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How to Disable Faceit and Vanguard Anti-Cheat Systems

This guide provides step-by-step instructions for safely disabling Faceit and Riot Vanguard anti-cheat systems when you need to temporarily suspend their operations.

Understanding Anti-Cheat Systems​

Anti-cheat systems like Faceit and Vanguard run at the kernel level to ensure game integrity. While they're essential for competitive gaming, you might need to disable them temporarily for:

  • Running certain development tools
  • Testing other applications
  • Resolving system conflicts
  • Performing system maintenance

Disabling Faceit Anti-Cheat​

Method 1: Using Windows Services​

  1. Press Win + R and type services.msc
  2. Locate "FACEIT Client Service"
  3. Right-click and select "Properties"
  4. Change "Startup type" to "Disabled"
  5. Click "Stop" under "Service status"
  6. Click "Apply" and "OK"

Method 2: Using Command Line​

# Open Command Prompt as Administrator
net stop "FACEIT Client Service"
sc config "FACEIT Client Service" start=disabled

Verifying Faceit is Disabled​

  1. Open Task Manager
  2. Check for "faceitclient.exe" and "faceitservice.exe"
  3. These processes should not be running

Disabling Riot Vanguard​

Important Note​

Vanguard is required for playing VALORANT. Disabling it will prevent you from playing the game until you re-enable it.

Steps to Disable​

  1. Locate Vanguard in System Tray
  2. Right-click the Vanguard icon
  3. Select "Exit Vanguard"
  4. Confirm the action when prompted

Alternative Method: System Settings​

  1. Open Windows Settings
  2. Navigate to "Apps" or "Apps & Features"
  3. Search for "Riot Vanguard"
  4. Click "Uninstall"
  5. Follow the uninstallation prompts

Command Line Method​

# Open Command Prompt as Administrator
net stop vgc
net stop vgk
sc config vgc start=disabled
sc config vgk start=disabled

Re-enabling Anti-Cheat Systems​

Faceit​

  1. Return to Services or use Command Line
  2. Set startup type to "Automatic"
  3. Start the service
sc config "FACEIT Client Service" start=auto
net start "FACEIT Client Service"

Vanguard​

  1. Simply launch VALORANT
  2. The game will automatically reinstall Vanguard
  3. Restart your computer when prompted

Troubleshooting​

Common Issues with Faceit​

  • Error 2: Service not starting
    • Solution: Restart your computer and try enabling the service again
  • Missing dependencies
    • Solution: Reinstall Faceit Anti-Cheat completely

Common Issues with Vanguard​

  • Error 29: System reboot required
    • Solution: Restart your computer
  • Vanguard not uninstalling
    • Solution: Use the Riot Vanguard removal tool from official support

Best Practices​

  1. Always exit games before disabling anti-cheat
  2. Document any custom settings before disabling
  3. Use official methods for disabling/enabling
  4. Keep systems updated to avoid conflicts
  5. Never modify anti-cheat files directly

Additional Resources​

Remember that modifying anti-cheat systems should only be done for legitimate purposes and in accordance with the terms of service of respective platforms.