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If you bought a second-hand PC and VALORANT reports an HWID ban, stop signing in to Riot accounts on that computer and ask Riot Player Support to review the hardware ban. Explain that you bought the PC used and provide accurate purchase details or records if you have them. Riot does not publish a second-hand-PC exception or guarantee that proof of purchase will reverse a ban; its review may lift or extend the hardware ban.
First, confirm that it is an HWID ban
Read the exact message shown by the VALORANT client and check the account’s penalty details. Riot distinguishes an HWID penalty from a Vanguard restriction caused by system settings. A Vanguard restriction may identify security settings that need attention; it is not, by itself, proof that you or the previous owner received an HWID ban.
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If the message is a Vanguard restriction or another error code, follow the instructions for that specific notice instead of filing it as a hardware-ban appeal. BIOS settings vary by computer and motherboard. If you are not comfortable changing them, Riot advises contacting the manufacturer or getting professional help.
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Riot describes an HWID ban as a restriction tied to physical computer components, intended to prevent that device from accessing Riot games regardless of the account used. It warns that signing in with another account on the affected computer can lead to restrictions on that account and a set-period ban, because Riot may treat the login as attempted ban circumvention. Riot’s advice is direct: “If you suspect a computer has an HWID ban, it’s best not to try to log in with any account.”
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Do not try to get around the penalty by reinstalling Windows, deleting an account, changing identifying hardware, using a VPN, or creating a new account. Riot says reinstallation or account deletion will not remove an HWID ban; its published path is to ask Support for a review.
How to request an HWID-ban review
- Record the exact notice. Note the message or penalty wording, when you first saw it, and which account was affected. This helps distinguish a hardware penalty from a technical restriction.
- Keep accounts off the PC. Do not test the computer by signing into another Riot account while you suspect an active HWID ban.
- Contact Riot Player Support. Submit a request asking for an HWID-ban re-evaluation. Riot says it investigates whether the penalty was valid and then decides whether to lift or extend the hardware ban. Its Community Pact also says a penalty believed to be issued in error can be appealed through Player Support for manual review.
- Explain the second-hand purchase plainly. Include when and where you acquired the computer, when the notice appeared, what it says, and the affected account. Attach purchase documentation if available, but do not present it as proof that guarantees a reversal: Riot’s published guidance does not specify this evidence as a requirement or promise a used-PC exception.
- File separately for separate accounts. If more than one account has been affected, Riot recommends a separate ticket for each so Support can review them individually.
Use Riot’s Player Support request form to provide the account and issue details it requests. Riot states that valid penalties will not be removed or adjusted.
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What Riot may decide
A review is a chance for Riot to check whether the penalty was correctly applied, not an automatic appeal win. Riot says it may lift an HWID ban or extend it; a reversal is “never guaranteed.” If Riot lifts the hardware ban, it says it will no longer ban the player’s accounts on sight. However, an account penalty already imposed remains in place until the HWID-ban period ends. Riot also says it may apply another HWID ban if the player returns to the earlier negative behavior.
The Community Pact’s manual review route applies when you believe a penalty was issued in error. It does not create a special remedy for buying a computer second-hand. Explain your circumstances accurately and let Support determine whether the hardware penalty was valid.
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