When it comes to MOBA games, League of Legends is a pioneer and an undisputed champion in the genre. Being an old title with an enormous fan base, Riot Games regularly updates it with new content. While these updates aim to improve the game with new content and fixes, this isn’t always the case. We are bringing this up because, after a recent patch, the Play button in LoL is not working for some players. You, too, are facing a similar issue; otherwise, you wouldn’t be reading this. That said, is there any fix for this? Keep reading till the end to find out.
Talking about the issue, quite simply, the play button is missing, rune pages are completely blacked out, and for some, even the client won’t close unless forced through the Task Manager. Players are pointing out that this issue might be caused by the latest patch. So, have the developers acknowledged this? Are there any workarounds? Here are the answers.
League of Legends play button not working: How to fix it
To make matters worse, the developers have yet to acknowledge this issue, and there is no official fix in sight. However, the community has stepped up, and players have shared several workarounds that might help. While these solutions are not guaranteed to work for everyone, they’re definitely worth trying out!
Precaution
A precaution to prevent this issue is to make sure that “Play” is the first button you hit when opening the Riot Games client. Avoid navigating to other tabs such as Loot, Shop, or TFT before attempting to start a game. While this seems to be true for some players, it has not yet been confirmed by the developers. Still, it is better to be safe than sorry!
Restart
The first workaround to address various issues in League of Legends is to restart the game and then restart your PC. Begin by closing the League of Legends client completely and make sure no related processes are running in the background. Afterward, restart your PC to refresh system resources and clear any temporary glitches that may be affecting the game’s performance or functionality. Finally, reboot everything and see if the play button works
Vanguard User Mode Service
A workaround that has helped some players involves dealing with the “Vanguard user-mode service” via the Task Manager. Here’s what to do: open the League client and log in, then open the Task Manager and find “Vanguard user-mode service” in the Processes tab. Expand it to locate “vgc”, right-click, and choose “Open Services”. Find “vgc” in the services list, select it, and stop the service from the right panel. The League client should then display an error and close itself. If not, close it manually via the Task Manager. Finally, restart the “vgc” service and reopen the League client.
Task Manager
For this workaround, open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc), find the League of Legends launcher process (typically named “LeagueClientUx.exe”), right-click on it, and select “End task” to close it. Afterward, launch the League of Legends client again using its desktop shortcut or from the Start menu
Arena Mode
Some players have reported successfully accessing different game modes in League of Legends by using alternative methods. For example, entering the arena mode through the play arena option on the starting screen, then going back and attempting to change game modes has worked for some. Additionally, trying to enter draft mode from a lower-level alternate account has also enabled gameplay mode changes for others.
Use an Invite
Another workaround to fix this issue is to have a friend invite you to a game. By accepting their invitation, you can bypass the unresponsive play button and start playing without directly using the client’s faulty interface. But be careful, as this can lead to other foreseen problems as well. Still, do give it a try.
Delete Config files
Another workaround Riot Support provides is navigating to the League of Legends configuration folder on your PC. So, follow the steps given below:
- Navigate to C:\Riot Games\League of Legends\Config.
- Open the Config folder but do not immediately enter the [client] folder.
- Delete all files and folders within the Config folder.
- After clearing the Config folder, open the [client] folder.
- If any config files reappear, delete them once again.
- Now, launch the game.
Update Vanguard
Here’s a brief workaround that has resolved the League of Legends play button issue for many Windows 10 users: First, navigate to Settings > Apps and uninstall Vanguard. Next, open the League of Legends client and allow it to update Vanguard. After the update is completed, close the client. Restart your PC, then reopen the client, log in, and the play button should now function correctly.
Hextech Repair Tool
Another player suggested using the Hextech Repair Tool. This has worked for them so do give it a shot! After installing the tool, initiate a re-patch process within the tool. Restart your PC and then launch the game to see if the play button works.
Team Fight Tactics
For some players experiencing issues with the League of Legends client’s find match button, accessing the TFT (Teamfight Tactics) section and selecting “Quick Play” can serve as a workaround. This method allows you to create a party and switch game modes from within TFT. However, it’s important to note that while this workaround may enable gameplay for some, the find match button might still be non-functional.
Check for Game Updates
Keeping your League of Legends client updated is crucial for resolving various issues that may arise during gameplay. With this issue affecting many players, it is possible that the developers have launched or will launch patches and updates in the future to fix it once and for all. So, make sure to check for updates either through the client’s settings or by visiting the official League of Legends website.
Reinstall the Game
If none of the above-mentioned methods resolves persistent issues with League of Legends, reinstalling the game is the last option you have. This can provide a fresh start and potentially fix underlying problems. Begin by uninstalling the game from your PC. Make sure to remove all associated files and settings. This can be done through the Control Panel or using the Hextech Repair tool. After uninstallation, download the latest version of League of Legends from the official website and see if a reinstall lets you play without issues.
Well, those were some effective workarounds that you can try to resolve the play button not working issue in League of Legends. We hope your doubts on this matter were cleared. For all your other gaming-related guides, always visit DigiStatement first! Read more: Nvidia Graphics driver is not compatible with this version of Windows 11: How to fix it?
