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How to Install Valorant on a Mac

July 29, 2025
Ray McCall

How to Install Valorant on a Mac

🎯 Can You Play Valorant on macOS?

As of now, Valorant is only officially available for Windows, and does not run natively on macOS. Riot Games has no current plans to release a macOS version.

Importantly, Riot’s anti-cheat system, Vanguard, is kernel-level and designed strictly for Windows—it cannot run in macOS, virtual machines, or compatibility layers like Parallels or CrossOver.

âś… How to Play on a Mac (Intel-based Only)

  1. Verify Your Mac Is Intel-Based

Only Intel-based Macs support Boot Camp, which allows you to install Windows natively. Apple silicon Macs (M1, M2, M3, etc.) do not support Boot Camp, and thus cannot run Valorant.

  1. Install Windows via Boot Camp
  • Open Boot Camp Assistant (Applications > Utilities)
  • Follow the on-screen steps to partition your drive (minimum 64 GB, but 128 GB+ recommended) and install Windows
  • Install Boot Camp drivers once Windows starts up
  1. Download and Install Valorant
  • Boot into Windows and open your browser
  • Go to playvalorant.com, click “Play Free”, and download the installer
  • Install Valorant and Riot Vanguard, then reboot if needed
  1. Optimize Performance
  • Set Windows to High Performance mode
  • Lower in‑game graphics settings (start with low/medium, reduce resolution to 720p)
  • Use a cooling pad to reduce thermal throttling
  • Keep Windows and graphics drivers updateD

❌ Unsupported Methods

  • Parallels Desktop, VMware Fusion, UTM, CrossOver: these virtualization or compatibility tools do not support Vanguard and will likely prevent you from playing Valorant.
  • Cloud gaming services (e.g. GeForce Now, Luna, Shadow PC): Valorant is currently not supported on these platforms due to anti-cheat limitations.

đź’¬ What the Community Says

On Reddit and Q&A forums, users frequently reaffirm:

“It works fine on old macs with bootcamp. But, newer macs using Apple silicon… can’t run bootcamp, so they have no way to play Val.”
“With apple silicon (M1/M2/M3) it’s not possible … Vanguard won’t run in virtual machines.”
“The only way for Valorant to be playable on a Mac is buying an older MacBook/iMac with an Intel CPU.”

🧾 Summary Table

Mac Type Boot Camp Support Valorant Usability
Intel-based (2012‑2019) ✅ Yes ✅ Yes – via Boot Camp + Windows
Apple Silicon (M1/M2 etc.) ❌ No ❌ No – unsupported

âś… TL;DR

  • Valorant does not support macOS natively.
  • Only Intel-based Macs can run Windows using Boot Camp and therefore play Valorant.
  • Apple Silicon Macs cannot run Valorant, and virtualization or streaming methods are blocked by Riot’s anti-cheat system.
  • To proceed, you must:
    1. Confirm your Mac has an Intel CPU
    2. Install Windows via Boot Camp
    3. Install Riot Vanguard and Valorant inside Windows
    4. Enable performance optimizations for smoother gameplay

⚠️ Need Help?

If your Mac is Apple silicon (M1/M2), sadly Valorant can’t be installed. Your best alternatives are:

Let me know what Mac model you have if you want help checking compatibility or walking through the Boot Camp setup!