How to Update Valorant on a Different Drive: A Step-by-Step Guide

Regular updates mean Valorant’s disk space demands keep growing. For many gamers, there eventually comes a moment when the default drive—often a crowded C:—just can’t handle it anymore.

So what do you do if your goal is to update, patch, or keep Valorant current—but on a different drive? Here’s how you can move the game and ensure your updates go to the right place.

Why Move Valorant to a New Drive?

Moving your Valorant installation can offer several benefits:

• Prevent failed updates due to low space: A common cause of update issues is insufficient disk space on the original drive.
• Improve loading times (on an SSD): Moving the game to a Solid State Drive (SSD) can significantly reduce loading screens and in-game asset loading times.
• Organize games away from your OS: Keeping games on a separate drive from your operating system can help with system performance and organization.

However, Riot’s installer doesn’t make changing drives a one-click affair, especially after your first setup. The move often involves either using specialized migration tools or some careful manual file management.

The Simple Route: Move, Then Update

If you want future Valorant updates to install to a new drive, you first need to move the game there without reinstalling everything from scratch. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Completely Exit Riot Client and Valorant: Ensure both Valorant and the Riot Client are fully closed. Open your Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) and end any lingering Riot or Vanguard processes to prevent file conflicts during the move.
2. Move the Game Folders: Navigate to your current Valorant installation location, which is typically C:\Riot Games. From this directory, cut both the Valorant and Riot Client folders. Then, paste them into your desired new drive and location (for example, D:\Riot Games).
3. Tell the Riot Client About the New Location: Launch the Riot Client. When you attempt to start Valorant, it won’t find the game in its old location. Instead of clicking install right away, look for an option like “Already Installed?” or “Locate Game.” Use this option to point the client to the live folder inside your new Valorant directory (e.g., D:\Riot Games\VALORANT\live). The installer should then quickly verify existing files rather than re-downloading the entire game.
4. Finalize and Update: Once the client verifies the files, the “Install” option should change to “Play.” Launch Valorant, and you might see a quick file integrity check or a small patch. From this point forward, all future updates will be applied directly to the game on your new drive.

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Advanced Option: Edit Config Files (Manual Method)

For users comfortable with more technical adjustments, there’s also a method involving editing configuration files:

1. Move your Valorant folders to the new drive as described in step 2 above.
2. Navigate to %ProgramData%\Riot Games\.
3. Use Notepad or another text editor to open RiotClientInstalls.json. Update all file paths within this document to reflect the new location of your Valorant installation.
4. In the same %ProgramData%\Riot Games\ directory, go to Metadata/valorant.live and adjust the paths in valorant.live.product_settings.yaml.
5. Save both files, restart your PC, and then launch the Riot Client.

What If You Can’t Move Valorant?

If the moving process proves too confusing or encounters persistent errors, a reliable last-resort method is to simply uninstall Valorant completely and then reinstall it on your preferred drive.

During the reinstallation process, typically after running the installer, you’ll be prompted with an “Advanced Options” or “Installation Path” choice. Select this option to set your new desired installation path, ensuring all future updates go exactly where you want them.

Key Tips to Avoid Update Hassles

• Always back up your original folders before attempting to move them, just in case something goes wrong.
• Ensure the new drive has enough free space—a minimum of 30GB is recommended for smooth updates.
• Use administrator rights when prompted by Windows for permissions, as this often resolves access issues.
• If something goes wrong and you’re unable to resolve it, deleting and reinstalling Valorant on the target drive is your safest fallback option.

Updating Valorant smoothly on a new drive is possible—and, with a bit of patience, you’ll free up space, cut down on update errors, and keep your game library better organized. Most importantly, all new patches and updates will be delivered to your chosen location, keeping your Valorant experience running at its best.