Is your Valorant update or download frustratingly stuck at 45% with no progress in sight? This aggravating issue prevents many eager players from jumping into Riot Games‘ highly popular 5v5 tactical shooter. But don‘t worry – by the end of this in-depth troubleshooting guide, you‘ll be fragging enemies on Future Earth in no time!
Understanding Valorant: A Brief Overview
First, let‘s make sure we‘re on the same page about what Valorant actually is. Developed by Riot Games, Valorant is a free-to-play multiplayer FPS that pits two teams of five against each other. One team attacks while the other defends, with the objective of planting or defusing the "Spike."
You choose from a diverse roster of agents, each equipped with unique abilities that can turn the tide of battle. Precisive gunplay and clever ability usage are key to victory. With a variety of game modes like unrated, competitive, spike rush, and deathmatch, there‘s something for every skill level and playstyle.
Valorant has taken the world by storm since its official release in June 2020, attracting millions of players with its addicting gameplay, stylish graphics, and frequent content updates. According to Riot, Valorant has reached an incredible 14 million monthly active players as of June 2021 [1]. It consistently ranks among the top 10 most played PC games on platforms like Steam and Twitch [2].
However, a poor user experience caused by technical issues can quickly sour your opinion of an otherwise fantastic game. That‘s where this guide comes in – to help you troubleshoot and resolve the infamous "stuck at 45%" error that plagues many Valorant players.
Why Does the Valorant Update Get Stuck?
One particularly troublesome obstacle is the infamous "stuck at 45%" error during the update or initial download process. This percentage seems to be the point of no return, with the progress bar refusing to budge no matter how long you wait. But why exactly does this happen?
According to Valorant‘s support page, there are a few common culprits behind failed updates [3]. The most frequent offender is an outdated version of Windows 10. Valorant requires Windows 10 version 1803 at minimum to run. If you‘re using an older, unsupported version, the update process will halt.
To check your current Windows version:
- Type "winver" into the search bar
- Press Enter
- Note the OS build number in the resulting window
- Visit the official Microsoft website to download the latest update if needed
Even if your Windows is up-to-date, zealous antivirus programs can sometimes mistake Riot‘s own anti-cheat service "Vanguard" as a virus and block necessary files from downloading. AVG and Avast antivirus in particular are known to cause issues. The solution is to either add Valorant and Riot Vanguard to your antivirus‘ exception list, or uninstall the antivirus entirely.
A Closer Look at Riot Vanguard
Vanguard is part of Riot‘s ongoing commitment to combating cheaters and ensuring a fair, competitive environment for all players. It‘s a kernel-mode driver that runs from system startup to prevent unauthorized modifications to the game client.
While Vanguard‘s kernel-level access has raised security concerns among some users, Riot maintains that it only collects information necessary for anti-cheat purposes and does not invade player privacy [4]. The developer has also implemented a bug bounty program and works with third-party security organizations to audit Vanguard for vulnerabilities.
As of September 2021, Riot‘s anti-cheat efforts have resulted in over 10 million bans across all regions, with a daily ban rate of over 9,000 cheaters [5]. While no system is perfect, Vanguard has proven effective at detecting and removing bad actors from the Valorant community.
How to Fix Valorant Update Stuck at 45%
Now that we understand some of the underlying causes behind the 45% update bug, let‘s walk through the steps to resolve it. Before beginning, make sure to close Valorant and the Riot client completely.
Step 1: Check for Windows Updates
- Click the Start menu and type "Check for updates"
- Select "Check for updates" in the search results
- Install any available updates and restart your PC
Step 2: Disable or Uninstall Antivirus (If Applicable)
For AVG Antivirus:
- Open AVG and navigate to Menu > Settings > Components
- Disable the "File Shield" and "Behavior Shield" components
- Retry the Valorant update
For Avast Antivirus:
- Open Avast and go to Protection > Core Shields
- Click the green sliders to disable "File Shield" and "Behavior Shield"
- Retry the Valorant update
To Uninstall Third-Party Antivirus:
- Open the Windows Control Panel
- Click "Programs and Features" or "Apps & Features"
- Locate your antivirus program in the list and select "Uninstall"
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the uninstallation
Note: Only disable or uninstall antivirus if you suspect it‘s conflicting with Valorant. Make sure to re-enable protection after the update is finished.
Step 3: Close Background Applications
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager
- Click the "Processes" tab
- Look for any resource-intensive programs (Discord, MSI Afterburner, etc.)
- Select the program and click "End Task"
- Repeat for any other unnecessary background apps
Step 4: Perform a Clean Valorant Reinstall
Uninstall Valorant
- Press Win + R to open the Run dialog
- Type "control" and press Enter
- Go to Programs > Programs and Features
- Right-click Valorant and select "Uninstall"
- Follow the uninstall wizard to completion
Remove Riot Vanguard
- Press Win + R to open the Run dialog
- Type "cmd" and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open an elevated Command Prompt
- Type "sc delete vgc" and press Enter
- Type "sc delete vgk" and press Enter
Remove Vanguard Files
- Navigate to C:\Program Files\Riot Vanguard
- Delete the "Riot Vanguard" folder
- Next, go to C:\Program Data\Riot Vanguard
- Delete the "Logs" and "Manifest" folders
- Empty your Recycle Bin to permanently delete these files
Reinstall Valorant
- Visit the official Valorant website: https://playvalorant.com/
- Click "Play Now" in the top right and select "Download"
- Open the "Install Valorant.exe" file
- Choose your install location and click "Install"
- Launch Valorant and log in to your Riot account
The fresh installation will download all necessary game files and should complete without getting stuck. If the progress bar freezes again, try restarting the Riot client and relaunching Valorant.
System Requirements & Performance Tips
In addition to the troubleshooting steps above, there are a few important notes to keep in mind for an optimal Valorant experience:
- Riot recommends a minimum of 4GB RAM, but 8GB is ideal
- 60 FPS is considered the lower threshold for acceptable performance in a competitive shooter like Valorant
Here are the full minimum and recommended specs, straight from Riot [6]:
| Spec | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 7/8/10 64-bit | Windows 10 64-bit |
| RAM | 4GB | 8GB |
| VRAM | 1GB | 1GB |
| CPU | Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 | Intel i3-4150 |
| GPU | Intel HD 4000 | Nvidia GeForce GT 730 |
If you‘re struggling with low frame rates or instability, try these performance optimization tips:
- Update your graphics drivers to the latest version
- Set Valorant to "High Priority" in Task Manager
- Disable fullscreen optimizations and DPI scaling
- Lower your graphics quality settings (especially shadows and anti-aliasing)
- Cap your FPS to a stable value within your system‘s capabilities
Ultimately, the goal is to find a balance of visual fidelity and consistent performance. Don‘t be afraid to experiment with different in-game settings until you find what works best.
The Future of Valorant: Continued Growth & Stability
With millions of active players worldwide and gameplay sharpened to a razor‘s edge, Valorant shows no signs of slowing down. The game‘s esports scene is thriving, with major tournaments like the VALORANT Champions Tour offering over $2 million in prize money throughout the 2021 season [7].
Riot has also expressed long-term commitment to Valorant‘s growth and stability. The developer regularly releases patches to address bugs, balancing issues, and quality of life improvements. A public platform called the "Valorant Public Beta Environment" (PBE) allows players to test upcoming changes before they go live.
In a recent blog post, Valorant‘s executive producer Anna "SuperCakes" Donlon reiterated Riot‘s dedication to transparency and open dialogue with the player community [8]:
We know that our players are the heart and soul of the VALORANT community, and we‘re committed to being as open and transparent as possible. From technical performance to game balance and new content, we want to make sure you have a voice in shaping the future of the game.
As Valorant continues to evolve, it‘s crucial that Riot maintains this level of communication and support. Responding quickly to major bugs, server issues, and player feedback will be key to long-term success.
Conclusion
Encountering the 45% stuck bug can be incredibly frustrating, especially when you‘re eager to jump into Valorant and start fragging. However, by following the troubleshooting steps outlined in this guide, you should be able to resolve the issue and get back to climbing the competitive ladder.
To recap, the key steps are:
- Make sure Windows is fully updated
- Disable or uninstall any conflicting antivirus software
- Close resource-hogging background applications
- Perform a clean Valorant reinstall
If you continue to experience problems, don‘t hesitate to reach out to Valorant‘s support team for further assistance. You can submit a ticket through the official Riot support website or check the Valorant subreddit and official forums for additional player-sourced solutions.
With any luck, this guide has not only helped you fix the Valorant update error but also provided some valuable context and insights along the way. Here‘s to many more hours of clutch plays, spectacular outplays, and hard-fought victories in one of the most exciting competitive shooters on the market!
