How to Get Unbanned from RuneScape (OSRS) in 2025

The online role-playing game RuneScape, beloved by me and many others for its immersive fantasy world of Gielinor, has recently celebrated its 24th birthday and continues to be as popular as ever amongst gamers worldwide.

Since its release in 2001, RuneScape has evolved and expanded not only in its iconic graphics and intriguing content but also in its online security. Due to this, some users may occasionally discover that they have been banned from the RuneScape platform.

Just last week, I excitedly went to log on to continue a fascinating new RuneScape quest I’d recently started, only to be met with a phrase that no enthusiastic gamer ever wants to see: “Sorry, you have been blocked. You are unable to access this website.” For a second, my heart dropped. Then my blood boiled. I couldn’t think of a single thing I might have done that violated the game’s terms of use and conduct – I’m a responsible, respectful, and fair gamer.

After that initial moment of frustration, I was able to calm down because, luckily, there is a way to work around a ban that has been unfairly imposed on RuneScape. Should this happen to you on RuneScape, know that you have options. The strongest of which is enlisting the help of a neat internet tool called a VPN, or a Virtual Private Network. Stay tuned, and I’ll tell you all about the benefits of VPNs, which VPN providers I recommend, and ultimately, how to get unbanned from RuneScape.

Key takeaways

1. RuneScape players have been loyal to the online gaming platform for nearly 25 years now, enjoying the appealing virtual life they can create within the land of Gielinor.
2. Once in a while, some pretty unlucky RuneScape players may find themselves facing a grim IP address ban and discover that they can no longer access the game, seemingly for no reason.
3. If you don’t know why you were issued an IP address ban and your appeals to the admin team don’t work, do not worry – accessing RuneScape is not impossible, so don’t give up. You can still access RuneScape and create a new account (successfully evading your IP address ban) as long as you have a reliable VPN to use as a workaround.
4. In this article, I’ll tell you all about which VPNs I recommend using (good, solid ones that will protect you online) and which ones you should avoid (the ones that track your activity and sell your private data to strangers).

Why do players get banned in RuneScape?

The RuneScape administrators work tirelessly day and night to ensure that we’re all playing a fun, fair, and safe game. Due to this, they will ban RuneScape players who engage in foul play such as stealing from or scamming others, sending bugs, facilitating trade in the real world, and other standard internet faux-pas like harassment or threats.

As I said before, I’m an experienced player and internet user, and I’m always very careful to make sure I’m abiding by the rules. Once in a while, however, an admin’s judgment can be mistaken, as it was for me last week, and this is what caused my ban.

This can certainly happen to you, too. In any case, you should use common sense, follow all the rules, and be kind to other players you encounter to decrease your chances of getting banned. Not only that, but the game is a much better experience for everyone if we all treat each other with respect and play fairly and honestly.

How can I get unbanned in RuneScape?

RuneScape admins ban based on usernames and IP addresses, which the RuneScape mods use to track players. If you’ve been banned, you won’t be able to access RuneScape even if you switch devices. So, what can you do?

The solution is to make use of a VPN or Virtual Private Network. This tool establishes a secure connection and encrypts your online data while changing your IP address. Therefore, you can use a VPN to overcome a RuneScape IP address ban if you ever find yourself kicked off of RuneScape.

The only downside is that, unfortunately, you won’t be able to revive your account. I was really bummed out about this at first because I was in the middle of an interesting quest, and I lost all of my progress, but once I created a new character and started playing, I just got really into the game and simply enjoyed getting to access RuneScape again. It’s not a perfect solution, but it’s better than nothing.

Why you need a VPN to get unbanned in RuneScape

As I’ve said before, the RuneScape administrators issue bans based on players’ IP addresses. A VPN is a nifty tool that allows you to change your IP address by connecting you to a remote server. This means that even if you were unlucky enough to get banned on your home IP address, it’s not impossible to overcome the ban- a VPN will do the trick for you.

How do you know what VPN is the best for RuneScape?

I’ve determined the best VPNs for RuneScape based on all of the following criteria:

• Speed. A high-speed connection is essential for a high-quality gaming experience. If your VPN is too slow, you’ll experience pixelation, lagging, and ping problems that will harm your stats.
• Geo-spoofing. A strong VPN with a proven history of breaking geo-blocks and IP bans is ideal for getting you unbanned from RuneScape. Plus, you can also use it to maximize the game features you can access.
• Server network. A massive server network ensures that your game speed won’t lag due to tethering to an overcrowded server. It can also assist you in effectively overcoming geo-blocks.
• Privacy and Security. Your safety on RuneScape is important! If you protect yourself with a VPN that has strong encryption and robust security features and promises not to track your activity, you’re less vulnerable to scammers and hackers online.
• Compatibility. Overall, you want to choose a VPN that runs smoothly on all of your devices.

Furthermore, you can read our article discussing the best VPN for RuneScape.

3 best VPNs for RuneScape

1. ExpressVPN

After careful research, I’ve determined that ExpressVPN, with its lightning-fast speeds, sturdy security features, and expansive server network, is the best choice for secure and high-quality gaming on RuneScape.

Features: ExpressVPN offers split tunneling, ad blocking, and malware protection, plus a password manager to help you keep track of your passwords. Additionally, its server network includes 3,200+ servers in 105 countries.

Speed: ExpressVPN effectively reduces pixelation and lagging thanks to its super-speedy protocol, which makes it ideal for gaming.

Privacy & Security: ExpressVPN helps protect you on RuneScape with military-grade encryption, a Kill Switch, IP & DNS leak protection, and a strict no-logs policy.

Performance: ExpressVPN performs at a high level thanks to its super-speedy servers and unwavering connections.

Streaming: ExpressVPN is more than just a great gaming VPN; it’s also highly ideal for streaming because of its advanced unblocking capabilities on platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, and more.

Compatibility: ExpressVPN’s apps are highly intuitive and simple to use on a variety of systems like Android, Windows, Linux, iOS, and macOS. Additionally, Express lets you link up to 8 devices at once.

Pricing: ExpressVPN offers a fantastic one-year plan that begins at $ 6.67/month. It also offers a 30-day trial, which means you can be sure you’re satisfied with the service before fully committing to it.

2. NordVPN

Of my top three choices, NordVPN takes the well-earned middle ranking. Not only is it fast and secure, but it’s also highly affordable and very adept at unblocking geo-restricted platforms and content. All of this makes it a reliable and ideal service to use with RuneScape.

Features: NordVPN gives me a huge server network of 7,100+ servers in 118 countries and includes split tunneling, dedicated IP addresses, ad blocking, malware protection, dark web monitoring, and other features.

Speed: When I ran speed tests on my VPNs, Nord reached incredible speeds whether I connected to servers near or far.

Privacy & Security: Ano-logs policy, AES 256-bit encryption, an automatic Kill Switch, and DNS & IP leak protection are just a few of the security features Nord uses to protect its subscribers from online threats.

Performance: NordVPN consistently provides high-quality and consistent performance.

Streaming: NordVPN is a reliable service if you’re as passionate about streaming as you are about gaming. This VPN can effortlessly unlock regionally restricted content on platforms such as Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and others.

Compatibility: NordVPN is extremely easy to use, and it works on Android, Windows, iOS, macOS, and Linux systems. You can also connect up to 10 devices simultaneously.

Pricing: NordVPN offers a great two-year plan where you pay just $3.39/month. It also offers you a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can try out the service before committing to it.

3. Surfshark

Surfshark makes third place on my list because it is a perfect balance of affordability and functionality. Not only is it a budget VPN with premium features, but it also gives you unlimited simultaneous device connections, which are extremely valuable if you have a big family.

Features: Surfshark has a whole host of exceptional features, such as ad blocking, malware protection, a data breach monitor, and split tunneling. It also offers over 3,200 servers in 100 countries.

Speed: Surfshark’s WireGuard protocol enables you to have a smooth and speedy connection, which is extremely important for gaming on sites like RuneScape.

Privacy & Security: Surfshark keeps you safe online with a strict no-logs policy, military-grade encryption, an automatic Kill Switch, and leak protection.

Performance: Surfshark, though a budget VPN, delivers stellar performance for gaming, streaming, and internet surfing. If you find there’s too much lag, you can always switch servers.

Compatibility: Surfshark runs smoothly on a variety of devices and operating systems, such as macOS, iOS, Android, and Windows. Furthermore, it lets you link an unlimited number of devices to one subscription!

Pricing: Surfshark’s 2-year plan begins at just $1.99/month and includes a 30-day trial period, so you can be sure about it before committing to your subscription.

How I picked and analyzed the best VPNs for RuneScape

When I choose my top three VPNs, I do careful research. Here’s how I selected the best VPN providers for RuneScape:

• Speed. I conducted VPN speed tests on several RuneScape servers and chose the ones that gave me the smoothest gaming experience.
• Server network. I prioritized VPNs that had a large enough server network to allow me to both avoid lagging and also access RuneScape from as many places in the world as possible.
• Geo-spoofing. I tried to bypass IP bans using several VPN providers.
• Privacy and security. All of the VPNs I’ve recommended here keep your internet connection secure with military-grade encryption and other essential features, and they also pledge not to track your online activity.
• Compatibility. I specifically wanted to find VPNs that are compatible with all of the types of devices and operating systems I regularly use for gaming and streaming.

Can I use a free VPN for RuneScape?

You can do anything you want. However, that doesn’t mean you should.

I understand the appeal of a free VPN. However, I strongly recommend against using one with RuneScape for a few reasons.

First, from a quality standpoint, free services deliver lower quality than premium ones since their servers tend to be limited and overcrowded. This also makes them less likely to successfully access blocked content. For most VPN users, this reason renders a VPN pretty pointless.

Next, from a security standpoint, free VPNs don’t make sense, and you should avoid them at all costs. Since they don’t have the same security features that premium VPNs have, they’re not only more likely to expose you to security threats, but some companies will actually gladly sell your personal data to sinister third parties for profit, since they need to make money somehow. For most VPN users, this is a deal-breaker.

If you’re tempted to use a free VPN, just don’t do it. I understand the appeal of a free service and not wanting to pay for a subscription, but it’s not worth it to risk your security and privacy.

FAQ

Does RuneScape allow VPNs?

There’s nothing wrong with RuneScape players using a VPN. However, an OSRS VPN ban is possible. Those who use the tool in order to violate RuneScape’s code of conduct risk getting their accounts frozen.

Can you get an IP banned from OSRs? 

Yes. Though OSRS bans are usually account-specific, IP address bans are possible. However, you can get around IP address bans by using a VPN to give yourself a temporary new IP address.

Can buying RuneScape gold get you banned?

Buying gold in RuneScape is a serious infraction against the game’s terms of service and can ultimately result in a ban for guilty players.

Conclusion

RuneScape is a popular online role-playing game that has appealed to players around the world for almost a quarter of a century. The ability to create a fantasy life in Gielinor is something that appeals to players of all ages and nationalities. Once in a while, some players may find that they have been unfairly banned from RuneScape. This also happened to me just last week. However, I was able to get around this IP address ban in a clever way.

If you find yourself banned from RuneScape, seemingly for no good reason, do not worry. You can regain RuneScape access and get around your ban by changing your IP address with a cool tool called a Virtual Private Network. With one, you can access RuneScape again in no time.

Do not miss out on this. A subscription to a premium VPN, such as ExpressVPN, is totally worth it because it gets you around IP address bans and also protects you online.