The VAC system was unable to verify your gaming session?

If, when trying to enter CS: GO, the error “The VAC system was unable to verify your game session” occurs, this means that the cheat control system was unable to check for the anomalies of the game client. Sometimes, when this bug occurs, it is enough to close Steam, reopen it and turn on the game. If the error persists, you need to look for other solutions.

Wrong PC time

Sometimes the crash occurs because the time on the computer is not displayed correctly. In this case, you need to adjust the clock in Windows, or even better – enable auto-synchronization of time on one of the servers. After that, you need to restart Steam and try to log into CS: GO again.

Removing the download cache

Sometimes clearing the cache allows you to get rid of the warning that the VAC system could not check your gaming session. To complete it, you need:

• Launch Steam and go to the client program settings in the upper left corner.
• Find the “Downloads” section in the settings.
• Select and use the “Clear cache” option.
• Restart Steam and start the game.

Verify the Integrity of Your Game Files and Repair the Game Library

Another reason for the warning about a failed VAK check lies in the damage to the cache files. To check them, you need:

• Open Steam and go to the games library.
• Find the CS: GO game in the list and open its properties.
• Go to the tab with downloaded local files.
• Start checking the integrity of local files with the button of the same name on the screen.
• Reload Steam and the game.

Disable antivirus or add Steam to exceptions

Sometimes an error occurs due to a conflict between antivirus software and Steam. If the antivirus does not allow the program to check the necessary files, you should either completely disable it before restarting the PC and try again or add the Steam folder to the list of exceptions. After that, you need to try to start Steam and CS again.

Repair the Steam Client

Your Steam client could be corrupt or contain bad files. Here’s what you have to do:

• Right-click on the Start icon in the lower-left corner of your screen.
• In the Power User menu that opens, click on Command Prompt (Admin).
• Click the ‘Yes’ button when presented with the UAC prompt.
• Copy and paste the line below and hit Enter:
• “C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\bin\SteamService.exe” /repair (full address may differ depending on where Steam is installed)
• Wait for the process to complete. It will take a little time.

Close the Command Prompt window and restart your computer. Now, check if the ‘VAC was unable to verify the game session’ error has been resolved.

FAQ