By FreePortal Team · Reviewed by FreePortal Editorial Team · Last updated October 2026

How to Download and Install League of Legends Free Guide

The world's most popular MOBA — team-based strategy, 173 champions, and millions of players online.

Is League of Legends Free?

Yes. League of Legends is free to play. There is no purchase required to access the game, and all champions can be unlocked through gameplay (via Blue Essence earned by playing). Riot makes money through optional cosmetic skins, which do not affect gameplay.

The main caveats: Vanguard anti-cheat is mandatory and runs at the kernel level in standard mode, which some users object to on privacy grounds. It also requires Windows 10 (build 19041+) or Windows 11 with TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot. Windows on ARM is not supported, and macOS support is limited to Intel Macs with Metal. Linux is not supported.

Since June 2026, Riot offers an optional Vanguard On-Demand mode that runs the anti-cheat only while a game is active, but it requires Windows 11 25H2 or later plus Secure Boot, TPM 2.0, VBS, HVCI, and IOMMU. On older Windows builds, Vanguard remains always-on.

System Requirements

Windows

OS: Windows 10 (build 19041+) or Windows 11. ARM Windows is not supported.
Processor (minimum): Intel Core i3-530 / AMD A6-3650 (SSE 4.2 required)
Processor (recommended): Intel Core i5-8250 / AMD Ryzen 3 1200
RAM: 2 GB minimum (4 GB recommended)
Graphics (minimum): NVIDIA GeForce 400 series / AMD Radeon HD 6570 / Intel HD 4600 (DirectX 11 feature level 11_0)
Graphics (recommended): NVIDIA GeForce 560 / AMD Radeon HD 6950 / Intel UHD 630
VRAM: 1 GB minimum (2 GB recommended)
Storage: 16 GB minimum; typical installation is 35–40 GB
Security: TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot required for Vanguard on Windows 11

macOS

Support: Intel Macs only. Apple Silicon is not natively supported.
Graphics API: Metal required (since patch 25.04). OpenGL is no longer supported.
Storage: 16 GB minimum; typical installation 35–40 GB.

How to Install League of Legends

Go to the official site. Visit leagueoflegends.com/en-us/download.
Download the Riot Client. Click “Download for Windows” (or the macOS link if you are on an Intel Mac) — this small installer downloads the full game later.
Run the installer as admin (Windows). Right-click the downloaded file and choose “Run as administrator” to avoid permission issues.
Choose your region. Pick the server region you want to play on — this affects which players you match with and your ping.
Install Vanguard. The Riot Client will automatically install the Vanguard anti-cheat — you must restart your PC after this step (unless you are using the optional on-demand mode on Windows 11 25H2+).
Launch the game. After restart, open the Riot Client, sign in, and let it download the full game (typical install is 35–40 GB).

Getting Started

Create an account. If you don't have one, sign up with your email or Google account during the first launch.
Complete the tutorial. Play the “First Game” tutorial to learn movement, abilities, and objectives — it's essential for beginners.
Pick a beginner-friendly champion. Start with simple champions like Garen, Annie, or Lux — avoid complex ones like LeBlanc or Zed.
Learn the map. Summoner's Rift has three lanes (top, mid, bot) and a jungle. Each lane has a tower, and the goal is to destroy the enemy Nexus.
Play with friends (optional). Invite friends to your team — playing with others is easier and more fun than solo queue.

Useful Tips

🛡️ Ward the river. Buy a Stealth Ward from the shop and place it in the river bush — it reveals enemy movements and prevents ganks.
🎯 Focus on last-hitting. Practice killing minions with your last hit to earn gold — this is the core of farming and building items.
🔄 Buy items wisely. Start with boots and a basic damage item — don't buy everything at once. Check the recommended items for your champion.
👥 Communicate with your team. Use pings to mark enemies, objectives, or request help — voice chat is optional but helps.
📈 Learn the meta. Check what champions are strong right now — the patch notes and tier lists can help you pick effective picks.
⏳ Don't give up. Even if you're behind, games can turn around — focus on objectives and team fights, not just kills.
🧹 Check your install size. If your client is significantly larger than 40 GB, delete the webcache folder inside the League install directory — Riot confirmed a 2026 caching bug that inflated some installs.

League of Legends vs Dota 2 vs Heroes of the Storm

League of Legends: The most popular MOBA. 173 champions, streamlined mechanics, a clear item build system, and a large competitive scene. Games typically run 25–40 minutes. Best for players who want a polished, widely-played MOBA with an active community and esports scene.
Dota 2: Harder learning curve, deeper mechanics (denying, couriers, ability drafting, turn rates). Games run longer. Free-to-play with all heroes available from day one. Best for players who want the most complex and rewarding MOBA.
Heroes of the Storm: More team-focused, shorter games (15–20 minutes), shared team XP instead of individual leveling. Less mechanically demanding. Best for players who want shorter matches and a team-centric approach. Currently in maintenance mode, with limited new content.

All three are free to play. LoL is the safest entry point, Dota 2 has the highest skill ceiling, and Heroes is the most accessible for casual play.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

🚫 Vanguard won't install or causes a boot loop. Vanguard requires TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot enabled in BIOS/UEFI. If either is disabled, enable them and retry. If your PC is missing either, LoL is not playable on that machine — there is no workaround. On Windows 11 25H2+, you can try enabling Vanguard On-Demand mode, which requires VBS, HVCI, and IOMMU as well.
❌ Riot Client “cannot connect to the server”. Usually a firewall or network issue. Add RiotClientServices.exe and LeagueClient.exe to your firewall's allow list. If you are on a VPN, try disabling it — some regions block VPN traffic.
⏳ Stuck on “Connecting” during install. Close the Riot Client completely (check Task Manager), then relaunch as administrator. If the issue persists, uninstall and reinstall — the Riot Client occasionally leaves a corrupted cache.
🐌 Low FPS in game. In Settings → Video, set “Quality” to Low, turn off “Anti-Aliasing”, and disable “Wait for Vertical Sync”. LoL runs smoothly on almost any modern hardware at low settings.
🔊 No audio or voice chat not working. In Settings → Audio, set the output and input devices explicitly rather than leaving them on “Default”. If voice chat fails, check Settings → Voice for the correct microphone and test volume.
⚠️ “Your account has been suspended” message. Vanguard bans are permanent and usually triggered by prior cheating software or an in-game violation. Contact Riot Support via the official site — there is no legitimate way to bypass a Vanguard ban.
🎮 Game crashes after a patch. Update your GPU drivers, then run the Riot Client as administrator. If crashes persist, repair the installation from the Riot Client settings.
🍎 Mac client won't launch or shows a graphics error. macOS support is limited to Intel Macs with Metal support. If you are on Apple Silicon, the game is not natively supported. If you are on an Intel Mac, ensure your macOS version is current and that your GPU supports Metal — Vanguard will block the game if Metal is unavailable.
💾 Install is 50+ GB. Delete the webcache folder inside the League install directory (default: C:\Riot Games\League of Legends\Saved\webcache). Riot confirmed a 2026 caching bug that could inflate installs well beyond the typical 35–40 GB.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I play League of Legends on Mac or Linux?

macOS: yes, but Intel Macs only. Riot officially supports Windows and macOS, but states that it only natively supports Intel macOS — Apple Silicon Macs are not natively supported. macOS players must use the Metal graphics API (required since patch 25.04). Linux: no. Vanguard is a Windows kernel driver and does not run under Wine, Proton, SteamOS, or Bazzite. Windows 10/11 (Intel/AMD) and Intel macOS are the only supported platforms.

Do I need to buy champions?

No. Champions can be unlocked with Blue Essence earned through gameplay. You start with a few free champions and can unlock more over time. Riot also offers weekly free champion rotations. Real money is only required if you want to buy champions immediately with RP — but this is optional.

What is Vanguard and why does it require a restart?

Vanguard is Riot’s kernel-level anti-cheat. It installs at the system level to detect cheats that run below the game’s visibility. In standard mode it requires a system restart to load properly, and it requires TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot. Since June 2026, an optional Vanguard On-Demand mode lets Vanguard run only while a game is active — but it requires Windows 11 25H2 or later plus Secure Boot, TPM 2.0, VBS, HVCI, and IOMMU.

Is League of Legends pay-to-win?

No. All champions and runes can be unlocked through gameplay, and skins do not affect stats. A free-to-play player can reach the highest ranks with enough skill and time investment. Some players argue the champion grind is slow, but there is no competitive advantage to spending money.

How big is the League of Legends install?

The minimum requirement is 16 GB of free space, but the typical actual installation is 35–40 GB as of September 2026. Riot’s support team notes that a 2026 caching bug could inflate the client size; deleting the webcache folder in the install directory can reclaim space if your install is unusually large.

How many champions are in League of Legends?

173 champions as of June 2026. The most recent addition is Locke, the Ashen Exorcist — the only new champion released in 2026. Riot has slowed new champion releases, so the roster is unlikely to grow quickly.

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