How to Uninstall Valorant Completely From Windows 11?
If you have been playing “Valorant” for a while and decided it is time to free up space or troubleshoot performance issues, you might think uninstalling it is as simple as removing any other game. However, because Valorant uses a security system called “Riot Vanguard”, removing the game completely requires a few extra steps.
Many users uninstall Valorant but later discover that Vanguard is still running in the background, consuming system resources. If you want a truly clean removal from “Windows 11”, you must uninstall both the game and its anti-cheat software properly.
This guide walks you through the entire process in a simple, conversational way so you can confidently remove everything without leaving hidden files behind.
How to Uninstall Valorant Completely From Windows 11?
To completely uninstall Valorant from Windows 11, first remove “Riot Vanguard” through the Settings app, then uninstall “Valorant” itself, and finally delete any leftover Riot Games folders from your system. Restart your computer to ensure all background services are fully removed.
Now, let us walk through the complete process.
Step 1: Close Valorant and Riot Vanguard Completely
Before uninstalling anything, you must make sure the game and its anti-cheat service are not running.
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open “Task Manager”. Look under the Processes tab and check for anything related to Riot or Valorant.
If you see “Valorant” or “Riot Client” running, right-click and choose End Task.
Next, check the system tray in the bottom right corner of your screen. If you see the Vanguard icon, right-click it and choose Exit Vanguard. You may receive a confirmation message. Click Yes.
This ensures no background services interfere with the uninstall process.
Step 2: Uninstall Riot Vanguard First
This is the most important step. If you try to uninstall Valorant first, Windows may show an error because Vanguard is still active.
Open the Start menu and click on Settings > Go to Apps > Select Installed apps.
In the search bar, type Riot Vanguard.
Click the three dots next to Riot Vanguard and select Uninstall.
Follow the on-screen prompts and confirm the removal.
Windows may ask you to restart your computer. If it does, go ahead and restart before continuing.
By removing Vanguard first, you ensure that the kernel-level driver and services are completely disabled.
Step 3: Uninstall Valorant from Windows Settings
Once Vanguard is removed, it is time to uninstall the game itself.
Again, open Settings and go to Apps, then Installed apps. Search for Valorant. Click the three dots next to Valorant and choose Uninstall. Confirm when prompted.
The system will begin removing the game files. This usually takes a few minutes, depending on your system speed.
After the process completes, Valorant should no longer appear in your installed apps list.
Step 4: Remove the Riot Client
Many users forget this step. Even after uninstalling Valorant, the “Riot Client” may remain installed on your PC.
In Installed apps, search for Riot Client. If it appears, click the three dots and select Uninstall. Confirm the removal.
This ensures no Riot services remain on your system.
Step 5: Delete Leftover Riot Games Folders
Even after uninstalling, some residual files may remain on your drive. Removing them ensures a clean uninstall.
Open File Explorer. Navigate to the following locations one by one:
C:\Program Files
C:\Program Files (x86)
C:\Riot Games
C:\Users\YourUsername\AppData\Local
C:\Users\YourUsername\AppData\Roaming
Look for any folders named Riot Games, Valorant, or Vanguard.
If you find them, right-click and delete them. If Windows denies permission, make sure you restart your PC after uninstalling Vanguard.
To access AppData, you may need to enable hidden items from the View menu in File Explorer.
Deleting these folders removes leftover configuration files and cached data.
Step 6: Remove Vanguard Service Manually If Necessary
In rare cases, Vanguard services remain registered.
Press Windows key + R. Type services.msc and press Enter. Look for any service named vgc.
If it exists and is still running, right-click and select Stop. Then open Command Prompt as Administrator.
Type: sc delete vgc
Press Enter.
This manually removes the service from Windows. Only perform this step if Vanguard still appears active after uninstalling.
Step 7: Restart Your Computer
This step finalizes everything.
Restarting your PC ensures that:
- All services are unloaded
- Registry changes are applied
- Kernel drivers are removed
- Background processes are cleared
After restarting, Valorant and Riot Vanguard should be completely removed from your Windows 11 system.
Step 8: Verify Complete Removal
To confirm everything is gone:
Open Installed apps and check that Valorant, Riot Vanguard, and Riot Client are not listed. Open Task Manager and verify no Riot-related processes are running. Search your system drive for Riot or Valorant to ensure no folders remain.
If nothing appears, you have completed a full uninstall.
Faqs
Is uninstalling Valorant enough to remove Vanguard?
No. You must uninstall Riot Vanguard separately. Removing Valorant alone does not delete the anti-cheat system.
Why should I uninstall Vanguard first?
Because Vanguard runs at a deep system level. If it remains active, it can prevent proper removal of Valorant.
Will uninstalling Valorant delete my account?
No. Your Riot account is stored online. Uninstalling the game does not delete your account or progress.
Can I reinstall Valorant later?
Yes. You can reinstall it anytime from the official Riot Games website. Vanguard will reinstall automatically with the game.
Why does Vanguard require a restart?
Vanguard operates at the kernel level, which means it loads during system startup. Restarting ensures it is fully unloaded from memory.
Does uninstalling improve PC performance?
If you no longer play the game, removing Valorant and Vanguard may reduce background processes and free up storage space, which can slightly improve performance.