Imagine sitting down to enjoy some CS:GO after a long day and then you get this error popping up on the screen and ruining a planned hangout session with some friends. Fortunately, there are ways around this issue so nobody ends up tossing their PC from a tall building. Here are a few ways to fix the CS:GO VAC was unable to verify your game session error.
How To Fix CS:GO VAC Was Unable To Verify Your Game Session Error
Down below, there are 9 different methods to fix the CS:GO VAC was unable to verify your game session error. Keep in mind that a few of these fixes likely won’t work, so just run down the list and keep trying different potential fixes until one sticks.
Reboot the PC
Yes, we’re telling you to turn it off and then on again. It’s very basic troubleshooting, but it’s the first thing that should be done with most PC game issues. If that works, then congrats. If not, then it’s time to get deeper into the weeds.
Make Sure You’re Not VAC Banned
It kind of goes without saying that a VAC ban can also lead to this error. Most people who play CS:GO regularly should know if their account is banned, but players returning after years of absence might not remember. Either way, it’s still important to check because a VAC ban is essentially a death sentence for an account. No amount of “troubleshooting” will get around it.
Double-Check File Integrity of CS:GO and Fix Issues
An issue with the CS:GO game files may cause players to encounter the VAC was unable to verify error. Here are the steps for checking and fixing file integrity issues:
- Right-click on CS:GO in your library and click on properties
- On the left side of the screen, click local files
- Click Verify integrity of game files
Running this check will also fix any errors that are found with the game files.
Sign Out of and Sign Back Into Steam
Make sure your two-factor authentication and password are ready since this method is useless without them. If this doesn’t work, then it’s time for another easy troubleshooting step before something more drastic.
Run Steam and CS:GO as an Administrator
Before opening Steam, right-click the launcher and choose to run the application as an administrator. Then, right-click CS:GO in your library and do the same. If that doesn’t work, then it’s time to take a closer look at Steam.
Repair Steam
This error could also be an indication of a corrupt Steam installation. You won’t know for sure until trying to repair the Steam launcher. For this fix, first find out where Steam installed. For most people, it’ll be located in C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\bin\SteamService.exe. Double-check this location to make sure SteamService.exe is there. If not, then check similar locations in other drives.
Once the location of SteamService.exe is found, it’s time to open the Run box by pressing the Windows Key + R or right-click the Windows key, then hit Run. Enter the location of SteamService.exe in the Run box with the command /repair at the end. The text in the box should look like this:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\bin\SteamService.exe /repair
Keep in mind that the location above is just an example. Make sure that the text entered is the location that corresponds to where SteamService.exe is located on your own PC.
Disable Antivirus Software
Certain antivirus (AV) applications are notorious for locking down computers so much that nearly nothing outside of Microsoft programs can run. Even if your computer is running an extremely light and gaming-friendly endpoint protection software, it’s advised to try disabling it while launching CS:GO if this VAC error keeps appearing.
Many of these programs are designed to be difficult to close since they’re supposed to be left running to protect computers from viruses and other attacks. Go ahead and open up Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc). You may need to click more details to see the AV software running. Right click any app or background process related to the software, then try launching CS:GO again.
If this works, then consider seeing if the AV software has a feature that allows it to trust certain applications. If that is an included feature, then tell it to allow CS:GO and hopefully that will stop this VAC error from reemerging.
Run Windows and Driver Updates
It happens. Sometimes a missing Windows system update or a driver update for your hardware can keep the installed software from running properly. Hit the Windows key + i to open the settings application. Then go to or search for Windows Update. Click check for updates to see if there are any windows updates available. This will also search for possible missing driver updates as well.
If nothing is found, don’t fret. There’s another place to check for updates. In the search box of the settings app, search for view optional updates. Check the boxes for each optional update and install each one that is available.
If nothing is found there, then open Device Manager by right-clicking the windows button and clicking on Device Manage. If any device in there has a yellow triangle next to it, then focus on updating those ones first. It may take a while here, but restart every time it asks if you want to. It’s best to make sure these updates install properly.
Uninstall and Reinstall CS:GO
The last step is to wipe the slate clean. If the game isn’t running after all of this troubleshooting, then it just might need to be cleared out. A normal uninstall should be fine, but there are also applications that find all of the files and registry entries associated with the game. However, using a third-party application for uninstalling isn’t necessary and should only be left to experts.
Once the game is uninstalled, go ahead and restart the PC. Once it comes back up, launch Steam and reinstall CS:GO.
Hopefully one of those solutions helped to fix the CS:GO VAC was unable to verify your game session error. If more solutions are found, we’ll make sure to update this list, or if you have one that isn’t listed here, then feel free to share down in the comments.
Featured Image Source: Valve
