Fix Valorant Connection Error Code VAN 6

2020 was a bonanza for battle royale games with multiple AAA studios launching games in the well-loved format. Valorant remains one of the most played, if not the most played game in the battle royale format. There are quite a number of reason why the game has such a wider audience compared to its counterpart, but we will leave that discussion for later. Let’s focus on the problem at hand. Like with most online games, Valorant has numerous error codes, the one plaguing the community currently is the Valorant error code VAN 6.

The error message that accompanies the code is, “VALORANT has encountered a connection error. Please relaunch the client to reconnect.” The error message says the least about the cause and could be more detailed in our view. It’s the same error message that accompanies several other error codes.

The error code VAN 6 is particularly frustrating as it won’t even allow you to launch the game. Several players have been struggling with it for months. If you are one of the affected players, stick around as we have several solutions that may help your case.

Fix Valorant Connection Error Code VAN 6

For some players the Valorant error code VAN 6 is persistent and won’t allow you to even launch the game, while others have reported making it to the main screen and being able to select the Agent and then the error pops.

If you are able to launch the game and make it to the main menu, a simple restart would help you avoid the error code momentarily. You will be able to play the game, but the error will appear again. For players who get the error VAN 6 at launch, unfortunately, restart of the game or the system won’t be of help.

With this particular error, there are a lot of things you need to ensure in order for the game to work. Here is a list of them.

1. Restart the system.
2. Reset the network device.
3. Ensure your PC is set to automatic time settings.
4. Don’t use a VPN to connect to the game.
5. Try switching to Google DNS.
6. Install the latest patch.

Let’s have a look at all the possible solutions to the Valorant error code VAN 6.

Delete RiotClientPrivateSettings.yaml file

Here are the steps you can follow to delete the Valorant file.

1. Press Windows Key + I and type or paste %LocalAppData%, hit Enter.
2. Locate and open Riot Games folder, now open Riot Client folder.
3. Look for the folder named Data and open it.
4. You should be able the see the RiotClientPrivateSettings.yaml file. Right-click on the file and select Delete.
5. Now, go to the desktop shortcut of Valorant, right-click and select Run as administrator.

Once you have performed the above steps, you will have to log-into Valorant, so keep the username and password handy. 

Log Into Valorant Website Prior To Launching Game

A number of players on various forums including the Valorant subreddit have confirmed that opening the Valorant website and logging in with your credentials, then, launching the game helped them bypass the Valorant error code VAN 6. Once you are in the game, you can close the browser and continue playing the game.

Ensure Time & Location are Set Correctly

If your system time settings is conflicting with your IP address or the region’s time, it could potentially cause problems with Vanguard and result in the VAN 6 error. Users who are on a new system, the problem could arise when you have not set the correct time zone on your system. The same time and location conflict can arise when you are using a VPN. So, if you are using a VPN, ensure that the time zone of your system is the same as the server you choose. You can set the time zone by following the below steps.

1. Pressing Windows + I and select Time & Language
2. Toggle-on Set time automatically and Set time zone automatically or manually set the time zone.

Try playing and if that does not do the trick, try the next solution.

Switch to Google DNS

The default server on the OS is often not ideal for playing online games. Hence, we will change that to a better DNS server. Here are the steps you can follow to accomplish this. I personally prefer the Google DNS, which is free and works great. The DNS are Primary 8888 and secondary 8844.

Don’t worry, changing the DNS to Google will not hinder Valorant or any other online games you may be playing. Here are the steps you can follow to change the DNS.

1. Press Windows + I and select Network & Internet
2. Click on Change adapter options
3. Select the network you are using, right-click and select Properties
4. Click on Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click Properties
5. Toggle Use the following DNS server addresses and enter the preferred DNS server as 8888 and Alternative DNS server as 8844.
6. Save the changes and try playing Valorant.

Clean Install the Game and Vanguard

As a last resort, we will attempt to reinstall Vanguard and the game. If there is some problem with the game it could prevent the game from communicating with the serves and result in the Valorant error code VAN 6.

1. As a first step in the process, we need to stop Valorant and disable all functioning tasks from the Task Manager. Disable all Valorant Tasks related to the game.
2. Now, uninstall the game and Vanguard.
3. After you have uninstalled Valorant and Vanguard, press Windows + R to open the Run dialogue box.
4. Type “cmd” and press Ctrl+Shift+Enter. Press Yes when prompted.
5. Type sc delete vgc and hit Enter.
6. Type sc delete vgk and hit Enter. Close the Command Prompt. These commands will remove the services of the game.
7. Now, Restart the PC and install the game once again.

Besides all the above solutions, there is also the possibility that the error could be arising due to a server problem, where is the server is pushing an update, undergoing maintenance, or there is some bug and the servers are down. As such, verify that the server is up and running at Downdetector.

If none of the above solutions have worked, you should contact Valorant support and register your problem.