How to Fix Vac was Unable to Verify your Game Session error in Windows 10

Many CS:Go players have recently been raising complaints regarding an error that’s somehow disrupting their gameplay. The said error goes, “VAC was unable to verify your game session.” 

cs go vac error

If by any chance you would bump into the same error when playing CS:Go on your Windows 10 computer, you can try any of the outlined solutions in this post. Read on for more detailed instructions.

What causes this CS:Go error?

The VAC was unable to verify error usually occurs after a patch update installation. In some cases, it occurs following a series of game file alterations. Generally, this appears to be a random error when playing CS:GO through Steam client on a Windows computer. 

While a definite solution is yet determined, there are a number of tweaks that have been proven to work wonders by many CS:GO players. Having said that, it is rectifiable by end-users.

Troubleshooting CS:Go error “VAC was unable to verify your game session” in Windows 10

The following workarounds are usually deemed useful when eliminating software-related errors that trigger in-game issues in Windows computers including the CS:GO “VAC was unable to verify your game session” error. The depicted steps are applicable to the CS:GO game on Steam.

Before performing any of the outlined procedures, restart your computer. For error codes and messages that suddenly appear during the game, it turned out that random system glitches are usually the culprit. More often than not, a simple system reboot or restart on the computer will fix the problem.

Moreover, VAC stands for Valve Anti Cheat so also ensure that you are not running any sort of script or cheat to win the game. If the error continues to show up even after rebooting the system and there are no sort of cheat codes or scripts in use, then you may start ruling out other factors with these subsequent solutions.

First solution: Log out then re-login on Steam.

To rule out expired sessions or invalid login from the underlying cause, log out of Steam and then log back in again. Logging out of your Steam account will delete any altered configuration files that the operating system or file management system has created and eventually trigger this error. Logging back in again will recreate the original files and thereby clears out and rectifies any transpiring flaws. Just follow these steps:

  • Launch the Steam app on your computer then click on your Profile name on the upper segment.
  • From the context menu, select the option to Logout my account.
  • After logging out successfully, log back in by entering your account credentials.

Now, try launching CS:GO and see if the VAC error is fixed or not.

Second solution: Force close Steam and then Run it as Administrator.

If the previous method doesn’t solve the problem, it’s possible that Steam itself is the main culprit. To rule this out, you can execute the end or force close command on Task Manager to forcibly stop Steam from running. Here’s how:

  • Press both the Win + X keys on the keyboard to launch the Power User menu.
  • Then, click to select Task Manager on the list.
  • Navigate to the Processes tab then find and click the Steam service.
  • Once the Steam service is selected, click the End Task button.

That should force the Steam service to stop running in the background and exit completely.

Alternatively, you can end the Steam service using the Run app. Just follow these steps:

  • Press the Win+R keys simultaneously to launch the Run app/prompt.
  • In the Run box, type Taskmgr and then press Enter or OK.
  • Click on the Processes tab then select Steam Service on the list.
  • Once selected, click the End Task option.

Close the Task Manager then retry running CS:GO to check and see if the VAC error is fixed.

Third solution: Repair Steam Client and Files.

Various in-game errors could occur when the Steam client or any of the Steam files gets corrupted. To clear this out, execute the command to repair Steam client and relevant files. 

To repair Steam Client, just follow these steps:

  • Press both the Win + S keys on the keyboard to launch the Search app then type cmd in the text field. 
  • Right-click on the Steam application and select the option to Run as administrator.
  • While on the command prompt, enter this command line:

“C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\bin\SteamService.exe” /repair

NOTE: The path within the colons indicates the location of the Steam service on your computer. That said, it may vary depending on where Steam service is saved on the system.

  • Wait for the entire repair process to complete.
  • Once it’s finished, quit or exit the command prompt then restart your computer.

As soon as your computer is up, retry launching the game on Steam and see if the VAC error is fixed.

Fourth solution: Verify integrity of game files.

Missing or corrupted game files are also among the possible culprits. To rule this out, verifying the integrity of the game files is recommended. And here’s how it’s done on Steam:

  • Open the Steam client on your computer. 
  • While on Steam, click on the Library tab.
  • Find and then right-click on Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.
  • On the pop-up menu, select Properties.
  • Navigate to the Local Files tab and click the option to Verify integrity of game files.
  • Wait for the entire verification process to complete and then click the Close button.

Retry launching the game and see if the error is gone. If it continues to show up, try repairing the Library folders on Steam with these steps:

  • Launch the Steam client then click on the Steam tab.
  • From the context menu, click on Settings then click Downloads on the left section.
  • On the succeeding menu, click the Steam Library Folders button then right-click on the install location containing your Steam content.
  • From the drop-down menu that opens, click Repair Library Folder from the given options.
  • If prompted, read the message then click Yes to allow access to Command Prompt. 
  • After that, the repair process instigates. It may take several minutes so just wait patiently.

When it’s finished, quit then restart the Steam client and then retry launching CS:GO to see if the error has been fixed.

Fifth solution: Repair system files.

If repairing the game file integrity doesn’t fix the problem, you can try repairing the system files next. This will likely solve the problem if corrupted Windows system files are to blame. Should you wish to give it a shot, just follow these steps:

  • Launch the Start menu and then type cmd.
  • Right-click Command Prompt from the results.
  • Select the option to Run as Administrator.
  • Click Yes on the next screen to confirm. The Command Prompt window with administrative privileges will then launch.
  • Type in the command sfc /scannow and press Enter.

The scanning and repairing processes will then instigate. Once it’s finished, open Steam again and relaunch the game. 

Other Suggestions

  • Disable/reconfigure antivirus/firewall. Some in-game errors in Windows computers are also triggered by an active firewall or antivirus software. This usually happens if the antivirus or firewall detects some security threats when running the game. To rule this out, try to disable any security software on  your computer and then relaunch the game. If the error does not occur without any antivirus or firewall activated, then that’s an indication that you need to reconfigure your security settings to grant exceptions for Steam and CS:GO.
  • Update Windows. Installing new updates and software patches is also recommended as these updates also contain bug fixes. Any errors that are triggered by some stubborn bugs are therefore rectified.
  • Update drivers. To rule out faulty drivers from the underlying cause, updating or reinstalling necessary drivers on your computer is also recommended. You can do this through the computer’s Device Manager service or using a third-party driver updater/software.
  • Opt out of Steam beta programs. If the error occurs while on a Steam beta program, the VAC error might be attributed to some beta glitches. In this case, opting out of the Steam beta program should fix the problem.

Hope this helps!

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