Valorant, the popular first-person shooter developed by Riot Games, has quickly become a favorite among gamers worldwide.
However, whether you’re freeing up space on your system or moving on to another game, there may come a time when you want to uninstall Valorant. While the process is straightforward for most users, fully removing Valorant and its associated anti-cheat software, Vanguard, can require a few extra steps.
How to Uninstall Valorant Completely
In this article, we’ll walk you through how to uninstall Valorant from your system in a few simple steps. We’ll also cover how to remove Vanguard, ensuring that no traces of the game are left on your computer. By the end, you’ll have everything you need to uninstall Valorant completely and free up space on your PC.
1. Why Uninstall Valorant?
Before we dive into the technical process, let’s quickly discuss why someone might choose to uninstall Valorant:
- Freeing Up Disk Space: Valorant and its anti-cheat software, Vanguard, take up a considerable amount of storage space. Uninstalling them can give your PC more room for other applications or games.
- Performance Issues: Some players experience performance problems, bugs, or errors that lead them to temporarily uninstall and reinstall the game.
- Switching Games: Gaming preferences change over time, and you might simply want to focus on other titles.
- Uninstalling Vanguard: Riot Vanguard is an aggressive anti-cheat system that runs at a deep level within your operating system. If you’re uncomfortable with this, uninstalling Valorant will also allow you to remove Vanguard.
Now, let’s get into the actual process of removing Valorant from your system.
2. How to Uninstall Valorant Using Windows Settings
The easiest way to uninstall Valorant is through the Windows Settings. This method will remove the game itself, but you’ll still need to uninstall Riot Vanguard separately. Follow these steps:
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Open Windows Settings:
- Press the Windows Key + I to open the Settings menu.
- Navigate to Apps:
- In the Settings menu, click on Apps. This will open a list of all installed applications on your computer.
- Find Valorant:
- Scroll through the list or use the search bar to find Valorant. Once you’ve located it, click on the game.
- Uninstall Valorant:
- After selecting Valorant, click the Uninstall button. A confirmation message will pop up asking if you’re sure you want to uninstall the game. Click Uninstall again.
- Follow the On-Screen Instructions:
- The uninstall process will begin, and you may be prompted to confirm a few actions. Simply follow the instructions until the game is fully removed from your system.
At this point, Valorant will no longer be on your computer. However, Riot Vanguard, the anti-cheat software, will still remain. You’ll need to uninstall Vanguard separately to complete the process.
Read also: Valorant Settings Optimization: Guide to Boost FPS in 2024
3. How to Uninstall Riot Vanguard
Riot Vanguard is a critical part of Valorant’s anti-cheat system, but some users may want to remove it due to its deep-level integration with the system kernel. To fully uninstall Vanguard, follow these steps:
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Open Windows Settings:
- Once again, press the Windows Key + I to open the Settings menu.
- Go to Apps:
- Navigate to Apps, where you’ll find all installed programs.
- Find Riot Vanguard:
- Scroll through the list of applications and locate Riot Vanguard. If you can’t find it, use the search bar to filter the list.
- Uninstall Riot Vanguard:
- Click on Riot Vanguard and then select Uninstall. A prompt will ask you to confirm the uninstallation—click Uninstall again to confirm.
- Restart Your Computer:
- Once the uninstallation is complete, it’s a good idea to restart your computer. This ensures that Vanguard has been fully removed and that no lingering processes are still running in the background.
With both Valorant and Vanguard removed, your system should be free of Riot’s software.
4. Manually Removing Valorant and Vanguard Files
In some cases, the standard uninstall process may leave behind residual files. To make sure your system is completely clean, follow these steps to manually delete any leftover files:
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Open File Explorer:
- Press Windows Key + E to open File Explorer.
- Navigate to the Install Folder:
- Go to the default installation directory:
C:\Program Files\Riot Games\. - If you installed Valorant in a custom directory, navigate to that folder instead.
- Go to the default installation directory:
- Delete the Riot Games Folder:
- If the Riot Games folder is still present after uninstalling, right-click it and select Delete. You may be prompted for administrator permission, which you’ll need to confirm.
- Clear Temporary Files:
- Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog box, and type %localappdata%.
- Locate the Riot Games or Vanguard folders within your local files and delete them.
- Empty the Recycle Bin:
- Finally, go to your desktop and right-click the Recycle Bin. Select Empty Recycle Bin to permanently remove the files.
By doing this, you ensure that no leftover files are taking up valuable space on your hard drive.
5. Troubleshooting Common Issues
Occasionally, you might encounter issues when trying to uninstall Valorant or Riot Vanguard. Here are some common problems and their solutions:
A. Uninstall Button is Grayed Out
- Solution: If the uninstall button for either Valorant or Vanguard is grayed out, try restarting your computer. After rebooting, attempt the uninstallation again through the Windows Settings.
B. Unable to Uninstall Vanguard
- Solution: Vanguard can sometimes be difficult to remove because it’s integrated deeply into your system. If the standard method doesn’t work, you can try uninstalling it through the Control Panel or using a third-party uninstaller tool.
C. Valorant Won’t Uninstall
- Solution: If you can’t uninstall Valorant through Windows Settings, try running the uninstaller in Safe Mode. This may help resolve issues where the uninstall process is blocked by other running programs.
D. Vanguard Reinstalls Automatically
- Solution: If you’ve uninstalled Valorant but find that Vanguard reinstalls itself after a reboot, check your system startup programs. You may need to disable Vanguard from starting automatically using Task Manager.
6. Conclusion
Uninstalling Valorant and Riot Vanguard from your system is a fairly straightforward process, but it requires you to take a few additional steps to ensure everything is fully removed. Whether you’re uninstalling the game to free up space or because you’re done playing, following the steps outlined in this article will help you completely remove Valorant from your computer.
If you ever decide to reinstall Valorant, simply head to the official Riot Games website to download the latest version. And if you’re looking for more gaming tips, updates, or troubleshooting guides, be sure to keep visiting valo24h.com. We’re your ultimate source for all things Valorant!