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How to Uninstall VALORANT on Windows 11: Remove the Game and Vanguard

By Freedom251 Team · · 2 min read

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To uninstall VALORANT on Windows 11, close Riot Client, open Installed apps, select VALORANT, and choose Uninstall. Riot Vanguard has its own app entry and can be removed separately. Manual folder cleanup is optional for an ordinary uninstall; Riot lists it as a fuller cleanup when troubleshooting or removing the game’s local files.

Choose the level of removal you need

Option What it does When to use it
Uninstall VALORANT Removes the game through Windows Installed apps. Use this if you simply want VALORANT off the PC.
Uninstall Riot Vanguard Removes Vanguard through its separate Windows app entry. Use this if you also want the anti-cheat software removed.
Riot’s fuller local-file cleanup Removes specified VALORANT and Riot Client folders, plus named folders in AppDataLocal. Use this for a more complete local cleanup or when troubleshooting game-related problems.

These are local PC actions. Riot’s uninstall steps do not require deleting your Riot account.

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How to uninstall VALORANT from Windows 11

  1. Exit VALORANT, then close Riot Client completely. Riot says the client must be closed before uninstalling a Riot game.
  2. Open the Windows menu, type Installed apps, and open the matching result.
  3. Find VALORANT, select it, and choose Uninstall.
  4. If the uninstall process requires it, restart the computer. Riot notes that a restart may be needed.

Riot’s official Uninstalling and Reinstalling Games instructions show this Windows flow. The support page is in Thai, but the menu labels and folder paths are Windows labels that can be followed in English.

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How to uninstall Riot Vanguard separately

Vanguard is listed separately from VALORANT in Windows, so uninstalling the game does not replace this step if you want Vanguard removed too.

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  1. Open Windows Add or remove programs.
  2. Find Riot Vanguard in the app list.
  3. Select it and choose Uninstall, then follow any on-screen prompts.

Riot’s VALORANT and Vanguard Uninstall & Reinstall support page gives the separate Windows app route for Vanguard.

Optional: remove VALORANT’s remaining local files

Riot provides a fuller folder-cleanup procedure for removing game files to address game-related problems. It is not required for every standard uninstall. Follow only the specific folders Riot names:

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  1. Open C:Riot Games.
  2. Delete the VALORANT and Riot Client folders.
  3. Empty the Recycle Bin.
  4. Press Windows + R, enter %localappdata%, and press Enter.
  5. In AppDataLocal, delete the Riot Games and VALORANT folders.
  6. Restart the computer.

Do not expand this into deleting unrelated Riot folders or editing the registry: Riot’s VALORANT cleanup procedure does not call for either.

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Why can’t I uninstall VALORANT?

  • Riot Client is still open: Exit VALORANT and close Riot Client completely, then try the Installed apps uninstall again.
  • The uninstall process needs a restart: Restart the computer if prompted or if Riot’s uninstall process does not complete.
  • Vanguard remains installed: Look for Riot Vanguard separately in Windows Add or remove programs and uninstall it if you want it removed.

If your goal is only to remove VALORANT, use Windows’ normal uninstall first. Reserve the manual folder steps for a deliberate fuller cleanup or troubleshooting.

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