The stream follows a set of strict codes and rules to protect the integrity of players in online multiplayer matches. To avoid players from cheating and hacking in games, VAC (Valve Anti Cheat) system was introduced. Of course, it’s a good step, in fact, such measures are very important considering the growth of cheaters in online games nowadays. However, sometimes, it may not work as it’s supposed to and might end up showing VAC errors to players who aren’t using cheats or hacks in the game.
It’s been reported that a large number of stream users have encountered “Matchmaking Error- VAC was unable to verify your game session” error when entering into matchmaking or online lobbies. This error is responsible for preventing players from playing online matches in certain games. If you’ve been using steam for a while, then chances are, you might have faced similar errors or issues in online games.
Well, you don’t have to freak out, it’s quite a common issue faced by a lot of players nowadays on Steam. You can fix the issue and start playing your games as usual by following our simple methods mentioned in this article.
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What Is Causing VAC Error on Steam?
Errors or issues related to Valve Anti Cheat would block a player from entering into the online lobbies. Now, there might be a lot of reasons that might have triggered this issue when you enter into online matchmaking in certain games. However, it wouldn’t be fair to assume things when we aren’t sure of it. But, there are a few things that might be the cause of this issue.
It’s possible for players to face such errors in case the steam client is unable to communicate with the servers properly due to network issues or you have an outdated version of steam installed on your PC. Apart from these reasons, there might be a few more things that might have caused the error to show up on your screen.
You might be wondering if it’s just you who are facing the issue, but you’re alone. A lot of players have encountered this kind of issue and error while playing the counter strike game. Go ahead and follow the methods provided below to easily fix the issue your PC.
How To Fix VAC Error?
You may try out the following methods to rectify the “VAC was unable to verify your game session” issue. In case, the method you’ve chosen fails to fix the issue for you, then you will have to try out the other methods as well. In certain cases, it may look like the issue is resolved but it would show again when you launch the steam client next time on your PC.
Therefore, it’s recommended to perform all the things mentioned below to fix the issue completely. You would be able to enter into matchmaking and start playing the game as usual without any issues.
Fix 1: Repair Your Steam Client
One of the possible reasons behind such errors is that you might have got your Steam client corrupted. If your Steam client is corrupted or struggling to function properly, then you might face other similar issues such as “Disconnected By VAC, You can’t play on Secure servers”, etc.
The valve itself has suggested its users repair the steam client on their PC to prevent such errors from occurring. So, you will have to first repair your Steam client by performing the following steps before entering into the game.
- First, close the Steam client entirely by exiting on your PC. (Right-click on the Steam icon situated in your system tray, the bottom right side of your screen)
- Go to your Start Menu and Open up the “Run” Program to proceed further.
- Type in “Cmd” in the text box and click “Ok” to open Command Prompt on your PC.
- Now enter the following text as it is in the command prompt window and hit enter.
[C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\bin\SteamService.exe” /repair] - That’s it, now you just have to wait for a few seconds for the terminal to complete the action.
Now you’ve repaired your Steam client successfully on your PC. Try entering into the matchmaking by opening the Steam client to see if the issues if fixed. Go with the next methods if you’re still facing the issue.
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Fix 2: Verify Integrity Files Of Your Game
It’s likely for such errors to occur if there are any integrity issues with the files of your game on your PC. So, you will have to verify the integrity of files freshly by going into the Steam client to fix the issue.
- Go to your “Library” by launching the Steam application on your PC.
- Select the game “CS: GO” and right-click on it to open up the available options.
- Choose the last option “Properties” to pull up the details of your game on your PC.
- Open up the “Local Files” Tab and select “Verify Integrity Files” from the options.
- It would take a couple of minutes for the process to complete successfully.
In some cases, the verification process might take longer to finish. Make sure you don’t interrupt the process or exit the steam client on your PC. Once the process is complete, you can launch the game and start playing online without any errors.
Fix 3: Reinstall Your Game
The files of your game may have been installed incorrectly or haven’t been downloaded completely, which might be the cause of such issues. Therefore, it’s recommended to perform a fresh reinstallation of CS GO on your PC in order to remove the issue completely.
Go to your Library by opening the Steam Client and right-click on to find the “Uninstall” option. Now go back to the game’s description page on Steam to install the game again. Most of the users who have faced this issue have reported that they were able to fix the issues simply by reinstalling the game from scratch.
Go ahead and perform a complete reinstallation of the CS GO game on your PC to stop facing issues related to VACV. In case if the issue still persists, then proceed with the next method.
Fix 4: Update Your Drivers
You may also face such errors if the drivers installed on your PC are outdated or incompatible. Therefore, the best way to avoid similar errors is by keeping the drivers on your PC updated. In this case, it’s possible that some of your drivers aren’t updated to the latest version, hence, causing the issue on your PC.
You could try out a third party driver management application to check if your drivers are outdated and update them right away with one click. “Driver Easy” is the most favored software when it comes to driver’s management on Windows-powered PCs.
Driver Easy will automatically recognize the outdated drivers and will update them to the latest version if you allow. It will also update your game-related drivers to ensure your gaming experience is uninterrupted by such issues.
Wrapping Up
The aforementioned methods in this article have been used by a lot of users in the Steam community to fix VAC related issues. Make sure to try all the methods to eradicate the issue from your PC. Let us know in the comments if the issue doesn’t go away even after performing all the above-mentioned methods.
