There is a high probability your issue is related to a global Riot Games outage happening right now (January 4–5, 2026). Riot has confirmed widespread issues where players cannot launch, log in to, or install the client.
Here is the current situation and a specific workaround that is working for many users today.
1. The “Date Change” Workaround (Try This First)
Because this specific error is related to a server certificate/date conflict, many users are bypassing the crash by temporarily changing their PC’s date.
Close the Riot Client/Installer completely (check Task Manager to be sure).
Right-click your Windows clock > Adjust date/time.
Turn OFF “Set time automatically.“
Manually set the date to January 3, 2026 (or two days ago).
Try running the installer or client again.
Note: If it works and installs, remember to set your time back to “Automatic” afterward, or web browsing might break.
2. Check for “Zombie” Processes
If the installer opens for a second and then vanishes, or says “Already Running,” a background process is likely stuck.
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
Look for “Riot Client” or “RiotClientServices.exe”.
Right-click and select End Task.
Right-click the installer and choose Run as Administrator.
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3. The “Clean Slate” Method
If the workaround above doesn’t work, you likely have corrupted files from a previous failed install. You must delete them manually before the installer will work.
Go to
C:\Riot Gamesand delete the Riot Client folder.Press Windows Key + R, type
%localappdata%, and press Enter.Delete the Riot Games folder found there.
Download a fresh installer from the official website (do not use an old
Install.exefrom your Downloads folder).
4. Antivirus Interference
The Riot Client is frequently blocked by Avast, AVG, or McAfee during installation.
Test: Temporarily turn off your antivirus “Real-time Shield” for 10 minutes and try running the installer. If it works, you need to add the Riot Client folder to your exceptions list.
While the global outage (Jan 4-5) is the root cause, Canadian ISPs often have a specific conflict with Riot’s “Vanguard” update server due to how they handle IPv6 addresses. The installer gets stuck because it tries to connect via an IPv6 address that Riot’s server rejects.
Here is the specific fix for Canada:
1. The “Bell/Rogers” Fix (Disable IPv6)
This is the most common solution for Canadian players. Riot’s legacy installer struggles with the default IPv6 settings on the new Rogers Ignite and Bell Giga Hub modems.
Press Windows Key + R, type
ncpa.cpl, and hit Enter.Right-click your active network adapter (Wi-Fi or Ethernet) > Properties.
Uncheck the box next to “Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6)”.
Click OK.
Restart your computer (This is mandatory).
Try running the Riot Installer again.
2. Change DNS to Cloudflare (Better for Canada)
While Google DNS (8.8.8.8) is good, Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) often has better peering with Canadian ISPs for gaming traffic.
Go back to your network properties (same steps as above).
Double-click Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4).
Select “Use the following DNS server addresses” and enter:
Preferred:
1.1.1.1Alternate:
1.0.0.1
Click OK, then open Command Prompt and type
ipconfig /flushdns.
3. The “Date Change” Trick (Still Applies)
The server certificate error causing the global crash affects Canada too. If the network fixes above don’t work, try the date bypass:
Set your PC date manually to January 3, 2026.
Run the installer.
Once it starts downloading, set the date back to “Automatic”.
4. If you are on a School/University Network (Waterloo, UofT, etc.)
If you are trying to install this on a campus network in Canada, many universities blocked the P2P (Peer-to-Peer) ports used by the new Riot patcher as of the start of the 2026 semester.
The Fix: You must use a VPN (tunnel to a US-Chicago server) to start the download. Once the installer finishes and you can log in, you can usually turn the VPN off to play.
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