The simplest way to close Riot Client

The Riot Client is the launcher that opens when you start League of Legends, Valorant, or other Riot games. To close it completely, look for the X button in the top-right corner of the window and click it. The entire launcher will shut down, along with any game running inside it.

If you cannot see the window — for example, if it is minimized to your system tray — right-click the Riot Client icon in the bottom-right corner of your screen (Windows) or the menu bar (Mac), then select "Quit" or "Close". On Windows, the icon often looks like the Riot logo or a small game controller.

The client will not reopen on its own unless you launch it again. Unlike some launchers, Riot Client does not run background processes after you close it, so closing the window is the same as fully shutting down the process.

Key Takeaways

  • Click the X button in the top-right corner of the Riot Client window to close it when ready.
  • If the window is minimized, right-click the Riot icon in your system tray or menu bar and select Quit.
  • Closing the client also closes any game running inside it, so save your progress before you close.
  • The Riot Client does not run in the background after you close it, so you do not need to force-quit it from Task Manager.

What happens to your game when you close the client

If you are in the middle of a ranked or unranked match when you close the Riot Client, the game ends when ready and you will be marked as having left the match. In League of Legends and Valorant, this counts as a loss and may trigger a penalty or suspension depending on how many times you have left recently.

If you are in the lobby waiting for a match to start, closing the client will remove you from the queue. You will not receive a penalty for this, but you will need to reopen the client and queue again if you want to play.

Always finish your match or back out through the normal menu before closing the client. If you need to stop playing urgently, use the in-game menu to surrender or forfeit rather than force-closing the window.

Closing the client without closing your game

You cannot close the Riot Client while a game is running — the two are linked. If you close the client window, your game closes with it. There is no way to keep the game open and close only the launcher.

If you want to minimize the client to get it out of the way, click the minimize button (the dash or line) in the top-left or top-right corner, depending on your operating system. The client will shrink to your taskbar or dock, and your game will continue running normally in the background.

Force-closing the Riot Client if it is frozen

If the Riot Client stops responding and the X button does not work, you can force it to close using your system's task manager. On Windows, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, find "Riot Client" or "RiotClientServices" in the list, click it, and then click "End Task". On Mac, press Command + Option + Esc to open Force Quit Applications, select Riot Client, and click "Force Quit".

Force-closing will end any game in progress, so use this only when the client is truly unresponsive. After you force-close, wait a few seconds before relaunching the client to make sure all background processes have stopped.

If the Riot Client freezes regularly, try restarting your computer or reinstalling the client. Freezing often means a corrupted file or a conflict with another program running at the same time.

Removing the Riot Client from your computer

If you want to uninstall the Riot Client entirely, close it first using the X button. Then open your system's control panel or settings menu. On Windows, go to Settings > Apps > Apps and Features, find "Riot Client" in the list, click it, and select "Uninstall". On Mac, open Applications, find Riot Client, and drag it to the Trash, then empty the Trash.

Uninstalling the client removes the launcher but not your game account or progress. When you reinstall the client later, you will log back in with the same account and all your games and cosmetics will still be there.

Why the Riot Client stays running after you close it

In some cases, you may close the Riot Client window but notice it is still using memory or showing in Task Manager. This usually means a background service did not shut down completely. This is rare, but if it happens, use Task Manager to end any remaining Riot process, then restart your computer.

Most of the time, closing the window is enough. The client is designed to stop all processes when you click the X button. If you see it still running after you close it, a restart will clear it out.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does closing Riot Client delete my account or progress?

No. Closing the client is just shutting down the launcher process. Your account, game progress, and cosmetics are stored on Riot's servers and will be there when you log back in.

Will closing the client stop a game from crashing?

Closing the client will stop a game that is already running, but it will not fix a crash that has already happened. If your game has crashed, restarting your computer and relaunching the client is usually the best next step.

Can I close the client while queued for a match?

Yes, but you will be removed from the queue. You will not receive a penalty for backing out of queue, but you will need to reopen the client and queue again if you want to play.

What if the close button does not work?

If clicking the X button does not close the window, the client may be frozen. Use Task Manager (Windows) or Force Quit Applications (Mac) to end the process, then restart your computer before launching the client again.