Considering that VALORANT is one of the most popular tactical hero shooters, it may seem odd that someone would choose to uninstall VALORANT. The thing is, there are plenty of good reasons, from burnout and boredom to troubleshooting corrupted files and fixing pesky errors that make the game unplayable.
If any of that sounds like you, this step-by-step guide will help you learn how to delete VALORANT from your PC or console. By the end, you’ll know how to remove all associated Riot Client and Riot Vanguard anti-cheat files to ensure a clean reinstall if you ever want to return to the grind.
How To Uninstall VALORANT
How To Delete VALORANT From PC
Saying goodbye to VALORANT is tough, but uninstalling it is easy. In the next section, we’ll go over two foolproof methods to completely wipe the game from your Windows 10/11 PC:
How To Uninstall VALORANT From Control Panel
Before you begin, you’ll need to uninstall Riot Vanguard (i.e., VALORANT’s anti-cheat software).
- Right-click on the Riot Vanguard icon in the system tray.
- Select “More” > “Uninstall Vanguard.”
- Click on “Yes” to confirm its removal.
Now, you can proceed with the uninstallation process.
- Launch the Control Panel from the Start menu (Windows key).
- Go to “Programs” > “Programs and Features.”
- Right-click on “VALORANT.”
- Select “Uninstall” and follow the prompts to remove it.
- Optional step:
- Right-click on “Riot Client.”
- Select “Uninstall” and follow the prompts to remove it.
Assuming you followed all the steps correctly, all programs related to VALORANT (including Riot Client and Riot Vanguard) should have been removed from your PC. Oh, and don’t worry about your in-game progress and precious skins, buddies, sprays, and points. They’re all stored safely on Riot’s servers, so they’re ready for whenever you decide to return!
Pro Tip: You can also remove Vanguard and VALORANT from the “Settings” > “Apps” > “Installed apps” menu on Windows 11. Just remember that any games depending on Vanguard’s anti-cheat (like League of Legends) will stop working after you remove it.
How To Manually Uninstall VALORANT With Command Prompt
If you can’t uninstall VALORANT using the above methods, some files may be corrupted. In that case, you can try to forcibly delete the game files at a system level using the Command Prompt. Here’s how to do it:
Warning: Manually deleting files with Command Prompt may cause system issues if done incorrectly. Please be careful and ensure you’re only removing game-related files!
- Right-click the Riot Vanguard icon in the system tray.
- Select “Exit Vanguard.”
- Open the Search Bar (Win+S) and type “cmd”.
- Right-click on Command Prompt and choose “Run as administrator.”
- Type the following codes and press Enter:
- “sc delete vgc” to remove the Vanguard client service.
- “sc delete vgk” to remove the Vanguard kernel driver.
- “cd ‘C:\Riot Games\VALORANT’” to go to the installation folder.
- “del *.* /s /q” to delete all the VALORANT game files.
- “cd ..” to move to the parent directory.
- “rmdir ‘VALORANT’ /s” to delete the VALORANT folder.
- “cd C:\Program Files ” to go to the Program Files directory.
- “rmdir ‘Riot Vanguard’ /s /q” to delete the Riot Vanguard folder.
- Restart your PC to complete the removal.
How To Uninstall VALORANT On Riot Client
Unfortunately, you can’t uninstall VALORANT from the Riot Client because there’s no “uninstall button” built into the launcher. You’ll instead need to remove the game via the steps outlined in the previous sections. After you delete VALORANT, the Riot Client will detect this change and display an “Install” button instead of “Play.”
Note: If you remove the Riot Client (but not Riot Vanguard or VALORANT itself), it will only prevent you from launching the game. However, it will not fully remove the game files from your PC.
How To Remove Residual VALORANT Game Files
When you delete VALORANT, the uninstaller should remove all associated game files. However, sometimes a few “ghost files” stick around. These remnants aren’t harmful to your PC but can interfere with other programs or clog up your disk space, especially if they’re left to pile up over time.
Here’s how to remove all leftover files from your PC:
Delete Registry Entries
Important: We recommend creating a System Restore point before proceeding to modify or remove files in the Registry Editor.
- Press Win+R to open the “Run” dialog.
- Type “regedit” and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
- Paste the following path into the address bar: “Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Riot Games\Valorant.live”
- Right-click on the “Riot Game valorant.live” folder and delete it.
Remove Local App Data Files
- Press Win+R to open the “Run” dialog.
- Type in “%appdata” and hit Enter.
- Alternate option: Type %appdata% directly into the address bar of the File Explorer.
- Delete the “Riot Games” folder.
- Repeat these steps for “%LocalAppData%\Riot Games” and “%ProgramData%\Riot Games”.
How To Uninstall VALORANT Console
You’ll be happy to know that removing VALORANT on console isn’t nearly as big of a headache as it is on PC. Follow these easy instructions to delete the game on PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X|S.
How To Uninstall VALORANT On PS5
- Go to the PlayStation home screen.
- Find VALORANT in your game collection.
- Press the Options button on your controller.
- Select “Delete.”
Pro Tip: You can also uninstall VALORANT directly from your Game Library or via the “Settings” > “Storage” > “Console Storage” > Games and Apps” menu on PlayStation 5.
How To Uninstall VALORANT On Xbox Series X|S
- Go to the Xbox home screen.
- Press the Xbox button on your controller
- Go to “My Games & Apps.”
- Find VALORANT in the list of games.
- Press the Menu button (i.e., the hamburger icon) on your controller.
- Select “Uninstall” to delete the game.
- Select “Uninstall All” to delete any add-ons.
- Select “Remove” to delete VALORANT from your groups and home screen.
How To Reinstall VALORANT On PC
Miss VALORANT already? We get it—it’s hard to stay away! Here’s how to reinstall VALORANT on your PC:
- Go to the VALORANT website.
- Click on “Play For Free.”
- Select your platform.
- Launch the installer.
- Sign in with your Riot account.
- Read and agree to the Terms and Conditions.
- Click “Install” to begin the installation.
Once the installation is complete, restart your PC. This will properly install all the necessary files, including the Riot Client and Riot Vanguard, and make sure they’re good to go.
Why Do Gamers Uninstall VALORANT?
There are plenty of reasons why gamers may need to uninstall VALORANT. Most of the time, it’s not about quitting but rather just a necessity. For example, errors like VAN140 (a connection problem) or VAN9002 (an exploit protection conflict) can make launching the game impossible, often requiring a fresh install to fix.
In addition to these technical headaches, the relentless grind of ranked play can take a toll on you, making the game feel more like a chore than fun. In such cases, uninstalling VALORANT can be a healthy time-out.
Whether you just need a break or it’s time for a total separation from Riot’s FPS, it’s important to properly remove all game files to ensure a smooth return when you’re ready.
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