How to Remove League of Legends Completely (Windows, Mac, Riot Client)
To remove League of Legends on Windows, uninstall it from Installed apps, then follow Riot’s clean-uninstall steps: delete the Riot Client folder in C:\Riot Games, the Riot Games folders in %localappdata% and %programdata%, and the League of Legends folder in Documents. On a Mac, drag League of Legends.app to the Trash and empty it. Your account is untouched.
How to remove League of Legends on Windows
Start with the normal uninstall. Riot’s guide “Uninstall and Reinstall Games” (updated June 1, 2026) begins exactly where you’d expect:
- Close League of Legends and the Riot Client, including from the system tray.
- Press the Windows key, type Installed apps and open it.
- Find League of Legends in the list and choose Uninstall.
- Confirm and wait until it disappears.
That removes the game itself. If you’re removing League because something is broken, or you simply want nothing left behind, do the clean uninstall below as well.
How to remove League of Legends completely (clean uninstall)
Riot lists these steps for a clean uninstall of League of Legends and TFT on Windows:
- Go to C:\Riot Games and delete the Riot Client folder.
- Press Windows key + R, type %localappdata% and press Enter.
- In AppData\Local, delete the Riot Games folder.
- Press Windows key + R again, type %programdata% and press Enter.
- In C:\ProgramData, delete the Riot Games folder.
- Open your Documents folder and delete the League of Legends folder.
- Empty the Recycle Bin.
One warning. Deleting the Riot Client folder also affects Valorant and Legends of Runeterra, since all Riot games share it. If you still play another Riot game, skip step 1 and leave the client in place (it costs you nothing to keep).
The Documents folder holds things like screenshots and some local files. Saved replays or screenshots you care about? Copy them somewhere else first.
What about Riot Vanguard?
Vanguard is Riot’s anti-cheat, and League has needed it on Windows since Riot added it after the security breach of early 2023. Riot’s Vanguard FAQ for League notes that uninstalling League “will not uninstall Riot Vanguard if you also have VALORANT installed, as VALORANT also requires Vanguard.”
So check after you uninstall. If Riot Vanguard is still listed in Installed apps (or Add or Remove programs) and you don’t play Valorant, uninstall it there and restart your PC. Riot says it’s fully gone if the Vanguard icon doesn’t appear in the system tray after the restart.
Stubborn installs have a manual fix in Riot’s Vanguard guide: run sc delete vgc and sc delete vgk in an administrator Command Prompt, delete any leftover Vanguard folder in C:\Program Files, and restart. Our Valorant uninstall guide covers the same steps in more detail.
How to remove League of Legends on Mac
Riot keeps it short for macOS:
- Fully close League of Legends and the Riot Client.
- Open Finder and select Applications in the sidebar.
- Find League of Legends.app and move it to the Trash.
- From the Finder menu bar, choose Finder, then Empty Trash.
- Restart your Mac.
That’s it. Riot’s Mac requirements list 40 GB of available storage for the game, so emptying the Trash afterwards is what actually frees the space; until then, the files are only moved, and macOS still counts them against your drive.
Does removing League of Legends delete your account?
No. Your account, champions, skins, rank, Blue Essence and match history are stored on Riot’s servers, not on your computer. Uninstall and reinstall as often as you like; logging in brings everything back.
Deleting your Riot account is a completely separate process, done through Riot’s account deletion request, and it removes your access to every Riot game permanently. If that’s what you’re after, our guide to deleting a Riot account and all its data explains the process and what you lose.
Why can’t I uninstall League of Legends?
Usually because something is still running. The Riot Client or Vanguard holds files open in the background, and Windows refuses to delete them. Close the Riot Client from the system tray. Restart. Then try again before doing anything fancy.
If League doesn’t appear in Installed apps at all, the uninstaller entry may be missing after a failed update. In that case the clean-uninstall folder steps above do the job by hand. Honestly, that manual route doesn’t need the uninstaller at all.
Third-party uninstaller tools aren’t needed, for what it’s worth. Riot’s steps cover every folder the game uses, and registry cleaners add risk without real benefit.
How to remove the League of Legends PBE
The Public Beta Environment is installed separately from the live game. It appears as its own entry, so uninstall it from Installed apps the same way, and delete its folder in C:\Riot Games if one remains. Removing the PBE doesn’t affect your live account in any way. Our PBE guide explains what it is if you’re unsure whether you installed it.
Should you remove League or just repair it?
It depends why you’re uninstalling. Freeing space? Uninstalling is the answer, and our page on the League of Legends download size shows how much you’ll get back. Fixing a crash, a stuck patch or a Vanguard error? A clean uninstall and fresh download is the real fix, because a partial reinstall can carry the problem along.
For Vanguard-specific errors, check our guide to League of Legends Vanguard errors first; many of them are solved by a Windows setting rather than a reinstall. In practice, fixing a setting is quicker than reinstalling.
Before you uninstall for a fix, try the built-in repair. The League client has an Initiate Full Repair option in its settings, which checks every game file against Riot’s servers and downloads anything damaged or missing, and it takes a fraction of the time a full uninstall, folder clean-up and fresh download would, so it’s the sensible first step whenever the problem is a broken install rather than a lack of disk space.
Repair first, uninstall second, and only go for the full folder clean-up if both fail.
Taking a break? Uninstalling the game is enough. Keep the Riot Client and Vanguard if you play Valorant, remove both if you’re stepping away from Riot games entirely.
Does removing League of Legends remove TFT?
On PC, yes. Teamfight Tactics runs inside the League of Legends client, so uninstalling League removes TFT from your computer too, and Riot’s clean-uninstall steps are written for “League of Legends/TFT” together for that reason. The mobile version of TFT is a separate app on your phone and isn’t affected.
Valorant is different. It’s a separate game with its own folder, so removing League leaves it alone, as long as you keep the shared Riot Client folder and Vanguard.
Can you remove League of Legends from Linux or Steam Deck?
There’s usually nothing left to remove there. League doesn’t officially support Linux, and since Vanguard became mandatory, the unofficial ways of running League on Linux and Steam Deck stopped working, because Vanguard only runs on Windows. If you still have an old Wine or Lutris install, delete that prefix or folder the same way you would any other leftover program.
To be fair, Mac players are the exception that still gets native League. Riot’s requirements page lists an Apple M1 or newer, 8 GB of unified memory, macOS 12 and 40 GB of storage.
How to reinstall League of Legends later
Riot’s instruction is one line, put simply: head to RiotGames.com, select your game, and download the client. The installer sets up the Riot Client, which then downloads League, and on Windows it installs Vanguard again when needed.
Expect a restart before your first game. Vanguard usually needs one after a fresh install.
Long story short, to remove League of Legends completely: uninstall it from Installed apps, follow Riot’s folder clean-up, deal with Vanguard if nothing else needs it, and restart.
FAQ
How do I completely remove League of Legends from Windows?
Uninstall it from Installed apps, then delete the Riot Client folder in C:\Riot Games, the Riot Games folders in %localappdata% and %programdata%, and the League of Legends folder in Documents, and empty the Recycle Bin.
Does uninstalling League of Legends remove Vanguard?
Not if Valorant is installed, because Valorant also needs Vanguard. If Vanguard is still listed after uninstalling, remove it from Installed apps and restart.
Does removing League of Legends delete my account?
No. Your account and everything on it are stored on Riot’s servers and return when you reinstall and log in.
How do I uninstall League of Legends on Mac?
Close the game and the Riot Client, move League of Legends.app from Applications to the Trash, empty the Trash and restart your Mac.
Will deleting the Riot Client folder affect Valorant?
Yes. All Riot games share the Riot Client, so keep that folder if you still play Valorant or another Riot game.
How do I reinstall League of Legends?
Go to RiotGames.com, select League of Legends and download the client, then log in.
