So, you want to take a break from the intense world of Valorant but don't want to completely sever ties with the Riot ecosystem? Maybe you're looking to free up some hard drive space, troubleshoot a game issue, or simply want the option to jump back in later without having to reinstall the anti-cheat. While it's a common misconception that Valorant and Vanguard are inextricably linked for uninstallation, it is indeed possible to uninstall Valorant while keeping Riot Vanguard.
Let's dive into the step-by-step process.
Step 1: Get Ready!
First things first, let's make sure everything is in order before we start. This is a crucial step to ensure a smooth and successful uninstallation.
Are you ready to uninstall Valorant? This process will only remove the game files from your computer. Your account progress, including your ranks, skins, and agent unlocks, is saved to your Riot Games account on their servers. So, don't worry, you won't lose your progress!
Before we do anything, let's check your system tray. Look for the small, upward-facing arrow in the bottom-right corner of your taskbar. When you click it, you'll see a collection of icons for programs running in the background. You'll likely see the Riot Vanguard shield icon. To proceed, we need to ensure that Valorant and the Riot Client are not actively running.
Close Riot Client and Valorant completely. If they are running, close them from the system tray or use the Task Manager (press Ctrl + Shift + Esc) to end any related tasks.
Step 2: Uninstall Valorant through Windows Settings
This is the most straightforward method. We'll use the built-in Windows features to remove the game while leaving Vanguard untouched.
Sub-heading: Using the "Apps & features" menu
Open Windows Settings. You can do this by pressing the Windows key + I on your keyboard, or by clicking the Start Menu and selecting the gear icon for Settings.
Navigate to "Apps." In the Settings window, click on the "Apps" section.
Find "Installed apps." On the left-hand side, you will see a list of options. Click on "Installed apps" (or "Apps & features" on older Windows versions).
Locate Valorant in the list. Scroll down the list of installed applications until you find "VALORANT."
Initiate the uninstallation. Click on "VALORANT" to select it, and you'll see an "Uninstall" button appear. Click it!
Confirm the uninstallation. A pop-up window will appear, asking you to confirm. Click "Uninstall" again to proceed.
Follow the uninstaller prompts. A dedicated uninstaller for Valorant will launch. Simply follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process. This will remove the game files from your PC.
After this step, Valorant should be uninstalled, but Riot Vanguard will still be on your system, running in the background. You can confirm this by checking your system tray for the Riot Vanguard icon.
Step 3: Clean up remaining files
Sometimes, even after a standard uninstallation, some leftover files or folders can remain. While not strictly necessary to keep Vanguard, cleaning them up can free up a little more space and ensure a tidy system.
Open the Run dialog box. Press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog.
Navigate to AppData. Type
%localappdata%in the box and press Enter. This will open the Local AppData folder.Find and delete the Valorant folder. In the Local AppData folder, look for a folder named "Riot Games" and then "VALORANT". If you find it, you can right-click and delete it.
Check ProgramData. Repeat the process by typing
%programdata%in the Run dialog. Look for the "Riot Games" folder here and delete any remaining Valorant-related files.Check the installation directory. By default, Valorant is installed in
C:\Riot Games. Navigate to this location in your File Explorer and check if any Valorant folders or files are left behind. If so, delete them.Empty the Recycle Bin. Once you've deleted all the files, don't forget to empty your Recycle Bin to permanently remove them from your computer.
Step 4: A more advanced method (if needed)
If for some reason the standard method doesn't work, you can try using the Command Prompt to force the uninstallation of Valorant's core files while leaving Vanguard intact.
Sub-heading: Using Command Prompt (CMD)
Open Command Prompt as an administrator. Click the Start Menu, type "CMD," right-click on "Command Prompt," and select "Run as administrator."
Enter the uninstallation command. In the Command Prompt window, type the following command and press Enter:
sc delete vgcEnter the second command. Next, type this command and press Enter:
sc delete vgk
A word of caution here: These commands are typically used to uninstall Vanguard itself. By using them, you're essentially disabling the Vanguard service. However, since the goal is to keep Vanguard, you might need to reinstall it later. A much safer option is to follow the standard method from Step 2. This is a last resort and can lead to issues with Vanguard if you don't know what you're doing.
Step 5: How to Exit Vanguard (if it's bothering you)
Even with Valorant uninstalled, Vanguard will still run on system startup. If you want to temporarily disable it, you don't need to uninstall it.
Check the system tray again. Look for the Riot Vanguard shield icon.
Right-click the icon. A menu will appear.
Select "Exit Vanguard." You will be prompted to confirm. Click "Yes."
This will stop the Vanguard service from running until you restart your computer. To prevent it from starting with Windows, you can also manage it in your Task Manager's "Startup apps" tab.
10 Related FAQs
How to uninstall Valorant without uninstalling Riot Vanguard? You can uninstall Valorant through the Windows Settings "Apps & features" menu. This method removes the game files but leaves the Riot Vanguard anti-cheat service installed on your system.
How to completely remove Valorant from my PC? To completely remove Valorant, you need to uninstall both Valorant and Riot Vanguard, and then manually delete any leftover files in your program directories and AppData folders.
How to stop Riot Vanguard from running on startup? You can stop Riot Vanguard from running on startup by right-clicking its icon in the system tray and selecting "Exit Vanguard." You can also disable it from starting up automatically in the Task Manager's "Startup" tab.
How to reinstall Valorant after uninstalling it? To reinstall Valorant, simply visit the official Valorant website, log in to your Riot Games account, and download the game client. The installer will guide you through the reinstallation process.
How to uninstall Riot Vanguard from my computer? To uninstall Riot Vanguard, go to Windows Settings > Apps > Installed apps, find "Riot Vanguard" in the list, and click "Uninstall." You'll need to restart your PC after the uninstallation is complete.
How to fix Valorant uninstall error "Riot Client is running"? This error often occurs because the Riot Client is still active in the background. To fix it, check your system tray and Task Manager and ensure all Riot-related processes are ended before you try to uninstall the game again.
How to delete all Valorant files after uninstallation?
After uninstalling the game, you can manually delete leftover files by going to the C:\Riot Games folder and checking the %localappdata%, %appdata%, and %programdata% folders for any remaining Riot Games or Valorant directories.
How to uninstall Valorant using the Control Panel? You can uninstall Valorant from the Control Panel by opening "Programs and Features," finding Valorant in the list, right-clicking, and selecting "Uninstall."
How to check if Valorant is completely uninstalled? After uninstallation, you can check if the game is gone by searching for it in the Start Menu and in the "Installed apps" list. You can also check your hard drive's installation directory and other system folders for leftover files.
How to disable Riot Vanguard temporarily? To temporarily disable Vanguard, simply right-click the Vanguard icon in the system tray and select "Exit Vanguard." This will stop the service until you restart your computer.