How To Fix CS2 ‘VAC Unable To Verify’ Error

A rather particular error that players seem to struggle with frequently is the ‘VAC was unable to verify your game session’. You’ve probably attempted simple solutions that should work, such as restarting your CS2 instance and your PC, but to no avail. So, what seems to be the issue, and how can you get your game up and running again?

Let’s take a deeper look into the CS2 VAC was unable to verify your game session error and what you can do to solve it.

VAC stands for Valve Anti-Cheat. The VAC was unable to verify your game session CS2 error typically pops up when Steam is under the impression that you are utilizing cheats or hacks within your matches. In some cases, however, mistakes can be made when players receive the error message without having done anything wrong.

If you are certain that you haven’t used any cheats or any third-party software that might be perceived as a cheat, then it’s most likely that your game files are not set up correctly. Having that being said, let’s investigate some of the common issues that might lead to the VAC unable to verify game session CS2 error and how to get it straightened out.

There are a couple of things that you can do to try and fix the CS2 VAC was unable to verify error. Even though some of these might not seem like a good enough reason to cause VAC problems in CS2, bear with us, as the Valve Anti-Cheat engine can be a bit tricky.

Ensure Your Account Hasn’t Been VAC Banned

A VAC ban is one of the harshest penalties you can receive in CS2. These types of bans are with a permanent status, meaning that if you had gotten one, you would never be able to access your account again. Take a look at the steps necessary in order to check whether you have been VAC banned: 

• Launch Steam

• Access your account settings by making your way through Steam > Settings > Account

• Check whether your account has been banned at where it states VAC Status

Verify Your CS2 Game Files Integrity

Perhaps your game files might be corrupted, but luckily, that’s an easy fix that you can do straight through Steam. Here’s how:

• Launch Steam

• Head on over to your games and right-click on Counter-Strike 2

• Access the Properties, then click on Installed Files, followed by Verify integrity of game files

• Let the process conclude and re-launch the game

Update Your Drivers

In many cases, high-end PC games can crash and present errors if the individual drivers are outdated. Usually, every game utilizes the most up-to-date drivers on a machine when executing an update. Just type in Device Manager in your PC’s search box, open the driver’s list and update the outdated ones.

Change Your Name And Profile Picture on Steam

Even though it might sound like a dead end for resolving the VAC was unable to verify the game session CS2 error, don’t be surprised if this method ends up working to change your name.

• Access your Steam Profile

• Click on Edit Profile

• Change your Steam account name within the General Tab

• Change your Steam account avatar within the Avatar Tab

Reinstall Your CS2 Instance

When push comes to shove, your last effort at fixing the game by yourself is by reinstalling it. You can either do it from your PC’s Control Panel, or through Steam. To uninstall it from Steam, right-click CS2, hover over to Manage, and click on Uninstall. Restart your computer and reinstall CS2 again.

Contact Steam Support

When you’ve exhausted all of your efforts at fixing the VAC was unable to verify CS2 error, all that’s left to do is contact support. As soon as you get a response, there might be some back and forth until the problem gets resolved. It might be a bit overwhelming, but it is still your best shot if nothing else works.