How to uninstall The Riot Client

The Riot Client, the central hub for all your League of Legends, Valorant, and Legends of Runeterra adventures, can accumulate a hefty amount of storage space with multiple games installed. Whether you’re freeing up space for a new champion or simply decluttering your digital inventory, knowing how to uninstall games efficiently is key. This guide will equip you with the knowledge to remove any Riot game with ease, ensuring a smooth and streamlined experience.

Why Uninstall Games on the Riot Client?

There are several reasons why you might consider uninstalling a game from the Riot Client:

• Freeing Up Disk Space: Games, especially modern titles, can take up a significant amount of storage. Uninstalling a game you no longer play frees up valuable disk space for other programs or files.
• Improving Performance: By reducing the number of background processes associated with unused games, you can potentially improve your system’s overall performance.
• Decluttering Your Library: A clean and organized library makes it easier to find the games you actively play.

Before You Begin: Important Considerations

Before diving into the uninstall process, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Close the Riot Client: Ensure the Riot Client is completely closed before attempting to uninstall any games. Right-click on the icon in your system tray (usually near the clock) and select “Exit.”
• Check Background Processes: Use your Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) to verify that no Riot Client or game-related processes are still running. End any lingering tasks if necessary.
• Uninstall Order: It’s recommended to uninstall the games first, followed by the Riot Client itself (if that’s your ultimate goal).

Uninstalling Games from the Riot Client (Windows)

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to uninstall games from the Riot Client on Windows machines:

1. Open the Windows Settings: Click on the Start menu and navigate to “Settings.”
2. Access Apps & features: Search for “Apps & features” in the settings bar and click on it. This opens a list of all installed programs on your system.
3. Locate the Game: Scroll down the list of installed apps and locate the specific Riot game you want to uninstall (e.g., Valorant, League of Legends).
4. Initiate Uninstall: Click on the game and then select the “Uninstall” button.
5. Confirm Uninstallation: A confirmation window might appear. Click “Uninstall” again to proceed with the removal process.

Alternative Method: Right-click on the Start menu icon and select “Apps and features.” Follow steps 3-5 mentioned above.

Uninstalling Games from the Riot Client (Mac)

For Mac users, the process is slightly different:

1. Open Finder: Click on the Finder icon in your Dock.
2. Navigate to Applications: In the Finder window, navigate to the “Applications” folder.
3. Locate the Game Folder: Find the folder containing the game you want to uninstall (e.g., Valorant.app, League of Legends.app).
4. Drag to Trash: Drag the game folder to the Trash icon located on your Dock.
5. Empty Trash: Right-click on the Trash icon and select “Empty Trash” to permanently remove the game files.

Additional Notes:

• You might be prompted to enter your administrator password during the uninstallation process on both Windows and Mac.
• Uninstalling a game only removes the game files. Any saved games or configuration files might remain in separate folders. You may need to manually locate and delete these if desired.

Removing Leftover Files (Optional)

After uninstalling the game through the standard methods, there might be some residual files left behind. Here’s how to remove them (with caution):

Windows:

1. Open File Explorer: Launch File Explorer and navigate to your main drive (usually C:).
2. Search for “Riot Games”: In the search bar, type “Riot Games” and press Enter.
3. Locate Leftover Folders: You might find folders related to the uninstalled game within the Riot Games folder.
4. Delete with Caution: Only delete folders you’re confident are associated with the uninstalled game. Deleting essential Riot Client files could lead to malfunctions.

Mac:

By default, uninstalling applications on Mac should remove most associated files. However, you can check for leftovers in the following locations (use caution):

• Library Folder: Open Finder and navigate to “Go” in the menu bar. Hold down Option (⌥) and select “Library.” Look for folders or files related to the uninstalled game within Library folders like “Preferences” or “Application Support.”