Sometimes, when gamers try to launch Valorant, they get this error: Windows cannot access the specified device, path or file. You may not have appropriate permissions.
Why Windows cannot access the specified device, path or file? This issue occurs when another program is blocking the operating system from accessing the files of the program or game you’re trying to launch. Or the user account does not have all the permissions required to launch the respective program. This issue could also indicate that the file location has been changed and it’s no longer accessible or key files have been deleted.
Do This If Windows Can’t Access Valorant Files
Fix 1 – Gain access permission for Valorant
- Step 1 – Right-click Valorant and select Properties
- Step 2 – Go to Group or User names to check your permissions
- Step 3 – Click on Edit to choose the permissions you need (full control, modify, read, write, or special permissions).
- Step 4 – Launch Valorant and check if it works.
Fix 2 – Check Valorant’s location
Make sure the game location is accessible. Here’s how to do that:
- Step 1 – Right-click on Valorant and click Properties
- Step 2 – Select the General tab and check the file path — it needs to be the correct path
- Step 3 – Still under the General tab, check if there is any mention such as This file came from another computer and might be blocked to help protect this computer next to security. If there is, check the Unblock checkbox
- Step 4 – Reboot your computer and try to run the game again.
Recreate Valorant’s shortcut
This problem may also occur if the location of Valorant’s shortcut path changed. In this case, you need to create a new game shortcut that points to the current game location.
- Step 1 – Click on an empty space on your desktop
- Step 2 – Select New → Shortcut
- Step 3 – Add Valorant by following this path: Riot Games\VALORANT\Live\Binaries\Win64\VALORANT
and hit Next. The path might be slightly different depending on your configuration - Step 4 – Name the new shortcut and hit Finish.
Fix 3 – Disable interfering software
If there are any programs blocking Windows from accessing Valorant’s files, this method will help you solve the problem.
Start with your antivirus. Perhaps the antivirus is blocking the game. Maybe your security software temporarily blocked some of the game files.
Or maybe you installed other programs which are incompatible with Valorant. To fix this, you can clean boot your computer or disable background processes using the Task Manager.
We hope something helps.
References:
- Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file” error when you try to install, update or start a program or file, retrieved from Microsoft Support.