Are you feeling overwhelmed by Valorant? Whether it’s the competitive pressure, the game’s addictiveness, or technical glitches that are getting to you, there comes a time when uninstalling Valorant seems like the best course of action.
Before diving into the uninstallation process, it’s important to understand why simply hitting ‘uninstall’ might not work as expected. Valorant’s integration with the Riot Vanguard anti-cheat system adds a layer of complexity to the process. This system, while crucial for maintaining fair play, can interfere with standard uninstallation procedures, leaving files behind or preventing the game from being removed entirely.
Players might face various errors such as VAN9001, VAN 128, VAN -102, and VAN -104. Additionally, the competitive scene’s stress and encountered toxicity can diminish the gaming experience.
The main hurdle in uninstalling Valorant is the Riot Vanguard system, designed to prevent cheating but also complicate the uninstallation process.
How To Uninstall Valorant?
Disabling Riot Vanguard
- Initiate the Process: Begin by disabling the Vanguard system. This can be done by right-clicking the Vanguard icon in the Windows system tray and selecting “Exit Vanguard.”
Removing Riot Vanguard
- Uninstall Vanguard: With Vanguard disabled, navigate to the Apps section in your Windows settings. Locate Riot Vanguard and select “Uninstall” to remove the anti-cheat service.
Uninstalling Valorant
- Remove the Game: Following the removal of Vanguard, you can now uninstall Valorant itself through the Apps section in Windows settings. Simply find Valorant in the list of installed applications and click “Uninstall.”
Cleaning Up Leftover Files
- Final Cleanup: After uninstallation, restart your PC and check for any leftover files in the Riot Games directory (C:\Riot Games). Deleting any remaining folders ensures a complete removal.
If the standard method fails, using Command Prompt to manually remove Vanguard and Valorant can be effective. This approach addresses issues like Windows app settings problems or corrupted game files.
After exiting Vanguard, use Command Prompt as an administrator to run specific commands for deleting Vanguard services. Restarting your PC and deleting the Riot Vanguard folder from C:\PROGRAM FILES\ finalizes the process.
