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Yes—Epic Games says uninstalling the Epic Games Launcher removes games installed on that computer. Your purchases and claimed games should remain in the library of the same Epic account, but you may need to download them again. Cloud-saved progress can usually be restored; local saves may be deleted unless you back them up first.
What gets deleted?
| Item | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Installed game files | Epic says uninstalling the launcher removes games installed on the computer. |
| Epic account library | Purchases and claimed games remain associated with the Epic account you used. |
| Save progress | It depends on Epic Cloud Saves, synchronization, and where the game stores its saves. |
That distinction matters: uninstalling the launcher removes local software, not the Epic account itself. After reinstalling, sign in to the same account and check Library. Epic’s support documentation says the games may need to be downloaded again.
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Uninstalling one game is different
If you only want to free space, do not uninstall the entire launcher. In Epic Games Launcher, open Library, click the three-dot menu beside the game, choose Uninstall, and confirm. This removes that game’s local installation. Epic documents this process here.
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Uninstalling the launcher is broader because Epic says it removes all installed games on the computer.
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Will your saves survive?
Games with Epic Cloud Saves
If the game supports Epic Cloud Saves and the latest progress synchronized successfully, Epic says the progress should remain available after reinstalling the launcher and game. Cloud Saves are not universal, however, and a supported game can still have unsynchronized offline progress or a conflict between local and cloud files.
To check the launcher setting, open Epic Games Launcher, click your profile icon, choose Settings, and confirm Enable Cloud Saves is checked. Open each important game, save normally, exit it, and wait for synchronization to finish before uninstalling. Epic warns that choosing an older file during a Cloud Save conflict can cause unrecoverable progress loss.
Games without Cloud Saves
Epic warns that uninstalling can remove files in the game’s installation directory, potentially including local save data. Save locations vary: a game may use its installation folder, Documents, AppData, a separate publisher launcher, or an online account. Do not assume that every save is in the same place—or that a save stored elsewhere is automatically protected.
Before uninstalling, check the game’s official support documentation for its save location and copy the relevant folders to another drive. Also back up configuration files, screenshots, and mods if they matter to you. Reinstalling a game can overwrite modified files and will not necessarily restore third-party launcher settings.
Back up before uninstalling
- Verify the email address of the Epic account that owns the games.
- Open important games and create a current save.
- In Profile icon → Settings, confirm Enable Cloud Saves is enabled.
- Exit the games normally and wait for synchronization to complete.
- Resolve any Cloud Save conflict only after checking which device has the newest progress.
- Back up save folders, mods, configuration files, and—if you want to avoid a redownload—the entire game folders.
- Use the launcher’s uninstall option instead of deleting game folders manually.
How to uninstall the launcher
Windows
- Click Start and search for Add or Remove Programs.
- Find Epic Games Launcher.
- Click Uninstall and follow the prompts.
Epic’s documented Windows procedure warns that installed games are removed as part of uninstalling the launcher.
Mac
- Close Epic Games Launcher.
- Open Activity Monitor and confirm that no Epic Games Launcher processes remain.
- Open Applications and move Epic Games Launcher to the Trash.
- For a complete reinstall, follow Epic’s instructions for remaining launcher-related folders.
Epic lists locations such as ~/Library/Application Support, ~/Library/Caches, ~/Library/Preferences, ~/Library/Logs, and ~/Library/Cookies. These are launcher-related locations, not a universal list of game-save folders. Removing them can also erase launcher settings and cached data. See Epic’s Windows and Mac reinstall guidance.
What happens after reinstalling?
- Download and install the latest Epic Games Launcher from the Epic Games Store.
- Sign in to the same Epic account.
- Open Library and select a game to install it again.
- Launch the game and allow Cloud Saves to synchronize, if supported.
- Restore a manual save backup only when you know it is current and the game requires it.
As of August 18, 2026, Epic’s support documentation says the launcher does not currently detect previously installed game files automatically after the launcher is removed or Windows is reinstalled. Reconnecting a drive containing old folders therefore may not be enough to make the games playable.
Can you avoid downloading everything again?
Epic provides an official game-migration procedure for moving an installed game to another directory. It is not a guaranteed preservation method for uninstalling the launcher, so keep a complete backup.
- Back up the entire game folder.
- Uninstall the game through Epic Games Launcher.
- Start installing it in the desired location.
- Cancel the download at approximately 2–3%.
- Copy the backed-up game folder into the new installation directory.
- Resume the installation so Epic can verify the files.
Follow Epic’s official migration instructions for the current interface and details.
If games or saves appear missing
- Check that you signed in to the correct Epic account.
- Open Library and search for the game.
- Check whether the game supports Epic Cloud Saves.
- Look for a Cloud Save conflict and identify the newer file before choosing.
- Restore your manual save backup.
- Check any required EA, Ubisoft, Rockstar, or other publisher account and launcher.
- Contact Epic Support or the game’s publisher if the problem is game-specific.
If you manually deleted a game folder, Epic may still show the title as installed because its records no longer match the files. Restart the launcher, then use the game’s three-dot menu and choose Uninstall if available. Avoid casually deleting manifest or launcher metadata folders; they help identify installation locations. Epic recommends using the built-in uninstall process rather than manually removing files, as explained in its troubleshooting guidance.
Important exceptions
A game’s Epic library entry does not guarantee that every local file will return. Mods, screenshots, settings, publisher-launcher configuration, and local profiles may need separate backups. Online inventories and achievements may be stored on a game or publisher’s servers, while offline progress may remain only on the computer.
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