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Possibly at the hardware level, but Riot does not say that a CPU alone carries a VALORANT ban to another PC. Riot describes an HWID ban as applying to a computer’s physical components, without publishing which component identifiers it uses or how it matches hardware. Replacing a CPU is therefore not a documented or reliable way to clear a restriction.
What Riot says an HWID ban affects
Riot’s Understanding Hardware ID (HWID) Bans, published May 31, 2026, describes an HWID ban as a restriction on the banned computer’s physical components, not just on one account. Riot warns that signing into its games on hardware with an HWID ban can also restrict another account used on that device and result in a separate, time-limited ban for that account.
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Riot does not identify the components or identifiers used to determine hardware identity. Its public guidance does not establish whether the CPU alone can carry a ban when installed in a different PC. The possibility of a hardware-level restriction is documented; a CPU-only transfer is not.
How to distinguish an HWID ban from other restrictions
HWID ban
This is a hardware-level restriction described by Riot as applying to a computer’s physical components. Reinstalling the game or deleting the account responsible will not remove it, according to Riot’s HWID guidance.
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VAN:Restriction or a security-configuration warning
A Vanguard restriction is not automatically proof of an HWID ban or an accusation of cheating. Riot says these prompts may be triggered by disabled security features or a motherboard firmware pre-boot issue. Its VAN:Restriction and Closing the Motherboard Pre-Boot Gap for Vanguard, dated December 18, 2025, advises affected players to enable the requested security features or update firmware using the motherboard manufacturer’s official guidance.
Account ban
An account penalty is distinct from a restriction on hardware. Riot’s Addressing Cheating in VALORANT, published May 31, 2026, says cheating with unauthorized hardware or software that gives an unfair advantage results in a permanent account ban. That policy does not explain which physical components an HWID ban uses.
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What to do if VALORANT shows a restriction
- Record the exact message or error code. Follow the official Riot support instructions for that specific error rather than assuming a CPU or other component is responsible.
- If Riot identifies an HWID ban, submit a Player Support request for re-evaluation. Riot says it may lift or extend a ban after review; neither outcome is guaranteed.
- If the message concerns system security, follow its stated configuration or firmware steps. Use official instructions from Riot and the hardware manufacturer, not a component swap based on guesswork.
- Do not test the restriction by switching accounts on the affected hardware. Riot warns that another account used on HWID-banned hardware may also be restricted and receive a separate time-limited ban.
Why a CPU swap is not a proven fix
Riot has not published a component-by-component explanation of how it identifies banned hardware. As a result, there is no official basis for promising that changing the CPU, motherboard, or another part will remove an HWID restriction—or that a particular part will carry it to a new system. The supported route for an HWID ban tied to negative behavior or suspected cheating is to ask Player Support to review it.
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