For many gamers, the constant battle for disk space and the desire for an organized system are familiar struggles. With games like Riot Games’ tactical shooter, Valorant, growing in size with each update, the question often arises: how can I move Valorant to a different drive without enduring a full reinstall?
The good news is that relocating Valorant is entirely possible, can be done safely, and ensures your precious in-game settings and progress remain intact. This guide outlines the most reliable, community-tested, and expert-backed methods to achieve just that, allowing you to optimize your gaming setup like a pro.
Why Move Valorant?
There are several compelling reasons to consider relocating your Valorant installation:
- Freeing Up Space: Valorant’s frequent updates and substantial patches can quickly consume valuable solid-state drive (SSD) space. Moving it to a larger or dedicated gaming drive can alleviate this pressure.
- Improved Load Times: If your current Valorant installation is on a slower hard disk drive (HDD), moving it to a faster SSD can significantly reduce game load times, getting you into the action quicker.
- System Organization: Consolidating your games onto a specific drive can contribute to a more organized and efficient system overall.
The Most Reliable Method: Cut and Paste
This method is widely regarded as the most straightforward and effective way to move Valorant.
1. Close Valorant and Riot Client Completely:
Before initiating any file transfers, it is absolutely crucial to ensure that both Valorant and the Riot Client are fully closed. This prevents any potential file corruption or errors during the move. Double-check your task manager to confirm no related processes are running in the background.
2. Locate the Installation Folder:
By default, Valorant typically installs to C:\Riot Games. If you’re unsure of your current installation path, you can easily verify it. Open the Riot Client, click on your profile icon (usually in the top right corner), navigate to “Settings,” and look for the Valorant install path listed there.
3. Move the Riot Games Folder:
- Navigate to your current Valorant installation location using File Explorer.
- Right-click on the entire Riot Games folder (which contains both the Valorant game files and the Riot Client itself) and select “Cut.”
- Now, navigate to your desired new location on a different drive (e.g., D:\Riot Games).
- Right-click in the new location and select “Paste.” This will transfer all the necessary files to the new directory.
4. Update the Riot Client:
- Once the transfer is complete, open the Riot Client. It might initially prompt you to locate Valorant or present an “Install” button as if the game isn’t found.
- Click the “Install” button, but do not proceed with the installation yet. Instead, look for a prompt or link that says “Already Installed?” or something similar. Click on this option.
- A new window will appear, allowing you to browse for the game’s location. Navigate to the new install directory (e.g., D:\Riot Games\VALORANT\live), select it, and confirm your choice.
5. Finalize the Move:
- The Riot Client may then prompt you to relaunch it and Valorant to ensure all configurations are updated and the game is running from the new location.
- After confirming successful operation, you can safely delete any leftover Riot Games folders from your old drive to fully reclaim the space.
Alternatives: Uninstall and Reinstall
If the manual cut-and-paste method seems daunting, or if you simply prefer a fresh start, a complete uninstall and reinstall is always an option. While slower due to the redownload time, it’s an effective way to get Valorant onto your desired drive, especially if you have a fast internet connection.
In Short
Moving Valorant to a new drive is a straightforward process primarily involving cutting and pasting the game’s installation folder, followed by a quick update to point the Riot Client to the new location.
This method effectively reclaims valuable disk space and optimizes your gaming setup without the need for a lengthy redownload. With these steps, gamers can effortlessly manage their installations and keep their Valorant experience running smoothly.
Would you like to learn more? Click the following link to learn how to download Valorant for Ubuntu or how much space the game requires.
Written by:
Christian