Of course! Let's dive into the details of the game's size and everything you need to know about it.
Hey there, future Valorant Agent! Planning on diving into the intense tactical action of Valorant but worried about whether your hard drive can handle it? You've come to the right place. Let's find out exactly how much space you'll need for this phenomenal game and its essential anti-cheat companion, Riot Vanguard.
Step 1: The First Download - The Tiny Launcher
So, you've decided to join the ranks of millions of players worldwide. Exciting, isn't it? The first thing you'll do is head to the official Valorant website. You'll be asked to download a small installer file, which is just a launcher. Don't be fooled by its size! This file is typically only around 66-100 MB. It's just a tiny key that opens the door to the full game. So, for this initial step, you won't need much space at all.
 |
| How Many Gigabytes Is Vanguard |
Step 2: The Main Event - Installing the Full Game
Once you run that small installer, the real download begins. This is where you'll see the game's actual size. As of mid-2025, the full installation size of Valorant is significantly larger than it was at launch.
Sub-heading: The Current Size
While the exact size can fluctuate slightly with every update and patch, the full installation of Valorant currently takes up approximately 50-60 GB of storage space on your PC. This includes all the game files, maps, agents, skins, and the crucial anti-cheat software, Riot Vanguard.
QuickTip: Focus more on the ‘how’ than the ‘what’.
Sub-heading: Why the Size Has Grown
If you've heard that the game used to be smaller, you're not wrong! Back when it first launched, the game's size was around 16-20 GB. So, why the big increase?
-
Accumulated Updates and Content: Riot Games is constantly adding new agents, maps, cosmetic bundles, and game modes. All of this new content adds to the total file size. Think of it like adding new chapters and illustrations to a book. The more content, the bigger the file.
-
High-Resolution Assets: Despite its stylized look, Valorant uses high-resolution textures and assets for characters, maps, and weapon skins, which take up a good chunk of space.
-
Riot Vanguard: The Unsung Hero: A portion of the install size is dedicated to Riot Vanguard, the game's mandatory anti-cheat system. It's a kernel-level driver that runs to ensure fair play, and it's an essential part of the game's installation.
Step 3: Planning for the Future - Reserve Extra Space
Now that you know the current size, here's a crucial tip: Always have extra space! A common mistake is to free up just enough space for the initial installation. However, Valorant receives regular updates and patches, which will require additional disk space.
-
Recommendation: We highly recommend having at least 70 GB of free space available on your drive before you start the installation. This will give you plenty of room for the game and future updates, preventing those annoying "low disk space" errors and ensuring you can download patches without a hitch.
Step 4: Verifying the Disk Space
So, how can you check how much space you have on your computer? Don't worry, it's easy!
-
On Windows:
-
Open File Explorer.
-
In the left pane, click on "This PC."
-
You'll see a list of your drives (e.g., Local Disk (C:), D:, etc.). Below each drive, you'll see a bar indicating how much space is used and how much is free.
-
-
On macOS:
-
Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner.
-
Select "About This Mac."
-
Go to the "Storage" tab.
-
You'll see a visual representation of your storage and a breakdown of what's using the space.
-
Once you've confirmed you have enough space, you're all set to download and install!
Step 5: The Installation Process
QuickTip: Use posts like this as quick references.
-
After running the small installer, the Riot Client will appear.
-
It will display the full game size (as mentioned, around 50-60 GB).
-
You can choose the installation location. If you have an SSD, installing it on an SSD is highly recommended for faster load times.
-
Click "Install" and let the download begin!
10 Related FAQ Subheadings with Quick Answers
How to check the Valorant download size before installation?
After you download the small installer from the official website and run it, the Riot Client will pop up and display the exact download size before you proceed with the installation.
How to free up disk space for Valorant?
You can use Windows' built-in "Disk Cleanup" tool, uninstall unused programs and games, delete large files you no longer need, or move files to an external hard drive.
How to move Valorant to a different drive?
First, close the Riot Client. Then, simply cut and paste the entire Valorant folder from its current location to the desired new drive. When you reopen the Riot Client, it will ask you to locate the game's files. Simply point it to the new location.
Tip: Read slowly to catch the finer details.
How to check the installed size of Valorant?
On Windows, right-click on the Valorant icon on your desktop, select "Properties," and then check the "Size on disk" under the "General" tab. Alternatively, go to "Settings" -> "Apps" -> "Apps & features" and find Valorant in the list to see its size.
How to check Valorant's system requirements?
You can find the official minimum and recommended system requirements on the Valorant support website. Generally, it requires a 64-bit Windows OS, at least 4 GB of RAM, and a decent processor and GPU.
How to fix a bug where Valorant shows a massive file size (e.g., 2 TB)?
This is a known Windows bug and not a true representation of the game's size. It's often harmless, but if it causes issues, a clean reinstallation of the game is usually the best solution.
How to uninstall Valorant and Riot Vanguard completely?
QuickTip: Skim fast, then return for detail.
Go to "Settings" -> "Apps" -> "Apps & features," find both Valorant and Riot Vanguard in the list, and click "Uninstall" for both. It's important to uninstall both for a clean removal.
How to reduce the Valorant file size?
There is no official way to reduce the file size, as it is a single package. The only way to "reduce" it is by ensuring you have a clean installation without corrupted files or unnecessary data.
How to find the Riot Vanguard folder?
The Riot Vanguard folder is usually located in the "C:\Program Files\Riot Vanguard" directory, but the exact location can vary depending on where you installed the Riot Games client.
How to optimize your PC for Valorant if you have low disk space?
Focus on freeing up as much space as possible and consider upgrading to a larger storage drive (especially an SSD). A dedicated SSD for your games can drastically improve performance and load times.
 |
