Security5 min read
HWID Ban Recovery: What to Do After a Hardware Ban
What Happened?
If you've been hardware banned (HWID banned), the anti-cheat system has recorded your PC's unique hardware fingerprint — serial numbers from your drives, motherboard, network adapter, and other components. Every new account you create on this PC will be immediately flagged and banned because the hardware is blacklisted.
This is different from a regular account ban. With an account ban, you just need a new account. With a hardware ban, you need to change what the anti-cheat sees when it looks at your PC.
How to Recover
- Get an HWID spoofer — This is the most important step. A quality spoofer will change the identifiers that anti-cheat reads from your hardware, making your PC appear as a brand new machine.
- Clean up traces — Some anti-cheat systems leave files or registry entries that persist. Follow the spoofer's instructions for cleaning these up before creating a new account.
- Create a new account — Once spoofed, you can safely create a fresh game account. The anti-cheat will see what looks like a different computer.
- Run the spoofer before every session — Don't just spoof once and forget. Run it every time before launching the game to maintain your new identity.
Prevention Is Better Than Recovery: Always use an HWID spoofer before playing, not after you've been banned. It's much easier to prevent a hardware ban than to recover from one. Browse our spoofer collection to stay protected.
Tips to Avoid Future Bans
- Always spoof before launching any game
- Keep your software and firmware updated
- Check the status page before every session
- Don't play obviously — subtle play avoids manual reviews
- Read our Opsec Tips article for more ways to stay safe