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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchThe clearest sign of a hardware ban is error VAN 152: Riot says it means the device has been restricted because of a hardware ID (HWID) ban. A VALORANT Game Ban is a separate penalty category, but if your notice shows another error—or does not clearly state the scope—Riot’s published guidance does not establish a reliable code-based test. Check the exact notice and ask Player Support to clarify.
What does VAN 152 mean?
Riot Games Support’s Error VAN 152 page, dated July 16, 2026, identifies VAN 152 as a device restriction caused by an HWID ban. Riot explains that an HWID ban restricts the computer’s physical hardware rather than only one Riot account.
That makes VAN 152 the clearest official device-level signal in Riot’s guidance. It is not an ordinary Vanguard installation or connection problem: Riot says reinstalling Vanguard or VALORANT, changing your connection, or restarting your PC will not remove the restriction.
How does a hardware ban differ from a Game Ban?
| Notice or category | What Riot says | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| VAN 152 | Riot says the device is restricted because of an HWID ban. (Riot Games Support, Error VAN 152) | The restriction is device-level, not just a penalty on the account currently signed in. |
| VALORANT Game Ban | Riot’s Penalties and Bans FAQ says you cannot play until the displayed date and time. It lists durations from 7 days to permanent for this category. | This is a game penalty, distinct from the HWID restriction described on the VAN 152 page. The duration range does not describe hardware-ban duration. |
| Another Vanguard, connection, or unclear error | Riot’s What is Vanguard? page explains that Vanguard has a client and a kernel-mode driver, but that fact does not identify a particular error as an HWID or account ban. | Do not infer the enforcement scope from a generic error. Use the exact notice and ask Riot Support if it is unclear. |
Riot’s published Game Ban FAQ describes the penalty and its displayed end time; it does not provide a complete code-by-code test proving that every other error is account-only. A notice that is not VAN 152 therefore should not be treated as proof that the restriction applies only to your account.
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What to do when you see a ban notice
- Record the exact message. Note the error code and wording shown in VALORANT or Riot’s client, along with any displayed end date and time.
- If it says VAN 152, treat it as an HWID restriction. Follow Riot’s VAN 152 guidance; ordinary reinstall, restart, or connection troubleshooting will not remove it.
- Do not test another account on the device. Riot warns that if a computer has an HWID ban, accounts used on it may also receive a temporary restriction because the system may treat the login as an attempt to get around the original ban. Its Understanding Hardware ID (HWID) Bans page advises against logging in with any account on a suspected device.
- Contact Riot Player Support for an uncertain notice or review. Submit a request from the affected account and include the exact message. Riot says players may request re-evaluation of an HWID ban; Support investigates and decides whether to lift or extend it, so a review does not guarantee removal.
Can you use the listed duration to predict when VAN 152 ends?
Do not rely on a general duration to predict your individual restriction. Riot’s separate VALORANT Error Codes page lists four months as typical for error 152, but that page says its information is currently out of date and warns that displayed errors can be incorrect. Use the date and time in your current notice, if one is shown, and ask Riot Support about your case.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why generic Vanguard errors do not prove a hardware ban
Vanguard is Riot’s anti-cheat system; Riot describes it as a client that runs while its games are active and a kernel-mode driver. A Vanguard or connection error can have causes other than an HWID restriction. Without VAN 152 or a clear statement in the notice, the error alone does not establish whether enforcement is tied to your account or your device.
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Avoid third-party “unban” utilities or hardware-change advice. Riot’s cited guidance points players toward Support for clarification or review, not those remedies.
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