How To Fix VALORANT Has Encountered A Connection Error

Valorant

April 12, 2025

Tarun Sayal

Wondering how to fix the infamous VALORANT has encountered a connection error? Similar to many other games, VALORANT has a fair share of errors that hinder the gaming experience of the players. One such error states that the game has encountered a connection error that prevents you from entering the main screen. But that’s not even the worst part as you might constantly receive this error even after rebooting the game multiple times.

As you might expect, you’re not the only one who is suffering due to this error code. Therefore, we’ve dug deep into this topic and figured out all the possible solutions to fixing the VALORANT has encountered a connection error. You can try out these methods and we’ve also got you covered with a bonus tip in the end through which you can seek professional support for any VALORANT error absolutely without spending even a penny.

All VALORANT has encountered a connection error fixes

Image Credit: Riot Games

Before we deep dive into the solutions, it’s essential to learn which error codes are responsible:

128
138
VAN o
VAN 1
VAN 6
VAN -81
VAN -102
VAN 138

If we take the official resolutions by Riot Games into account, the first step you should execute is to restart your PC and the Riot Client. If the problem persists, uninstall Riot Vanguard and VALORANT, then do a fresh reinstallation of both.

The official forums also states that you are more likely to encounter the 158 error code when you try to run VALORANT/Riot Vanguard from a virtual machine. Since this isn’t allowed, you’ll have to install both on a regular instance of Windows instead of a virtual one. If none of these methods works, we suggest executing these fixes:

Check your internet connection

A weak or unstable network can lead to issues. In such cases, your gaming device or Riot servers aren’t faulty. Instead, your internet connection is the real culprit here which is causing the VALORANT has encountered a connection error.

To ensure everything is good with your internet, try testing your connection with different online services or restart your modem and router if required. Also make sure no major downloads are using up your bandwidth and disconnect any active VPNs that might disrupt the connection.

Flush Your DNS

Flushing the DNS settings is perhaps the easiest way to get rid of the VALORANT has encountered a connection error but in some cases. It’s a system that translates domain names into IP addresses. If your DNS cache is outdated or corrupted, it can cause network problems that eventually hinder the connection with Riot servers. Flushing your DNS will clear the cache and will also help you fix the VAL 62 error.

Here’s how to do it:

Open the command prompt as administrator (type CMD in the search bar, right-click, and select “Run as administrator”).
Confirm permission by clicking “Yes.”
Type ipconfig /flushdns and press Enter.
Verify the message “Successfully flushed the DNS resolver cache.”
Close the window and check if the persists.

Check VGC service

Finally, check if the VGC service is set to automatic by following these steps:

Type ‘services’ in the search bar and select the top result.
Look for the ‘VGC’ service, right-click on it, select ‘Properties,’ and change the startup type to ‘Automatic.’
Click ‘Apply’ and ‘OK,’ restart your PC, and cross your fingers as you check if the error is fixed.

Get professional help

If none of the above methods work for you, you can get the professional help to get rid of the VALORANT has encountered a connection error. As we mentioned earlier, we’ll share a bonus tip through which you can avail this service for free.

To do that, all you have to do is reach out to Riot Games support and submit a ticket. Make sure to explain your issue in detail with all the relevant screenshots for a quick resolution.

The support team usually analyzes the log files to identify the exact cause of the problem. Therefore, they can guide you better than any other person in the world.