There’s nothing more frustrating than rounding up your friend group for a casual LoL night, only to hit a wall when you go to install the game: you don’t have enough storage, and the download is taking way longer than you expected. I ran into this exact issue a few months ago when helping my 19-year-old cousin install LoL for the first time. She assumed it would take up 5 GB max, and her almost-full laptop C drive couldn’t handle the actual size. If you’re asking how big is the download for League of Legends before you hit that install button, you’re in the right place. We’re breaking down exact sizes across platforms, what makes the download bigger, and how to avoid common headaches.
How Big Is the Download for League of Legends Across All Platforms?
Riot Games updates LoL’s file size regularly with new champions, skin lines, and game mode updates, so the numbers you saw floating around 3 or 4 years ago are way out of date. As of the latest patch, the initial base download for PC (Windows) is roughly 3.6 GB through the Riot Client. That’s the size of the game files you’ll download after you install the small 100 MB Riot Client installer itself.
Once the download finishes and the game installs fully, you can expect it to take up 12 GB to 18 GB of total storage space on your hard drive. That range accounts for small differences between patch versions and temporary files the client keeps for quick updates. For Mac users, the size is almost identical, usually only 0.5 to 1 GB larger to account for macOS-specific file structures.
If you’re looking to play League of Legends: Wild Rift (the mobile version), the initial download size is roughly 1.8 GB for both Android and iOS, with a total installed size of 5 GB to 8 GB depending on your device and the optional content you choose to download. PBE (Public Beta Environment) players will see a much larger download, sitting at around 5 GB initial download and 20 GB+ installed size, thanks to unfinished test content and extra debug files.
One small win: if you already play other Riot games like Valorant or Teamfight Tactics on your PC, you won’t have to re-download the Riot Client itself, saving you a small amount of space and install time.
Factors That Make Your LoL Download Larger Than Expected
If you’ve seen friends complain about their LoL install taking up 25 GB or more, that’s not a glitch. There are a few common choices that can make your download and total install size way larger than the base numbers we listed above.
The biggest culprit is additional language packs. If you select multiple voiceover or text languages during installation, each pack adds between 1 GB and 2 GB to your total file size. I used to keep Japanese and Korean voice packs installed to play with different voice lines, and that added almost 3 GB to my total install without me realizing it for months.
Another big add-on is the optional high-resolution texture pack. This pack is designed for players with 4K monitors, and it adds sharper character and map textures. It also adds 3 GB to 4 GB to your total install size. If you play on a 1080p or lower monitor, you won’t notice any visual difference with this pack enabled, so there’s no reason to download it.
Other smaller factors include leftover update cache from old patches, custom skin files you may have added, and extra game modes like Arena or URF that get stored temporarily even when they’re not active. If you have both the live game and PBE installed, that will obviously double your total LoL-related storage use too.
Easy Tips to Reduce Your LoL Download Size and Speed Up Installation
You don’t have to delete half your files just to fit LoL on your laptop. These simple tips will help you cut down your download size and get in game faster, no technical skills required:
- Uninstall unused language packs from the Riot Client settings to free up 1-3 GB of space instantly
- Skip the high-resolution texture pack if you play on a 1080p or lower monitor, as you won’t notice a visual difference
- Pause other downloads or streaming services while installing LoL to avoid corrupted file errors that require re-downloading
- Clear old Riot Client update cache every 3 months to remove leftover files that take up unnecessary storage
- Install the game on an SSD instead of an HDD to cut install and loading times by up to 70%, even if the file size stays the same
One really important note here: avoid so-called “lightweight” or “compressed” LoL downloads from third-party sites. These versions claim to cut the download size in half, but they almost always come with malware, adware, or keyloggers that can steal your Riot account credentials. Always download LoL directly from the official Riot Client to keep your account and device safe.
I tested the cache clearing tip last month when my LoL install hit 21 GB, and I freed up almost 3 GB of space in less than 2 minutes. It’s a super quick fix that most players never think to do.
Common Download Size Issues and How to Fix Them
Even if you know the expected download size, you might run into a few snags during installation. These are the most common issues we hear about, with simple fixes you can try right away.
The first common issue is the client showing a download size way larger than the 3.6 GB base we listed. That almost always happens if you have old, leftover LoL files on your device from a previous install. The Riot Client will detect those files and try to merge them with the new download, which can add extra size and cause errors. To fix this, fully uninstall any old LoL or Riot Client files, and delete any leftover folders in your Program Files before starting the new install.
Another frequent issue is getting a “not enough storage” error even if you have 18 GB free. That’s because the Riot Client needs temporary storage space to unpack and install the download files. You should always leave at least 20 GB of free storage space before starting the install, to account for these temporary files. You can delete the temporary files later if you need the space back.
If your download is moving way slower than your usual internet speed, try switching your Riot Client download region to the server closest to your physical location. I did this a few months ago when my download was stuck at 2 MB/s, and switching to the local node bumped my speed up to 11 MB/s immediately. Never close the Riot Client mid-download, even if it looks like it’s frozen. Closing it can corrupt the download files, and you’ll have to start the whole process over from scratch.
Now you have a clear answer to how big is the download for League of Legends, plus all the tips you need to avoid common installation headaches. As long as you leave 20 GB of free space, skip unnecessary add-ons you don’t need, and download directly from the official Riot site, you’ll be in queuing up for your first game in no time. If you’re brand new to the game, be sure to check out our other beginner guides to pick the best first champion for your playstyle and avoid common mistakes new players make.