Valorant UEFI Secure Boot: How to Check, Enable, and Fix It

Valorant UEFI Secure Boot must be switched on before Vanguard, the game's anti-cheat system, allows the game to launch. This guide explains how to check the setting, turn it on in BIOS, and fix common errors.

Why Valorant UEFI Secure Boot Is Required

Secure Boot is a hard requirement, not a suggestion Vanguard treats it as a baseline trust check.

Vanguard's Role in Enforcing Secure Boot

Vanguard, Valorant's kernel-level anti-cheat, checks Secure Boot status before letting the game run. If it's off, Vanguard blocks the launch rather than risk an unverified boot chain.

In practice, this check happens every time the game starts, not just on first install.

What Secure Boot Protects Against

According to Wikipedia, the UEFI Secure Boot specification blocks any boot loader or driver that isn't signed with an approved digital signature.

It's designed to stop low-level tampering exactly the kind of modification anti-cheat systems are built to catch.

How to Check if Secure Boot Is Already Enabled

This takes under a minute and tells you exactly what, if anything, needs to change.

Using System Information (msinfo32)

Press Windows key + R, type msinfo32, and hit Enter. Look for BIOS Mode and Secure Boot State in the System Summary panel.

Reading Your Results

The combination of these two fields tells you exactly what's needed next.

Requirements Before You Begin

Three settings need to line up together before Valorant will launch.

UEFI Boot Mode

BIOS must be set to UEFI, not Legacy or CSM. This is the boot mode Secure Boot depends on.

GPT Partition Style

The system drive needs to use GPT rather than MBR. Legacy installs are almost always on MBR.

TPM 2.0 Enabled

Vanguard also checks TPM 2.0 alongside Secure Boot. Most PCs from the last several years support it, though it's sometimes left disabled by default.

Windows 11 is now the dominant desktop operating system, according to Statista, which has made TPM 2.0 compliance the norm rather than the exception for most PC gamers.

How to Convert Your Drive from MBR to GPT (Legacy Users Only)

Skip this section entirely if your drive is already GPT.

Checking Your Current Partition Style

Open Disk Management, right-click the system disk, select Properties, then the Volumes tab, to see whether it's listed as MBR or GPT.

Conditions That Must Be Met Before Converting

Windows 10 version 1703 or later, no more than three partitions on the disk, encryption turned off, and no dual-boot setup in place.

Backing Up Your Files

This conversion is generally safe, but it isn't reversible. Back up anything important first — that's not a formality, it's a real precaution worth taking.

Converting Using the mbr2gpt Command

From an administrator Command Prompt, run mbr2gpt /validate /allowFullOS first. If validation passes, run mbr2gpt /convert /allowFullOS.

Important Warning: Do Not Switch to UEFI Before Converting

Switching BIOS to UEFI before the drive is converted will stop Windows from booting. Convert first, then change the BIOS setting.

How to Enable Secure Boot in BIOS or UEFI

Exact menu names differ by manufacturer, but the sequence below applies broadly.

Accessing BIOS Settings on Windows 11

Go to Settings > System > Recovery > Advanced startup > Restart now, then Troubleshoot > Advanced options > UEFI Firmware Settings.

Accessing BIOS Settings on Windows 10

Go to Settings > Update & Security > Recovery > Advanced startup > Restart now, then follow the same Troubleshoot path.

Switching Boot Mode from Legacy/CSM to UEFI

If the drive was just converted, change Boot Mode from Legacy or CSM to UEFI, and disable CSM if that option is present.

Turning On Secure Boot

Find the Secure Boot setting, usually listed under Boot or Security, and set it to Enabled.

Turning On TPM 2.0

TPM may appear under Security as PTT (Intel) or fTPM (AMD). Enable it in the same session, since it's a separate toggle from Secure Boot.

Saving Changes and Restarting

Save changes usually F10 and let the PC restart normally.

How to Confirm Secure Boot Is Enabled

One quick check confirms the changes actually took effect.

Re-checking via msinfo32

Run msinfo32 again. BIOS Mode should read UEFI, and Secure Boot State should read On.

Troubleshooting Common Secure Boot Issues

Most errors trace back to one of these four causes.

Secure Boot Option Is Grayed Out

This usually means the drive is still MBR, or CSM is still active. Both need to be resolved before the option becomes selectable.

Secure Boot Is On but Valorant Still Won't Launch

Vanguard's driver service sometimes needs a full restart rather than a sign-out. In practice, this resolves most lingering launch errors after Secure Boot has already been enabled correctly.

No Secure Boot Option Appears in BIOS

Some older motherboards simply don't support it. In that case, enabling it isn't possible without new hardware.

TPM 2.0 Not Detected

Check that the setting is enabled separately from Secure Boot. On many boards, these are two independent toggles, not one.

If Your PC Doesn't Support Secure Boot or TPM 2.0

Some hardware simply can't meet the requirement, no matter what's changed in BIOS.

Hardware Upgrade Considerations

Motherboards from roughly the last five to seven years generally support TPM 2.0. Older boards typically don't, and no software setting changes that.

Notes on Alternative Setups

Some players run older Windows versions instead of upgrading hardware. This isn't officially guaranteed to meet Vanguard's requirements long-term, so it's worth treating as a stopgap rather than a permanent fix.

Conclusion

Valorant UEFI Secure Boot comes down to three settings UEFI boot mode, GPT partition style, and TPM 2.0 all confirmed through msinfo32. Legacy systems need a drive conversion first. Once enabled correctly, Vanguard should stop blocking the game on startup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Valorant work without Secure Boot enabled?

No. Vanguard checks for it at every launch and blocks the game if it's off.

Is Secure Boot the same as TPM 2.0?

No they're separate settings that are both required, usually enabled independently in BIOS.

Will enabling Secure Boot delete my files?

No, enabling it alone doesn't affect files. Converting MBR to GPT is safe but should still be backed up first.

Can I still play Valorant on Windows 10?

Windows 10 supports older TPM 1.2 hardware in some cases, but Vanguard's requirements are generally built around Windows 11 standards going forward.

Why is my Secure Boot option grayed out?

Most commonly because the drive is still MBR, or CSM mode is still active in BIOS.