How to Uninstall League of Legends (PC & Mac)

To uninstall League of Legends on Windows, exit League and Riot Client, open Installed apps, select League of Legends, and choose Uninstall. On a Mac, move League of Legends from Applications to Trash, then remove Riot's shared folder if you want a clean reinstall. Vanguard applies to the Windows version and is removed separately.

Last checked: August 17, 2026 · Windows, macOS, Riot Client, and Vanguard steps verified against current Riot Support guidance.

Before you uninstall League of Legends

Finish any active match, close the League client, then exit Riot Client from the system tray on Windows or the menu bar on macOS. Riot says the client must be closed before a Riot game can be uninstalled. A restart is the quickest fix if a background process refuses to release the files.

Uninstalling the game does not close or delete your Riot account. Champions, skins, ranked history, and purchases remain attached to the account. Local configuration and replays need more care:

Settings: a normal reinstall can preserve old configuration; deleting the Config folder resets it.
Replays: Riot's clean-uninstall guide notes that the Documents\League of Legends folder can contain replays, so copy anything you want to keep.
Screenshots: check the League installation and Documents folders before deleting leftovers.

How to uninstall League of Legends on Windows 11

Press Windows + I to open Settings.
Go to Apps → Installed apps.
Search for League of Legends.
Select the three-dot menu, choose Uninstall, and confirm.
Restart the PC once removal completes.

If all you wanted was more disk space, you can stop here. The later cleanup steps are for a corrupted installation or a full removal.

How to uninstall League of Legends on Windows 10

Open Start → Settings.
Choose Apps → Apps & features.
Select League of Legends.
Click Uninstall and follow the prompt.
Restart Windows.

Control Panel's Programs and Features screen is a valid fallback. Riot's current support page uses the Installed apps route because it works across supported Windows versions.

How to uninstall League of Legends on Mac

Quit League and Riot Client.
Open Finder, select Go → Applications, or press Command + Shift + G and enter /Applications/.
Drag League of Legends.app to Trash.
For a clean reinstall, open Macintosh HD/Users/Shared/Riot Games and move that Riot Games folder to Trash.
Empty Trash and restart the Mac.

Riot Vanguard does not use the same Windows installation path on macOS, so do not follow Windows service-removal commands on a Mac.

How to completely uninstall League on Windows

Use these steps after the normal uninstaller when you want a truly fresh installation. They clear Riot Client cache and local League files, so back up replays first.

Close every Riot program and complete the Windows uninstall.
In File Explorer, delete the old C:\Riot Games\League of Legends folder if it remains.
Delete C:\Riot Games\Riot Client only if no other Riot games remain.
Press Windows + R, enter %localappdata%, and remove the Riot Games cache folder if you are resetting the shared client.
Press Windows + R again, enter %programdata%, and remove the Riot Games folder for the same full reset.
Open Documents. Copy any replays you want to keep, then remove the League of Legends folder.
Check other drives if you used a custom installation location.
Empty the Recycle Bin and restart the PC.

You do not need to manually edit the Windows registry. Start with the operating-system uninstaller and the locations Riot documents; deleting unrelated Riot or system data can break other games.

Do you need to uninstall Riot Client or Vanguard?

What to keep after removing League
Component	Keep it when…	Remove it when…
Riot Client	Another Riot PC game remains installed.	League was your last Riot game and you want the shared launcher gone.
Riot Vanguard	You still play VALORANT, League, or another title that requires it on Windows.	No remaining Riot game needs it, or Riot Support asks you to reinstall it.

To remove Vanguard normally, exit all Riot software, open Installed apps, select Riot Vanguard, and uninstall it. Riot's current tray menu may also offer Advanced → Uninstall Vanguard. Restart and check that the tray icon is gone.

If the Vanguard uninstaller fails, use Riot's documented administrator commands, one line at a time, then restart:

sc delete vgc
sc delete vgk

After the restart, delete C:\Program Files\Riot Vanguard if it remains. Launching a Vanguard-dependent Riot game later will reinstall it.

What to do when League will not uninstall

The Riot Client is still running

Exit it from the notification area rather than only closing its window. On Windows, Task Manager can end a clearly named League or Riot Client process that will not close. Then reopen Installed apps.

League is missing from Installed apps

If files were manually moved or deleted first, Windows may have a broken uninstall entry. Restart, check the Riot Client for a detected installation, and let it repair before trying the uninstaller again. When the installation itself is unrecoverable, follow Riot's clean-uninstall folders and reinstall from a fresh installer.

Windows says files are in use

Restart and attempt the uninstall before launching Riot Client. This is safer than forcing deletion of locked files.

The issue is the client, not the installation

Try the fixes in our League client not opening guide before downloading the entire game again.

How to clean reinstall League of Legends

Restart after removing League and any intended leftover files.
Download the current installer from League's official download page.
On Windows, install to the default drive when practical. On macOS, drag League of Legends.app into Applications before opening it.
Let Riot Client finish patching and restart if Vanguard asks.
Sign in to the same Riot account. If a bad local setting caused the original issue, reset the Config folder instead of immediately restoring old local files.

Once the client is stable, our League settings guide can help rebuild your preferences without carrying over a broken configuration.

League uninstall FAQ

Does uninstalling League delete my account?

No. Game removal and Riot account deletion are separate. Your champions, skins, purchases, and account history remain online. If you actually want to close the account, use our separate League account deletion guide.

Will uninstalling League reset my settings?

Not always. Riot notes that old configuration can survive a reinstall. Deleting the League Config folder resets in-game and client settings, so do that only if you want a clean baseline.

Can I uninstall League from Riot Client?

The dependable method is the operating system: Installed apps on Windows or Applications on macOS. Close Riot Client before starting.

Why is Riot Client still installed?

It is a shared launcher, not part of League alone. Keep it for other Riot games; remove its folders only when no Riot games remain or when performing Riot's documented clean reset.

Does League still use Vanguard in 2026?

Yes, on Windows. Riot introduced an optional Vanguard On-Demand mode in June 2026 for sufficiently secured Windows 11 systems, but the game still requires Vanguard. That change affects when the driver runs, not whether the game needs the anti-cheat.

Official sources

Conclusion

Use the operating-system uninstaller first, then decide whether you need a simple removal or a troubleshooting-grade clean reinstall. Riot Client and Vanguard are shared components, so deleting them automatically can break other Riot games. Back up replays, remove only the documented folders, restart, and reinstall from Riot's official download when needed.

How to Uninstall League of Legends Completely (PC & Mac)