How to fix VAC could not verify your gaming session in CS:GO (Canada & US)

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive remains a leading competitive first-person shooter. Recently, players have run into the error “VAC could not verify your gaming session.” This guide explains why the issue occurs and how to resolve it.

Restart the Steam client

Restarting Steam is often the simplest fix. A game session drives many background tasks, and if the system cannot finalize them quickly enough, problems can arise. To reset:

1. Open Steam.
2. In the top right, click the account name and then the arrow beside it.
3. Choose “Log out.”
4. Enter credentials and sign back in.

Restart your computer

This approach helps users who seldom shut down their PC or who have logged into Steam on another device. A full restart refreshes all processes and running programs, which can clear conflicts affecting VAC verification.

Run the game as administrator

To run as administrator, locate the csgo.exe file:

1. Open Steam Library and select Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.
2. Right-click the game and choose “Properties” to view local files.
3. Find csgo.exe in the opened folder and right-click it, selecting “Properties.”
4. Open the “Compatibility” tab.
5. Check the option to “Run this program as an administrator” and save changes.

Check the integrity of game files

When VAC shows an error, the most practical remedy is to verify the game files. The scan checks for missing or corrupted files and re-downloads them if needed. To run a check:

1. Open the Steam Library and right-click Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.
2. Choose “Properties.”
3. Go to “Local Files.”
4. Click “Verify integrity of game files.”

Fix Steam using the command line

Occasionally VAC issues stem from Steam server hiccups. The command line method can help restore the client when that happens. Follow these steps:

1. Press Win + R to open Run.
2. Type cmd and click OK.
3. Enter the recovery command to repair Steam services, such as the example below.

“Path to Steam folder and SteamService.exe” /repair, for example:

• “C:Program Files (x86)SteambinSteamService.exe” /repair

After the repair completes, restart the computer, reopen Steam, and launch the game again.

Disable your antivirus

Antivirus scanning can sometimes interfere with VAC checks. If protection must stay active, try adding steam.exe to the exception list in the security software. This approach keeps real-time protection while reducing false positives during verification.

End background tasks

VPNs or Proxy software can clash with Valve Anti-Cheat. The following steps identify common culprits and how to shut them down:

Services

Open Run with Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter to access the Services panel.

Look for these services and turn them off if active:

• VMnetDHCP
• VMUSBArb service
• VMware NAT service
• vmware hosted
• VMauthdService
• hsld

Processes

Open Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Esc. Under the Processes tab, locate and terminate the following if present:

• hydra.exe
• hsswd.exe
• hsscp.exe
• vmware.exe

End each task to clear potential conflicts.

Steamservice.dll Error

Sometimes VAC errors tie to steamservice.dll. One copy may exist in the Steam client folder and another in Program Files (x86). They must match; otherwise, anti-cheat checks can fail. The client’s copy is usually up to date, so replace the second DLL with the one from the client folder.

1. Navigate to the Steam root folder (Drive:/Steam/Folder).
2. Copy steamservice.dll.
3. Paste the file into Drive:/Program Files (x86)/Common Files/Steam, replacing the existing version.

Reinstall the game

If none of the methods work, reinstall Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. This will reset configurations, so save any custom settings in a separate folder. The configuration is typically stored at Drive:/Program Files (x86)/Steam/steamapps/common/Counter-Strike: Global Offensive/csgo/cfg.

Before reinstalling, back up modified files from the cfg folder to another location. After reinstalling, place the saved files back into the same folder.

Update your video card driver

Outdated graphics drivers can trigger VAC errors. Visit the manufacturer’s site (NVIDIA or AMD), download the latest drivers, and install them. A fresh driver often resolves verification issues and stabilizes performance.

Exit Steam Betas

If a beta version of Steam is in use, VAC and gameplay may be affected. To leave the beta track:

1. Open Steam.
2. From the top left, choose Steam and then Settings.
3. Go to Account.
4. Under Beta testing, select Change and choose REJECT – Exit all beta programs.
5. Save changes and relaunch Steam.

Other guides

Source: VG Times [citation attributions provided within the article].