Quick answer: You can get unbanned in Dota 2 – even from an 18-year lock – when your ban appeal nails three points: what caused the restriction, why it was wrongfully issued, and which match IDs or logs prove it. Submit your appeal through the correct avenue (Steam, Valve form, or Faceit), attach evidence, and keep the story under 500 words.
Key takeaways
- Valve’s Frostivus wave (Dec 15 2023) nuked thousands of smurf accounts on the spot.
- The famous 18-year bans target cheating or hate speech; eight-year locks hit MMR boosters.
- A banned account’s phone number is blacklisted, so new accounts need a fresh SIM.
- Support replies range 48 h–7 days; extra tickets reset your place in queue.
- Hardware bans are rare, but shared PCs can inherit behavior-score locks.
- Attach console logs and a Behavior Score screenshot – Valve agents check both.
What Can Get You Banned from Dota 2?
The numbers below come from our ticket-volume dataset. For the official rules, check the Steam Agreement.
Reason | Share of Cases (2024) |
Cheating / scripts / map hacks | 44% |
Toxic chat | 21% |
Smurfing & MMR boosting | 14% |
Compromised account | 9% |
Account sharing / selling | 7% |
Exploit or glitch abuse | 5% |
All cheat detections sit in a single Valve bucket, but extra flags watch for phone-number reuse and sudden Behavior Score spikes.
In some cases, based on a player’s behavior, you might end up with just 6 months of time-off, as confirmed by the Dota 2 team via Twitter:
On top of that, once an account is banned from Dota 2, the phone number associated with that particular account will also be blacklisted, so you’d have to come up with a new one if you ever want to start a new account.
Can You Unban a Dota 2 Account?
Regardless of why you were flagged – or how stackable your proof is – reviewers still want a punchy narrative explaining the trigger, the error, and how each file supports your case.
Offense | Odds | Ideal Evidence |
False cheat flag (non-VAC) | High | Match ID, console log, dxdiag |
Smurf flag on main account | Case-by-case | Original phone proof, prior ID |
Compromised account | High | IP log, Steam Guard history |
Toxicity (no hate speech) | Medium | Chat context, apology plan |
Boosting / account sharing | Case-by-case | Flight logs, device proof |
Evidence Checklist
- Match IDs & timestamps (copy from the Watch tab).
- Console log right after the ban notice.
- Behavior Score screenshot (profile → conduct summary).
- SteamID64 & Faceit ID for cross-checks.
- IP/2FA history if compromise is suspected.
- Peripheral-software list (for macro accusations).
- Any previous ticket numbers for context.
How to Get Unbanned from Dota 2
In order to try and get your Dota 2 account unbanned, you must first submit an unban appeal, which can be sent through three different methods.
Method 1 – via Steam
Similar to the CS 2 unban appeal, In order to appeal your Dota 2 ban from Steam, you must first go on the game’s Steam Support page.
Once you’re there, proceed to clicking on “I’m having trouble with items”, followed by “Contact Steam Support”.
This will open up a text area below for your Dota 2 unban appeal, and that’s where you need to write your appeal. Keep a polite tone, mention the reason for your ban, why you think it was triggered and why it was wrongfully applied. Or, save time and stress and have us craft the perfect appeal for you!
Method 2 – via Valvesoftware’s contact form page
Essentially, this Dota 2 unban appeal is very straight forward. All you need to do is get on Valvesoftware’s contact page, and complete the fields as such:
- input your account’s registered mail address;
- write a concise subject, such as “Dota 2 ban appeal”;
- formulate your unban appeal;
- complete the Captcha test.
Method 3 – Dota 2 Ban Appeal via Faceit
The third method of submitting a Dota 2 ban appeal is via Faceit’s Support Page, and here’s how to do just that:
- input your email address (this is where they’ll get in touch with you);
- select “I am banned” under Contact Reason, followed by the ban type (such as “VAC Ban on Steam“);
- fill in your account identification info, such as Faceit Account Name, Steam Profile link, email;
- choose “Dota 2” from the games list;
- enter a relevant subject, such as “Dota 2 ban appeal”;
- write your appeal.
Now all that’s left is to submit your Dota 2 unban appeal ticket through one of the above mentioned methods and wait for them to get back to you!
Helpful Tips Before You Click “Submit”
- Clone your logs first. Every Steam launch overwrites
console.log
; grab a copy while the timestamp is fresh. - Keep your client language on English so Valve sees default error strings.
- Sync system time; mismatched clocks break replay validation.
- If the ban involves phone reuse, list old vs. new numbers and dates linked.
- One ticket per channel; a second follow-up only after seven days or new evidence.
- Use bullet points, not walls of text; agents scan, they don’t study.
- Screenshot the acknowledgment page in case the confirmation email lands in spam.
Dota 2 Ban FAQ
Valve’s max length is 18 years, but records show the lock can be renewed. Practically, it’s permanent unless Support overturns it.
Yes. The phone number itself is blacklisted, blocking any linked accounts from Ranked until you attach a new SIM.
File a compromised-account ticket first to regain access to your account, then submit your appeal with IP logs and Steam Guard history. Success odds are the highest in this category.
Valve treats serial smurfing and behavior-score manipulation as violations; the December 2023 wave shows they’ll mass-ban when data stacks up.
We’re here to give you the best help in order to recover your account!
Get Unbanned!
Comments 3
my account is new, I don’t really know what I did. I didn’t cheat or do something bad. If i got reported by being toxic its because our teammates wont listen even though we tell them to cooperate
Idk why my account got banned
Got banned for A YEAR playing ranked games, because I shared my account with my friend.