The fastest way to remove Valorant

Uninstalling Valorant on Windows takes about five minutes and uses the same method as any other program. Open your Settings app, go to Apps > Apps & features, find Valorant in the list, click it, and select Uninstall. Windows will walk you through the removal process and ask you to confirm before it deletes the files.

The trickier part is the Riot Client, which is the launcher that runs Valorant. You can uninstall Valorant without uninstalling the Riot Client if you plan to play other Riot games like League of Legends. But if Valorant is the only Riot game you use, uninstalling both is cleaner and frees up more disk space.

Key Takeaways

  • Valorant uninstalls through Windows Settings under Apps & features, the same as any other program.
  • The Riot Client launcher remains on your PC after you uninstall Valorant unless you remove it separately.
  • Uninstalling both Valorant and the Riot Client removes all related files and frees the most disk space.
  • Restarting your PC after uninstall is optional but recommended to clear any remaining processes.

Step-by-step uninstall through Windows Settings

Press the Windows key and type "Settings" to open the Settings app. Click on Apps in the left sidebar, then select Apps & features from the submenu. Scroll down the list of installed programs until you see Valorant. Click on it once to highlight it, then click the Uninstall button that appears to the right.

A dialog box will pop up asking you to confirm the uninstall. Click Uninstall again. The Riot Client launcher will open and begin removing Valorant's game files. This process usually takes two to five minutes depending on your internet speed and disk performance. Do not close the launcher window while it is running.

Once the uninstall finishes, the launcher will close automatically. You can now close the Settings window. Valorant is no longer on your PC, but the Riot Client itself is still installed.

Removing the Riot Client launcher

If you do not play League of Legends, Teamfight Tactics, or any other Riot game, you should uninstall the Riot Client as well. Go back to Settings > Apps & features and scroll for Riot Client. Click it and select Uninstall. Confirm the removal when prompted.

The Riot Client uninstall is faster than Valorant's because it only removes the launcher, not gigabytes of game data. Once it finishes, the launcher is gone from your PC. If you ever want to play Valorant again, you would need to read and install both the Riot Client and Valorant from scratch.

What gets deleted and what stays

Uninstalling Valorant removes the game files themselves—the maps, character models, sounds, and executable code that make the game run. This typically frees up 20 to 30 gigabytes of disk space. Your Windows system files and other programs are not affected.

Uninstalling the Riot Client removes the launcher program but not your account or game history. Your Valorant account remains tied to your Riot ID and will be exactly as you left it if you reinstall later. The launcher also stores some configuration files, which are deleted during uninstall.

Cleaning up leftover files manually

In rare cases, a few small files may remain after uninstall. These are usually configuration or cache files that Windows does not remove automatically. To check for them, open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local. Look for folders named Riot Games or Valorant and delete them if they exist.

You can also check C:\Program Files and C:\Program Files (x86) to see if any Riot Games folders remain. If they do, right-click and delete them. These manual steps are optional—leftover cache files take up minimal space and do not affect your PC's performance.

Restarting your PC after uninstall

Restarting is not required to complete the uninstall, but it is a good idea. Restarting clears any remaining Valorant or Riot Client processes from your system memory and ensures Windows fully releases the disk space. straightforward restart your PC normally through the Start menu.

If you notice any strange behavior after uninstalling—such as a shortcut still appearing on your desktop—restart your PC and the issue should clear up. Windows sometimes caches shortcuts and file associations until the next restart.

Reinstalling Valorant later

If you decide to play Valorant again after uninstalling, you will need to read the Riot Client first from the official Riot Games website. Once the launcher is installed, you can read Valorant through it. The full read is about 20 to 30 gigabytes, so plan for 30 minutes to an hour on a typical home internet connection.

Your account and rank will be waiting for you exactly as you left them. Riot does not delete accounts for inactivity, so you can uninstall and reinstall whenever you want without losing progress.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does uninstalling Valorant delete my account?

No. Your Valorant account is stored on Riot's servers and tied to your Riot ID. Uninstalling the game only removes the files from your PC. Your rank, skins, and progress remain intact and will be there if you reinstall.

Will uninstalling Valorant speed up my PC?

It will free up disk space—usually 20 to 30 gigabytes—which can help if your drive was nearly full. It will not noticeably speed up your PC's performance otherwise, since Valorant only runs when you launch it. Uninstalling the Riot Client will have even less impact on everyday performance.

Can I uninstall Valorant without uninstalling the Riot Client?

Yes. You can uninstall Valorant through Settings while keeping the Riot Client installed. This is useful if you play other Riot games. The launcher will remain on your PC and take up minimal disk space.

What if the uninstall gets stuck or fails?

Close the Riot Client launcher if it is still open, then try uninstalling again through Settings. If it fails a second time, restart your PC and try once more. If the problem persists, you can manually delete the Valorant folder at C:\Riot Games\VALORANT and remove the Riot Client separately.

Do I need to uninstall anything else after removing Valorant?

No. Valorant does not install other software or dependencies that need separate removal. Uninstalling Valorant and the Riot Client is all you need to do. Any leftover cache files are harmless and take up negligible space.