Hello there! So, you're looking to take a break from Riot Vanguard? Whether you need to troubleshoot a program, free up system resources, or simply prefer to have more control over what runs on your PC, turning off Riot Vanguard is a common and understandable request.
This guide will walk you through the process, from a simple temporary solution to a complete uninstallation. Let's get started and reclaim some of your system's freedom!
Step 1: The Quick and Easy Way - Exiting Vanguard
This is the simplest method and a great first step if you just want to temporarily disable Vanguard without uninstalling it. Keep in mind, you will need to restart your PC to play any Riot Games that require Vanguard, like VALORANT or League of Legends, after you exit.
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Look for the Vanguard Icon: Glance down at your system tray in the bottom-right corner of your taskbar. You might need to click the small upward arrow ("^") to expand it. You're looking for a small, red shield icon.
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Right-Click the Icon: Once you find the red shield, right-click it. A small menu will pop up.
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Select "Exit Vanguard": From the menu, simply click on the "Exit Vanguard" option.
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Confirm Your Action: A pop-up window will appear asking for confirmation. Click "Yes" to turn off the service.
That's it! The Vanguard icon will disappear from your system tray, and the anti-cheat service will be disabled.
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| How To Turn Off Riot Vanguard |
Step 2: A More Permanent Solution - Uninstalling Riot Vanguard
If you want to completely remove Riot Vanguard from your computer, perhaps because you are no longer playing Riot Games or you're having persistent issues, a full uninstall is the way to go. This process is a bit more involved than just exiting the application, and it's crucial to follow all the steps to ensure a clean removal.
Sub-heading: Method 1: Using Windows Settings
QuickTip: Stop scrolling fast, start reading slow.
This is the standard and recommended way to uninstall most applications on Windows.
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Open Windows Settings: You can do this by pressing the Windows key + I on your keyboard.
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Navigate to "Apps": In the Settings window, click on "Apps" and then "Installed apps" (or "Apps & features" depending on your Windows version).
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Find Riot Vanguard: Scroll down the list of installed applications until you find "Riot Vanguard". You can also use the search bar at the top to find it quickly.
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Uninstall Vanguard: Click on the three dots next to "Riot Vanguard" and select "Uninstall". A confirmation pop-up will appear. Click "Uninstall" again and follow any on-screen prompts.
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Restart Your PC: After the uninstallation is complete, it is highly recommended to restart your computer to ensure all components are removed and changes take effect.
Sub-heading: Method 2: The Command Prompt Way
This method is for more advanced users and can be useful if you encounter issues with the standard uninstallation method.
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Open Command Prompt as Administrator: Press the Windows key, type "cmd", and then right-click on "Command Prompt" and select "Run as administrator".
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Run the Uninstall Commands: In the Command Prompt window, type the following commands one by one, pressing Enter after each:
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sc delete vgc -
sc delete vgk -
These commands tell Windows to delete the Riot Vanguard services (
vgcandvgk).
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Restart Your PC: Restart your computer to finalize the removal of the services.
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Delete the Vanguard Folder: After your PC has restarted, open File Explorer and navigate to
C:\Program Files. Look for a folder named "Riot Vanguard". If it's still there, right-click on it and select "Delete".
Important Note: Uninstalling VALORANT itself does not automatically uninstall Riot Vanguard. If you want to get rid of both, you need to uninstall them as separate programs.
Step 3: Cleaning Up Leftover Files
Even after uninstalling, some files related to Riot Games might be left behind. To ensure a complete and clean removal, you can manually delete these leftover files.
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Open the Run dialog: Press Windows key + R on your keyboard.
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Access AppData folders: In the Run dialog, type the following paths one by one and press Enter. For each folder, look for a "Riot Games" or "Riot Vanguard" folder and delete it if it exists.
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%appdata% -
%localappdata% -
%programdata%
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Check the main installation directory: Navigate to
C:\Riot Gamesin File Explorer and delete any remaining folders if you no longer have any other Riot Games installed. -
Empty the Recycle Bin: Finally, don't forget to empty your Recycle Bin to permanently remove the deleted files.
10 Related FAQs
Tip: Don’t just scroll to the end — the middle counts too.
How to disable Riot Vanguard without restarting?
You can temporarily disable Vanguard by right-clicking the icon in the system tray and selecting "Exit Vanguard." However, to play any game that requires it again, you will need to restart your computer.
How to make Riot Vanguard not run on startup?
The most reliable way is to uninstall it. While some advanced users use command-line scripts to disable the service from starting, Riot Vanguard is designed to be an "on-boot" application, and it will require a PC restart to function again once disabled.
How to uninstall Riot Vanguard if it's not showing up in "Apps & features"?
If it's not in the list, you can try the Command Prompt method (Step 2, Method 2) to manually delete the services and then delete the "Riot Vanguard" folder from C:\Program Files.
QuickTip: Read a little, pause, then continue.
How to fix Vanguard not closing from the system tray?
If the "Exit Vanguard" option isn't working, try opening Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc), going to the "Details" or "Processes" tab, finding vgtray.exe, and ending the task. You may also need to stop the vgc and vgk services from the "Services" tab.
How to reinstall Riot Vanguard after uninstalling it?
Simply launch any Riot game that requires Vanguard, like VALORANT. The game client will automatically prompt you to reinstall the anti-cheat. You will likely need to restart your computer after the installation is complete.
How to check if Riot Vanguard is running?
Look for the red shield icon in your system tray on the taskbar. If you see it, Vanguard is running.
How to turn off Riot Vanguard's kernel-mode driver?
QuickTip: Reading twice makes retention stronger.
The Vanguard kernel-mode driver is an essential part of the anti-cheat. It runs with system privileges and is designed to start with your PC. The only way to turn it off is by disabling or uninstalling the entire Riot Vanguard application.
How to fix "Vanguard has detected an issue with your system" error?
This error can have various causes. First, try restarting your PC. If that doesn't work, ensure your Windows is updated, check for conflicting software, and if all else fails, consider a fresh re-installation of Vanguard.
How to check for leftover Riot Vanguard files?
After uninstalling, use the Run dialog and check the %appdata%, %localappdata%, and %programdata% folders for any "Riot Games" or "Riot Vanguard" directories.
How to turn off Vanguard without uninstalling VALORANT?
Follow the steps in "Step 1: The Quick and Easy Way" to exit Vanguard from the system tray. This will disable the service without removing the game. However, you will not be able to play VALORANT until you restart your computer and allow Vanguard to run again.
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