A Comprehensive Guide to Completely Uninstalling Riot Client and Vanguard
Are you looking to take a break from your favorite Riot Games titles like Valorant or League of Legends? Maybe you're facing some stubborn technical issues, or perhaps you just need to free up some valuable disk space. Whatever your reason, uninstalling Riot Client and Riot Vanguard can be a bit more complex than simply clicking "Uninstall" on a regular program. Riot Vanguard, in particular, is a kernel-level anti-cheat system that is designed to be deeply integrated with your system, making it a bit tricky to remove. But don't you worry! In this guide, we will walk you through the entire process, step-by-step, to ensure a clean and complete removal.
Ready to reclaim your PC? Let's get started!
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| How To Uninstall Riot Client And Vanguard |
Step 1: The Essential First Move - Close Everything Riot Games
Before you even think about uninstalling anything, you need to make sure that no Riot Games-related processes are running in the background. This is a crucial step that many users miss, leading to errors like "Riot Client is running" and failed uninstallations.
First, let's check your system tray. Look for the small icons in the bottom-right corner of your taskbar, near the clock. You might need to click the small upward arrow () to show hidden icons.
Find the Riot Vanguard icon. It looks like a red, V-shaped shield. Right-click on it and select "Exit Vanguard". Confirm your action in the pop-up window. This is the most important part of this step, as Vanguard is a persistent program.
Now, let's check for the Riot Client icon. If you see it, right-click on it and select "Exit Application" or "Close Window".
To be absolutely sure, open your Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc. In the "Processes" tab, look for any processes named "Riot Client," "Riot Vanguard," "Valorant," "League of Legends," or any other Riot Games title. If you find any, right-click on them and select "End task".
You have now successfully shut down all running Riot Games processes. You're ready to move on to the next step.
Step 2: Uninstall Riot Vanguard First
It is a well-known fact that you must uninstall Riot Vanguard before you uninstall the game it protects, like Valorant. If you don't, you'll encounter errors during the game's uninstallation.
Method 1: Using Windows Settings (The Easiest Way)
This is the most straightforward method and should work for most users.
QuickTip: Scan quickly, then go deeper where needed.
Press the Windows key + I to open the Settings app.
Click on "Apps", and then select "Installed apps" (on Windows 11) or "Apps & features" (on Windows 10).
In the search bar provided, type "Riot Vanguard".
Once you see "Riot Vanguard" in the list, click on the three dots () or the program itself and select "Uninstall".
A confirmation window will pop up. Click "Uninstall" again. You may need to grant administrator permissions.
Follow any on-screen prompts to complete the uninstallation.
Method 2: Manually Uninstalling via Command Prompt (If Method 1 Fails)
If you're stuck and the uninstallation through settings is not working, don't worry. This manual method will do the trick.
Press the Windows key, type "cmd", right-click on "Command Prompt" and select "Run as administrator".
In the command prompt window, type the following command and press Enter:
sc delete vgcNext, type the following command and press Enter:
sc delete vgkYou should see a message confirming that the service has been deleted.
Restart your computer immediately. This is an essential step to terminate the kernel-level driver completely.
After your PC has restarted, open File Explorer and navigate to the following location:
C:\Program Files\Find the folder named "Riot Vanguard", right-click on it, and select "Delete". If you encounter an error, it's likely because you didn't restart your PC.
You have now successfully removed Riot Vanguard from your system.
Step 3: Uninstall the Riot Client and Your Games
Now that the anti-cheat is gone, you can proceed with removing the Riot Client and any associated games.
Method 1: Uninstalling via Windows Settings (Recommended)
Open Windows Settings by pressing Windows key + I.
Go to "Apps" and then "Installed apps" or "Apps & features".
Search for the game you want to uninstall, for example, "Valorant" or "League of Legends".
Click on the game and select "Uninstall".
Once the game is uninstalled, repeat the same process for "Riot Client".
Method 2: Using the Control Panel (Classic Method)
Press the Windows key, type "Control Panel", and open it.
Under "Programs," click on "Uninstall a program".
Find your Riot Games titles (e.g., "Valorant," "League of Legends") and "Riot Client" in the list.
Right-click on each one and select "Uninstall".
QuickTip: A short pause boosts comprehension.
Step 4: The Deep Clean - Removing Leftover Files
Even after uninstalling, some residual files and folders might be left behind, taking up space and cluttering your system. Let's get rid of them for a truly clean slate.
Open the Run dialog box by pressing Windows key + R.
Type
C:\Riot Gamesand press Enter. If a folder named "Riot Games" exists here, right-click on it and delete it.Now, open the Run dialog box again (Windows key + R).
Type
%localappdata%and press Enter.In the folder that opens, look for a folder named "Riot Games". Right-click on it and delete it.
Repeat the same process for
%appdata%and%programdata%. In both these locations, look for and delete any "Riot Games" folders.
By following these steps, you'll have removed the main installation files and the leftover data.
Step 5: Finalizing the Process - Emptying the Recycle Bin & Restarting
Go to your desktop and right-click on the Recycle Bin.
Select "Empty Recycle Bin" to permanently delete all the files you've just removed.
Restart your computer one last time. This ensures that any temporary files and processes are completely cleared from the system memory.
Congratulations! You have now successfully uninstalled Riot Client and Vanguard, leaving no trace behind.
Related FAQ
How to completely remove Riot Client?
To completely remove Riot Client, you must first uninstall all associated games and Riot Vanguard, then use the "Add or remove programs" feature in Windows settings to uninstall the client itself, and finally, manually delete any remaining folders in your C drive and the AppData, Local, and ProgramData folders.
Tip: Remember, the small details add value.
How to uninstall Riot Vanguard without uninstalling other Riot games?
You can uninstall Riot Vanguard through the "Apps & features" section in Windows settings, but be aware that Riot Games will not launch without it. You will need to reinstall Vanguard to play games like Valorant or League of Legends again.
How to fix "Riot Client is running" error during uninstallation?
To fix this error, open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) and end any processes related to Riot Client, Riot Vanguard, or any Riot Games. Also, check your system tray and right-click to exit any running Riot applications before attempting the uninstall again.
How to manually remove Riot Vanguard files?
After using Command Prompt to delete the Vanguard services (sc delete vgc and sc delete vgk), you must restart your PC. Then, navigate to C:\Program Files\ and manually delete the "Riot Vanguard" folder.
How to find the Riot Games installation folder?
The default installation location is C:\Riot Games. If you can't find it there, you can right-click on the Riot Client shortcut on your desktop, select "Open file location," and then navigate up the folder path to find the main "Riot Games" directory.
Tip: Don’t rush — enjoy the read.
How to uninstall Riot Client if it's not listed in the control panel?
If Riot Client doesn't appear in the list of programs, you can try manually deleting the installation folder from C:\Riot Games and then running the clean-up steps (Step 4) to remove leftover files from AppData and other locations.
How to disable Riot Vanguard without uninstalling it?
You can temporarily disable Vanguard by finding its icon in the system tray (the small red shield) and selecting "Exit Vanguard." However, you will need to restart your computer to re-enable it for playing Riot Games.
How to uninstall Riot games from my PC?
The most common way is to go to Windows Settings > Apps > Installed apps and uninstall the specific game, like Valorant or League of Legends, from the list. It is recommended to uninstall Riot Vanguard before the game.
How to remove Valorant and all its files completely?
To remove Valorant completely, first, exit Riot Vanguard from the system tray, then uninstall both Valorant and Riot Vanguard from Windows Settings. Finally, follow the deep clean steps (Step 4) to manually delete any leftover files and folders from your C drive and hidden AppData directories.
How to troubleshoot a stuck Riot Vanguard uninstall?
If the uninstallation is stuck, first ensure that you have closed all Riot processes in the Task Manager and exited Vanguard from the system tray. If it still doesn't work, use the Command Prompt method (Step 2, Method 2) to manually delete the Vanguard services, restart your PC, and then delete the folder.
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