How to Uninstall Valorant: Disabling Vanguard & Uninstalling (2024)

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Done playing Valorant? Follow this simple guide to uninstall the game

Written byStan Kats|Edited byDarlene Antonelli, MA

Last Updated: November 6, 2023Fact Checked

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  • Disabling Vanguard
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  • Tips

Are you trying to uninstall Valorant but getting an error message that you can't? Riot Games updated their client with anti-cheating software called Vanguard, which also prevents you from accidentally deleting the game from your computer. This wikiHow article shows you step-by-step how to disable and uninstall Vanguard so you can uninstall Valorant on your Windows computer.

Things You Should Know

  • First, disable Vanguard from the System Tray.
  • Next, go to Apps in Settings to uninstall Vanguard and Valorant.
  • Alternatively, use CMD to uninstall files, then delete the Vanguard file in File Explorer.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Disabling Vanguard

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  1. 1

    Navigate to your System Tray. It's in the taskbar and you can usually find it by clicking the caret "^" in the bottom right corner of the tray.

    • If you try uninstalling Valorant without disabling and getting rid of Vanguard first, you'll get an error message and the uninstall will fail.
  2. 2

    Right-click the Vanguard icon. You'll see this as a red icon.

    • A menu will pop-up next to your cursor.

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  3. 3

    Select Exit Vanguard. Click Yes to confirm your action.

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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Uninstalling Vanguard & Valorant using Settings

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  1. 1

    Open "Add or Remove programs" in Settings. You can do this by tapping the Win key, then typing Add or remove programs, and selecting the app result or you can open Settings, and click Apps.

  2. 2

    Click Vanguard or Valorant on the list. Remember they might be prefixed with "Riot," so searching specifically in the "V" section may not help.

    • When you left-click an item in the list, more options will drop down.
  3. 3

    Click Uninstall. You'll see this option in the bottom right corner of the highlighted app.

    • You may need to select Uninstall again to complete the process.[1]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Uninstalling Vanguard & Vlaorant using CMD

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  1. 1

    Open Command Prompt as an administrator. To do this, open the Start menu or press the Win key and type CMD.

    • Right-click the result in the Start menu and select Run as administrator.
  2. 2

    Enter the following code: sc delete vgc and press Enter on your keyboard.

  3. 3

    Enter the following code: sc delete vgk and press Enter on your keyboard.

  4. 4

    Restart your computer. You want to ensure the changes take effect, so power your computer off, then turn it back on again.

    • Top do this, select Restart in the Power menu to reboot your system.
  5. 5

    Open File Explorer. After your computer reboots, you can delete the Vanguard folder. If you don't restart your computer, you'll get an error and will be unable to delete it.

  6. 6

    Navigate to "C:\PROGRAM FILES\". If you don't know how to get there, go to This PC > Local Disk > Program Files."

  7. 7

    Right-click "Riot Vanguard" and select Delete. You can also drag and drop the file into the recycling bin.[2]

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      Tips

      • You will not lose progress by deleting the game. Your saves are not local but are stored in your Riot Games cloud account.

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      About This Article

      How to Uninstall Valorant: Disabling Vanguard & Uninstalling (33)

      Written by:

      Stan Kats

      Professional Technologist

      This article was written by Stan Kats and by wikiHow staff writer, Darlene Antonelli, MA. Stan Kats is a Professional Technologist and the COO and Chief Technologist for The STG IT Consulting Group in West Hollywood, California. Stan provides comprehensive technology solutions to businesses through managed IT services, and for individuals through his consumer service business, Stan's Tech Garage. Stan holds a BA in International Relations from The University of Southern California. He began his career working in the Fortune 500 IT world. Stan founded his companies to offer an enterprise-level of expertise for small businesses and individuals. This article has been viewed 44,344 times.

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      Co-authors: 2

      Updated: November 6, 2023

      Views:44,344

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      How to Uninstall Valorant: Disabling Vanguard & Uninstalling (2024)

      FAQs

      How to Uninstall Valorant: Disabling Vanguard & Uninstalling? ›

      First, disable Vanguard from the System Tray. Next, go to Apps in Settings to uninstall Vanguard and Valorant. Alternatively, use CMD to uninstall files, then delete the Vanguard file in File Explorer.

      How to completely Uninstall Valorant? ›

      Step 1: Launch MiniTool System Booster to enter the Performance tab. Step 2: Tap on Toolbox from the drop-down menu and click Advanced Uninstaller under File Management. Step 3: Locate Riot Vanguard and VALORANT, then click on the UNINSTALL button next to each item to begin the uninstallation process.

      How to Uninstall Riot Client and Vanguard? ›

      Follow these step-by-step instructions:
      1. Click the search bar at the bottom of your PC.
      2. In the search bar, type 'Apps & features'.
      3. Click on it to open the window.
      4. Search for 'Riot Vanguard'.
      5. Click the three dots and select 'Uninstall'.
      6. Empty your Recycle Bin.
      7. Now restart your PC.

      How do I disable Vanguard while playing Valorant? ›

      Yeah - it's really easy, just right-click the vanguard icon in your icon tray, and click exit. You'll have to restart your PC to play any games that depend on it though, so keep that in mind before you close it!

      Why won't my PC let me Uninstall Valorant? ›

      That's because if you go uninstalling the game like any other software, it may not fully remove it from your PC. The main reason behind this is the Riot Vanguard anti-cheat system in place. Vanguard limits you from removing Valorant from your device directly.

      Why can't I Uninstall Valorant after uninstalling Riot Vanguard? ›

      Valorant can't instantly be uninstalled from the Control Panel – instead, you'll need to first exit the Vanguard anti-cheat. So, if you find that you can't uninstall Valorant, then this is likely the main reason.

      Does uninstalling VALORANT uninstall Vanguard? ›

      Perhaps you need to disable Vanguard to run a particular program, or maybe you've decided to hang up your weapons and bow out of VALORANT. It's important to know how to both turn off Vanguard and uninstall it, as uninstalling VALORANT will not uninstall Riot Vanguard. Curious to learn more about Vanguard?

      Can I uninstall Riot Vanguard and play VALORANT? ›

      Please keep in mind that uninstalling VALORANT will not uninstall Riot Vanguard. Riot Vanguard is an on-boot application. That means if you do choose to disable it and later decide you'd like to play VALORANT, you will have to restart your computer.

      How do I disable Vanguard? ›

      You'll also be able to turn it off by right-clicking that icon and selecting Exit Vanguard if it's interfering with any of your computer's other processes. Additionally, you can uninstall Vanguard by selecting More… followed by Uninstall Vanguard.

      How to fully Uninstall and reinstall Valorant? ›

      Click on "Uninstall a Program." Locate the Riot Vanguard folder and click "Uninstall." Search for Valorant and select "Uninstall Valorant" to completely remove Valorant from your system. After removing these two folders, restart your PC.

      How to Uninstall Riot and Valorant? ›

      Uninstalling Vanguard and VALORANT

      In the search bar, type "Add or remove programs" and hit Enter. Scroll down to find "Riot Vanguard," right-click it, and select "uninstall."

      Why won't my Riot Uninstall? ›

      Why can't I remove Riot Client? Riot Client is an executable program and thus cannot be uninstalled from the Apps & features or Control Panel. Therefore, you'll have to use a program uninstaller like EaseUS Todo PCTrans or manually locate the installation folder to remove it from your PC.

      Can you install Valorant without Vanguard? ›

      Can I play League of Legends or VALORANT without Riot Vanguard downloaded? No. Riot Vanguard must be active to launch either League of Legends or VALORANT.

      Does Riot Vanguard affect performance? ›

      Players experience stuttering gameplay due to Vanguard running. Community offers solutions like alt+tab, FPS limits, and uninstalling other programs. Riot's Vanguard integration causing major disruptions for many players. MSI Afterburner identified as a potential culprit for game performance issues.

      Is Vanguard always running? ›

      Why is it always on? Vanguard is not really "running all the time." The driver loads at boot, but nothing is making calls to it, and there's no network connectivity until you run one of Riot's games.

      Can you fully Uninstall Riot Vanguard? ›

      You'll also be able to turn it off by right-clicking that icon and selecting Exit Vanguard if it's interfering with any of your computer's other processes. Additionally, you can uninstall Vanguard by selecting More… followed by Uninstall Vanguard.

      How do I completely remove Riot Games? ›

      Follow the steps below to uninstall Riot games:
      1. Search for and open Apps & features in the search bar.
      2. In the App list, search for Riot games like Valorant or League of Legends.
      3. Click on it and choose "Uninstall."
      4. Go to the game's directory folder and delete remnants.
      5. Repeat the process for all the Riot Games.
      May 11, 2024

      How can I permanently Uninstall? ›

      Method II: Run the uninstall from the Control Panel
      1. Open the Start Menu.
      2. Click Settings.
      3. Click Apps.
      4. Select Apps & features from the left-hand side menu.
      5. Select the Program or App that you want to uninstall from the list that appears.
      6. Click the uninstall button that shows under the selected program or app.
      May 9, 2024

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