GTA V Won’t Fully Uninstall? Purge Los Santos From Your PC Completely!

Deleted Grand Theft Auto V only to find Rockstar’s footprint still hogging 100+ GB? You’re not alone. Despite uninstalling via Steam, Epic, or the Rockstar Launcher, hidden launcher files, Social Club dependencies, and scattered registry entries cling to your drive like digital grime. Here’s why GTA V resists a clean exit:

Why GTA V Leaves a Digital Crime Scene

1. The Rockstar Launcher/Social Club Ecosystem
   Uninstalling GTA V rarely removes its launcher backbone. Social Club services, cloud sync tools, and dependencies persist silently.
2. Fragmented Files & Mod Residue

• Saves/Configs: Nest in Documents\Rockstar Games\GTA V
• Cache/Logs: Lurk in AppData\Local\Rockstar Games
• Mods: Leftover scripts (e.g., ScriptHookV, LSPDFR) corrupt future installs.

1. Registry Entanglements
   Launcher paths, license keys, and Social Club entries embed deep in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Rockstar Games. Manual deletion risks system instability.

Manual Removal: A Dirty Job (Do This First)

From my own battles scrubbing GTA V off modded test rigs:

1. Standard Uninstall

• Steam/Epic: Library → Right-click GTA V → Uninstall.
• Rockstar Launcher: Settings → Games → Uninstall.
• Windows: Settings → Apps → Search “Grand Theft Auto V” → Uninstall.

1. Hunt Leftover Files
   ⚠️ Backup saves first! (Documents\Rockstar Games\GTA V\Profiles). Then delete:

• Game Folder:
  C:\Program Files\Rockstar Games\Grand Theft Auto V (or Steam/Epic install path).
• User Data:
  • %USERPROFILE%\Documents\Rockstar Games\GTA V
  • %LOCALAPPDATA%\Rockstar Games (delete GTA V folder)
  • %APPDATA%\Rockstar Games
• Mod Cleanup:
  Remove dinput8.dll, ScriptHookV.dll, and mods folder from game directory.

1. Registry Surgery (Advanced)
   Back up registry first! (regedit → File → Export). Delete:

• HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Rockstar Games\GTA V
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Rockstar Games\Grand Theft Auto V
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Rockstar Games

1. Reboot → Check disk space. Chances are, 5-15GB of Social Club bloat remains.

Why Manual Removal Fails: The Rockstar Launcher Problem

After uninstalling GTA V from 3 PCs last month, I still found:

• Social Club services running in Task Manager
• 8GB of logs in ProgramData\Rockstar Games
• Phantom registry keys breaking GTA IV installs.
  The core issue: The Rockstar Launcher treats GTA V as a “dependency,” not a standalone app. Manual cleanup misses linked processes.

PerfectUninstaller: My Go-To Solution for Total Eradication

When scrubbing GTA V manually feels like playing whack-a-mole, here’s how I use PerfectUninstaller for surgical removal:

1. Force Uninstall (If Stuck):
   Launch PerfectUninstaller → Select GTA V → “Force Uninstall” to dismantle corrupted installs.
2. Deep Scan for Digital Evidence:
   After standard uninstall, run “Uninstall” in PerfectUninstaller → Triggers an aggressive scan tracking:

• Rockstar Launcher leftovers
• Social Club dependencies
• Registry keys tied only to GTA V
• Mod fragments (e.g., ASI loaders)

1. Targeted Removal:
   PerfectUninstaller flags:

• Save files (lets you exclude them)
• Social Club services
• Registry orphans
  → Hit “Complete Uninstall” to purge all traces.

Result: 112GB reclaimed on my test SSD. Zero launcher conflicts when reinstalling later.

Reclaim Your Drive From Los Santos

GTA V’s deep integration with Rockstar’s ecosystem ensures standard uninstalls fail. Manual cleanup risks save loss or system damage, while leftover files waste space and break future installs.

PerfectUninstaller automates the dirty work: It hunts down launcher hooks, Social Club bloat, and registry ghosts that manual methods miss—safely and in minutes. Don’t let a digital Los Santos squat on your SSD. Remove every byte, and park your storage space elsewhere.

Pro Tip: Run PerfectUninstaller’s “Junk File Cleaner” afterward to sweep temporary launcher data.