It takes 7 seconds to defuse the Spike in VALORANT. A defender must remain close to the planted device and hold the defuse control long enough to complete the entire progress bar.
The defuse can be interrupted at any time by releasing the control, moving away, or taking action that breaks the attempt. If a defender reaches the halfway point, the game saves that progress. A later attempt then begins from the halfway mark rather than starting from zero, so the remaining work takes 3.5 seconds.
This timing is easy to confuse with the Spike’s own countdown. After activation, the Spike detonates after 45 seconds, while a complete defuse takes 7 seconds. The familiar audio cues and visual indicators help players judge whether they have time to start or finish the defuse. Unlike some other tactical shooters, VALORANT does not use a separate defuse kit that cuts the time in half.