How to fix the VAC couldn’t verify your game session error in CS:GO

Error messages are a common sight in online games, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive has several of them, like the “VAC Unable to Verify” message has been around for years. VAC is an acronym for “Valve Anti Cheat”. A player targeted by VAC will usually be banned for cheating, but if you receive the error message “VAC cannot verify” it does not mean that you have been banned from the game. The error message means the game is having trouble verifying that the anti-cheating program is working. Such error messages often appear after updating the game. Here’s what you need to know about what to do if you get the error message “VAC cannot be verified” while playing Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.

Why couldn’t VAC verify the game session for CS:GO?

First you should try restarting Steam; Sometimes restarting automatically fixes an error in your copy of the game. If you still get “VAC Unable to Verify” in CS:GO, try uninstalling and reinstalling the game. If the problem persists, restart your router. Most modern routers can reboot with a quick push of a button, but if it’s an older router, you’ll have to unplug and plug it back in. Restarting the router will reset the Wi-Fi, which may fix the issue.

Related: How much did I spend on CS:GO? How to check Counter Strike purchase history

If none of these solutions work, then you need to check the CS:GO game files. To start, right-click Counter-Strike: Global Offensive in your Steam library. Select Properties from the drop-down menu, then select the Local Files tab at the top of the window. On the Local Files tab, click the Verify integrity of game files selection, wait a while and CS:GO should be verified.

If the VAC Unable to Verify message still does not go away, restart your PC. If the message persists even after restarting your PC, the worst case scenario is that you will have to wait. If none of the troubleshooting solutions we shared helped, the problem is most likely with the servers and not with your copy of the game. There’s nothing they can do but hope Valve fixes the issue on their end sooner rather than later. You can contact the customer support team on Steam.