How To Disable Vanguard On Startup

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Do you want to stop Riot Vanguard from launching every time you start your computer? Perhaps you're not playing Valorant or League of Legends constantly, and you'd like to reclaim those system resources. You've come to the right place! While Riot Vanguard is a powerful anti-cheat system, designed to maintain fair play in Riot Games titles, its always-on nature can be a bit much for some users.

This comprehensive guide will walk you through various methods to disable Vanguard on startup, from simple tweaks to a more complete uninstallation. We'll explore the pros and cons of each approach, so you can choose what's best for your needs.

Understanding Riot Vanguard's Nature

Before we dive into the steps, it's crucial to understand why Vanguard behaves the way it does. Riot Vanguard operates at a kernel level, meaning it integrates deeply with your operating system. This low-level access allows it to effectively detect and prevent cheating. However, it also means it starts with your PC and runs in the background, even when you're not playing a Riot game. This persistent presence is what often leads users to seek ways to disable it.

Important Note: Disabling or uninstalling Vanguard will prevent you from playing Valorant, League of Legends, or any other Riot game that requires it. You will need to re-enable or reinstall it to play those games again.

Step 1: Assessing Your Needs - Temporary Disable vs. Permanent Removal

First things first, let's figure out what you truly want to achieve. Are you looking for a temporary pause on Vanguard's startup, so you can easily enable it when you want to play? Or do you want to completely remove it from your system because you're taking a long break from Riot Games or no longer play them at all?

Option A: Temporary Disabling (Ideal for occasional players) This method allows you to stop Vanguard from launching with Windows but keeps it installed, so you can easily reactivate it for gaming sessions. This is less disruptive and generally quicker to manage.
Option B: Permanent Removal/Uninstallation (Ideal for users no longer playing Riot Games) This option fully removes Vanguard from your system, including its kernel-level drivers and associated files. This is a more thorough process and requires re-downloading and reinstalling if you decide to play Riot games again.

Once you've decided, proceed to the relevant steps below!

Step 2: Temporary Disabling Vanguard (for Occasional Players)

This section outlines methods to prevent Vanguard from launching with Windows, without completely uninstalling it. This is a good choice if you play Valorant or League of Legends regularly but don't want Vanguard running constantly.

2.1 Using the System Tray Icon (Easiest Method)

This is the most straightforward way to temporarily stop Vanguard.

Locate the Vanguard Icon: Look for the Riot Vanguard shield icon in your system tray (the bottom-right corner of your taskbar, near the clock). You might need to click the "^" (up arrow) to show hidden icons. It's usually a red shield.
Right-Click and Exit: Right-click on the Vanguard icon. A small menu will appear.
Select "Exit Vanguard": Click on the "Exit Vanguard" option.
Confirm the Action: A pop-up window will ask for confirmation. Click "Yes" to confirm that you want to exit Vanguard.

What happens next? Vanguard will immediately stop running. However, it will restart automatically the next time you reboot your computer. This method is great for a single session where you don't need Vanguard running.

2.2 Adjusting Vanguard Services via Services Manager (More Persistent Temporary Disable)

This method gives you more control over Vanguard's startup behavior, preventing it from launching with Windows until you manually re-enable its services.

Sub-heading 2.2.1: Accessing Services Manager

Open the Run Dialog: Press the Windows key + R on your keyboard.
Type "services.msc": In the Run dialog box, type services.msc and press Enter, or click "OK."
Locate Vanguard Services: The Services window will open. Scroll down and look for services related to Riot Vanguard. You'll typically find:
- vgc (Vanguard Gaming Control)
- vgk (Vanguard Kernel Service)

Sub-heading 2.2.2: Disabling the Services

Double-Click "vgc": Double-click on the vgc service to open its properties.
Change Startup Type: In the "General" tab, find the "Startup type" dropdown menu. Change it from "Automatic" to "Manual."
Stop the Service (Optional but Recommended): If the service is currently running (Status will show "Running"), click the "Stop" button.
Apply and OK: Click "Apply," then "OK."
Repeat for "vgk" (Crucial): Now, repeat steps 1-4 for the vgk service. This is the kernel-level component and is essential to disable for full effect.

What happens next? With both vgc and vgk set to "Manual," Riot Vanguard will not start automatically with Windows. When you want to play a Riot game, you'll need to go back into Services (as described above) and change both services back to "Automatic" and then restart your computer. The game client itself may also prompt you to restart your PC if Vanguard isn't active.

Step 3: Permanent Removal/Uninstallation of Riot Vanguard

If you've decided you no longer want Riot Vanguard on your system at all, this section is for you. This is a multi-step process to ensure a clean removal.

3.1 Closing Vanguard from the System Tray (Initial Step for Uninstallation)

Even if you plan to uninstall, it's a good practice to close Vanguard first.

Locate and Exit: As described in Step 2.1, find the Riot Vanguard icon in your system tray, right-click it, and select "Exit Vanguard." Confirm with "Yes."

3.2 Uninstalling via Windows Settings (Recommended Method)

This is the standard and most reliable way to uninstall applications on Windows.

Open Windows Settings: Press the Windows key + I to open the Settings app.
Navigate to Apps: Click on "Apps" in the left-hand menu, then select "Installed apps" (or "Apps & features" depending on your Windows version).
Find Riot Vanguard: Scroll down the list of installed applications or use the search bar to find "Riot Vanguard."
Initiate Uninstallation: Click on "Riot Vanguard" and then click the "Uninstall" button. You might need to click "Uninstall" again in a confirmation pop-up.
Follow On-Screen Prompts: The Riot Vanguard uninstaller will launch. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process. This usually involves clicking "Next" and "Finish."
Restart Your PC: After the uninstallation is complete, it's highly recommended to restart your computer to ensure all changes take effect and any residual processes are terminated.

3.3 Uninstalling via Command Prompt (Advanced Method)

This method is for users comfortable with the command line and can be useful if the standard uninstallation encounters issues.

Open Command Prompt as Administrator:
- Click the Start button.
- Type cmd in the search bar.
- Right-click on "Command Prompt" in the search results and select "Run as administrator." Confirm the User Account Control prompt if it appears.
Execute Service Deletion Commands: In the Command Prompt window, type the following commands one by one, pressing Enter after each:
- sc delete vgc
- sc delete vgk
Explanation: These commands tell the Service Control (sc) utility to delete the Vanguard services (vgc and vgk).
Restart Your PC: Restart your computer immediately after executing these commands. This is crucial for the changes to fully register and release the kernel-level driver.

3.4 Manually Deleting Leftover Files (Post-Uninstallation Cleanup)

Even after uninstallation, some residual files or folders might remain. This step ensures a cleaner removal.

Open File Explorer: Press the Windows key + E to open File Explorer.
Navigate to Program Files: Go to your primary drive (usually C:), then open the "Program Files" folder.
Delete Riot Vanguard Folder: Look for a folder named "Riot Vanguard." Right-click on it and select "Delete."
Check Other Riot Games Folders (Optional but Recommended): If you've uninstalled Valorant or other Riot games and want to ensure a complete clean-up, you might also want to check and delete the main "Riot Games" folder in "Program Files" (if it's empty or only contains uninstalled game data).
Empty Recycle Bin: After deleting, right-click on your Recycle Bin on the desktop and select "Empty Recycle Bin" to permanently remove the files.

Sub-heading 3.4.1: Advanced Cleanup (AppData and ProgramData)

For an even more thorough cleanup, you can check these hidden folders.

Open Run Dialog: Press Windows key + R.
Navigate to AppData Roaming: Type %appdata% and press Enter. Look for any "Riot Games" or "Riot Vanguard" folders and delete them if found.
Navigate to AppData Local: In the address bar of the open AppData folder, click on "AppData" (to go up one level), then open the "Local" folder. Look for "Riot Games" or "Riot Vanguard" folders and delete them.
Navigate to ProgramData: Press Windows key + R again, type %programdata% and press Enter. Look for any "Riot Games" or "Riot Vanguard" folders and delete them.

Step 4: Confirming Vanguard's Status

After attempting to disable or uninstall Vanguard, it's always a good idea to confirm that your actions were successful.

4.1 Check Task Manager

Open Task Manager: Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
Go to "Processes" Tab: In the Task Manager, go to the "Processes" tab.
Look for Vanguard Processes: Search for any processes named "Riot Vanguard," "vgc," or "vgtray.exe." If you don't see them, Vanguard is likely not running.

4.2 Check Services Manager (Again)

Open Services Manager: Press Windows key + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
Verify Vanguard Services: Check the "Startup type" for both vgc and vgk.
- If you temporarily disabled it, they should be set to "Manual."
- If you uninstalled it, they should ideally be gone from the list entirely. If they are still there, their status should be "Stopped" and "Startup type" should be "Disabled." You may then attempt to right-click and delete them if the option is available.

FAQs: How to Disable Vanguard on Startup

Here are 10 related FAQ questions to help you further!

How to check if Vanguard is running on my PC?

You can check if Vanguard is running by looking for its red shield icon in your system tray (bottom-right of your taskbar). Alternatively, open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) and look for "Riot Vanguard," "vgc," or "vgtray.exe" under the "Processes" tab.

How to temporarily stop Vanguard without uninstalling it?

The easiest way is to right-click the Vanguard icon in your system tray and select "Exit Vanguard." This will stop it until your next computer restart.

How to prevent Vanguard from launching with Windows every time?

You can set its services to "Manual" startup. Open Services (Windows key + R, type services.msc), find vgc and vgk, double-click each, change "Startup type" to "Manual," and then stop the services.

How to uninstall Riot Vanguard completely?

Go to Windows Settings (Windows key + I) > Apps > Installed apps, find "Riot Vanguard," and click "Uninstall." Follow the on-screen prompts and restart your PC. You might also want to manually delete residual files from C:\Program Files\Riot Vanguard.

How to re-enable Vanguard if I disabled it?

If you set the services to "Manual," go back into Services (services.msc), change vgc and vgk back to "Automatic," and then restart your computer. Vanguard will then be active upon reboot.

How to know if Valorant or League of Legends requires Vanguard?

Yes, both Valorant and League of Legends (for specific regions/updates) require Vanguard to run. If Vanguard is not active, you will receive an error message when trying to launch or play these games, prompting you to enable or reinstall it.

How to fix Vanguard if it's causing performance issues?

First, ensure your graphics drivers and Windows are up to date. If issues persist, try adjusting Vanguard's process priority in Task Manager (right-click "Riot Vanguard" in the "Details" tab, "Set priority" to "Below normal" or "Low"). As a last resort, a clean reinstallation of both Vanguard and the game can sometimes resolve issues.

How to delete Vanguard files manually after uninstallation?

After uninstalling via Windows Settings, open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Program Files\. Look for and delete the "Riot Vanguard" folder. You can also check %appdata%, %localappdata%, and %programdata% for any remaining "Riot Games" or "Riot Vanguard" folders and delete them if found.

How to use Command Prompt to remove Vanguard services?

Open Command Prompt as an administrator (search cmd, right-click, "Run as administrator"). Then type sc delete vgc and press Enter, followed by sc delete vgk and press Enter. Remember to restart your PC immediately after.

How to uninstall Vanguard if I encounter an error?

If you face an error, first ensure you've closed Vanguard from the system tray. If the issue persists, try the Command Prompt method (as described above) to delete the services, followed by manual deletion of the "Riot Vanguard" folder. If all else fails, consider contacting Riot Games support.

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