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This article will show you how to fix CS:GO ‘VAC unable to verify’ error. You’re about to play a relaxing game of CS:GO when you get the “VAC unable to verify” error right after you’ve joined the server. It will say in the chat that you couldn’t verify VAC authentication, and you won’t be able to get back into the server before the match starts. “VAC was unable to verify your game session” is a common error that has been giving CS:GO players trouble lately. Here are some ways to make it better! Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is a game that has been worked on for a while. Yes, it can have problems, but Valve has done a pretty good job of making sure that everything works as it should.
When things do break, though, it’s usually the user who is left out in the cold. This error happens when someone tries to join a matchmaking queue but is told that the game session can’t be verified. VAC, which stands for Valve Anti-Cheat, is a feature built into the game that looks for hackers and cheaters and punishes them. Most of the time, when you get a “verify game session error,” it’s because VAC can’t check the action game’s source because some files are broken. If you have the problem and don’t know how to fix CS:GO ‘VAC unable to verify’ error, this article has you covered.
Run Steam as an Administrator
- VAC may not verify your game session because Steam cannot access specific game files.
- To rule this out, give Steam exclusive access to all system files by running it as an administrator.
- To do that, right-click the Steam shortcut and click Run as administrator.
Rule Out Interference From Other Programs
- Although you can only be banned or get the error under discussion when you try to enter a game session hosted on a VAC-secured server with a cheat program, it is possible to encounter this error even when playing other single-player or offline games where cheating is allowed.
- So, ensure you aren’t running a cheat program for any Steam game other than CS: GO. If you’re, you should temporarily close it. Likewise, you should ensure that no such background apps or tasks are running, which you may not see, but could be causing the error.
Repair the Steam Library Folder
There’s also a good chance that the problem will be fixed if you fix the Steam Library folder. If all else fails, follow these steps to run the repair:
- Sign in to your account on Steam.
- Click Steam in the top-left corner and then click Settings.
- Click the Downloads tab in the column on the left.
- Click Steam Library Folders in the right pane.
- Click on the three horizontal dots next to a place to store something.
- Click Fix Folder.
Ensure You Aren’t VAC-Banned
Most of the time, this error message means that you have been banned by VAC. So, it would be smart to rule this out first. Take these steps to make sure:
- Sign in to your account on Steam.
- Click Steam in the top-left corner and then click Settings.
- Click the Account tab in the column on the left.
- Check the VAC Status in the right pane.
Verify the Integrity of Game Files
The “VAC was unable to verify your game session” error could be caused by how the game files were installed. It means that you might not be using any cheat programs or making unauthorized changes to the game files, but Steam might think that you broke VAC rules by installing files in the wrong way. So, you get a message saying that something went wrong. To rule this out, you should check the game files’ integrity, which you can do through Steam. Here are the steps you must take:
- Sign in to your account on Steam.
- Right-click the game that’s giving you trouble and choose “Properties.”
- Click the Local Files tab in the left column.
- Click Check the integrity of game files in the right pane.
Run the Game as an Administrator
We gave the Steam client administrator rights for the same reason you should run CS:GO or any other game as an administrator: to make sure that limited access isn’t causing the error we’re talking about. Here are the steps you must take:
- Copy and paste the path below into Windows File Explorer:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common - Start the game you’re having trouble with by opening its folder.
- Find the file that runs the game.
- Select Properties when you right-click on it.
- In the Properties window, go to the tab called “Compatibility.”
- Mark the box next to Run this program with administrative privileges.
What is VAC?
Steam and Valve use Valve’s Anti-Cheat software to find and punish hackers and cheaters. It checks for things like programs that aren’t allowed, known exploits and hacks, and so on. A VAC ban is given to an account when it is found to have broken the rules. These bans keep the player from being able to play on VAC-protected servers and also affect a user’s ability to buy and sell items on community servers. If you want to know more information about this Visit Official CS:GO Website.
You might have seen that the CS:GO VAC wasn’t able to verify your game session errors because you’ve been banned by the VAC. If that’s the case, there’s nothing you can do about it. VAC bans happen automatically when cheats and changes to game files are found. There is no way to appeal or get unbanned at any time. If your account has a VAC ban and you can’t verify your multiplayer game session, that’s it.