How to uninstall ‌‌Elden Ring

Stubborn Elden Ring Files Clinging On? Slay Every Last Byte & Reclaim Your Throne (of Storage!)

Think you uninstalled Elden Ring only to find your precious SSD space still held hostage by the Lands Between? You’re not maidenless in this struggle. FromSoftware’s masterpiece, while brilliant, can leave a surprisingly persistent footprint on your PC. Even after uninstalling via Steam or your system, hidden configuration files, save data, and especially EasyAntiCheat (EAC) remnants often linger. Why does the Tarnished’s journey leave such deep scars on your drive?

The root of this digital blight stems from a few key sources:

1. EasyAntiCheat’s Deep Roots: Elden Ring relies heavily on EAC to combat foul play. This anti-cheat software embeds itself deeply into your system files and registry. The standard game uninstaller often fails to remove EAC completely, leaving behind services and files that consume resources and space.
2. Fragmented Save & Config Files: Your progress, settings, and keybinds aren’t stored neatly in the main game folder. They reside in AppData, Documents, and LocalAppData. Steam’s uninstaller typically ignores these user-specific locations.
3. Registry Entanglements: Elden Ring, and critically EAC, create numerous registry entries. Left behind, these can cause conflicts with future game installs (especially other EAC titles) or even minor system instability.
4. Mod Residue (If Used): If you ventured into modding (even simple ones like seamless co-op), leftover files and altered configurations can persist, potentially interfering with other games or a clean reinstall.

Manual Purge: A Tarnished’s Laborious Path (Proceed with Caution)

Having battled Elden Ring’s remnants off my own rigs after countless hours of testing and modding, here’s the hands-on, gritty removal process:

1. Standard Uninstall First: Always begin here.
   • Steam: Library > Right-click Elden Ring > Manage > Uninstall. Confirm.
2. The Deep File Hunt – Where Grace is Scarce:
   • Slay the Main Install Folder: Navigate to your Steam library (e.g., C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\). Delete the entire ELDEN RING folder if it remains.
   • Purge User Data Havens: (Use Win + R for these paths)
     • %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\EldenRing – CRITICAL: This holds your SAVES! Backup the entire folder first if you ever want to return! Then delete it.
     • %LOCALAPPDATA%\ELDEN RING (Usually C:\Users\[YourName]\AppData\Local\ELDEN RING) – Delete this folder (holds local config/cache).
     • %USERPROFILE%\Documents\ELDEN RING – Delete this folder (often holds screenshots, some config backups).
   • Confront EasyAntiCheat (EAC): This is vital. Navigate to:
     • C:\Program Files (x86)\EasyAntiCheat (or C:\Program Files\EasyAntiCheat on 64-bit). Look for an eldendring_launcher.exe or similar. Do NOT delete the entire EasyAntiCheat folder yet if you play other EAC games! Instead, run the EasyAntiCheat_Setup.exe as Administrator within that folder. Select “Elden Ring” from the list and click Uninstall. Only delete the entire EasyAntiCheat folder after uninstalling Elden Ring’s instance and if you have no other EAC games.
3. Registry Warning – Touch the Erdtree’s Roots at Your Peril:Win + R > regedit > BACKUP YOUR REGISTRY FIRST (File > Export)! Proceed with extreme caution:
   • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\EldenRing
   • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\EldenRing (and Wow6432Node on 64-bit)
   • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\EasyAntiCheat
   • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\EasyAntiCheat (and Wow6432Node)
   • Also check HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Bandai Namco Entertainment\ELDEN RING (or similar). Delete ONLY keys clearly identified as Elden Ring or its EAC. Mistakenly deleting other keys can break your system.
4. Reboot: Essential after registry edits or deep file deletion.

The Brutal Truth: I’ve walked this path. It’s tedious, risky, and incomplete. Weeks later, you might find lingering EAC services running, mysterious folders reappearing, or registry orphans causing hiccups with other games. Manually ensuring every trace of EAC is gone without harming other titles is near-impossible. This frustration is precisely why I turned to specialized tools.

My Chosen Remedy: PerfectUninstaller – The All-Knowing Finger Maiden of Clean Removal

After one too many botched manual cleanups left EAC ghosts haunting my system, PerfectUninstaller became my go-to for complex uninstalls like Elden Ring. Here’s why it delivers a true clean sweep:

1. Force Uninstall (When Grace is Lost): If the standard Steam uninstall fails or gets corrupted, PerfectUninstaller’s “Force Uninstall” mode can dismantle the core installation.
2. Standard Uninstall Initiation: Run PerfectUninstaller’s “Uninstall” function on Elden Ring. Let it trigger Steam’s uninstaller first.
3. Post-Uninstall Deep Scan – The True Crucible: This is where PerfectUninstaller shines. After the initial uninstall, it launches an aggressive deep scan specifically designed to hunt down leftovers that Steam and manual searches miss.
4. Hunts the Deepest Catacombs: The scan meticulously combs:
   • All standard file locations (Program Files, AppData, Documents).
   • Crucially targets EasyAntiCheat fragments associated only with Elden Ring.
   • Scours the Windows Registry for orphaned Elden Ring and EAC keys.
   • Flags potential mod leftovers.
5. Review & Divine Purification: PerfectUninstaller presents a clear list of detected leftovers. It prominently flags your save folder (AppData\Roaming\EldenRing), allowing you to exclude it if desired. Review the list (its accuracy against EAC is key), then click “Complete Uninstall.”
6. Guaranteed Cleanliness & Peace: This process takes minutes. It gives me absolute confidence that Elden Ring, its EAC hooks, and hidden detritus are fully excised, freeing up every precious gigabyte and eliminating potential conflicts. No more phantom services or registry errors.

Become Elden Lord of Your Storage Once More

Completely uninstalling Elden Ring requires more than dismissing it from your Steam library. Its reliance on EasyAntiCheat and scattering of save/config files deep within your system means standard removal leaves significant, space-wasting, and potentially conflict-causing remnants.

While manually attempting the purge is possible for the fearless Tarnished, it’s fraught with peril (registry risks) and inefficiency (lingering EAC). For a guaranteed, thorough, and safe removal of every trace of Elden Ring – especially the stubborn EasyAntiCheat integration and hidden files – a dedicated tool like PerfectUninstaller is the professional solution. It automates the deep scan and surgical removal I used to attempt manually, saving you time, stress, and ensuring your PC is truly cleansed of the Lands Between. Reclaim your storage throne and prepare your drive for the next great adventure.