Of course! Here is a very lengthy and detailed guide on how to disable Riot Vanguard.
A Comprehensive Guide on How to Disable Riot Vanguard
Tired of Riot Vanguard running in the background even when you're not playing Valorant or League of Legends? You're not alone. Many users have expressed concerns about this kernel-level anti-cheat software, which starts automatically with your PC and can sometimes interfere with other programs. While it is crucial for maintaining competitive integrity in Riot's games, you might want to disable or even uninstall it when you're not gaming.
Ready to take back control of your PC? Let's dive into the step-by-step process.
Step 1: Engage with the System Tray - The Easiest Way to Temporarily Disable
First, let's try the simplest and most common method. This will temporarily disable Vanguard until your next computer restart. It's perfect if you just want to run a program that Vanguard might be flagging or if you need to free up resources for a short period.
Look for the Riot Vanguard icon in your system tray. It's a small, red icon that looks like a shield with a V in it, usually located in the bottom-right corner of your taskbar, next to the clock. You might need to click the upward arrow (^) to show hidden icons.
Right-click on the Riot Vanguard icon. A small menu will pop up.
Select "Exit Vanguard" from the menu.
A confirmation pop-up will appear, asking if you are sure you want to exit. Click "Yes".
Important: This will immediately stop the Vanguard service from running. However, keep in mind that you will not be able to launch any Riot Games that require Vanguard (like Valorant or League of Legends) until you restart your computer. The Vanguard service is designed to start on boot, so it will be back up and running the next time you turn on your PC.
Step 2: Uninstalling Riot Vanguard via Windows Settings - The Permanent Solution
If you're done with Riot Vanguard for good and don't plan on playing any of the games that require it, uninstalling is the way to go. This is the most thorough method and will prevent it from running on startup.
Sub-heading: Using the Settings App (Recommended)
This is the most straightforward way to remove the program.
Press the Windows key + I to open the Windows Settings app.
Click on "Apps" and then select "Installed apps" (on Windows 11) or "Apps & features" (on Windows 10).
In the list of installed applications, find "Riot Vanguard". You can use the search bar at the top to quickly locate it.
Once you've found it, click on the three dots next to it (on Windows 11) or simply click on it (on Windows 10).
Select "Uninstall".
Follow the on-screen prompts from the uninstaller. You may be asked for administrator permission, so click "Yes" to continue.
Once the uninstallation is complete, it's a good idea to restart your computer to ensure all the changes take effect.
Pro-Tip: If you only uninstall Valorant, Riot Vanguard will remain on your system. You need to uninstall them separately.
Sub-heading: Uninstalling via the Control Panel
This is a classic method that works on all versions of Windows.
Open the Start Menu and type "Control Panel".
Click on the Control Panel app to open it.
Under the "Programs" section, click on "Uninstall a program".
In the list of programs, find "Riot Vanguard".
Right-click on it and select "Uninstall/Change".
Follow the prompts in the uninstallation wizard to complete the process.
As with the Settings app method, a restart is highly recommended afterwards.
Step 3: Advanced Uninstallation via Command Prompt - For Stubborn Cases
If you are having trouble uninstalling Vanguard through the graphical user interface, you can use the command prompt. This is a more technical approach but can be very effective.
Sub-heading: Using Command Prompt (CMD) with Admin Privileges
This method involves stopping the Vanguard services manually before deleting the files.
Open the Start Menu and search for "CMD".
Right-click on the "Command Prompt" search result and select "Run as administrator". This is a crucial step.
In the Command Prompt window, type the following commands, pressing Enter after each one:
sc delete vgcsc delete vgk
You should see a message confirming the deletion of the services.
Now, restart your computer. This is a mandatory step. If you don't restart, you won't be able to delete the Vanguard folder.
After the reboot, open File Explorer (Windows key + E).
Navigate to the following location:
C:\Program Files\Locate the folder named "Riot Vanguard".
Right-click on the folder and select "Delete".
Finally, empty your Recycle Bin to permanently remove the files.
Step 4: Cleaning Up Leftover Files - The Final Touch
Even after uninstalling, some residual files might be left behind. While not strictly necessary, cleaning them up ensures a completely clean removal.
Press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
Type
%appdata%and press Enter. This will open the AppData Roaming folder. Look for a "Riot Games" folder and delete it.Repeat the process by opening the Run dialog box again and typing
%LocalAppData%, then press Enter. Check for a "Riot Games" folder and delete it.Finally, open the Run dialog box one more time and type
%ProgramData%. Delete the "Riot Games" folder if it exists.
Congratulations! You have now successfully disabled or completely removed Riot Vanguard from your system.
10 Related FAQ Questions
How to check if Riot Vanguard is running?
You can check for the Riot Vanguard icon in your system tray (the bottom-right corner of your taskbar). If you see the red shield icon, it's running. You can also open the Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) and look for vgtray.exe or vgc.exe in the processes list.
How to uninstall Riot Vanguard without uninstalling Valorant? You can uninstall Riot Vanguard separately from Valorant using the Windows Settings or Control Panel methods described above. However, be aware that you will not be able to play Valorant or any other Riot game that requires Vanguard until you reinstall it.
How to stop Riot Vanguard from starting up with my PC? Uninstalling Riot Vanguard is the only way to permanently stop it from starting on boot. As it is a kernel-level driver, it is designed to launch with your system to provide its anti-cheat functionality.
How to re-enable Riot Vanguard after temporarily disabling it? To re-enable the Vanguard service after exiting it from the system tray, simply restart your computer. It is designed to automatically launch on system boot.
How to fix issues caused by Riot Vanguard? If Vanguard is causing issues with other programs, you can try temporarily disabling it using the system tray method. If the problem persists, a clean reinstallation of both Vanguard and the game (e.g., Valorant) is often the best solution.
How to completely remove all traces of Riot Vanguard?
To completely remove all traces, follow all the steps in this guide: first disable it from the system tray, then uninstall it via Settings/Control Panel, and finally, delete any leftover files from the AppData, LocalAppData, and ProgramData folders.
How to know if the Command Prompt uninstallation was successful?
After running the commands sc delete vgc and sc delete vgk in Command Prompt, you should see a message that says [SC] DeleteService SUCCESS. This confirms that the services have been marked for deletion. You must then restart your computer to finalize the removal.
How to reinstall Riot Vanguard? You don't need to download Vanguard separately. Simply launch the Riot game that requires it (like Valorant), and the client will automatically prompt you to download and install Vanguard. You'll need to restart your computer for the installation to complete.
How to check if Vanguard is interfering with another program? If you suspect Vanguard is causing a program to malfunction, first temporarily disable Vanguard from the system tray. If the program starts working correctly, it's likely a compatibility issue. You may need to keep Vanguard disabled or look for updates for both Vanguard and the other program.
How to find the Riot Vanguard folder?
The main installation folder for Riot Vanguard is typically located at C:\Program Files\Riot Vanguard. You can navigate to this folder using File Explorer.