Here is a guide on how to change VALORANT install location to a different drive without uninstalling the game.
If you’ve been playing VALORANT on an HDD or your PC specs are below the recommended PC specifications for VALORANT, map loading times may be slow. To improve loading speed, you can purchase an SSD or move the VALORANT installation folder to the new storage device.
Upgrading to a new drive is not the only reason to move the VALORANT installation folder. If you installed it on the wrong drive initially, you can always change it later.
The file size of VALORANT may be smaller than triple-A titles, but moving its installation folder to another drive should only take a few minutes due to modern writing and reading speeds.
How to change VALORANT install location
During the installation of VALORANT, the game will automatically select an install path. If you want to change the installation directory, follow these steps:
- Go to VALORANT’s website.
- Click on the “Download” button.
- Launch “Install Valorant.exe” and choose “Advanced Options.”
- Search for the directory where you want to install VALORANT and proceed with the installation process.
How to move VALORANT’s installation folder to another drive without reinstalling
If you need to move the VALORANT installation folder to a new drive, follow these steps:
- Right-click on VALORANT’s icon on your desktop and choose “Open File Location.”
- Click on “Riot Games” in the address bar.
- You will be redirected to a folder containing “Riot Client” and “VALORANT” folders.
- Right-click on the VALORANT folder and choose Cut.
- Navigate to your preferred installation drive and create a folder called “Riot Games.”
- Open this folder, right-click, and select Paste to move the VALORANT folder.
- Launch VALORANT through the Riot Client and select Play.
- An error may appear, and the Play button will change to “Install.”
- Choose Install and click on the folder icon next to the install path.
- Enter the file location used in steps five and six.
- After manually entering your new file location, the launcher will detect your game files, and the Install button should become a Play button again.
Having trouble moving VALORANT’s installation folder?
If you encounter errors or issues after moving the installation folder, it may be necessary to reinstall VALORANT.
This could be the best option if the game won’t start or you receive Riot Vanguard error messages preventing installation.
Hopefully, this guide has helped you change VALORANT install location without errors or the need for reinstallation.