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If you suspect a used PC is hardware-banned in VALORANT, stop signing in on it—including with a new or borrowed Riot account—and ask Riot Player Support to review the restriction. Riot warns that another account used on hardware with an active HWID ban may also be restricted on that device and receive a ban for a set period. Keep your purchase records and contact the seller separately if the PC was misrepresented.
First, identify what the message actually says
An HWID ban is associated with a computer’s physical components, rather than just one Riot account. A Vanguard restriction can instead mean the system must meet a configuration requirement. Don’t assume every Vanguard error means the PC inherited a ban: use the exact wording of the notice to identify what Riot is asking you to address.
Riot’s Understanding Hardware ID (HWID) Bans page explains the hardware-ban issue. For configuration requirements, see Vanguard Restrictions.
What to do if you suspect an HWID ban
- Stop testing accounts on the PC. Don’t create or sign in to another account, or use a friend’s account, to check whether the restriction applies. Riot says an account used on hardware with an HWID ban may also be restricted on that device and receive a ban for a set period.
- Save the notice and its timing. Record the exact error or penalty message and when it appeared. This gives Player Support details to assess your specific case.
- Ask Riot Player Support to re-evaluate the HWID ban. Submit a support request explaining that you bought the PC used and asking for a review. Riot says its review may lift or extend the ban; neither outcome is guaranteed. Its Community Pact also says penalties believed to be issued in error can be appealed through Player Support for manual review.
- Keep your transaction evidence. Save the listing, receipt, seller messages, and any other records describing the PC or its condition.
- Contact the seller separately. Ask about a return or other remedy if the computer was not as represented. Your options depend on the seller’s terms and applicable local rules; Riot’s support process does not determine your rights in the purchase.
Why reinstalling the game or switching accounts won’t fix it
Riot says reinstalling VALORANT or deleting the account responsible for a hardware ban will not remove that hardware restriction. Trying another account is also unsafe: Riot warns that an account used on banned hardware can face consequences. Don’t use account changes, reinstalls, spoofers, or third-party ban-evasion tools as a workaround.
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If the notice is a Vanguard configuration restriction
Follow the specific instructions in the restriction notice rather than treating it as proof of an HWID ban. Vanguard may require system settings to meet its requirements. Riot cautions that BIOS settings differ and that an incorrect change can cause problems, including preventing the PC from booting. If you are unfamiliar with BIOS navigation, consult the PC or motherboard maker’s guidance or seek help from a qualified professional before changing settings.
What you can—and cannot—confirm yourself
Riot’s reviewed guidance does not provide a public self-service check for whether a particular second-hand PC was banned by its previous owner. A clean Windows install, a new account, replacing a component, or a third-party checker is not an established way to confirm or remove an HWID restriction. For a case-specific answer, contact Riot Player Support.
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