Can You Actually Get Hardware Banned in Valorant?
As a Valorant player and content creator, this is one of the most common questions I see asked across forums and social media. And the short answer is yes – Riot absolutely will hardware ban you from Valorant under the right circumstances.
I know hardware bans can feel oppressive, especially if you‘ve never experienced one in another game before. But given Valorant‘s extreme focus on competitive integrity, I can appreciate why Riot takes such a hard line here.
In this deep dive guide, I‘ll tell you everything you need to know about Valorant‘s hardware ban system:
| When Are Hardware Bans Issued? | How Long Do They Last? | Risk If You Try to Bypass? |
|---|---|---|
| Repeated Code of Conduct violations | 120 days normally, permanent for repeat offenders | Account bans, legal action, expanded bans |
Let‘s get into the details…
Behaviors That Can Get You Hardware Banned
Based on Riot‘s public statements, here are the key offenses that can land you a hardware ban in Valorant if repeated enough:
- Cheating – Using aimbots, wall hacks, scripts, exploit abuse
- Boosting – Boosting other players‘ ranks in exchange for payment
- Toxicity – Extreme verbal toxicity that persists after warnings
- AFKing – Serial AFKing and queue dodging
Most hardware bans seem to happen after multiple temporary account suspensions. For example, your account might get suspended 3 times for cheating over a 6 month period. The 4th offense then triggers the hardware ban.
I‘ll explain exactly what a hardware ban prevents and for how long next.
Hardware Bans Block Access for 120 Days Minimum
If Riot hardware bans you from Valorant, here is what happens:
- Your PC‘s unique hardware ID (its "fingerprint" so to speak) gets flagged
- Any new Valorant account created on that PC will be automatically banned
- This block applies for at least 120 days before you can appeal
So even if you buy or create new Valorant accounts, those accounts will be unable to play during your hardware ban period.
For nearly all first-time hardware ban offenses, the duration sits at 120 days. But for serial troublemakers, Riot reserves the right to escalate to permanent hardware bans. More on that next.
Repeat Offenders Get Perma-Banned
Based on player reports, if you‘ve been hardware banned before, any subsequent hardware ban will likely become permanent.
Riot has not publicly stated what number of hardware bans triggers a permanent ban. But players speculate it‘s within the range of 2-4 bans total.
I think of permabans as the point where Riot says "enough is enough, you‘ll no longer be welcome in our game." So if you‘ve received even one hardware ban, tread extremely carefully going forward and reform your ways!
Attempted Hardware Ban Bypasses Carry Big Risks
Because hardware bans can feel so restrictive, many players still attempt to bypass them through various technical means. The most common include:
- VPN: Masking your hardware ID by connecting through an alternate IP address
- HWID Spoofing: Modifying enough hardware to "trick" Valorant into thinking you have new PC components
- Factory Reset: Fully wiping your computer back to a clean OS install state
Can these methods work? Occasionally, yes. But Riot devs are constantly advancing the accuracy of hardware fingerprinting to detect ban evasion.
And here is the reality – if you get caught circumventing your ban, Riot can hit you with even harsher penalties:
- Permanent account bans across all current and future accounts
- Potential legal action in extreme cases
- Expanded hardware bans affecting other devices and accounts you own
In other words, while you may get away with bypassing your initial hardware ban briefly, the extended consequences make it an extremely risky move I cannot recommend.
There‘s simply too much on the line if your only option is to play Valorant anyway. Exercise some patience!
Let‘s Illustrate With Some Examples
To drive these points home, here are two fictional scenarios that demonstrate how hardware bans can escalate:
Jett‘s Story
Jett gets a 7 day temporary account suspension for verbally harassing teammates in voice chat. One week later, Jett is back at it and receives a 14 day suspension. After returning again, Jettuninstalls Valorant for good rather than reforming.
Phoenix‘s Story
Phoenix receives his first 120 day hardware ban for repeatedly toggling visual cheats like aimbots and wall hacks during matches. He sits out the 120 days before creating a new account. One month later, Phoenix enables his cheats again in frustration after a losing streak. Riot permabans his hardware. Phoenix now cannot play Valorant without getting new PC components.
In both cases, had these players reformed after their first light punishments, they could have avoided escalation to lost access. I know it isn‘t easy to change behaviors, but for your own good, please try!
Final Verdict: Don‘t Risk It!
At the end of the day, while hardware bans for Valorant may feel oppressive, Riot clearly states they only apply these bans after:
- Repeated account suspensions and warnings
- Truly excessive misconduct in their game
My advice is do not risk harsher penalties trying to sneak around your ban. Exercise some patience, play other games, and come back reformed for your next Valorant chapter.
I hope this deep dive has armed you with everything you need to understand Valorant hardware bans: when they happen, how long they last, and the risks of trying to bypass them. Stay safe out there and game on!
