If you’re getting ready to dive into Summoner’s Rift for the first time, or coming back after a long break, one of the first questions you’ll probably ask is how much space is league of legends, especially if your PC or phone is already cluttered with other games and files. I’ve gone through the frustration of starting a download only to get a “not enough storage” error halfway through, so I put together this guide to break down exactly what you can expect across every platform, plus workarounds if you’re tight on space. We’ll also cover why the file size grows over time, what counts toward the total storage, and how to avoid common installation headaches that waste time and storage space.
How Much Space Is League of Legends Across All Supported Platforms?
First, let’s get the base numbers out of the way, as of the latest patch. For Windows PC, the base installation takes up roughly 22 GB of storage, but you’ll want to have at least 30 GB of free space to account for temporary installation files and post-launch patches. For Mac users, the size is almost identical, at 23 GB of base storage, with 30 GB of free space recommended. If you’re playing the mobile version, Wild Rift, the base download is only around 3 GB for iOS and Android, but that can jump to 8 GB once you download extra skins, voice packs, and game modes.
Keep in mind that these numbers also don’t include the Riot Client, which is required to run the game, and takes up an extra 2 GB of storage on its own. That means if you’re a first-time installer, you’ll need space for both the client and the game, so the 30 GB recommended free space is non-negotiable for most users. If you’re wondering how much space is League of Legends including all extra content, you can expect to set aside up to 35 GB on PC after a year of regular updates. These numbers don’t include replays, screenshots, or custom mod files you might add later, which can add another 1-10 GB depending on how much you save.
Why League of Legends File Size Grows Over Time
You might notice that a few months after installing, your LoL file size is way bigger than the base 22 GB you started with. That’s not a bug, it’s just how the game is updated. Riot releases a new patch every two weeks, and most of these patches add new content instead of overwriting old files completely. New champions, skin lines, game modes, and event content all add to the total file size over the course of a year. For example, the annual Worlds event usually adds 1-2 GB of extra content alone, including event-specific cosmetics, game modes, and promotional assets.
Old event content isn’t always removed immediately either, as Riot keeps it on file for future reruns or community use. Another hidden contributor to file size is the champion voice lines and interaction assets that are added with every new champion release. Each new champion comes with 100+ unique voice lines, plus interactions with existing champions, which add up to 100-200 MB per champion. With 2-3 new champions releasing every year, that’s an extra 500 MB of content added annually just for voice lines. If you have the automatic replay feature turned on, each ranked game you play saves a 10-20 MB replay file, which can add up fast if you play 10+ games a week.
Easy Tips to Reduce League of Legends Storage Usage
If you’re running low on storage and don’t want to uninstall LoL entirely, there are a few simple fixes you can try to free up space without breaking your game. I’ve tested all of these myself, and none of them will get you banned or cause performance issues as long as you follow the steps correctly. These small changes can cut down how much space is League of Legends takes up by 10-20% without affecting your gameplay experience at all.
- Delete old replays and screenshots from your game folder. Most players never go back to replays older than a month, and clearing these out can free up 1-5 GB of space instantly.
- Uninstall unused language and voice packs. The game automatically installs all regional voice packs by default, but if you only play in English, you can delete the other packs to save 2-3 GB of space.
- Run the Riot Client repair tool once a month. This tool removes corrupted or duplicate files that build up after multiple patches, which can free up another 1-2 GB of wasted space.
- Turn off automatic asset preloading in the game settings. This setting downloads upcoming event content before it’s released, which can take up extra space for content you might not even want to play.
One thing to avoid is deleting random files from your LoL installation folder manually, even if you think they’re unused. I made that mistake a few years ago and ended up having to redownload the entire game because I deleted a core asset file tied to a new champion. Stick to the official tools or the folders specifically labeled for replays and screenshots to avoid that headache. Also, you don’t need to keep the original installation file after you’ve installed the game, that's another 20+ GB you can delete if you still have it saved in your downloads folder.
What to Do If You Don’t Have Enough Storage for League of Legends
If you’ve tried all the storage reduction tips above and still don’t have enough space to install or update LoL, you have a few more options to consider, depending on your setup. First, if you’re playing on PC, you can install the game on an external SSD or HDD. External SSDs are cheap now, with 1 TB models costing less than $50, and they run LoL just as fast as internal drives if you use a USB 3.0 or higher port. I’ve used an external SSD for my LoL installation for the past two years, and I haven’t noticed any lag or performance issues at all.
If you don’t want to buy extra storage, you can also uninstall other games or files you don’t use regularly. I usually go through my game library every three months and uninstall any games I haven’t played in 60 days, which frees up 50-100 GB of space every time. For mobile players, you can offload unused apps instead of deleting them entirely, which keeps your app data saved but frees up storage space for Wild Rift files. Also, avoid downloading extra skin packs or voice packs you don’t need, as those are the biggest contributors to mobile file size bloat. If you’re on a laptop with limited internal storage, you can also change the default installation location for the Riot Client to an external drive during the installation process. Just make sure you select the correct drive when you first run the installer, because moving the installation folder after it’s already set up can cause launch errors that require a full reinstall. If you’re trying to update the game and get a storage error, try restarting your Riot Client first, as sometimes the client miscalculates the required storage space. That's a common bug I’ve run into a few times, so it’s worth trying before you start deleting files.
At the end of the day, the answer to how much space is league of legends depends on what platform you play on and how much extra content you choose to download. The base numbers are a good starting point, but always leave extra free space to avoid issues with patches and updates down the line. You don’t need a top-of-the-line PC or a brand new phone to play, just a little bit of planning to make sure you have enough room for all the champions and events you want to enjoy. If you run into any storage issues while installing, start with the simple tips we covered first before you spend money on extra storage, you’d be surprised how much space you can free up with just a few minutes of cleaning.