A Valorant HWID ban is a hardware-level ban: Riot flags the PC itself, and every Riot account that logs in on it hits error VAN 152 until the ban runs out. Riot's VAN 152 page, last updated July 16, 2026, says no reinstall, restart or network change removes it. Expect four months for a standard ban, and longer after repeat or severe violations.
Valorant HWID bans aren't permanent by default, a fresh account makes things worse, and reinstalling Windows changes nothing Riot checks. What's left is a re-evaluation request to Riot, or software that changes what your PC reports.
What Is a Valorant HWID Ban?
A Valorant HWID ban is a penalty on the machine rather than the login. Riot Vanguard, the anti-cheat Valorant runs on, matches the PC's hardware identifiers against the ban, so switching to another Riot account on the same computer changes nothing. Riot Games' own support article on HWID bans calls it "a drastic step we take against players who've consistently chosen not to adhere to our Community Pact or to abide by our terms of service."
The ban also reaches past Valorant. Riot aims it at the person, not a single game. For as long as it runs, Riot doesn't want that player on "any account on a Riot platform or game," which covers League of Legends and Teamfight Tactics too. HWID bans in League of Legends follow the same rules, and for the wider picture beyond Riot, see how hardware ID bans work across other anti-cheats.
How Long Does a Valorant HWID Ban Last?
Four months is the standard length of a Valorant HWID ban. It runs longer for repeat offenses and severe violations, and bans handed out for "a verifiable threat of harm against a player or Rioter" are ones Riot refuses to consider lifting. Riot's HWID article, last updated May 31, 2026, gives no fixed length and says the ban can be re-applied if the behavior returns.
That missing number is why guides disagree. You'll see 90 days, 120 days and a one-year wait before appeals quoted as rules. None of them comes from Riot's current pages. The HWID article Riot maintains today sets no waiting period before you ask for a review.
Don't spend those months testing the ban. Each extra account you sign into on that PC picks up a ban of its own, and when Riot reviews an HWID ban it can decide to extend it instead of lifting it. Leave the machine off Riot's games until the four months are up.
Does Valorant Use HWID Bans?
Yes. Valorant uses HWID bans through Riot Vanguard, the kernel-level anti-cheat that has shipped with the game since its 2020 launch, and Riot's HWID article lists three routes to one:
- Abusive chat or deliberate feeding, carried on across many permabanned accounts
- A verifiable threat of harm aimed at other players or at Rioters
- Getting flagged for third-party tools such as scripts and cheats
Most bad behavior stops short of that. Riot's VALORANT Penalties and Bans FAQ, updated June 2, 2026, lists the account-level penalties that come first: XP denial, Rank Rating deductions, teamplay restrictions and game bans that last anywhere from 7 days to permanent. A hardware ban sits above all of those. For toxic players it arrives after the account bans stop working, while for cheating a single flag can be enough.
How to Tell If Your HWID Is Banned on Valorant
The clearest sign of a Valorant HWID ban is error VAN 152 on every login from the same PC, whichever Riot account you use. According to Riot, "any login attempt will result in a VAN 152 error code," and a second account signing in on that machine gets restricted, with a ban "for a set period" to follow. Riot's VAN 152 support page is explicit that the code isn't an install or connection fault, so troubleshooting won't make it go away.
Don't confirm it by creating a fresh account. Some guides still suggest registering a new Riot ID to see what happens, but on a hardware-banned PC that account gets banned as well, and a string of banned alts is the last thing you want on record before asking Riot for a review. Our full breakdown of what error VAN 152 means covers how it differs from the Vanguard errors you can fix yourself.
Can You Play Valorant While HWID Banned?
You can't play Valorant on an HWID-banned PC until the ban ends: every account on it hits VAN 152, and Riot bans each extra account for a set period. A different PC doesn't fit Riot's rules either, because the ban is aimed at you as a player, on every Riot game, for as long as it lasts. The usual workarounds, and what each one does:
| What you try | Does it lift the ban? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A new Riot account on the same PC | No | Riot restricts it, then hands it a ban of its own |
| Reinstalling Valorant or Riot Vanguard | No | Riot's VAN 152 page rules out both |
| A factory reset or reinstalling Windows | No | The hardware identifiers behind the ban stay the same |
| A VPN | No | It changes your IP address, and this isn't an IP ban |
| Playing on a friend's or a second PC | Not within Riot's rules | The ban applies to you on any Riot game |
| A re-evaluation ticket | Sometimes | Riot calls a lift possible but never guaranteed |
| Replacing parts | Unclear | Riot doesn't publish which identifiers it uses |
| An HWID spoofer | No, it changes what the PC reports | Riot's ban record doesn't change, and using one breaks Riot's Terms of Service |
The VPN row is where IP bans and hardware bans get mixed up. Our look at whether Valorant bans IP addresses covers the difference.
How to Get a Valorant HWID Ban Lifted
A Valorant HWID ban comes off early only through a re-evaluation: a player support request that Riot investigates before deciding to lift or extend the ban. Riot calls a lift "possible (but never guaranteed)" and wants a separate ticket for each affected account. Threat-of-harm bans are excluded.
- Open Riot's ticket form and pick the request type for bans and penalties.
- Use Riot's own wording and request "a re-evaluation of the HWID ban," with the Riot ID of the affected account.
- Send one ticket per affected account so each gets its own review.
- Stick to facts: when VAN 152 first appeared, what happened before it, and anything that backs you up, like a receipt for a second-hand PC.
- Keep other accounts off that PC while the review runs.
If Riot lifts the ban early, it stops banning your accounts on sight, but any account already banned stays banned until the original HWID period runs out. Riot routes Valorant reviews through the same support system as its other games, and our Valorant ban appeal walkthrough has a ticket template you can adapt.
Bought a Used PC With a Valorant HWID Ban?
A Valorant HWID ban can come with second-hand hardware. If the PC or motherboard you bought belonged to someone Riot banned, VAN 152 can appear on your very first login, and Riot's rules treat your account like any other account on a banned PC, restricting it first and banning it for a set period after.
There's no public tool for checking a PC or part before you buy, because Riot doesn't offer one. The protection is practical. Buy from sellers that take returns, and if VAN 152 shows up in the first days, send the hardware back or file a re-evaluation ticket straight away with your receipt and the purchase date. Say plainly that you're the new owner. Riot promises nothing. But a dated receipt is the kind of evidence a review can use.
If you're sure a ban on your own account is a mistake, our guide to false Valorant bans goes through what to gather before you write in.
Playing Valorant Again on the Same PC
Getting back into Valorant on a hardware-banned PC while the ban still runs means changing what that PC reports to Riot Vanguard. New parts are one way, but with no public list of the identifiers Riot bans, buying hardware is a gamble. The other way is an HWID spoofer: software that alters the identifiers Vanguard reads, so the machine stops matching the one Riot banned. The mechanics of HWID spoofing are worth reading before you pick either.
Saturn is a Windows HWID spoofer, and Valorant falls under its Vanguard product. A single Vanguard license covers Valorant, League of Legends and Teamfight Tactics from one loader, with no Windows reinstall as part of setup. It spoofs the identifiers for the CPU, TPM, motherboard, RAM, drives, network adapter, GPU, USB devices and monitor. The Saturn Valorant HWID spoofer page shows the current Valorant status and plans. The Vanguard hub lists every Riot game on the same license, and the free 24-hour trial takes an email address instead of a card.
Weigh the trade before you go this way. A spoofer doesn't unban anything: Riot's record of the ban and the bans on your old accounts all stay. You also need a Riot account with no permanent ban of its own. Playing through an HWID ban is itself a Terms of Service breach. Riot counts any account played on a banned machine as an evasion attempt, so a spoofer that gets detected can cost you the account you're using.
Still getting flagged after a normal setup? Saturn's clean-install checklist for persistent bans takes you through a fresh start step by step.
Valorant HWID Ban FAQ
Is a Valorant HWID ban permanent?
A Valorant HWID ban isn't permanent by default: the standard one ends after four months. It gets longer for repeat or severe violations and can be re-applied if the old behavior returns. Threat-of-harm bans don't come off at all.
Does a factory reset remove a Valorant HWID ban?
No. A factory reset rebuilds Windows, and a Valorant HWID ban is tied to identifiers in the hardware that a reset leaves alone. Riot also rules out reinstalling Valorant or Vanguard as a fix.
Does a Valorant HWID ban block League of Legends too?
Yes. Riot applies an HWID ban to "any account on a Riot platform or game," which means League of Legends and Teamfight Tactics are blocked on that PC along with Valorant, all with the same VAN 152 error.
Is there a Valorant HWID ban checker?
No. Riot doesn't publish a Valorant HWID ban checker, and third-party "checkers" can't see Riot's records. The check that counts is error VAN 152 at login. For anything beyond that, ask Riot through a support ticket.
Can I play on a friend's PC during a Valorant HWID ban?
Not within Riot's rules. Riot aims an HWID ban at the player rather than the machine alone, so moving to someone else's computer during the ban still goes against its terms.
What happens to my accounts when the ban ends?
Accounts banned during the HWID period stay banned until that period is over, even if Riot lifts the hardware ban early after a review. Once the ban ends, Riot stops banning logins from that PC on sight, and any account that was permanently banned in its own right stays that way.
Does an HWID spoofer lift a Valorant HWID ban?
No. A spoofer only changes the hardware details Vanguard reads from your PC. Riot's ban record, and every account banned under it, stays where it was, and using a spoofer while banned breaks Riot's rules.