The Riot Client is a necessary evil if you want to play games like Valorant, League of Legends, Teamfight Tactics or Legends of Runeterra. It‘s the launcher and storefront that lets you install, update and run all of Riot‘s desktop titles.
But what happens when you‘re ready to uninstall the Riot Client? Whether you need to free up storage space, fix technical issues, or just take a break from Riot‘s ecosystem, removing the client can be a bit tricky.
In this ultimate guide, we‘ll walk you through the entire uninstallation process for both Windows and macOS. We‘ll also share expert tips for tracking down leftover files, explain how to uninstall individual Riot games like LoR, and recommend some alternative titles to play next.
But first, let‘s take a closer look at what the Riot Client actually is and why you might want to get rid of it.
What is the Riot Client?
The Riot Client is a desktop application that serves as a hub for Riot Games‘ various titles. It‘s similar to other digital game launchers like Steam, Battle.net, or the Epic Games Store.
From the client, you can browse and install Riot‘s games, manage your Riot account and settings, read news and patch notes, and jump right into playing. The Riot Client currently supports the following games:
| Game Title | Genre | Release Date | Player Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| League of Legends | MOBA | 2009 | 180+ million |
| Valorant | Tactical FPS | 2020 | 14+ million |
| Legends of Runeterra | CCG | 2020 | N/A |
| Teamfight Tactics | Auto-battler | 2019 | 80+ million |
While the client provides a convenient all-in-one solution for Riot‘s catalog, it‘s not without issues. Many users report the Riot Client causing high CPU usage, crashes, freezes, login errors, and other technical problems.
The client also takes up a non-trivial amount of hard drive space, with the Riot Games folder often exceeding 10 GB or more. This is because the client installs each game separately and has its own supporting files as well.
Speaking of file size, here‘s a breakdown of how much space each major Riot game takes up:
| Game | Disk Space Required |
|---|---|
| League of Legends | 22 GB |
| Valorant | 20 GB |
| Legends of Runeterra | 8 GB |
| Teamfight Tactics | 8 GB |
As you can see, the games themselves aren‘t exactly small. When you factor in the size of the Riot Client on top of that, plus any other games you might have installed, your storage can fill up fast.
So if you‘re wanting to reclaim some precious gigabytes, or just don‘t see yourself playing LoR or Valorant anymore, uninstalling the client is a good solution. Here‘s how to do it.
How to Uninstall the Riot Client on Windows 10 & 11
The Riot Client doesn‘t have a typical uninstall executable, so removing it on Windows takes a few more steps than your average program. To completely uninstall the Riot Client from your Windows PC:
Close the Riot Client if it‘s currently running. Make sure it‘s not minimized to the system tray.
Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog. Type
%localappdata%and press Enter.In the File Explorer window that appears, open the Riot Games folder.
Find the "Riot Client" subfolder and delete it. If prompted, confirm you want to move it to the recycle bin.
Next, search for "Add or remove programs" in the Windows search bar and open the app.
Scroll through the list of installed programs until you find "Riot Client". Click it and select Uninstall.
If you have any Riot games still installed (VALORANT, Legends of Runeterra, etc.), uninstall those as well.
Once the uninstall processes complete, search for "Riot Client" in the Windows search bar.
If the Riot Client app appears, right-click it and select "Open file location". This will take you to its installation folder.
Delete the Riot Client shortcut and the entire "Riot Games" folder it‘s in.
Empty your Recycle Bin to permanently delete all the Riot folders and files.
Finally, press Windows key + R again and type
regeditto launch the Registry Editor.Navigate to
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall.Look for any entries with "Riot" or specific game names in them. If you find any, right-click and delete the entire key.
And with that, the Riot Client should be fully uninstalled! These steps will completely remove the client, all Riot games, and any associated files from your PC.
If you just want to uninstall certain Riot games, you can do so from the client itself before uninstalling it. Here‘s how:
- Open the Riot Client and log in
- Find the game you want to remove on the homepage
- Click the gear icon and select "Uninstall"
- Confirm the uninstall when prompted
This will remove that specific game while leaving the client and your other games intact. Repeat the process for each title you want to uninstall.
Uninstalling the Riot Client on macOS
The uninstall steps for the Riot Client on Mac are fairly similar to Windows, with a few key differences. Here‘s what to do:
Fully quit the Riot Client if it‘s running. Right-click the icon in your dock and choose "Quit."
Open Finder and go to the Applications folder.
Locate the "Riot Client" app and drag it to the Trash bin. You may need to enter your administrator password.
In Finder, click Go > Go to Folder in the menu bar.
Type
~/Libraryand press Enter.Find the "Riot Games" folder and move it to the Trash.
While still in Library, check the following folders for any Riot-related files:
- Application Support
- Caches
- Logs
- Preferences
If you find any, drag them to the Trash as well.
Empty the Trash to delete everything.
Finally, open System Preferences and go to Users & Groups.
Select your username on the left and click Login Items.
If "Riot Client" is in the list of apps, select it and click the "-" button to remove it.
That will completely uninstall the Riot Client from your Mac along with any leftover files or login items. Like on Windows, you can uninstall individual games through the client first if you don‘t want to remove everything.
Troubleshooting Common Uninstall Issues
While the steps above should cleanly uninstall the Riot Client for most users, there are a few potential hiccups that can occur.
One issue is the client leaving behind files or folders that you can‘t delete normally. This is usually because the client didn‘t shut down properly or a system process is still using the files.
If you encounter any stubborn folders, first try restarting your PC. Then follow these steps:
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager
- Click "More details" to expand the view
- Go to the Processes tab and look for anything related to Riot Games (RiotClientServices.exe, vgc, VALORANT, etc.)
- Select the process and click "End task"
- Repeat for any other Riot processes
- Try deleting the remaining folders again
If you still can‘t delete the folders, you may need to use a third-party uninstaller utility like Revo, IObit, or Geek Uninstaller. These programs can forcibly remove the Riot Client and all its files.
However, we generally don‘t recommend using these tools unless absolutely necessary. They can sometimes delete important system files or cause other programs to break. Stick to the manual steps if possible.
Another common problem is leftover registry entries for the Riot Client or games. While these won‘t take up much space or cause performance issues, it‘s a good idea to remove them for a clean uninstall.
You can do this with the Registry Editor as mentioned in the Windows steps. Just be very careful not to delete any other registry keys. If you‘re not comfortable editing the registry manually, a program like CCleaner can handle it for you.
Wrapping Up
The Riot Client may be a necessary part of playing games like League of Legends, Valorant or Legends of Runeterra. But it‘s not too difficult to uninstall when you know the right steps.
By removing the client installation folders, registry keys, and application shortcuts, you can reclaim multiple gigabytes of storage space. It‘s also a good troubleshooting step if you‘re experiencing bugs or technical issues with Riot‘s games.
Don‘t forget you can also uninstall individual titles through the Riot Client settings if you just want to remove certain games. This is handy for freeing up space without losing access to the client and all your games entirely.
Hopefully this in-depth guide has provided all the information you need to successfully uninstall the Riot Client. Let us know in the comments if you have any other tips or questions!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I just delete the Riot Games folder to uninstall the client?
While this will remove most of the client‘s files, we don‘t recommend it. The Riot Client has registry entries, shortcuts, and other supporting files spread throughout your system. It‘s better to follow the full uninstall steps to make sure everything gets deleted properly.
Will uninstalling the Riot Client delete my game progress?
No, uninstalling the client will not erase your account data or in-game progress. This information is stored on Riot‘s servers, not your local machine. As long as you remember your Riot ID and password, you can reinstall the games later and pick up where you left off.
Why can‘t I delete the VALORANT and Kernel folders?
The Riot Client uses a kernel-level anti-cheat system called Vanguard for VALORANT. This runs at a deeper level of your operating system than normal programs. As a result, the "VALORANT" and "Kernel" folders can be difficult to delete since Vanguard is always running in the background.
To remove these folders, you need to disable Vanguard first:
- Open the system tray on your taskbar
- Find the red Vanguard icon, right-click it and select "Exit Vanguard"
- Restart your PC
- Try deleting the folders again
If you still can‘t delete them, use the Task Manager method from the troubleshooting section to end any lingering Vanguard processes.
Is it safe to use CCleaner or other third-party uninstallers?
In general, we don‘t recommend using third-party tools to uninstall the Riot Client. Many of these programs have been caught bundling malware or bloatware, and they can sometimes break other applications on your system.
It‘s always best to uninstall the client manually using the official steps from Riot. Only use a third-party uninstaller as a last resort if you can‘t remove certain files or folders.
Will Riot ever let you play games without installing the client?
It‘s hard to say for sure, but it seems unlikely. The Riot Client is an integral part of the company‘s ecosystem at this point. It provides a convenient way for them to distribute and update their games.
That said, Riot does let you play some of their newer titles like Legends of Runeterra or Wild Rift on mobile without needing the desktop client. So there‘s a chance they could extend this to the PC versions in the future. We‘ll just have to wait and see.
