Have you decided it's time to take a break from the Rift, or perhaps you're facing some technical issues and need a fresh start? Uninstalling Riot Vanguard, the powerful anti-cheat software that now accompanies League of Legends, is a crucial first step. But it's not as simple as clicking a button. Riot Vanguard's deep integration with your system can make it a little tricky. Don't worry, we're here to walk you through the process, step by step, ensuring you have a clean slate.
Step 1: Engage with the System Tray - The First Move
Ready to get started? Your first task is to locate the Riot Vanguard icon in your system tray. The system tray is the collection of small icons in the bottom-right corner of your taskbar, near the clock. It might be hidden, so you may need to click the small upwards-pointing arrow (^) to expand it.
Look for a red shield-like icon. This is the Riot Vanguard icon.
Right-click on the icon. A small menu will pop up.
Select "Exit Vanguard." A confirmation box will appear, asking if you are sure you want to quit the Vanguard service.
Click Yes to confirm. This action temporarily disables Vanguard, which is a critical prerequisite to uninstalling it without encountering errors. If you try to uninstall without doing this first, you'll likely run into a roadblock.
Step 2: The Core Uninstallation - Using Windows Settings
Now that you've successfully exited Vanguard, you can move on to the main event: uninstalling the software. There are a couple of ways to do this, and we'll start with the most common and user-friendly method.
Sub-heading: Using the Windows Settings App
This is the recommended method for most users. It's clean and straightforward.
Open Windows Settings: Press the Windows Key + I simultaneously on your keyboard. Alternatively, you can click the Start Menu and then the gear icon for Settings.
Navigate to Apps: In the Settings window, click on "Apps" and then "Installed apps" (on Windows 11) or "Apps & features" (on Windows 10).
Find Riot Vanguard: Scroll through the list of installed applications. The list is usually in alphabetical order. Look for "Riot Vanguard."
Uninstall: Click on the three dots next to "Riot Vanguard" and select "Uninstall." A pop-up window will ask for confirmation. Click Uninstall again.
Follow the Prompts: You may be prompted by a User Account Control window asking for permission to make changes to your device. Click Yes. Follow any other on-screen instructions from the Riot Vanguard uninstaller.
Step 3: The Manual Deep Clean - For Persistent Files
Even after a successful uninstallation via Windows Settings, some leftover files and folders might remain. For a truly complete removal, you'll want to manually delete these remnants.
Sub-heading: Deleting Leftover Folders
Open File Explorer: Press the Windows Key + E to open File Explorer.
Navigate to Program Files: Go to your primary hard drive, usually C:/, and then navigate to the "Program Files" folder.
Find and Delete: Look for a folder named "Riot Vanguard." If you find it, right-click on it and select Delete.
Check Other Locations: Riot Games sometimes leaves files in other hidden folders. To be thorough, check these locations by typing them directly into the File Explorer address bar:
%appdata%and look for a "Riot Games" folder.%localappdata%and look for a "Riot Games" folder.%programdata%and look for a "Riot Games" folder.If you find any "Riot Games" or "Riot Vanguard" folders in these locations, delete them.
Sub-heading: Using Command Prompt for a Kernel-Level Removal
This method is for the more technically-inclined user and can be very effective in removing the core components of Vanguard.
Open Command Prompt as Administrator: Click the Start Menu, type "CMD," and then right-click on "Command Prompt" and select "Run as administrator."
Enter Commands: In the Command Prompt window, type the following commands, one at a time, and press Enter after each one:
sc delete vgcsc delete vgkYou should see a "SUCCESS" message after each command. If it says the service does not exist, that's a good sign that it's already gone.
Reboot Your Computer: This is a crucial step to ensure the changes take effect. Restart your computer before proceeding with any other steps.
Step 4: Uninstalling League of Legends
Now that Riot Vanguard is out of the way, you can easily uninstall League of Legends itself.
Open Windows Settings and go back to Apps > Installed apps.
Find League of Legends: Search for "League of Legends" in the list.
Uninstall: Click the three dots and select "Uninstall." Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the uninstallation.
Delete Leftover League Files: Even after uninstalling, some files might remain in the installation directory. Go to the default installation location, which is usually
C:\Riot Games, and delete the entire "Riot Games" folder.
Congratulations! You have now successfully uninstalled both Riot Vanguard and League of Legends from your computer.
10 Related FAQ Questions
How to check if Riot Vanguard is still running?
Look for the red shield icon in your system tray in the bottom-right corner of your taskbar. If you don't see it, expand the tray by clicking the up arrow. If the icon is not there, Vanguard is not running.
How to uninstall Riot Vanguard without uninstalling League of Legends?
You can uninstall Riot Vanguard separately from League of Legends using the steps in this guide. However, be aware that you will not be able to play League of Legends without Riot Vanguard running, as it is a mandatory anti-cheat program.
How to fix the "Riot Vanguard prevents uninstallation" error?
This error is almost always caused by not exiting Riot Vanguard from the system tray before attempting to uninstall. Follow Step 1 of this guide to properly exit the service first.
How to re-install Riot Vanguard after uninstalling it?
To re-install Vanguard, simply launch the Riot Client and try to open League of Legends. The client will detect that Vanguard is missing and will prompt you to download and install it. A reboot will be required after installation.
How to uninstall Valorant and Riot Vanguard together?
The process is identical to uninstalling League of Legends. The core steps for removing Riot Vanguard are the same, and you'll just be uninstalling Valorant from the Apps list instead of League of Legends.
How to uninstall Riot Vanguard using the Control Panel?
For older Windows versions or as an alternative method, you can go to the Control Panel, select "Uninstall a program" under "Programs," find "Riot Vanguard" in the list, and right-click to uninstall.
How to remove Vanguard files manually?
After uninstalling, you can manually remove any remaining files by going to C:\Program Files\Riot Vanguard and deleting the folder. You should also check the %appdata%, %localappdata%, and %programdata% directories for any remaining "Riot Games" or "Riot Vanguard" folders.
How to find the Riot Vanguard icon in the system tray?
The system tray is in the bottom-right corner of your taskbar. Click the small up arrow (^) to show hidden icons. The Vanguard icon is a red shield.
How to uninstall Riot Client completely?
After uninstalling League of Legends and Riot Vanguard, you can uninstall the Riot Client from the Apps list in Windows Settings. Finally, check and delete the C:\Riot Games folder and any remaining "Riot Games" folders in the %appdata%, %localappdata%, and %programdata% directories.
How to remove Riot Vanguard from the startup process?
Riot Vanguard is designed to start with Windows. To disable this, you can right-click the Vanguard icon in the system tray and select "Exit Vanguard." However, keep in mind that you will need to restart your computer to re-enable it for playing League of Legends.
