How to Uninstall Valorant and Riot Vanguard Completely (2026)
To uninstall Valorant on Windows, open Settings, go to Apps, find VALORANT and click Uninstall. That removes the game, but Riot Vanguard, the anti-cheat, can stay behind. Remove Vanguard separately through Add or Remove programs, restart your PC, and delete the Riot Games folder if you don’t play any other Riot game.
How to uninstall Valorant on Windows
Valorant uninstalls like any other Windows program.
- Close Valorant and the Riot Client completely, including from the system tray.
- Open Settings with Windows key + I.
- Go to Apps, then Installed apps (Apps and features on Windows 10).
- Find VALORANT in the list, click the three dots or the entry, and choose Uninstall.
- Confirm, and wait until it disappears from the list.
The game files are gone at that point, but the Riot Client stays, and so does Riot Vanguard if another game that needs it, such as League of Legends, is still installed. Whether you remove them depends on what else you play, which the next sections cover.
How to uninstall Riot Vanguard
Vanguard is Riot’s anti-cheat, and it’s installed separately from the game. Riot’s support guide “Uninstall and Disable Vanguard” (updated May 30, 2026) gives the steps:
- Press the Windows key.
- Type Add or Remove programs and press Enter.
- Find Riot Vanguard in the list and uninstall it.
- Restart your computer.
Riot says you’ll know it’s fully removed if the Vanguard icon “doesn’t show in your system tray after a computer restart.” That’s the check worth doing, because Vanguard normally starts with Windows.
The catch is that League of Legends also uses Vanguard, and Riot notes that without it “you will no longer be able to start most of the games through the Riot Client.” If you still play League, uninstall Valorant only and leave Vanguard alone.
What if Vanguard won’t uninstall?
Riot has a manual method for stubborn installs. Open Command Prompt as administrator by right-clicking it in the Start menu and choosing Run as administrator, then run these two commands, one at a time:
sc delete vgcsc delete vgk
Then open C:\Program Files and delete any Riot Vanguard folder that’s left, and restart. Honestly, this is a fallback for when Windows refuses to remove Vanguard cleanly.
Don’t want to uninstall it, just stop it for now? Right-click the red Vanguard icon in the system tray and choose Exit Vanguard, then confirm. Since Vanguard usually runs from boot, Riot says you’ll need to restart your PC before playing again.
Should you back up anything before uninstalling?
Not much. Valorant stores your settings, crosshair profiles, keybinds and sensitivity on Riot’s servers and syncs them to whatever PC you log in from, so a reinstall brings them all back without any copying on your side, and the same goes for skins, agents, rank and match history, none of which ever lived on your drive in the first place. The only thing worth saving is anything you added yourself, like a custom config note or screenshots you saved into the game folder.
How to remove leftover Valorant files
After both uninstalls, check for leftovers. Valorant installs to C:\Riot Games\VALORANT by default, and the Riot Client sits in C:\Riot Games\Riot Client.
- If the VALORANT folder still exists, delete it.
- Only if you play no Riot games at all, delete the whole C:\Riot Games folder.
- Empty the Recycle Bin to actually free the space.
If you installed to a different drive, look there instead; the Riot Client shows the install path in its settings before you uninstall. Your account, skins and rank aren’t stored in these folders, by the way; they live on Riot’s servers.
How to uninstall Valorant on PS5 or Xbox
Put simply, consoles have no Vanguard to worry about, so it’s one step.
PS5: go to your Game Library, highlight Valorant, press the Options button and choose Delete. Xbox Series X|S: open My games and apps, highlight Valorant, press the Menu button, choose Manage game and add-ons, then Uninstall all. Your progress is tied to your Riot account, so it’s safe either way.
Why do people remove the game?
Three common reasons to uninstall: freeing disk space, fixing a broken install, or taking a break. The right approach is slightly different for each.
For space, uninstalling the game alone is enough. For a broken install, a full clean (game, Vanguard, leftover folders, restart) and a fresh download is the real fix, since a partial reinstall can carry the problem over. And for a break, think about Vanguard separately: if you’re keeping League, leave it installed; if you’re stepping away from Riot games entirely, remove both.
Fixing errors rather than quitting? Our guide to Valorant error codes covers the common ones, including the Vanguard errors that often prompt a reinstall, and the desync guide deals with connection issues. League players can find the same clean-up steps in our guide to removing League of Legends.
Valorant isn’t in the Apps list. Now what?
Search for it first. Type Valorant into the search box at the top of Installed apps, since long lists are easy to scroll past. Still nothing? Then the game was probably already removed and only its folder is left behind.
In that case, check C:\Riot Games (or the drive you installed to) and delete the VALORANT folder by hand. Restarting first helps if Windows says a file is in use, because Vanguard or the Riot Client may still have it open.
Sure, it’s a little messy, but nothing breaks. If you reinstall later, the Riot Client simply downloads a fresh copy.
Is it worth removing Vanguard for privacy or performance?
Vanguard runs at a deep level of Windows and, by default, starts when your PC boots, which is why some players prefer not to keep it when they aren’t playing. Riot says this is what lets it detect cheats that load before the game does.
If that bothers you, you have three options. Keep it and forget about it, exit it from the system tray when you’re not playing (and restart before your next match), or remove it and let it reinstall when you come back. Pre-Check, covered below, is a fourth option for PCs that meet its security requirements.
Can you uninstall Valorant on a Mac?
There’s nothing to uninstall in the usual sense. Valorant has no macOS version, so if you played it on a Mac, it was through Windows installed with Boot Camp on an older Intel Mac or another Windows setup, and you uninstall it from that Windows installation exactly as described above.
How to reinstall Valorant later
Download the installer from the official Valorant site, run it, and log in. The Riot Client handles the rest, and Riot says Vanguard installs again automatically when you launch a game that needs it.
In practice, expect one restart. Vanguard usually needs the PC to reboot before the first match after a fresh install.
There’s an alternative to the always-on setup if your PC qualifies. Riot’s Vanguard Pre-Check, updated June 24, 2026, lets Vanguard start when you open a Riot game and stop afterwards, instead of running from boot. It needs Windows 11 version 25H2 or newer, Secure Boot, TPM 2.0, IOMMU, Virtualization-Based Security and HVCI; the Vanguard tray tool tells you whether your system meets them.
Long story short, that’s how to uninstall Valorant properly: the game from Settings, Vanguard from Add or Remove programs if you don’t need it, a restart, and the leftover folder.
FAQ
How do I completely uninstall Valorant?
Uninstall VALORANT from Settings, Apps; uninstall Riot Vanguard from Add or Remove programs; restart; then delete C:\Riot Games\VALORANT if it remains.
Is Vanguard removed along with the game?
Not always. Riot says Vanguard stays while any game that needs it, such as League of Legends, is installed. Check Add or Remove programs and uninstall it there if it is still listed.
Can I uninstall Vanguard and still play League of Legends?
No. League also needs Vanguard. If you still play League, keep Vanguard installed.
What if Riot Vanguard will not uninstall?
Run sc delete vgc and sc delete vgk in an administrator Command Prompt, delete any Vanguard folder in C:\Program Files, and restart.
Do I need to restart after removing Vanguard?
Yes. Riot says Vanguard is fully removed if its icon does not appear in the system tray after a restart.
How do I get Vanguard back?
Launch the Riot Client or a game that needs it, such as Valorant or League of Legends, and Vanguard reinstalls automatically. A restart is usually needed before the first match.
Will I lose my skins if I uninstall Valorant?
No. Skins, rank and progress are stored on your Riot account and return when you reinstall and log in.
How do I uninstall Valorant on PS5?
In the Game Library, highlight Valorant, press Options and choose Delete.
