riot client as exceptions in antivirus / firewall
Some users reported client lag fixed by excluding LoL client .exe from antivirus scanning.
Restart the client between games
Some players note client performance degrades over time; restarting may help.
Try a gaming VPN / traffic routing tool
This can help if your ISP’s route to Riot is bad or throttled. Use a VPN server close to your game server region. (Test carefully as it can also worsen latency if not ideal).
If lag persists, reinstalling the game or upgrading PC hardware may be necessary for smoother performance.
This approach addresses both local connection issues and server-side delays, helping to minimize lag in League of Legends gameplay.
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