{"id":15156,"date":"2026-05-14T12:31:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T12:31:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/?p=15156"},"modified":"2026-05-14T16:01:28","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T16:01:28","slug":"how-to-appear-offline-in-valorant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/how-to-appear-offline-in-valorant","title":{"rendered":"How To Appear Offline In VALORANT?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"bsf_rt_marker\"><\/div>\n<p>Sometimes you want to queue for <a href=\"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/what-is-valorant\">VALORANT<\/a> without being bombarded with party invites and messages from friends. However, Riot doesn\u2019t offer a built-in option, so players often rely on workarounds like Deceive or Windows Firewall rules to hide their online presence every time they launch the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This guide provides step-by-step instructions to appear offline in VALORANT, helping you avoid interruptions and maintain maximum focus during your <a href=\"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/how-does-the-valorant-ranking-system-works\">ranked matches<\/a>. At the end, we\u2019ll also share important safety considerations and best practices to keep you safe while using them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Methods To Appear Offline In VALORANT<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Because there\u2019s no official feature to appear offline in VALORANT, you\u2019ll need a workaround to hide your online status. Without it, your status will automatically appear online whenever you launch the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Currently, there are only two methods to mask your online presence without negatively affecting your gameplay: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>(i) using a third-party app to intercept the connection to Riot\u2019s social servers, or <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>(ii) using a Windows Firewall rule to block outgoing connections to the chat server.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Using Deceive&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Deceive <\/strong>is a free third-party app used to mask your online status in Riot games (<a href=\"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/esports\/VALORANT\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/esports\/VALORANT\">VALORANT<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/esports\/league-of-legends\">League of Legends<\/a>, Legends of Runeterra, and <a href=\"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/how-to-get-into-2xko-league-player-guide\">2XKO<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It works by routing the Riot Client\u2019s chat connection through a local proxy, intercepting the XMPP presence data sent to Riot\u2019s social servers, and modifying it from \u201conline\u201d to \u201coffline.\u201d This allows gameplay to function normally while your friends list shows you as offline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Importantly, Deceive only blocks social server connections and does not modify any game files. To use it to hide your online status in VALORANT, follow these steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Download <strong>Deceive.exe<\/strong> from the <a href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/molenzwiebel\/Deceive\/releases\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">official GitHub<\/a> page.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>(Optional) <\/em>Create a shortcut so it\u2019s easier to launch every time you want to appear offline.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Right-click the executable or shortcut and select <strong>Properties.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Go to the <strong>Shortcut<\/strong> tab.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In the <strong>Target<\/strong> field, add \u201c<strong><code>valorant<\/code><\/strong>\u201d (without quotations, see below) at the end.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"572\" src=\"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/image-6-1024x572.png\" alt=\"Deceive.exe is a way to appear offline in VALORANT\" class=\"wp-image-15159\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/image-6-1024x572.png 1024w, https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/image-6-300x167.png 300w, https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/image-6-768x429.png 768w, https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/image-6.png 1270w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">ft. Deceive<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Click <strong>Apply <\/strong>and close the window.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Close VALORANT and shut down all Riot processes running in the background.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Launch Deceive, then choose VALORANT from the game selection.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>(Optional)<\/em> Check \u201cRemember my decision and skip this screen on future launches.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Once in-game, open your friends list.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Check for <strong>\u201cDeceive Active\u201d <\/strong>to confirm your status is hidden.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Play normally and avoid unwanted chats and party invites<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Note: <\/strong><em>When you launch Deceive, Windows may display a security warning that the app is unrecognized or untrusted. If you feel comfortable, click \u201c<strong>More info<\/strong>,\u201d then \u201c<strong>Run anyway<\/strong>\u201d to continue.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"577\" src=\"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/image-7-1024x577.png\" alt=\"Deceive Active for appearing offline in VALORANT\" class=\"wp-image-15160\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/image-7-1024x577.png 1024w, https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/image-7-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/image-7-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/image-7.png 1396w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">ft. Deceive<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>While Deceive is active, your friends list will still work as normal, but other players <strong>won\u2019t<\/strong> be able to invite you, even if they enter your name manually. You can also talk in lobbies, but your global presence will remain hidden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>VALORANT must always be launched through Deceive for the status masking to remain active. If the app does not work, try running it as an administrator or check for updates in case a patch has broken its functionality.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s worth noting that Riot developer Sargonas has <a href=\"https:\/\/i.thijsmolendijk.nl\/deceive_ok.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">confirmed<\/a> that using Deceive <strong>will not result in a ban<\/strong>, but the tool may stop working at any time \u2014 either intentionally or unintentionally \u2014 as some product owners oppose players appearing offline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Using Windows Firewall (CMD)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you prefer not to download or install third-party programs, you can also appear offline in VALORANT by configuring Windows Firewall to block outgoing traffic to Riot\u2019s chat server.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An important distinction is that this method does not interact with game files at all. Thus, it carries <strong>practically zero risk of a ban<\/strong>, making it the preferred option. It simply creates a rule that blocks traffic on TCP port 5223, which the Riot Client uses for chat and social presence, preventing Riot from updating your online status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Similar to Deceive, you\u2019ll still be able to connect to gameplay servers normally, but your friends list, invites, and status information will stop working. Here\u2019s how to set it up:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Press the <strong>Windows <\/strong>key to open the Start menu.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Type \u201c<strong><code>cmd<\/code>\u201d <\/strong>(without quotation marks)<strong> <\/strong>to search for the Command Prompt.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Right-click on it and select <strong>Run as administrator.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Type the following command below, then press Enter to run.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><code>netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name=\"lolchat\" dir=out remoteport=5223 protocol=TCP action=block<\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This will create a firewall rule named \u201c<strong>lolchat<\/strong>\u201d that blocks all outgoing TCP traffic on port 5223.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"505\" src=\"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/image-5-1024x505.png\" alt=\"Command Prompt to appear offline in VALORANT\" class=\"wp-image-15157\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/image-5-1024x505.png 1024w, https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/image-5-300x148.png 300w, https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/image-5-768x379.png 768w, https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/image-5.png 1038w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">ft. Windows<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Once the rule is active, your game client should no longer connect normally to Riot\u2019s social or chat service, making you appear offline in VALORANT while regular gameplay functions as normal. Now, simply launch the game and queue for Unrated, Competitive, or any other <a href=\"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/valorant-game-modes\">game modes<\/a> as usual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How To Reverse The Windows Firewall Rule<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>To restore regular chat functionality and online visibility in VALORANT, simply repeat the same steps and enter the following command into the Command Prompt to delete the firewall rule:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>netsh advfirewall firewall delete rule name=&#8221;lolchat&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"505\" src=\"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/image-4-1024x505.png\" alt=\"Using the provided code in Command Prompt to appear offline in VALORANT\" class=\"wp-image-15158\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/image-4-1024x505.png 1024w, https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/image-4-300x148.png 300w, https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/image-4-768x379.png 768w, https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/image-4.png 1038w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">ft. Windows<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Note: You must run Command Prompt as an administrator to both create and delete the firewall rule, or the method might not function properly.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Safety Precautions And Best Practices&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Each workaround used to appear offline in VALORANT carries risk \u2014 and it\u2019s important to understand them before you proceed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Windows Firewall method is generally <em>considered the safest<\/em> approach to hide your online status because it doesn\u2019t interact with the Riot Client or modify any game files. It simply creates a rule that blocks the network port used for chat. It also doesn\u2019t rely on third-party apps, making it both reversible and low risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By contrast, Deceive intercepts connection data between your client and Riot\u2019s servers. Although it\u2019s widely used without reported bans, there\u2019s still some risk. Riot could change its policies at any time, and downloading the tool from an untrusted source could expose you to malware.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Best Practices To Stay Safe<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You can follow these simple precautions to minimize risk, avoid technical issues, and ensure your account remains secure while using workarounds to appear offline in VALORANT.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Only download third-party programs from official or trusted sources.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Avoid using modified builds or mirror downloads of Deceive without prior verification.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Close VALORANT and all related Riot programs before applying either method.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Run the Command Prompt as an <strong>administrator<\/strong> to create or remove the firewall rule.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Confirm the workaround is active by checking your online status on your friends list.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Remove the firewall rule to restore normal chat functionality.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Don\u2019t use multiple methods to hide your online status at the same time.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Always re-check the method works after VALORANT or Riot Client updates.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If something breaks, disable the workaround and relaunch the game normally.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Deceive is the simpler option, while the Windows Firewall method is typically preferred if you want the lowest possible risk. Just remember, neither approach is officially endorsed by Riot nor entirely risk-free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is also no guarantee they will always work, as Riot product owners oppose players hiding their online status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently Asked Questions On Appearing Offline In VALORANT<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Need more help? Here are answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) about appearing offline in VALORANT.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Does VALORANT Have An Official Appear Offline Option?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>No<\/strong>. VALORANT does not currently include a built-in feature to appear offline. Your status is automatically shown as Online when you\u2019re playing, Away if you\u2019re idle, and Offline only when you\u2019re not connected to the Riot Client.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Is Deceive And How Does It Work?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Deceive is a third-party app that blocks and intercepts the connection between your PC and Riot\u2019s social servers. It works by routing traffic through a local proxy to hide your status while gameplay remains unaffected, allowing you to queue and play normally while appearing offline to friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Do I Download And Install Deceive To Appear Offline?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You can download Deceive from the official GitHub. No installation is required. Simply execute the file and launch VALORANT through the app to hide your presence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Can I Verify If The Offline Mode Is Active?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you launch VALORANT through Deceive, open your friends list and look for a contact named \u201c<strong>Deceive Active<\/strong>.\u201d It appears as a friend entry on your list, confirming that the tool is running and that your online status is hidden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Will I get banned for using Deceive?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlikely. Deceive has been widely used without reported bans, and a Riot developer has stated it will not result in a ban. However, it is still a third-party tool, meaning there\u2019s a small risk of policy changes or you downloading a compromised version from an untrusted source.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Always practice <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/en\/content\/responsible-gaming\"><em>Responsible Gambling<\/em><\/a><em> and check out our <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/en\/content\/promotions\"><em>latest promo offers<\/em><\/a><em> and boosts. T&amp;Cs apply. 18+ to play.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sometimes you want to queue for VALORANT without being bombarded with party invites and messages from friends. However, Riot doesn\u2019t offer a built-in option, so players often rely on workarounds like Deceive or Windows Firewall rules to hide their online presence every time they launch the game. This guide provides step-by-step instructions to appear offline [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15163,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[100,53,1,58,105],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15156","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guides","category-news","category-uncategorized","category-valorant","category-valorant-teams"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15156","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15156"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15156\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15164,"href":"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15156\/revisions\/15164"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15163"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15156"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15156"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15156"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}