Game won’t start after champion select
The loading screen never appears after everyone locks in.
Try these in order
- Do a clean boot to find out whether a background app or service is getting in Vanguard’s way.
- Add the League and Riot files, including vgc.exe and vgm.exe, as exceptions in your antivirus and firewall. If you can’t, turn the security software off for a test.
- Update your graphics card driver.
- Turn off compatibility mode: right-click the game’s .exe, open Properties → Compatibility and untick “Run this program in compatibility mode”.
- Repair the game: Riot Client → profile icon → Settings → pick the game → Repair.
- Clear the cache folders in AppData\Local that Riot’s guide lists.
- Reinstall the game to replace any damaged or missing game files.
Still broken? Restart your PC once more, then contact Riot Support with your logs.
Based on Riot’s official guide.
More basic problems
- BasicClient not responding, stuck loading or can’t log inThe client freezes, loses its connection or hangs on the loading screen.
- Basic“Vanguard session is initializing” won’t go awayLeague is waiting for Vanguard to finish loading and never starts.
- BasicRiot Client won’t openNothing happens when you start the Riot Client.
- BasicBlack screen after loading into a matchThe game runs but you only see black.
- BasicClient stuck on “Updating” or in a patching loopThe patcher never finishes.