There comes a time in every competitive shooter’s lifespan when, after spending countless hours frantically clicking heads and theory-crafting, it’s time to move along to the next big thing. Here is how to uninstall Valorant and free yourself of the competitive shooter’s grip!
How to Uninstall Valorant Completely
If you want to uninstall Valorant entirely from your PC, your first step is likely the Control Panel. Once you track down the program, click “uninstall” and wait for your computer to handle the necessary steps in the background; what then? Sometimes, unfortunately, it doesn’t work.
If Control Panel fails to uninstall Valorant successfully, you must exit the Vanguard anti-cheat software running in the background because of the game. It’s likely preventing the uninstallation process from moving along smoothly. For that:
- Locate the Vanguard icon in your System Tray along the bottom right of Windows.
- Select “Exit Vanguard.”
- Navigate to the Windows Search Bar, then type “Control Panel.”
- Choose ‘Programs” and “Uninstall a Program.”
- Search for Valorant.
- Select “Uninstall.”
You should have zero issues uninstalling the game without the anti-cheat running in the background.
How to Uninstall Riot Vanguard
Once you’re done with Valorant for good, like the game is uninstalled and you’re ready to move on to the next competitive shooter, such as The Finals, you might also wish to uninstall Riot Vanguard. The anti-cheat software isn’t necessary without the game.
To do so, follow the same steps as when uninstalling Valorant. Instead of searching for Valorant in the Control Panel’s Uninstall a Program tab, search for Riot Vanguard. You can then right-click the software and choose “uninstall.” Let it run its processes in the background, and then you’re free and clear!
Of course, if you ever wish to return to Valorant, you can redownload the game from the official website. It’s completely free to download and play!
