[Workaround Found] Cloudflare WARP blocks login and causes Error since Feb 27, 2026
AkaneKutinashi
Summary
Since around February 28, 2026, connecting through Cloudflare WARP (VPN mode) prevents logging in or properly using VRChat across all platforms — the website, Unity SDK, and the VRChat client app.
This is problem, because
VRChat's own help pages explicitly state that Cloudflare WARP is allowed:
> "As a last resort for connection issues, try using a VPN.
Cloudflare's WARP is allowed
, but some other VPNs may be blocked." — VRChat keeps crashing or has issues launching properly> "Try using Cloudflare's WARP tool"— Troubleshooting Connection Issues with VRChat
Symptoms (all with WARP enabled)
1. VRChat Website (vrchat.com)
- Login appears to succeed momentarily, then immediately redirects back to the login page.
- This loops indefinitely. (recording attatched to this post)
2. VRChat SDK (Unity Editor)
- Login fails with the following errors: (screenshot attatched to this post)
-
Unauthorized, try logging out and in again
-
"Missing Credentials"
-
NullReferenceException
at VRCSdkControlPanelAvatarBuilder.cs:1491
- Stack trace points to VRCApi.cs:288inMakeRequestWithResponse
3. VRChat Client App (PC)
- Login itself succeeds.
- Immediately placed in the Error World.
- Cannot navigate to any other world — always sent back to Error World.
- VRChat is effectively unusable.
All three services work normally when WARP is disabled.
WARP was working fine with VRChat until approximately February 26, 2026. This timing coincides with the API and Social/Friends List maintenance on Feb 26–27 (per https://status.vrchat.com).Why This Matters: Many Users Need WARP
Many users, including myself, rely on Cloudflare WARP because
without it, VRChat times out when loading other players' avatars
, making multiplayer sessions impossible. The symptoms without WARP:- Avatar loading for other players stalls completely → other players' movement/voice freezes → timeout → "VRChat is not responding"
- Occurs reliably with 10+ players in an instance; does not occur when alone
- Own avatar loading and world loading are unaffected
- This is a well-documented, long-standing issue reported by many users (see Related Reports below)
The current situation means VRChat is completely unusable either way:
- WARP off → avatar loading timeouts in any populated instance
- WARP on → cannot log in / stuck in Error World
Environment
- OS: Windows 11 Home
- CPU: 13th Gen Intel Core i7-13700F
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070
- RAM: 32GB
- ISP: Katch Network (Japan)
- Connection: Wi-Fi
- VRChat Build: Build ID 22116304
- VRChat SDK: 3.10.0
- Unity: 2022.3.6f1
- Cloudflare WARP: 2026.1.150.0 (VPN mode)
Attachments
- Video: Website login loop (to be attached)
- Screenshot: Unity SDK "Missing Credentials" error (to be attached)
Related Reports
WARP/VPN connection issues (same or similar problem):
- "World is incompatible with current platform" when using VPN and Cloudflare Warp
- Connection issues through Cloudflare's WARP
Avatar loading timeout (the reason WARP is needed):
- Connection timed out or VRChat stopped responding error (too often)
- Recent increase in timeouts, disconnected, and not responding messages
- Frequent disconnections
- Connection Issues to VRChat (Possible Routing Problem to Photon Server)
- VRChat connection interrupted while downloading Avatars/Worlds
Update: Output log analysis
I compared output_log.txt captured with WARP ON vs WARP OFF. With WARP ON, every API call after login is rejected with 401 "Missing Credentials". The log reveals the reason: "authToken doesn't correspond with an active session" — and the source IP address (Cloudflare WARP IPv6) changes between requests. This may mean VRChat's API is binding sessions to IP addresses, but WARP rotates its exit IP on every request, so the server treats each subsequent call as an invalid session.
This session-IP validation likely became stricter with the Feb 26–27 maintenance, as the same setup worked fine before that date.
I have submitted a support request with full output log and details on VRChat Help Desk.
Log In
StormRel
Merged in a post:
Recent Update Broke Cloudfare WARP, People need WARP to be able to Play
JazzCat_4TW
Ever since this recent update, people who rely on WARP to be able to play the game with their friends without hassle, can no longer use the service in order to play the game....
I live in New Zealand...
I'm currently in the country (Outside of town) and have been for the last 3 years. Our internet is on Copper cable... (VDSL Speeds) And we've had two different ISPs in that time
I had the same issue when living in Tawa on 120mb/s down and 80mb/s up, Fiber on a 3rd ISP about 5 years ago...
The moment we upgraded to 950mb/s down and 450mb/s up, my issues disappeared…
I used to work for an Audio/Security company called A.S.S (Audio and Security Solutions) several years ago and had experience with data networks that the company ran in its digital security department...
From my experience and to the best of my knowledge, people who use WARP to resolve connection issues aren't dealing with an ISP problem; it's VRChat's download protocol having an issue with unstable data connections. (Which New Zealand is Famous for)
- If our connection drops out for a millisecond, VRC's download protocol aborts the download, and you have to restart.
That's where WARP comes in...
WARP acts like an intermediary requester, which keeps the packet requests constant. While your internet stability has its occasional hiccup.
(Think of it like an Uninterruptible Power Supply, but for your Internet connection)
Most modern games have a save/restart condition on their download protocol, so that if your internet drops out while you're loading, it starts back up where it left off, and to the user? - It looks like nothing happened
The reason why the issue disappears when you have faster internet speeds is that interruptions require a lot more interference from external sources to create enough packet loss on a larger data transfer.
- Thousands of players need WARP to be usable with VRChat... (Else, you sit there in your homeworld/ previously cached worlds,) Trying your best to get a lucky instance where VRC can download the world your friends are in....
[This can take HOURS for a world above 200Mb to download...]
And then when you get in again? You're fighting with your friend's avatars, praying to RNG Jesus that you get a lucky download and can see them in anything, but an error robot...
- I have a demonstration Video for you on YT, if you'd like a visual example?...
Cheers! :3
Tailsy
Looks like easiest workaround is to go to warp network card settings (on Windows, not in app) and disable IPv6 protocol.
Tailsy
This is exactly what started happening for us. Seems like there is no reliable way to access vrchat using Vodafone in München DE. For some reason after a new year connections to VRchat api started to drop on Vodafone Cable network, and now Warp workaround is broken as well.
Milkshakezin
I thought I was the only one suffering from this. Since Monday (02/23/2026) my vrchat started to give timeout, my only resource was using the Cloudflare WARP, it worked, until stopped in 02/26 with exact same errors: world error; avatars not loading leading to the default "error" avatar; worlds not loading on menu; when I was able to have a brief moment to hop on a public world everyone was using "error robots" but I could still hear the people as well see them moving. Tried a lot of things with and without the WARP, now waiting for a resolution
AkaneKutinashi
I reported the same issue with log analysis here:
Workaround: In the WARP app, go to Settings → Advanced → Split Tunnels, and add ::/0 to the exclusion list. This forces WARP to use IPv4 only, which stops the IP rotation that triggers the 401 errors.
Please try it!
JazzCat_4TW
AkaneKutinashi Looks like this might fix it! :3
Paige Hendrix
AkaneKutinashi Just tried your posted solution for myself. Tested on desktop, so far so good. Knock on wood this remains as a workaround because I've been pulling at my hair for DAYS now thinking this was a cloudflare issue (on their end). Figures though, leave it to VRChat to break one of their posted solutions for people having lasting API issues.
﹏雨 Rain 雨﹏
I hope this gets resolved soon, the workaround by adding ::/0 still has issues loading worlds and avatars correctly.
AkaneKutinashi
Update: Workaround Found — Exclude IPv6 from WARP via Split Tunnel
I found a workaround that resolves both the WARP login failure and the avatar loading timeout.
The Fix
In the 1.1.1.1 (WARP) app:
Settings → Advanced → Split Tunnels → Add ::/0 to the exclusion list
This forces all WARP traffic through IPv4 only. IPv6 traffic bypasses WARP and goes directly through your ISP.
Why This Works
The root cause of the 401 errors was WARP's IPv6 exit IP rotating between requests (confirmed via output_log analysis — different 2a09:bac* addresses on every API call). VRChat's session validation rejects the auth token when the source IP changes. By excluding IPv6, WARP uses a stable IPv4 exit IP, and the session stays valid.
Result
With this setting, I tested a 32-player instance with WARP ON:
・Login: normal (no 401, no "Missing Credentials")
・WebSocket: connected successfully
・Avatar loading: no timeouts, all players loaded
・Ping: stable ~39ms average
・No disconnections during the entire session
Note
This is a workaround, not a fix. The underlying issues remain:
・VRChat's session-IP validation does not account for WARP's IPv6 rotation behavior
・Without WARP, avatar loading in crowded instances still causes Photon timeouts (ISP routing issue)
Keeping this report open as the server-side behavior should still be addressed.
BigMoomba
With the start of Today Couldflare WARP makes me not able to Play VRChat or even go on the VRChat homepage.
If i try to go to the Homepage i only end up in a Loop from Getting Logged in and logged out in.
In VRChat i'm not able to Join Worlds, get Avatar infos (everything is an Error Robot), World Fav, Uploaded Avatars does simply not load for me or some kind of Placeholder Names showen. (like every Fav World Category has the name H3 with 0/0 Fav)
For me was Cloudflare WARP most time the only solution that worked to be able to play VRChat without problems but now it looks like it get Blocked by VRC
Paige Hendrix
BigMoomba Check out the solution from AkaneKutinashi in regards to this.
Using CloudflareWARP, click the gear down below and navigate to Preferences. From there, click Advanced. Then click "Exclude Split Tunnels".
At the bottom of the pop-up, click the + and add a new exception for "::/0".
Make sure to give it a unique description so you can always remember what it's for.
Then just play VRChat with WARP enabled, and all should be good. It currently is for me. Praying it stays that way.