Valorant Van 185 Error | Fixes You Can Try

The “VAN 185” error is a Valorant error code that usually points to a connection or Riot Client service issue — typically something on Riot’s side, not your PC.

Here’s a breakdown and fix guide 👇

⚠️ What “VAN 185” Means

• It’s a Riot Vanguard / Riot Client connection error.

• It usually appears when:

  • Riot’s authentication servers are down or under maintenance.

  • Vanguard (the anti-cheat service) didn’t start properly.

  • Network connection to Riot’s services is blocked or unstable.

🧰 Fixes You Can Try

1. Check Riot’s Server Status

Before doing anything technical, check if the issue is on Riot’s end:

• Go to status.riotgames.com

• Select your region and look for Valorant or Riot Client outages.
  If it says “Service Disruption” or “Partial Outage,” it’s not your fault — just wait.

Also Read : HPS Gateway Error 2 | Solutions to Fix

2. Restart Riot Client and Vanguard

1. Close Valorant completely.

2. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc → open Task Manager.

3. End all processes named Riot Client or Vanguard.

4. Restart your PC.

5. Launch Valorant again (it will automatically restart Vanguard).

3. Run Riot Client as Administrator

Right-click the Riot Client shortcut → Run as Administrator.
This ensures Vanguard and the client get proper system permissions.

4. Repair Riot Client

1. Open Riot Client.

2. Click your profile icon → Settings → Valorant → Repair.
   This reinstalls/repairs corrupted files.

5. Check Firewall or VPN

• Make sure Windows Firewall or your antivirus isn’t blocking Valorant or Riot Vanguard.

• Disable VPNs or proxies — Valorant can throw VAN 185 if it detects unusual routing.

6. Reinstall Vanguard (last resort)

1. Press Windows + R, type appwiz.cpl, press Enter.

2. Uninstall Riot Vanguard.

3. Restart your PC.

4. Launch Valorant — Vanguard will reinstall automatically.

✅ Summary