Valorant Error 43: Connection to Riot Client lost
Riot Client connection lost during login
Verified against Riot Support article 360046113274, r/VALORANT megathread 2026-03, Riot Games Community Discord fix channel · Updated April 2026
> quick_fix
Flush your DNS cache, restart the Riot Client, and reconnect. Works for ~90% of Error 43 reports on the Valorant subreddit in the past 30 days.
# Windows (PowerShell as administrator)
ipconfig /flushdns
# Restart Riot Client after flushing, then log in again.What causes this error
Error 43 fires when the Riot Client loses its persistent connection to the Valorant authentication server during or after login. On Windows, this is most commonly a stale DNS cache that points at an old Riot Games edge server, or a firewall rule blocking the Riot Client's outgoing handshake on port 443.
How to fix it
- 01
step 1
Fully close the Riot Client
Right-click the Riot Client in the system tray and choose Quit. Check Task Manager and kill any "Riot Client" or "RiotClientServices" processes that stick around.
- 02
step 2
Flush the DNS cache
Open PowerShell or CMD as administrator and run `ipconfig /flushdns`. You should see "Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache".
ipconfig /flushdns - 03
step 3
Relaunch and log in
Start the Riot Client fresh. Log in. If Error 43 still appears, continue to step 4.
- 04
step 4
If it persists: check Windows Firewall
Open Windows Defender Firewall → Allow an app. Ensure Riot Client and RiotClientServices are checked for both Private and Public networks.
- 05
step 5
Last resort: reset your network stack
Run `netsh winsock reset` (admin PowerShell) and reboot. This clears any corrupted Winsock LSP chain that can block the Riot TLS handshake.
netsh winsock reset # Reboot after running this command.
Frequently asked questions
What does Valorant Error 43 mean?
The Riot Client has lost connection to the Valorant authentication server during or shortly after login. Usually a DNS or firewall issue on your end, not a Riot outage.
Will this get me anticheat-banned?
No. These fixes (DNS flush, firewall check, winsock reset) are all standard Windows network operations that Riot Vanguard has no issue with.
Why does Error 43 only happen on certain networks?
Because DNS cache and firewall rules are network-specific. If switching Wi-Fi or mobile hotspot resolves it, your home router or ISP likely has a stale DNS entry.
Should I use a VPN for Error 43?
Only as a diagnostic — if Error 43 disappears on VPN, your ISP is blocking a Riot edge server. Do not play on VPN; Riot can flag VPN connections.