Knowing how to delete League of Legends correctly prevents abandoned folders, blocked uninstallers, and unnecessary downloads when you reinstall later. The standard process is simple, but Riot Client background services, Vanguard, the PBE, and shared Riot folders can complicate a full cleanup.
Players who installed more than one version should identify each build before starting. The League of Legends PBE installation guide explains how the Public Beta Environment differs from the live client, which matters when how to delete League of Legends includes removing both versions.
This guide explains how to delete League of Legends on Windows 11, Windows 10, and macOS without damaging unrelated Riot games. It also covers how to uninstall League of Legends, how to uninstall Riot Client, Vanguard removal, leftover folders, and the common complaint that League of Legends still on computer after deleted appears to be using storage.
How Do You Uninstall League of Legends on Windows 11 or 10?
The safest Windows method is Installed apps in Settings or Programs and Features in Control Panel. Do not begin by dragging the League folder into the Recycle Bin. That can leave shortcuts, uninstall records, shared files, and active services behind. The core of how to uninstall League of Legends is using the official uninstaller first and manual cleanup second.
Before continuing, decide whether you are removing only League or every Riot product. Riot Client and Riot Vanguard may still be needed by VALORANT or another Riot title.
Close League, Riot Client, and background processes
Windows may block how to uninstall League of Legends when Riot Client is minimized to the system tray. Close it completely before opening the app manager.
- Exit League of Legends.
- Open the hidden icons beside the Windows clock.
- Right-click the Riot Client icon and choose Exit.
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- End remaining verified Riot or League processes if they did not close normally.
Common process names include RiotClientServices, RiotClientUx, LeagueClient, and LeagueClientUx. Names can change, so confirm the publisher or file location before ending a process.
If the client relaunches or Windows says it is still running, restart the computer. After the restart, do not open Riot Client. Go directly to Settings and continue how to delete League of Legends from there.
Remove League through Settings or Control Panel
On Windows 11:
- Open Start > Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
- Search for League of Legends.
- Select the three-dot menu.
- Choose Uninstall and confirm.
On Windows 10, open Settings > Apps > Apps & features, select League of Legends, and choose Uninstall. Alternatively, open Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features, right-click the game, and select Uninstall. Microsoft supports both Settings and Control Panel for removing desktop software.
When players ask how do I uninstall League of Legends, this system-level route is the most consistent answer. The Riot Client should not be treated as the universal uninstall interface, even if a future version displays additional management controls.
If you are considering removal because ranked results feel inconsistent, review the problem before wiping the game. A complete League of Legends stats guide can help separate gameplay or matchmaking concerns from installation faults. That context may prevent an unnecessary reinstall when how to delete LoL is being used as a solution to the wrong problem.
How Do You Completely Remove League of Legends From Your PC?
A standard uninstall removes the main application. A complete cleanup checks the installation folder, local cache, logs, replays, and old shortcuts. However, how to delete League of Legends completely does not mean deleting every folder containing the word “Riot.” Shared folders may support other games.
Restart Windows after the normal uninstall. Then inspect only paths clearly associated with League of Legends.
Remove leftover League folders safely
The default installation commonly appears at:
C:\Riot Games\League of Legends
If that folder remains and you no longer need its screenshots, replays, logs, settings, or downloads, delete the League of Legends folder itself. Do not remove the entire C:\Riot Games directory when another Riot game remains installed.
You may also check these locations:
| Location | Possible content | Safe action |
| %localappdata% | Local cache and settings | Remove only League-specific remnants |
| %appdata% | User configuration | Delete only clearly identified League data |
| C:\ProgramData | Shared Riot installer data | Preserve it if other Riot games remain |
| Documents | Replays, logs, screenshots | Back up personal files before deletion |
| Desktop or Start menu | Broken shortcuts | Delete the shortcut manually |
Folder names and paths can vary by drive and installation date. When League of Legends still on computer after deleted appears in Windows Search, inspect the full path and size before removing anything.
This selective approach makes how to uninstall League of Legends safer. Once these checks are complete, how to delete League of Legends becomes a controlled cleanup instead of a broad system purge. It also avoids forcing another Riot game to redownload shared launcher or anti-cheat components.
Avoid unnecessary registry editing
Routine registry editing is not required. The original article suggested searching for Riot keys and deleting them, but that can damage shared configuration or Windows uninstall records.
Use this order instead:
- Run the normal uninstaller.
- Restart Windows.
- Delete the verified League installation folder.
- Remove only League-specific cache or personal data.
- Use a trusted uninstall troubleshooter when the Windows entry is broken.
- Contact Riot Support when the installation remains corrupted.
Riot’s current support guidance for stubborn removals also references a specialist uninstaller, but it should be a fallback. Review every detected file before deletion. Do not use a random registry cleaner because League of Legends still on computer after deleted appears in a search result. Small installer records or cache files do not mean the full game is still installed.
How Do You Uninstall Riot Client and Riot Vanguard?
League of Legends, Riot Client, and Riot Vanguard are separate components. Removing League may leave the launcher and anti-cheat installed, particularly when another Riot title uses them. Therefore, how to delete League of Legends does not automatically include deleting every Riot component.
Handle how to uninstall Riot Client only after the Riot games you no longer want are removed. Keep Vanguard when another supported Riot game still requires it.
Remove Riot Client after uninstalling Riot games
Confirm that League, the PBE, VALORANT, and any other unwanted Riot games are gone. Close Riot Client from the system tray and check Task Manager for active Riot processes.
If Riot Client appears in Settings > Apps > Installed apps, use the Windows uninstall command. If Windows reports that it is still running, restart the PC and try again before opening any Riot software.
The guide to fixing a Riot Client that keeps running covers tray behavior, startup settings, Task Manager, and restart steps. Use those checks before force-deleting folders when how to uninstall Riot Client is blocked by a hidden process.
After the uninstall, inspect C:\Riot Games\Riot Client only when every Riot title has been removed. Delete an abandoned launcher folder only if no Riot process is active and no remaining game depends on it.
The safest order is:
- Uninstall Riot games individually.
- Restart Windows.
- Exit Riot Client completely.
- Uninstall Riot Client if Windows lists it.
- Delete only its confirmed leftover folder.
Following this order keeps how to delete League of Legends from disrupting other games.
Remove or keep Riot Vanguard
Riot Vanguard is required for League of Legends on supported Windows systems. Riot states that League will not run without Vanguard, so uninstalling it means it must be restored before you play again.
To remove Vanguard:
- Close League and Riot Client.
- Exit Vanguard from the system tray when available.
- Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
- Select Riot Vanguard > Uninstall.
- Restart the computer.
Control Panel is another valid route. Riot’s current instructions use Add or Remove Programs for Vanguard removal.
Keep Vanguard when VALORANT or another installed Riot game needs it. When players ask how do I uninstall League of Legends, Vanguard removal is optional unless they are leaving all compatible Riot games or troubleshooting Vanguard itself.
How Do You Delete League of Legends on Mac or Remove the PBE?
The Mac and PBE processes differ from the standard Windows flow. macOS does not use Windows Installed apps or the same Vanguard setup, while the PBE can exist beside the live game. Anyone asking how do I uninstall League of Legends must account for the platform and the exact build installed.
Back up screenshots, replays, or custom settings first. Removing local files does not delete your Riot account, champions, skins, or server-side progress.
Uninstall League of Legends on macOS
For a basic Mac removal:
- Quit League of Legends and Riot Client.
- Open Finder > Applications.
- Drag League of Legends.app to the Trash.
- Empty the Trash after confirming the correct app was selected.
- Restart the Mac.
For a cleaner reinstall, use Finder > Go > Go to Folder and inspect ~/Library/Application Support/ and ~/Library/Preferences/. Remove only files clearly related to League or a Riot client you no longer use. Do not delete broad Library directories.
The official Riot Games website and player support portal should be your reference when menu names or reinstall instructions change. Current support is more reliable than old screenshots, especially for how to uninstall League of Legends after a launcher update.
Remove the League of Legends PBE separately
The PBE is a separate build. Uninstalling the live game may leave its directory, while deleting the PBE does not necessarily remove the standard client.
On Windows, check Installed apps for a PBE entry and inspect the Riot Games directory for a clearly labeled PBE folder. On macOS, check for a separate application or support directory. Delete only the build you no longer want.
When League of Legends still on computer after deleted seems to apply, check whether:
- The remaining folder is the PBE.
- A second installation exists on another drive.
- Windows still lists the live client or PBE.
- Riot processes are active.
- The folder is large enough to contain the full game.
Separate installations are a common reason players believe how to delete League of Legends failed. The live client may be gone while the PBE remains. On either platform, how to delete League of Legends should end by confirming which build and folder were actually removed.
Why Is League of Legends Still on My Computer After I Deleted It?
An icon, folder, or search result does not prove the full game remains installed. Windows may retain a shortcut, cache, log, replay, installer record, Riot Client, Vanguard, or PBE data. The first step in how to delete League of Legends leftovers is to check the path and actual disk usage.
A broken shortcut is different from a large game folder. Likewise, Riot Client and Vanguard may remain because another Riot title still uses them.
Identify what is actually left behind
| Symptom | Likely cause | Next step |
| Desktop icon remains | Old shortcut | Delete the shortcut |
| Small League folder remains | Logs, cache, or settings | Back up and remove League-specific files |
| Large League folder remains | Failed uninstall or another build | Restart and retry the uninstaller |
| Riot Client remains | Shared launcher | Remove other Riot games first |
| Vanguard remains | Shared anti-cheat | Keep it or uninstall separately |
| Windows still lists League | Broken uninstall record | Use a trusted troubleshooter |
When League of Legends still on computer after deleted is the concern, sort folders by size and inspect their full paths. Do not delete every search result automatically.
The phrase how to delete LoL may also refer to deleting an account. Uninstalling the game does not close your Riot account or erase purchases, match history, friends, or progress. Account deletion is a separate support process.
Fix “Riot Client is still running” and stuck errors
If Windows refuses to uninstall League:
- Exit League and Riot Client.
- Close Vanguard if you also intend to remove it.
- End verified Riot processes in Task Manager.
- Disable Riot Client temporarily in Startup apps.
- Restart Windows.
- Open Installed apps before launching Riot software.
- Run the League uninstaller again.
A community discussion about uninstalling Riot games repeatedly identifies the hidden tray application as the blocker. Community reports support the same practical lesson: fully exit Riot Client before using Windows Settings. Avoid force-deletion advice until normal uninstall and restart steps fail.
If the uninstall entry does nothing, reinstalling League to the same folder may restore the missing uninstaller. Then remove it normally. At this stage, how to uninstall League of Legends becomes a repair-and-remove process, so preserve screenshots and replays first.
Can ExitLag Help Before You Uninstall League of Legends?
ExitLag does not delete League, Riot Client, Vanguard, or local files. It is relevant when high ping, packet loss, route instability, or disconnections are the reason you are considering how to delete League of Legends.
If the game crashes, fails Vanguard checks, or cannot update, use Riot repair and support steps. If it runs correctly but matches suffer from unstable routing, ExitLag can help optimize supported network routes and may improve connection stability.
Test connection problems before deleting the game
Consider a network test when you experience:
- Ping spikes.
- Packet loss or brief online freezes.
- Match disconnections.
- Performance that changes by time of day.
- Stable FPS with inconsistent online response.
ExitLag can analyze available routes and direct supported traffic through optimized paths. Results depend on the ISP, region, destination server, and real cause. It cannot guarantee lower ping or repair corrupt files.
Players searching how do I uninstall League of Legends because of lag should first identify whether the issue comes from networking, PC performance, game files, or the client.
Know when a full uninstall is still appropriate
A full removal is reasonable when you need disk space, the installation is corrupted, you are moving the game to another drive, or Riot Support recommends a clean reinstall. It also makes sense when you are leaving every Riot game and no longer need Riot Client or Vanguard.
In those situations, use the operating system’s uninstaller, restart, and remove only verified leftovers. That sequence makes how to delete League of Legends safer than deleting folders at random.
Frequently Asked Questions
These answers summarize how to delete League of Legends and related components. They also clarify how to delete LoL without deleting the account. The safest order is to close Riot processes, use the operating system’s uninstaller, restart, and remove verified leftovers.
Use Installed apps or Control Panel, restart the PC, and delete the remaining League of Legends folder if it still exists. Then check League-specific cache, replays, logs, and shortcuts. Do not remove shared Riot folders while another game needs them.
Do not rely on the launcher alone. Exit Riot Client completely, then use Windows Settings > Apps > Installed apps or Control Panel > Programs and Features. This is the most consistent answer to how do I uninstall League of Legends.
Remove unwanted Riot games first, close the client from the system tray, and use Installed apps when it appears there. Delete a leftover launcher folder only after confirming that no remaining game depends on it. This is the safest process for how to uninstall Riot Client.
The item may be a shortcut, cache, log, replay, PBE installation, Riot Client, Vanguard, or failed game folder. Check its path and size. The phrase League of Legends still on computer after deleted usually describes leftovers rather than a complete active installation.
Only when you no longer use League or another Riot game that requires Vanguard, or when Riot Support recommends reinstalling it. League will not run on supported Windows systems without Vanguard.
No. Local removal does not delete your Riot account, champions, skins, match history, or server-side progress. Account deletion is a separate request.
Follow the standard uninstaller before touching folders, preserve shared Riot components when another game needs them, and avoid routine registry deletion. Restart the computer and confirm the reclaimed storage afterward. When network instability—not the installation—is pushing you toward how to delete League of Legends, test ExitLag first to see whether optimized routing can improve your matches before removing the game.
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