How to uninstall VALORANT

How to uninstall VALORANT
Images via Riot Games | Microsoft

Written by 

Tarran Stockton

Published 

4th Apr 2023 11:29

You may to know how to uninstall VALORANT. While it may seem as simple as uninstalling any program on your computer, VALORANT makes it slightly more difficult due to the anti-cheat system. While it's one of the premiere tactical shooters right now due to its combination of Counter Strike-inspired gameplay and hero shooter design, VALORANT isn't for everyone.

So read on for a walkthrough of how to uninstall VALORANT.

  • If you are uninstalling VALORANT, then you may want to know the Counter-Strike 2 release window instead, so you can learn when you can play the newest game in the legendary series. 

How to uninstall VALORANT

While you may be tempted to go straight to the Control Panel to uninstall VALORANT, it doesn't work the same as uninstalling a typical Steam game for example, meaning you need to take a couple of steps first.

Trying to remove the game straight from the Control Panel will just give you an error message, so you will need to first get rid of Vanguard, VALORANT's anti-cheat system. 

How To Uninstall VALORANT
Click to enlarge

To do this, you will need to open the system tray located in the bottom right of the screen, denoted by a small up arrow on the taskbar. Right-click the Vanguard icon - which is a red triangle and arrow, pictured above - and then select 'Exit Vanguard.' You will get a pop-up message asking if you are sure, so just click yes to finalise it. 

How To Uninstall VALORANT
Click to enlarge

Now you can go about uninstalling both VALORANT and Vanguard. Type 'Control Panel' in the Windows search bar, and select the option to 'Uninstall a program' at the bottom of the list.

How To Uninstall VALORANT
Click to enlarge

From there, scroll down and find Riot Vanguard, right-click and then select 'uninstall/change' before clicking yes if there is a pop-up asking if you're sure. Now you can do the same with VALORANT, and all traces of the game will be removed from your system.

That's all for our walkthrough of how to uninstall VALORANT, and now you know how to remove the anti-cheat system along with the game from your system.

For more VALORANT guides, keep reading GGRecon.

Tarran Stockton
About the author
Tarran Stockton
Tarran is a Senior Guides Writer at GGRecon. He previously wrote reviews for his college newspaper before studying Media and Communication at university. His favourite genres include role-playing games, strategy games, and boomer shooters - along with anything indie. You can also find him in the pit at local hardcore shows.
Why trust GGRecon?

Established in 2019, we don’t just cover games - we live them. Our expert team is full of dedicated gamers, qualified journalists, and industry insiders who collectively boast decades of experience covering gaming and esports. This deep-rooted expertise allows us to provide authoritative and nuanced perspectives first-hand from a team who are playing, and researching every game covered on our website. 

Our foundation is built on a profound commitment to editorial independence, ensuring our content remains free from external influence and advertising pressures and is held to the highest level of editorial conduct, integrity, and quality. 

Every article on GGRecon comes from rigorous research, informed analysis, and a passion for gaming that resonates with our readers. We uphold these standards through a transparent editorial policy, accessible here, which governs our processes and maintains our accountability.

Trending
Next VALORANT Night Market dates in 2024
How to level up & get XP fast in VALORANT
VALORANT 8.05 patch notes introduce new agent Clove & voice indicator changes
VALORANT Clove abilities, cosmetics & how to unlock
Best VALORANT crosshair codes used by pros, from Asuna to TenZ in 2024