How To Remove Vanguard From Pc

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Riot Vanguard, while essential for maintaining competitive integrity in games like Valorant and League of Legends, is a kernel-level anti-cheat system. This means it runs at a very deep level of your operating system, starting with your PC. For some users, this can cause performance issues, privacy concerns, or simply be unnecessary if they no longer play Riot Games titles. If you're looking to reclaim system resources or just want to remove software you no longer need, this comprehensive guide will walk you through the process of completely uninstalling Riot Vanguard from your PC.

Before we begin, a crucial note: If you plan on playing Valorant or League of Legends in the future, you will need Riot Vanguard installed. Uninstalling it will prevent you from launching these games until it is reinstalled (which usually happens automatically when you try to launch the game).

How to Remove Vanguard from PC: A Step-by-Step Guide

Ready to clear out Riot Vanguard from your system? Let's dive in!

Step 1: Engage and Prepare – The Crucial First Move!

Before we click any uninstall buttons, it's absolutely vital to ensure Vanguard is not actively running in the background. Many uninstallations fail because the program is still in use. So, let's get proactive!

Sub-heading: Checking the System Tray

Look for the Riot Vanguard icon in your system tray, usually located in the bottom-right corner of your taskbar, near the clock. It often looks like a red "V" or a shield. You might need to click the "^" (show hidden icons) arrow to reveal it.
If you see it, right-click on the icon.
From the context menu, select "Exit Vanguard" or "More..." and then "Exit Vanguard".
A pop-up will appear asking for confirmation. Click "Yes" to confirm that you want to turn off Vanguard.

What if you don't see it? Don't worry! It might not be running, or it might be hidden. Proceed to the next sub-heading.

Sub-heading: The Task Manager Check (Just to be Sure!)

Even if you didn't see it in the system tray, it's a good practice to double-check Task Manager to ensure no Vanguard processes are lingering.

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc simultaneously to open the Task Manager.
Go to the "Processes" tab.
Scroll through the list and look for anything related to "Riot Vanguard", "vgc", or "vgtray".
If you find any, right-click on them and select ***"End Task"***.

Once you've confirmed Vanguard is not running, you're ready to move on to the actual uninstallation.

Step 2: Uninstalling Riot Vanguard – The Primary Removal

There are a couple of ways to uninstall programs on Windows. We'll cover the most common methods.

Sub-heading: Method 1: Using Windows Settings (Recommended for most users)

This is the most straightforward approach for uninstalling applications.

Press the Windows key + I to open the Settings app.
Click on "Apps" in the left-hand menu.
Then, click on "Installed apps" (or "Apps & features" depending on your Windows version) in the main window.
In the search bar, type "Riot Vanguard" to quickly find it, or scroll down the list alphabetically until you locate it.
Once you find "Riot Vanguard," click on the three dots (or directly on the application entry) to reveal the options.
Click on ***"Uninstall"***.
A confirmation prompt will appear. Click "Uninstall" again.
Follow any on-screen instructions from the Riot Vanguard uninstaller. You might be asked for administrator permission; click ***"Yes"***.

Sub-heading: Method 2: Using the Control Panel (For those who prefer the classic way)

The Control Panel offers an alternative route for program uninstallation.

Press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog.
Type control panel and press Enter.
In the Control Panel window, under "Programs," click on ***"Uninstall a program"***.
Locate "Riot Vanguard" in the list of installed programs.
Right-click on "Riot Vanguard" and select ***"Uninstall"***.
Follow the prompts to complete the uninstallation process.

Important: After successfully uninstalling Riot Vanguard using either method, it is highly recommended to restart your PC immediately. This ensures that all components are properly unregistered and removed from memory.

Step 3: Removing Leftover Files and Folders – The Deep Clean

Even after a successful uninstallation, some residual files or empty folders might remain. While they usually don't cause harm, it's good practice to clean them up for a truly thorough removal.

Sub-heading: Deleting the Riot Vanguard Folder

After restarting your PC (as recommended in Step 2), open File Explorer (Windows key + E).
Navigate to your C: drive (or the drive where your programs are installed).
Go to the "Program Files" folder.
Look for a folder named ***"Riot Vanguard"***.
If it exists, right-click on it and select ***"Delete"***. You may need administrator permissions to do this.

Sub-heading: Checking AppData and ProgramData Folders

Sometimes, Riot Games related files can be found in hidden application data folders.

Press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog.
Type %appdata% and press Enter. This will open the Roaming folder within AppData.
Look for any folder named ***"Riot Games"***. If found, right-click and delete it.
Repeat the process for:
- %LocalAppData% (type this in the Run dialog) and look for ***"Riot Games"***.
- %ProgramData% (type this in the Run dialog) and look for ***"Riot Games"***.

Note: %ProgramData% is a hidden folder, so ensure you type it correctly in the Run dialog or enable "Show hidden items" in File Explorer's View tab.

Step 4: Optional: Cleaning the Registry (Advanced Users Only!)

This step is generally not recommended for beginners as incorrect changes to the registry can cause serious system instability. However, for a truly deep clean, you can check for leftover registry entries.

If you are unsure, skip this step.

Sub-heading: Using Command Prompt for Registry Entries

This method specifically targets the Vanguard services that might linger in the registry.

Press the Windows key, type cmd, right-click on "Command Prompt" in the search results, and select ***"Run as administrator"***.
In the Command Prompt window, type the following commands one by one, pressing Enter after each:
- sc delete vgc
- sc delete vgk
You should see a message indicating "DELETE_SERVICE SUCCESS" or a similar success message.
After executing these commands, restart your PC again.

This method effectively removes the Vanguard services from starting with Windows.

Sub-heading: Using a Registry Cleaner (Use with Extreme Caution!)

While some online guides suggest using third-party registry cleaners like CCleaner or RegSeeker, we advise extreme caution. These tools can sometimes remove essential system files, leading to Windows errors. If you choose to use one, create a system restore point first and proceed with great care. Manually deleting individual registry keys without knowing their purpose is not recommended.

Step 5: Verifying Complete Removal

After all these steps, how do you know Vanguard is truly gone?

Check your system tray: It should no longer have the Riot Vanguard icon.
Check "Installed apps" or "Programs and Features": Riot Vanguard should not appear in the list.
Check the "Program Files" folder: The "Riot Vanguard" folder should be absent.
Check Task Manager: No "vgc" or "vgtray" processes should be running.

If all these checks pass, congratulations! You have successfully removed Riot Vanguard from your PC.

Troubleshooting Common Issues During Uninstallation

Sometimes, even with the best intentions, things can go awry. Here are some common problems and their quick fixes:

"Riot Vanguard is running in the background" error: This means you didn't successfully exit Vanguard from the system tray or Task Manager. Go back to Step 1 and ensure it's completely shut down. A PC restart can often resolve this too.
"Access Denied" when deleting files: This typically means you don't have administrative privileges or the file is still in use. Ensure you are logged in as an administrator and that Vanguard is fully exited/uninstalled before deleting files. A restart often helps unlock files.
Vanguard reappears after restarting: This can happen if the uninstallation wasn't complete or if another Riot game (like Valorant or League of Legends) is still installed and automatically reinstalled Vanguard. Ensure you've followed all uninstallation steps thoroughly, especially the sc delete commands, and consider uninstalling the Riot game if you no longer wish to play it.

FAQs: How to...

Here are 10 related FAQ questions with quick answers to further assist you:

How to check if Riot Vanguard is still running?
- Look for the red "V" or shield icon in your system tray (bottom-right of your taskbar). You can also open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) and check for "vgc" or "vgtray" processes.
How to uninstall Valorant without uninstalling Vanguard?
- You can uninstall Valorant separately through Windows Settings ("Apps" > "Installed apps"). Vanguard will remain on your PC, as it's a separate application.
How to reinstall Riot Vanguard after uninstalling it?
- Simply launch a Riot game that requires Vanguard (like Valorant or League of Legends). The Riot client will detect its absence and prompt you to automatically reinstall it. You'll likely need to restart your PC after the installation.
How to disable Riot Vanguard temporarily without uninstalling?
- Right-click the Riot Vanguard icon in your system tray and select "Exit Vanguard." You'll need to restart your PC to re-enable it for gaming.
How to remove Riot Client completely from my PC?
- The Riot Client itself doesn't always appear in "Installed apps." You'll usually need to manually delete its installation folder (often in C:\Riot Games) after uninstalling all Riot games and Vanguard.
How to fix "Vanguard won't uninstall" error?
- Ensure Vanguard is exited from the system tray and Task Manager. Restart your PC and try uninstalling again. If it persists, use the Command Prompt method (sc delete vgc and sc delete vgk) as an administrator, then manually delete the folder.
How to prevent Vanguard from starting with Windows?
- If you've uninstalled Vanguard, it shouldn't start with Windows. If it is, it means the uninstallation was incomplete, or another Riot game has reinstalled it. Follow the complete uninstallation guide, particularly the sc delete commands.
How to know if Vanguard is causing PC performance issues?
- Monitor your CPU and RAM usage in Task Manager before and after uninstalling Vanguard. Many users report improved boot times and overall system responsiveness after its removal.
How to safely clean up remaining registry entries after uninstalling Vanguard?
- The safest method is using the Command Prompt with sc delete vgc and sc delete vgk commands. Avoid third-party registry cleaners unless you are an advanced user and have a system restore point.
How to reinstall Valorant after completely removing Vanguard and all Riot files?
- Download the Valorant installer from the official Riot Games website. Run the installer, and it will automatically download and install both Valorant and the necessary Riot Vanguard client.

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