GameHow to Fix Valorant Error Code VAL 5: Logged In Elsewhere
You are mid-queue, or just about to load into a match, when Valorant throws you out with a short message: error code VAL 5 — your account has been logged in elsewhere. The client closes, your session is gone, and signing back in sometimes just shows the same error again. If that sounds familiar, this guide explains exactly what VAL 5 means and how to fix it, from the two-minute restart to fully securing your Riot account.
The key fact about VAL 5 is that it is a session error, not a game bug. Valorant allows only one active game session per Riot account. When a second session starts — on another PC, a laptop, a shared computer, or a session that never closed properly — the first session is kicked out with VAL 5. Sometimes that second session is yours and you simply forgot about it. Sometimes it is someone else using your account. Either way, the fix is the same: end the other session, take back control of your account, and make sure it cannot happen again.
What does error VAL 5 actually mean?
In plain English, error VAL 5 means your Riot account is signed in to Valorant somewhere else. Riot's servers track one live game session per account. When a new session claims the account, the old session gets the VAL 5 message and is disconnected. This is deliberate: it stops one account from being played on two machines at once.
That is why VAL 5 feels different from most Valorant errors. It is not about your graphics card, your internet speed, or a broken game file — it is about who is signed in as you. So the fixes below are mostly account fixes, not PC fixes. If you work through them in order, you will either find your own forgotten session or lock out anyone else who has your login.
What causes error VAL 5?
The usual causes of VAL 5, in rough order of likelihood:
- A forgotten session on your own second device — Valorant or the Riot Client still running on a laptop, a family PC, or a PC at a friend's place.
- A stale session that never closed — the client crashed or your PC shut down without signing out, and the server still thinks the old session is live.
- Someone else signed in with your account — a shared password, a password reused from a breached site, or an account you once lent to a friend.
- An account-sharing setup — a friend or family member playing on your account from their own PC at the same time as you.
- A network or client glitch — rarer, but a dropped connection during sign-in can leave a session in a confused state that reports as VAL 5.
⚠️ Do not ignore a VAL 5 you cannot explain. If you are certain no device of yours is signed in, treat it as a possible account compromise: sign out everywhere and change your password right away (Fixes 2 and 3 below) before you keep playing. Your skins, rank, and purchase history are all tied to that account.
1Close Valorant and the Riot Client completely
Start with the simplest fix, because a stale session is the most common VAL 5 trigger. Close Valorant, then close the Riot Client completely — check the system tray in the bottom-right of Windows, right-click the Riot Client icon, and choose Exit. A client left running in the tray still holds a session open. Then relaunch the Riot Client, sign in, and start Valorant again. If the error was just a session that never closed properly, this alone clears it.
2Sign out of all sessions from your Riot account
If a plain restart does not work, end every session at once. Go to the Riot account website, sign in, and find the option to sign out of all sessions (under account management / security settings). This kills every live session on every device, including the one that is kicking you out. Then sign in again on your own PC only, and launch Valorant. If the other session was a forgotten login on another machine, it is now dead and VAL 5 is gone.
3Change your Riot account password
If VAL 5 comes back after signing out everywhere, someone else may have your password — signing out alone only helps until they sign in again. Change your password to something strong and unique that you do not use anywhere else, ideally generated by a password manager. This forces every session to re-authenticate, and anyone without the new password stays locked out. Do this from the official Riot account site, never from a link in an email or message you did not request.
4Turn on multi-factor authentication
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is the single best protection against VAL 5 coming back. With MFA on, a password alone is never enough to sign in — a code from your authenticator app or email is required too. Turn it on in your Riot account security settings and keep your backup codes somewhere safe. Even if your password leaks again in the future, nobody can start a session on your account without that second factor, so VAL 5 cannot return through a stolen password.
5Check your own other devices
Before assuming the worst, check the innocent explanation: is Valorant or the Riot Client still running somewhere you forgot? Think about a laptop you used last week, a family PC, a PC at a friend's house, or a machine you used while travelling. If you find a live session, close the client there (or use Fix 2 to sign out everywhere remotely). This is a surprisingly common cause — players often leave the client running on a second PC and only notice when VAL 5 kicks them from their main machine.
6Restart your PC and your router
A full restart clears any stuck Riot or Valorant process that a simple client close missed, and restarting your router refreshes your connection and IP lease. Network hiccups during sign-in can leave a session half-registered on Riot's servers, which sometimes surfaces as VAL 5. Restart the PC first, then power-cycle the router (unplug it for 30 seconds), wait for the connection to come back, and sign in fresh. This step also rules out a local network problem before you move on to reinstalling anything.
7Repair or reinstall the Riot Client
If VAL 5 persists on a single PC even after signing out everywhere, the client installation itself may be damaged — corrupted session files can make the client report the wrong session state. Uninstall Valorant and the Riot Client from Windows Settings, restart your PC, and download a fresh copy from the official Riot Games website. Sign in with your (new, if you changed it) password and MFA code, and launch the game. A clean client removes any corrupted local state that was confusing the session check.
8Contact Riot Support if it keeps happening
If VAL 5 still returns after you have signed out of all sessions, changed your password, and turned on MFA, your account may have a deeper problem — for example, a linked account or a session issue on Riot's side. Contact Riot Support from the official Riot support site, explain that VAL 5 keeps appearing after a full sign-out and password change, and include the approximate times it happened. Support can see session activity on your account and close anything you cannot reach yourself. Do not share your password with anyone claiming to be support — real Riot Support will never ask for it.
Quick checklist to keep error VAL 5 away
- Keep multi-factor authentication on — it is the strongest single defence against VAL 5.
- Use a unique password for your Riot account, stored in a password manager.
- Always close the Riot Client fully (including the system tray) when you finish playing on a shared or second PC.
- Never share your Riot login, even with friends — a second session is exactly what VAL 5 is designed to stop.
- After playing on any unfamiliar PC, sign out of all sessions from your Riot account settings.
- If VAL 5 appears out of nowhere, change your password before your next match, not after.
Frequently asked questions
What does Valorant error VAL 5 mean in plain English?
It means your Riot account is signed in somewhere else. Valorant only allows one active game session per account, so when a second session starts, the first one is kicked out with VAL 5.
Does VAL 5 mean someone hacked my account?
Not necessarily. VAL 5 often comes from your own second PC, a shared computer, or a stale session that never closed properly. But because it can also mean someone else has your password, sign out everywhere and change your password to be safe.
Will changing my password fix VAL 5?
Usually yes, if the cause is another session using your account. Changing your password forces every session to sign in again, and combined with signing out everywhere it ends the competing session.
Can I play Valorant on two PCs at the same time?
No. One Riot account can only run one Valorant session at a time. Signing in on a second PC will kick the first session out with VAL 5, by design.
Why does VAL 5 keep coming back after I fix it?
A returning VAL 5 usually means the other session was never actually ended, or your password is known to someone else. Sign out of all sessions, change your password, turn on multi-factor authentication, and check every device you have ever signed in on.
Can VAL 5 get my Valorant account banned?
No. VAL 5 is a session error, not a cheating detection or account violation. Your account, skins, and rank are safe while you fix it, as long as you secure the account with a new password and multi-factor authentication.
For most players, VAL 5 ends at Fix 1 or 2 — a full client close or a sign-out of all sessions clears the competing session and you are back in the game within minutes. The important part is not to brush off an unexplained VAL 5: a few minutes spent changing your password and turning on multi-factor authentication protects everything you have unlocked in Valorant. Fix the session, secure the account, and VAL 5 stays gone. And if you would rather skip clients and logins for a while, the free browser games here on GameAdda start with a single click. 🎮