How to appear offline in VALORANT
It is a real feature and it is not in the game — it lives in the Riot Client, which is why it takes people so long to find.
Where the setting is
- 1
Open the Riot Client, not VALORANT
Status is a Riot Client feature and applies across Riot's games. Looking for it inside VALORANT's own settings is the reason most people conclude it does not exist.
- 2
Click your name or avatar
Your profile controls sit at the bottom of the social panel. Clicking your own name opens the status menu rather than a profile page.
- 3
Choose Offline or Away
Offline shows you as not signed in. Away shows you as signed in but idle, which is the softer option if you want to be left alone without appearing absent.
- 4
Confirm it took effect
Your own entry in the friends list reflects the change immediately. If it does not, the client is holding a stale session — restarting the Riot Client rather than the game is what clears it.
What each status means
- Online
- The default. Friends see that you are signed in and what you are doing — in a menu, in a queue, or in a match.
- Away
- Signed in but marked idle. Friends can still see you and can still message you; it signals rather than hides.
- Offline
- You appear signed out. You can still play, still party with people who invite you, and still send messages — which is what surprises people about it.
What it does not hide
Appearing offline hides your presence from the friends list. It does not make you invisible: if you are in a party, the people in it see you, and if you play a match, your opponents see your name on the scoreboard as always.
It also does nothing about third-party trackers. Your match history is public whether your status is offline or not, so anyone who knows your Riot ID can still see the games you have played. Appearing offline is about not being pinged by friends, not about privacy.
Why the setting is where it is
Status belongs to the Riot Client rather than to VALORANT because it is an account-level thing, shared across every Riot game you play. Setting yourself offline affects League and everything else at the same time, which is why it cannot live inside one game's settings menu.
That design decision is also why it is so hard to find. Players look for it where they experience it — in the friends list inside VALORANT — and it is one layer up, in the launcher most people minimise and never open again.
It persists between sessions, which is worth knowing in both directions. Setting yourself offline once keeps you offline until you change it back, and plenty of people spend weeks wondering why nobody invites them any more.
Common questions
How do you appear offline in VALORANT?
In the Riot Client rather than in VALORANT: click your name at the bottom of the social panel and choose Offline. It applies across Riot's games, not just this one.
Can you still play while appearing offline?
Yes, entirely normally. You can queue, party up with people who invite you, and message friends — the status only affects how you appear in the friends list.
Can friends still message me?
Yes. Offline hides your presence, not your account, and messages still arrive.
Does appearing offline hide my match history?
No. Match history is public and readable by third-party trackers regardless of your status. Anyone with your Riot ID can still see the games you have played.
What is the difference between Away and Offline?
Away shows you as signed in but idle; Offline shows you as not signed in at all. Away signals that you would rather not be disturbed, Offline removes you from view.