League of Legends: how to fix LoL won’t start or run?

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If you’ve been trying to launch League of Legends (LoL) but it won’t start or run, you’re not alone. This frustrating issue affects many players from time to time. Whether the game fails to load, crashes immediately, or just doesn't open at all, there are several steps you can take to troubleshoot and fix the problem. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the most common solutions to get LoL up and running again.

1. Check if the Game Servers Are Down

Before diving into troubleshooting on your PC, make sure the issue isn't on Riot Games' end. Sometimes, League of Legends may be undergoing maintenance or experiencing server issues. This can cause the game to be temporarily unavailable.

How to check server status:

If the servers are down, you’ll just need to wait until Riot resolves the issue. However, if the servers are up and running, it’s time to dig into some troubleshooting steps.

2. End Background Processes

Sometimes, a background process related to League of Legends might still be running, preventing the game from launching. If the client doesn’t close properly the first time, it can block subsequent attempts to start the game.

How to close the game’s background process:

  1. Press CTRL + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
  2. Look for processes named League of Legends or Riot (you might see processes like "LeagueClient" or "RiotClient").
  3. Select the process and click End Task.
  4. Try restarting League of Legends after closing the process.

3. Use the Repair Tool

If there are any corrupt files preventing the game from starting, the built-in repair tool can help you fix them. This is one of the easiest and most effective solutions.

To repair your game:

  1. Open the League of Legends client.
  2. Click on the gear icon (Settings) in the top right corner.
  3. Under the General tab, click "Repair".
  4. Select "Perform a complete repair". This will check for any corrupted files and replace them.

The repair process can take some time, depending on your internet speed and the size of the files that need to be fixed, but it’s a powerful tool that often resolves many issues.

4. Restart Your Computer

Sometimes, simply restarting your computer can fix the issue. This helps by closing any applications or background processes that might be interfering with League of Legends. Additionally, a fresh restart clears out any temporary files or system errors that could be causing the game not to launch.

Steps:

  • Save your work, close all applications, and restart your PC.
  • Once the system has rebooted, try launching League of Legends again.

5. Check for Conflicting Programs

Some third-party programs, like antivirus software, firewalls, or system optimizers, can interfere with the normal operation of League of Legends. These programs may block certain game files from running or cause crashes during startup.

To troubleshoot conflicts:

  1. Temporarily disable your antivirus or firewall and then try to launch the game.
  2. If the game starts, add League of Legends as an exception in your antivirus software to prevent it from being blocked in the future.
  3. Ensure that you don’t have any system optimization tools running, as they can also interfere with the client.

6. Update Graphics Drivers

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Outdated or incompatible graphics drivers can prevent League of Legends from running smoothly, or even prevent it from starting at all. Ensuring that your drivers are up to date can often fix performance or launch issues.

How to update your drivers:

  1. Open Device Manager (you can search for it in the Windows search bar).
  2. Expand the Display adapters section and right-click on your graphics card.
  3. Select Update driver and follow the on-screen instructions.

Alternatively, you can go directly to the manufacturer’s website (NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel) to download the latest drivers for your GPU.

7. Reinstall League of Legends

If none of the above solutions work, the issue may lie with a corrupted installation of the game. In this case, uninstalling and reinstalling League of Legends can often resolve the problem.

Steps to reinstall:

  1. Go to Control Panel > Programs > Uninstall a Program.
  2. Find League of Legends in the list and click Uninstall.
  3. Once uninstalled, visit the official League of Legends website and download the latest version of the installer.
  4. Follow the prompts to reinstall the game and try launching it again.

8. Contact Riot Support

If you’ve tried all of the above steps and League of Legends still won’t start, it’s time to reach out for help. Riot Games offers support for technical issues, and they can help you resolve more complex problems.

How to contact Riot Support:

  1. Visit the official Riot Games Support page.
  2. Browse through their support articles to see if there’s a known fix for your issue.
  3. If the issue persists, submit a support ticket with detailed information about your problem. Include error messages, system specs, and what you’ve tried so far.

Conclusion

While it can be frustrating when League of Legends won’t start or run, the solutions above should help you get back into the game. Whether it’s closing background processes, running the repair tool, or reinstalling the game, there are plenty of ways to troubleshoot this issue. And if all else fails, don’t hesitate to reach out to Riot’s support team.

Remember, always check for server outages first before you start diving into troubleshooting—sometimes the problem isn’t on your end at all! Good luck, and may your games be filled with epic victories!

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