League of Legends Unknown Player Error | Proven Fixes

The “Unknown Player” error in League of Legends usually occurs when the client fails to retrieve your profile data (rank, loot, friends list) from the server.

This is typically caused by a network desync, a corrupted client session, or in rarer cases, an account suspension.

Here are the proven fixes, ordered from the most effective to the more technical.

1. The “Mobile Hotspot” Fix (Highest Success Rate)

This is currently the most reliable community fix for stubborn cases where restarting doesn’t work.

1. Disconnect your PC from your home Wi-Fi or Ethernet.

2. Enable the Hotspot on your mobile phone and connect your PC to it.

3. Launch League of Legends and log in.

4. Once the client loads and you see your profile correctly, reconnect to your home Wi-Fi/Ethernet. The session should stay active.

2. Full Client Force-Close

Sometimes the client is “stuck” in a bad session even if you close the window.

1. Close the League client.

2. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.

3. Look for Riot Client and League of Legends (32 bit/64 bit) in the list.

4. Right-click them and select End Task.

5. Relaunch the game.

Also Read: BM 9999 Error BCP | Clear App Cache

3. Flush Your DNS

If your computer is holding onto bad network data, this will clear it.

1. Press the Windows Key and type cmd.

2. Right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.

3. Type the following command and press Enter: ipconfig /flushdns

4. You should see a message saying the resolver cache was successfully flushed.

5. Restart your computer and try logging in.

4. Verify Account Status (Check for Bans)

Sometimes “Unknown Player” is a visual bug masking a ban (especially if you recently had toxic chat logs or payment disputes).

• Check your email: Look for any emails from Riot Games regarding a suspension.

• Login to the website: Go to the Riot Games website and try to log in. If you are banned, the website will usually give you a specific message that the client is failing to display.

5. Initiate a Full Repair

If game files are corrupted, the client may fail to load player data.

1. Open the Riot Client (not the League shortcut).

2. Click your Profile Icon in the top right corner.

3. Select Settings -> League of Legends.

4. Click the Repair button.

Summary of Causes

• Desync: The server acknowledged your login but “dropped” the packet containing your profile info.

• Region Swapping: Switching from one region account (e.g., NA) to another (e.g., EUW) without a full restart often causes this.

• Server Outage: If the Riot servers are struggling, they may disable profile loading to save bandwidth. Check Riot Server Status.

Next Step:

If you have tried all of the above and still see the error, submit a support ticket to Riot Games. Be sure to mention that you have already tried flushing DNS and repairing the client to save time.