As an avid gamer and technology specialist, I‘ve helped countless users troubleshoot issues with gaming clients like Riot‘s. While the Riot Client makes playing League of Legends and other hit titles easy, sometimes you need to uninstall it from your system.
In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll share my insider knowledge to walk you through uninstalling the Riot Client in 3 foolproof steps.
Why Would You Want to Uninstall the Riot Client?
Before jumping in, let‘s briefly go over why you might need to remove the Riot Client in the first place.
Some common reasons include:
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Free up hard drive space: The Riot Client takes up storage space with its files, apps, and caches. Uninstalling can reclaim GBs on cramped drives.
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Resolve software conflicts: The client may clash with other apps and cause crashes or performance issues. Removing it often fixes compatibility problems.
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Troubleshoot problems: If you‘re experiencing bugs, glitches, or errors with Riot games, uninstalling the client can help identify the cause.
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Security concerns: While rare, some bugs could create security risks. Uninstalling eliminates potential vulnerabilities in the client‘s code.
However, there are some downsides to be aware of:
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You won‘t be able to play any Riot games without reinstalling the client first.
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You may lose settings, preferences, and account data. Make sure to backup anything important first!
Now let‘s dive into the step-by-step process for smoothly uninstalling the Riot Client.
Step 1: Navigate to the "Riot Games" Folder
Unlike traditional Windows applications, the Riot Client doesn‘t appear in your control panel or list of installed programs. Its files are buried inside Riot‘s dedicated directory.
Here‘s how to find it:
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Right click the Riot Client shortcut on your desktop and select "Open file location". This opens the parent folder.
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In the address bar of the newly opened window, copy and paste this file path:
This PC > Windows (C:) > Riot Games![File explorer window showing C:/Riot Games path][image]
Fig 1. – Pasting the Riot Games file path in File Explorer
- Hit ‘Enter‘ and you‘ll see the Riot Games folder populate. This central directory contains all of Riot‘s applications, runtimes, and dependencies. Now we can remove the necessary components.
With over 12 million peak concurrent users, Riot‘s titles remain some of the most played games globally [1]. The Riot Client serves as the key gateway to these hits, so many remnants will be left behind.
Step 2: Delete the "Riot Client" Folder
Inside the Riot Games directory, look for a folder simply called "Riot Client".
![Riot Games folder with Riot Client subfolder][image]
Fig 2. – Locating the Riot Client subfolder
This folder contains the bulk of the programs and files powering the client itself:
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RiotClientServices.exe – The underlying Windows service running the client.
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RiotClientCrashHandler.exe – The error reporting tool for sending crash logs.
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QuickLaunch plugins – Enables launching games quickly from the client.
To fully remove the Riot Client, we need to delete this folder:
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Right click the "Riot Client" folder and select "Delete" from the menu.
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A prompt will ask "Are you sure you want to move this folder to the Recycle Bin?" Click "Yes".
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The folder will be removed and placed in your Recycle Bin for later permanent deletion.
With the core client files gone, you‘ve already made significant progress. But a couple loose ends remain before we can call it uninstalled.
Step 3: Delete the "Riot Client" Shortcuts
Even with the "Riot Client" folder deleted, you‘ll notice the Riot Client icon still sits on your desktop. This is just a handy shortcut, but needs to be removed as well.
Here‘s how to delete the remaining Riot Client shortcuts:
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Use Windows search to find any instance of "Riot Client" on your system.
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When you see the desktop shortcut in the results, right click and select "Delete".
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Confirm again that you want to move the shortcut to the Recycle Bin.
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Lastly, open your Recycle Bin and permanently delete all of its contents. This completes the full uninstallation.
With the client folder and shortcuts removed, plus the Recycle Bin emptied, you‘ve successfully uninstalled the Riot Client.
Alternative Uninstall Methods
For advanced users, there are a couple alternate options beyond the standard steps:
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Use Powershell commands – You can automate deletion of the Riot Client folders/files using
Remove-Itemin Powershell. This is fastest but requires coding knowledge. -
Try third party uninstallers – Utilities like Revo Uninstaller and Geek Uninstaller scrape for leftover registry files and deeply clear out programs. However, this risks removing components for other Riot games.
Overall I recommend using the straightforward manual process outlined above unless you‘re an expert. Now let‘s cover some key takeaways and extra details.
Key Takeaways and Next Steps
Uninstalling the Riot Client takes a few more steps than a typical program, but following this guide makes it simple. Here are some key points to remember:
Uninstall Riot games separately – Be sure to remove any installed Riot titles like Valorant using the Windows Control Panel rather than deleting their folders.
Delete Riot Vanguard too – If you have Riot‘s Vanguard anti-cheat software, uninstall it separately after removing the client.
Reinstall via fresh download – When you‘re ready to play Riot games again, redownload the launcher directly from Riot rather than restore old folders.
Backup your data – Your match history, settings, and other data may be wiped. Preserve anything important beforehand.
Restart your PC – After uninstalling, restart your computer to fully clear out background processes.
Troubleshoot issues – If you have trouble deleting the Riot folder, close associated processes using Task Manager. You may also need admin rights.
And that wraps up this complete walkthrough for uninstalling the Riot Client! Let me know if you have any other questions. I‘m always happy to lend my technical expertise to fellow gamers.
