How to Enable Secure Boot in the BIOS/UEFI to Fix Valorant Errors

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Fix those pesky VAN9001 errors so you can play Valorant again

Co-authored by Hannah Dillon Reviewed by Luigi Oppido

Last Updated: September 15, 2025 Fact Checked

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Check if Secure Boot is Already Enabled

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Enabling Secure Boot

Are you getting VAN9001 errors when trying to play Valorant on Windows 11? This is due to Valorant's anti-cheat software, Vanguard, requiring Secure Boot to be enabled.^{[1]
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Research source} Thankfully, enabling Secure Boot isn't too difficult, but it does involve going into the BIOS/UEFI of your computer. Be sure to only change the settings as described in this article to avoid computer issues down the line.

Quick Steps

Open Windows settings.
Navigate to Update & Security > Recovery.
Click Restart now.
Navigate to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > UEFI Firmware settings.
Press Restart if prompted.
Find and enable Secure Boot (usually found in Boot or Security).
Press F10 to save, then exit the BIOS and restart your PC.

Section 1 of 2:

Check if Secure Boot is Already Enabled

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Check if Secure Boot is enabled before beginning. If Secure Boot is already enabled but you didn't know, this can save you a little time. The steps are quick and easy:
- Type sysinfo in the taskbar search bar.
- Locate the line that says "Secure Boot State." It will say On (which means Secure Boot is enabled) or Off (which means Secure Boot is disabled).

Section 2 of 2:

Enabling Secure Boot

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1
Open Windows settings. To do this, click the Windows (Start) button in the lower-left corner of the screen, then click the cogwheel icon.
- Alternatively, you can restart your PC and press the BIOS/UEFI access key (which is usually Del or F2) when the motherboard logo flashes on your screen to access BIOS/UEFI. However, the timing is hard to get right, so the steps below guarantee you can get into the BIOS/UEFI.
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Click Update & Security. This option will be towards the end of the list of options. It has an icon of two arrows going in a circle.
- On Windows 11, this option is called System instead.
It's near the middle of the menu options and has an icon of a thin rectangle with a circular arrow above it.
This will immediately restart your PC, so make sure to save any open files before restarting to avoid losing any data or changes to them.
Once your PC restarts, you will be presented with a blue screen and several options to choose from.
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Click UEFI Firmware settings. If your computer immediately restarts and enters BIOS, you can move to the next step. If not, click Restart and select BIOS setup, which will restart your computer into BIOS.^{[2]
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- If you have a Restart button but not a BIOS setup button, follow these instructions:
  - Navigate to Settings > Advanced > Windows OS Configuration. Depending on your computer, these menu items may have different names, but they should be similar.
  - Select Secure Boot and enable the Secure Boot setting, then restart your computer.
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Find the Secure Boot setting and enable it. The Secure Boot setting is usually found in the Security or Boot/Boot options tab, but each motherboard's BIOS is laid out slightly differently. If you aren't sure where to find the Secure Boot setting, check your computer's manual or the manufacturer's website.
- To navigate the BIOS, use the arrow keys.
In addition to enabling Secure Boot, you also need to enable TPM 2.0 within the BIOS/UEFI.
This option may say "TPM," "Intel Platform Trust Technology (IPTT)," "AMD CPU fTPM", or "Trusted Platform Module (TPM)."
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Enable TPM 2.0. Press the Enter button to toggle on TPM 2.0.
- Press F10 to save your settings. You can now exit BIOS and restart your computer.^{[3]
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