To remove VALORANT completely, use the uninstall method for your platform: on Windows, remove Riot Vanguard and VALORANT as separate installed programs; on Xbox, uninstall the game from My games & apps; and on PS5, delete it from the Games home screen or Storage settings. VALORANT is supported on Windows PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5—not Xbox One or PS4.
Uninstalling removes local game files. It does not delete your Riot Account, skins, VALORANT Points, agents, or account-linked progression. You can reinstall later while the platform and region still support the game, although local settings, logs, and caches may not survive a full cleanup.
Which platforms support VALORANT?
VALORANT’s current supported platforms are Windows PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5. Riot’s platform selector lists the PC and ninth-generation console versions, while Riot notes that console availability can change by region. You cannot install the console version on an Xbox One or PS4.
Console crossplay is between PS5 and Xbox Series X|S; the console versions do not crossplay with PC. Check Riot’s platform selector and console-availability notice if your region or hardware has changed.
| Platform | Supported hardware | Main removal path | Separate Vanguard removal? |
|---|---|---|---|
| PC | Windows PC | Settings > Apps > Installed apps | Yes. Riot Vanguard and VALORANT are separate entries. |
| Xbox | Xbox Series X|S | My games & apps > See all > VALORANT > Manage game and add-ons | No separate desktop Vanguard application. |
| PlayStation | PS5 | Highlight VALORANT > Options > Delete | No separate desktop Vanguard application. |
How do I uninstall VALORANT on a Windows PC?
Close the game and Riot Client first, then uninstall Riot Vanguard and VALORANT individually from Windows’ installed-apps list. Restarting after both removals ensures that services and locked files are released.
1. Close VALORANT and Riot Client
- Exit VALORANT normally.
- Look at the notification area near the Windows clock, open the Riot Client menu, and choose its exit or quit option.
- If the client remains open, open Task Manager and close only clearly identified Riot or VALORANT processes that are preventing the uninstall. Do not terminate unrelated Windows services.
Riot’s uninstall guidance says the Riot Client may need to be closed before removal. Its support entry is available at Riot Support.
2. Remove Riot Vanguard
- Press the Windows key and search for Installed apps. On some Windows versions, the result is labeled Add or remove programs.
- Open the matching Settings page.
- Search for Riot Vanguard.
- Select the three-dot menu beside it, choose Uninstall, and confirm.
Vanguard is the PC anti-cheat component. Riot describes the console security environment separately, so there is no equivalent Vanguard desktop program to remove from Xbox or PS5.
3. Remove VALORANT
- Stay in Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
- Search for VALORANT.
- Open its three-dot menu, select Uninstall, and confirm.
4. Restart and verify
- Restart Windows.
- Open Installed apps again.
- Search separately for Riot Vanguard and VALORANT. Neither should remain if your goal was to remove both components.
Do not automatically remove Riot Client. It can be shared with other Riot games, so deleting it may affect access to another title that is still installed.
Should I delete leftover PC folders?
Only consider leftover-file cleanup after the normal uninstall and restart. Installation paths vary, but a VALORANT folder is commonly found under C:Riot GamesVALORANT, and Riot-related folders can also exist in AppDataLocal.
- Confirm that VALORANT and Vanguard no longer appear in Installed apps first.
- Delete only folders you can positively identify as belonging to VALORANT.
- Do not delete the entire Riot Games directory if another Riot game is installed.
- Manual folder deletion does not prove that Vanguard’s service has been removed.
If Vanguard still appears, leave service-removal commands alone unless Riot publishes a current, verified procedure. Restart Windows, retry the Installed apps removal, and use Riot Support or its repair tooling instead of a random third-party uninstaller.
How do I uninstall VALORANT on Xbox Series X|S?
On an Xbox Series X or Series S, uninstall the installed game through My games & apps. Dashboard wording can vary after Xbox updates; if you see a simpler Uninstall command, choose the option that removes the installed game rather than merely hiding a shortcut.
- Press the Xbox button.
- Open My games & apps.
- Select See all.
- Under Games, highlight VALORANT.
- Press the controller’s Menu button.
- Choose Manage game and add-ons.
- Select Uninstall all and confirm. If your dashboard shows only Uninstall, use that option.
The management screen can show installed components or add-ons. Selecting the uninstall command removes the local installation; it does not delete your Riot Account or unlink your console profile.
These instructions apply to Xbox Series X|S only. VALORANT is not an Xbox One title, so there is no Xbox One installation to remove. To install it again, find the game in the Xbox library or Store while signed in to the account you use for the game, subject to current regional availability.
How do I uninstall VALORANT on PS5?
The quickest PS5 method is to delete the game from the Games home screen. You can also remove it through Console Storage without resetting the console or deleting unrelated saved data.
Home-screen method
- Go to the PS5 Games home screen.
- Highlight VALORANT.
- Press the controller’s Options button.
- Select Delete.
- Confirm the deletion.
Sony documents this home-screen flow in its PS5 deletion guidance.
Storage method
- Open Settings.
- Select Storage.
- Choose Console Storage.
- Open Games and Apps.
- Highlight VALORANT.
- Choose Delete and confirm.
Deleting an item under Games and Apps removes the installed game content. It is different from deleting saved data, restoring default settings, or resetting the PS5. Sony’s storage-management instructions explain that deleted games can be downloaded again from the game library.
VALORANT is supported on PS5, not PS4. If you see the title in your library after deletion, that listing represents access to redownload it; it does not show that the full installation is still consuming storage.
What does uninstalling VALORANT remove?
Uninstallation removes local files from the selected device. The effects differ between the installed program, account data, and local configuration.
- Installed game data: The executable files and downloaded game content are removed from the PC, Xbox, or PS5 storage.
- PC Vanguard: Removed only when you uninstall Riot Vanguard separately. Deleting the VALORANT folder alone is not enough.
- Riot Account: Not deleted. Account deletion is a separate account-management or support process.
- Skins, VALORANT Points, agents, and progression: Normally associated with the Riot Account rather than the local installation. Sign in with the same Riot Account to see account-linked content again.
- Local settings, logs, and caches: These may remain after a standard uninstall or may be removed during deeper cleanup. Do not assume every local preference will return after reinstalling.
- Console saved data: Deleting the game from Games and Apps is not the same operation as deleting saved data or resetting the console.
VALORANT supports cross-progression and cross-inventory across its supported platforms, but that benefit depends on using the correct Riot Account and maintaining any required platform links. Uninstalling does not reverse purchases.
Choose the cleanup level for your goal
If you only need storage, remove the game and leave shared launcher files alone. On PC, remove Vanguard too when VALORANT is the only Riot title you use, but keep Riot Client if League of Legends or another Riot game remains installed. On console, the game-management screen shows whether additional installed content is present; remove only the VALORANT items you recognize.
A broken installation calls for a fuller cycle: close the launcher, uninstall Vanguard and VALORANT, restart the computer, then install again from Riot’s official download route. On PS5 or Xbox Series X|S, delete the game, restart the console, check system updates, and reinstall from the platform library. Repeatedly deleting random folders does not repair a damaged installation and can remove files shared with another Riot game.
For privacy before selling hardware, uninstalling is not enough. Sign out of Riot Client, remove your console profile, and use the platform’s appropriate reset process after backing up anything you need. Do not factory-reset a device just to remove one game. On PS5, Restore Default Settings does not erase user or game data, whereas a full console reset does; choose the option that matches your sale and privacy needs.
What should I do if the PC uninstall button does nothing?
Most failed Windows removals are caused by the Riot Client or a running game process holding files open. Work through the following sequence before attempting any manual cleanup.
- Exit VALORANT.
- Quit Riot Client from the notification area.
- Use Task Manager only to close a clearly identified Riot or VALORANT process that is blocking the operation.
- Retry Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
- Uninstall Riot Vanguard and VALORANT as separate entries.
- Restart Windows even if one removal appeared to succeed.
- Return to Installed apps and check both names again.
If the entry remains or the installer reports an error, use Riot’s official support route or repair tool. Avoid registry cleaners, deleting arbitrary items from C:Program Files or AppData, and unverified Vanguard service commands; those steps can damage another Riot installation or unrelated Windows components.
What if Riot Vanguard remains after VALORANT is gone?
That is possible because Vanguard is a separate Windows program. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps, search for Riot Vanguard, select its menu, and choose Uninstall. Restart and check the list again.
If the normal entry cannot be removed, do not guess at command-line service procedures. Riot can change those commands, and an incorrect command may affect unrelated services. Retry after a restart and contact Riot Support for a current resolution.
What if I am uninstalling to fix a broken installation?
A clean reinstall is more useful than deleting one shortcut. On PC, close the launcher, remove Vanguard and VALORANT, restart Windows, then reinstall through Riot’s official VALORANT download route. If the problem continues, use Riot’s repair tooling or support rather than repeatedly deleting random folders.
On PS5 or Xbox Series X|S, delete the game, restart the console, check for system updates, and reinstall it from the platform library. Sony recommends deleting and reinstalling a game as part of troubleshooting certain PS5 content errors; see its PS5 content-error guidance.
Does uninstalling cancel subscriptions or request a refund?
No. Removing VALORANT does not itself request a refund or cancel a subscription. Handle purchase disputes through the relevant Riot, Microsoft, or Sony support process, and manage any Xbox or PlayStation subscription separately.
VALORANT is free to play on console, and PlayStation states that PlayStation Plus is not required for online play. Removing the game therefore does not create a subscription cancellation to confirm, but it also does not terminate any other subscription you may have.
Can I reinstall VALORANT later?
Yes, deleting the local installation is reversible when you still have access to the relevant platform account and the game remains supported in your region. On PS5, Sony says deleted games can be downloaded again from the game library. Riot lists PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5 as supported platforms, while warning that console availability can change.
Reinstalling does not require a new Riot Account. Sign in with the account that owns your progression and inventory; using a different account can make your purchases and agents appear to be missing even though the original account is intact.
Why is VALORANT still visible after I delete it?
A shortcut, store listing, or library entry is not proof that the game files remain installed. Console libraries commonly retain titles so they can be downloaded again, and Windows may show a stale entry until you restart or refresh Installed apps.
Check the platform’s installed-games or storage screen, not only the library. On PC, verify both VALORANT and Riot Vanguard in Installed apps; on PS5, check Settings > Storage > Console Storage > Games and Apps; on Xbox, check My games & apps > See all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to uninstall Riot Vanguard separately?
On Windows, yes, if you want the PC anti-cheat component removed. Riot Vanguard and VALORANT appear as separate installed programs. Xbox Series X|S and PS5 do not have a separate Vanguard desktop application.
Does uninstalling VALORANT delete my skins, VALORANT Points, agents, or rank?
Normally no. These are tied to your Riot Account and should return when you sign in with the same account. Uninstalling does not reverse purchases, although local settings and caches may not return.
Can I reinstall VALORANT later?
Yes, while your platform, region, and account still support it. PS5 users can download a deleted game again from the game library; Xbox users can use the library or Store, and PC users can use Riot’s official download route.
Can I uninstall VALORANT from PS4 or Xbox One?
No VALORANT installation exists for those generations. The supported console versions are PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.
Does uninstalling cancel PlayStation Plus, Xbox subscriptions, or request a refund?
No. Uninstalling only removes local game files. Manage subscriptions and refund requests separately through Sony, Microsoft, or Riot, as applicable. PlayStation says PlayStation Plus is not required for VALORANT online play.
Why is Riot Vanguard still installed after I removed VALORANT?
Vanguard is a separate Windows entry. Restart, open Installed apps, and uninstall Riot Vanguard directly. If that fails, contact Riot Support rather than using unverified service commands.
Should I remove Riot Client too?
Usually not. Riot Client may be shared by other Riot games. Remove it only when you no longer use any Riot title and understand that it can affect access to those games.
Does deleting VALORANT delete saved data?
Deleting the game from PS5 Games and Apps or from Xbox storage removes the installation, not a full console reset. Local PC settings, logs, and caches can behave differently, so do not assume every preference survives a deep cleanup.
Will uninstalling VALORANT sign me out of every device?
No. Removing the local installation does not change your Riot Account session or sign-in credentials on another device. For a shared or sold computer, sign out of Riot Client separately and remove the Windows user account if appropriate.
What happens if I reinstall with a different Riot Account?
The newly signed-in account can have a different inventory, agents, and progression. If your content appears missing after reinstalling, sign out and use the original Riot Account rather than creating another one.
Can I keep VALORANT installed but stop it from using disk space on an external drive?
The uninstall procedures remove the local installation; they do not provide a built-in archive mode. If you need the game later, uninstall it and download it again from the supported platform instead of moving unidentified Riot folders manually.
Does deleting VALORANT remove screenshots or video clips I captured?
Game deletion targets the installation, not media stored in your console capture gallery or Windows folders. Review and back up recordings separately before a broader device reset.
Will a library icon use the same storage as the installed game?
No. A library or store entry can remain after the installed files are deleted and normally consumes little or no game storage. Confirm the actual space used in the platform’s storage-management screen.
How do I remove VALORANT before selling my PC or console?
On PC, uninstall VALORANT and Vanguard, sign out of Riot Client, and remove the appropriate Windows account. On a console, remove your profile and use the platform’s full data-reset process when required for resale. Do not confuse uninstalling one game with securely wiping the device.
The Bottom Line
On Windows, close Riot Client and uninstall Riot Vanguard and VALORANT separately, then restart. On Xbox Series X|S or PS5, remove the installed game through the platform’s game-management menu. The files will be gone, but your Riot Account and account-linked purchases remain available when you sign in again.