How to full uninstall valorant on pc without riot client

Why is Valorant so difficult to uninstall? The primary reason Valorant is difficult to uninstall is its anti-cheat software, Riot Vanguard. Unlike most games, Vanguard operates as a kernel-level driver that launches the moment you boot your computer. Because the driver is technically "in use" by the system at all times, Windows often blocks the uninstallation of the main game files, leading to errors or the "uninstall" button simply doing nothing.

To successfully remove the game, you must follow a specific sequence: you have to close Vanguard from your system tray first, then uninstall Vanguard itself as a separate program before you even touch the Valorant entry. If you try to uninstall the game while the anti-cheat is still active, the two programs essentially "protect" one another, causing the process to hang or fail.

Even after a successful uninstallation, the Riot Client often lingers, and hidden folders in your %localappdata% and C:\Riot Games directories may remain behind. For a truly clean sweep, users often have to manually delete these folders or use Command Prompt to force-delete the "vgc" and "vgk" services that Vanguard leaves behind in the system registry.