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What to Do If a Used PC Triggers a VALORANT Hardware Ban

A used PC showing VALORANT VAN 152 needs a Riot Support review—not account testing, reinstalls, or an unverified hardware replacement.
Length3 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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If VALORANT shows VAN 152 on a PC you bought used, stop trying to play on that computer and contact Riot Player Support to request a review of the hardware restriction. Riot identifies VAN 152 as an HWID ban; it does not show that you personally cheated or reveal which component caused the restriction. Reinstalling the game or Vanguard, restarting, or changing networks will not remove it.

First, confirm the exact error

Read the complete code and message before changing anything. Save a screenshot or note when it appeared so you can describe the issue clearly to Support; Riot does not specify this as a required form of evidence.

Error What Riot says it means Official next step Risk of continued login attempts
VAN 152 The device has been restricted because of a hardware ID (HWID) ban. Riot says this is not an installation or connection problem. Riot’s VAN 152 guidance Ask Riot Player Support to reevaluate the HWID restriction. Riot’s HWID ban guidance Riot warns that accounts used on suspected banned hardware can also be restricted or receive a time-based account ban for suspected circumvention.
VAN:Restriction The system configuration does not meet the security baseline Vanguard requires. Riot says this warning does not necessarily mean it suspects cheating. Riot’s Vanguard security update Follow the specific security-feature or firmware instructions shown in Vanguard, using the computer or motherboard manufacturer’s official guidance. The cited guidance describes a configuration issue, not an HWID-ban account-risk warning. Do not treat it as proof of an HWID ban.

I bought a used PC and got VAN 152—what should I do?

  1. Stop launching VALORANT or logging into other accounts on that PC. Riot says not to try logging in with any account if you suspect the computer has an HWID ban. Its warning includes friends’ and family members’ accounts.
  2. Contact Riot Player Support and request reevaluation. Explain factually that you bought the PC or component second-hand and give the details you have. Riot investigates and decides whether to lift or extend the restriction; a reversal is not guaranteed.
  3. Open separate tickets if more than one account is affected. Riot instructs affected players to submit separate tickets for each account.

Riot’s public guidance does not give used-PC buyers a special evidence checklist or say that a receipt or ownership history changes the review outcome. You can provide relevant information, but let Support determine what it needs.

Can a used motherboard or other PC part already be hardware banned?

Riot describes VAN 152 as a restriction on the device’s hardware ID, but its public guidance does not identify which individual component triggered a particular restriction. The code alone does not establish that the current owner cheated, nor does it prove that a motherboard, graphics card, or any other specific part is the cause.

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Will replacing the part remove a VALORANT HWID ban?

Riot does not identify a replaceable part or recommend hardware replacement as a way to clear VAN 152. The official route it describes is Support reevaluation. Avoid buying a component, a replacement PC, or a purported ban-removal tool on the assumption that it will remove the restriction.

Can I log in with a different account to check?

No. Riot warns that logging into a game on hardware suspected of an HWID ban can put the account used on that device at risk, including a time-based account ban for suspected circumvention. Do not test with an alternate account or someone else’s account.

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Is VAN:Restriction the same as VAN 152?

No. VAN 152 is Riot’s code for an HWID device restriction. VAN:Restriction is a separate warning about the system’s security configuration. Depending on the prompt, Riot says the fix may involve enabling specified security features or updating motherboard firmware; use the exact instructions in Vanguard and the manufacturer’s official firmware guidance. Configuration steps vary by system.

What will not fix VAN 152?

Riot says reinstalling Vanguard or VALORANT, changing the network connection, or restarting the PC will not remove an HWID restriction. Those steps address ordinary software or connectivity issues, not the device restriction described by VAN 152.

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How long does an HWID ban last?

Riot’s reviewed public guidance does not establish one universal duration for every HWID ban. Avoid relying on fixed-term claims based on anecdotes; ask Support about the restriction on your case.

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