Multiplayer games like VALORANT always evolve with each major patch. Even if the base game is bug and error-free, future patches may come with their own set of problems.
Whenever there’s a huge content patch, players may find themselves struggling to log into VALORANT due to crowded servers or experience a new error that prevents them from enjoying the game, like the Invalid Access to Memory Location error.
The origins of the error aren’t that clear, but its patterns indicate that it may have something to do with not having enough memory on your system. When VALORANT is forced to work with just enough memory, it can find itself in a tricky spot since other apps on your PC will also use some of your resources while playing VALORANT.
There are a few troubleshooting steps you can try out to fix this error, but applying them should only take a few minutes. Here’s how you can fix the Invalid Access to Memory Location error in VALORANT.
Examine your task manager
Knowing what’s running in the background while you’re trying to play VALORANT will be key to making sure you have enough resources for a smooth gameplay experience.
If you have a wild antivirus program that enjoys running random scans out-of-nowhere, it may be causing the Invalid Access to Memory Location error to appear.
Right-click on your start bar and click on Task Manager. Head over to Details and look for any processes that use more memory than you’d like to spare.
Any programs that allocate too much of your PC’s resources as you’re gaming can take a hike until you’re done playing, so you’ll need to pick the ones that you’d like to terminate and right-click on them to click on End Task.
Keep your drivers updated
Outdated drivers may work fine for a while, but sooner or later that might cause your GPU to act up due to bugs that could be fixed in future releases. Game developers also use the advancements that become available with the latest driver updates, which allow them to increase their game’s visual quality or performance.
If you don’t have auto-updates enabled for your NVIDIA or AMD GPU, you’ll need to navigate to their respective websites and manually find your GPU to find the right drivers for your system.
Terminate all VALORANT related processes before installing the new driver and try getting into the game as soon as the installation is complete.
Windows updates matter
Most players ignore their Windows updates since they have a history of taking a while to download. Most Windows updates tend to be optimization-focused, though, and if you suddenly started experiencing the Invalid Access to Memory Location error in VALORANT, the fix may have already arrived in the form of a Windows update.
Exit out of VALORANT and install all the available updates before trying to get back into the game.
Contact VALORANT’s support team
Players who continue experiencing the Invalid Access to Memory Location error even days after the first time they experienced the issue may want to contact VALORANT’s support team with a ticket.
Explain all the troubleshooting steps you’ve tried to fix the problem and include as many details as possible to help the support team get to the bottom of the issue. Providing screenshots and videos is always a plus since you can save the support team’s time as they may not need to replicate the error on their end.
In most cases, you should receive a reply in a couple of days, but the timing may differ based on the time of the year and the number of available support staff. Depending on the source of the error, you may receive additional troubleshooting methods, or the fix can already be on its way by the time you receive a reply from Riot.
While you’re waiting for a reply, it can be a decent idea to lurk around in community hubs, like Reddit, to see if other players are experiencing the same error as you’re. In some cases, players who were able to fix the error with unorthodox methods can share how they’ve done it, allowing other players to jump back into the game.
In rare cases, errors like Invalid Access to Memory Location can also appear due to corrupted in-game files. Though VALORANT’s launcher tries its best to check all the in-game files and can replace them with new ones when needed, players who just want to make sure their in-game files are in top shape can try reinstalling the game.
This process may take a while depending on your internet connection, but it’s one of the best ways to ensure that all of your in-game files are fine and ready to operate.
