HWID Spoofing Guides
How Anti-Cheat Detects Hardware (2026)
How does anti cheat detect hardware? It reads SMBIOS serials, disk and volume IDs, your MAC and MachineGuid, then matches them as one composite fingerprint
James Varga10 min read
Free Sea of Thieves HWID Spoofer - Fix Hardware Bans
Sea of Thieves places pirate accounts behind EAC's device check. TraceX Spoofer is a free permanent HWID spoofer: rewrite the profile once, then delete it.
Free diagnostic
Is It Really a Sea of Thieves HWID Ban?
"Kicked for anti-cheat violation (Rumblebeard)" identifies an EAC kick, not by itself a hardware ban; compare Rare's enforcement record with where the affected Microsoft account can still play before diagnosing an HWID restriction.
Step 1 / 6
Can you still log into your game account?
Hardware Coverage
What Sea of Thieves Tracks — and What TraceX Rewrites
Sea of Thieves's anti-cheat silently reads dozens of hardware identifiers from your PC while it's running — long before you reach a match. Learn how EasyAntiCheat works in Sea of Thieves and why it's difficult to bypass without a spoofer. Below is a sample of the identifiers being tracked.
| Hardware Identifier | Sea of Thieves Tracks | TraceX Rewrites |
|---|---|---|
| CPU / Platform Data | Yes | Yes |
| SMBIOS Board Serial / UUID | Yes | Yes |
| GPU Adapter ID / LUID | Yes | Yes |
| Disk & Volume Serials | Yes | Yes |
| Physical NIC MAC Address | Yes | Yes |
| Windows MachineGuid | Yes | Yes |
Reality Check
Sea of Thieves Appeals Almost Never Work
And when they're denied — which is almost always for HWID bans — your hardware stays permanently blacklisted. No second chances.
“We have a zero tolerance approach to any form of in-game hacking or cheating, and transgression can result in a permanent ban.”
Rare - Sea of Thieves Forum Rules and Pirate Code
Filing a support ticket or ban appeal
Creating a new Microsoft account on the same machine
Using a VPN or proxy
Reinstalling Sea of Thieves
Reinstalling Windows
Waiting — HWID bans do not expire
Run TraceX once to rewrite your hardware identifiers — Sea of Thieves's anti-cheat scans your machine and sees a completely new PC
Why You Need This
Do You Really Need an HWID Spoofer for Sea of Thieves?
You launch Sea of Thieves through Steam, sign into your Microsoft account, and queue a High Seas Hourglass of Fate Faction Battle. Instead of reaching the Tavern, the client throws "Kicked for anti-cheat violation (Rumblebeard)." Do not call that an HWID ban on sight: players can reconnect after a one-off Rumblebeard, and EAC installation or background-software faults can repeat it. The hardware-ban pattern is narrower. Rare shows no ordinary account sanction, the affected account still works on another Windows PC, and other valid accounts encounter the block only on this machine. Diagnose that pattern before blaming the board.
Sea of Thieves has used Easy Anti-Cheat on PC since Rare's 2.10.2 release on March 14, 2024, but neither Rare nor Epic publishes a Sea of Thieves field-by-field hardware formula. The concrete Windows collection surfaces still matter: the SMBIOS Type 2 baseboard serial and system or motherboard UUID; physical-disk descriptors and serials returned through storage IOCTLs such as IOCTL_STORAGE_QUERY_PROPERTY; separate filesystem volume serials; physical network-adapter MAC addresses; and MachineGuid under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Cryptography. TPM 2.0 endorsement-key material and Secure Boot state are additional hardware-rooted identity and boot-trust surfaces. Public Sea of Thieves material does not confirm either one as a ban key, so a claim that Rumblebeard exposes a fixed seven-field EAC recipe is guesswork.
That spread explains why a format is an unreliable Sea of Thieves hardware-ban fix. Reinstalling the game replaces Athena and EAC files. Reinstalling Windows may regenerate MachineGuid and a volume serial, but it does not normally rewrite the SMBIOS board serial, motherboard UUID, physical-disk firmware identity, or a physical NIC's factory MAC. A new Microsoft account or a copy from another PC storefront changes account and entitlement data, not those durable machine values. EAC is also integrated into Fortnite, Rust, Apex Legends, Hunt: Showdown and other games, so the same classes of identifier can reappear across its roster. Publishers still administer their own sanctions: a Rare action does not automatically ban every EAC title, but re-identification exposure remains when the same composite profile is presented elsewhere.
A temporary session spoofer presents replacement values only while its process or driver is active, which means the original profile can return after reboot. TraceX Spoofer uses a one-time permanent rewrite for its supported SMBIOS, storage, network, and Windows identifiers so the values move as a coherent set rather than one registry field changing beside the old firmware data. Complete the one-time setup, run TraceX once, confirm the rewritten profile, then delete the tool. No daemon or per-boot session remains. TraceX does not restore a sanctioned Microsoft account, change Rare's server-side enforcement record, disable TPM 2.0 or Secure Boot, or interfere with EAC's runtime cheat detection.
Verified
Rare's official release notes for update 2.10.2, dated March 14, 2024, state: "Sea of Thieves is now protected by Easy Anti-Cheat" and say EAC can be updated outside the game's regular update schedule. This verifies when EAC joined the PC build without guessing at Rare's private hardware field list.
Why TraceX
Built for Sea of Thieves Players
You shouldn't need to replace your PC to play Sea of Thieves again. That's why TraceX exists.
Sea of Thieves One-Time Run
Run TraceX once before opening Sea of Thieves through Steam / Microsoft Store / Xbox app. The rewrite persists, so you can delete the tool before EasyAntiCheat starts.
Permanent EasyAntiCheat Identity
Sea of Thieves's hardware ban (hwid) is tied to the profile EasyAntiCheat reads. Rewritten identifiers persist across reboots without a TraceX daemon.
EasyAntiCheat Identifier Coverage
For Sea of Thieves, the documented EasyAntiCheat coverage includes CPU / Platform Data, SMBIOS Board Serial / UUID, GPU Adapter ID / LUID. TraceX rewrites the supported fields in one pass.
No Sea of Thieves Runtime Load
Sea of Thieves launches from Steam / Microsoft Store / Xbox app after the rewrite is complete. No TraceX process remains during EasyAntiCheat gameplay to consume resources.
Sea of Thieves Compatibility Notes
Sea of Thieves's hardware ban (hwid) details stay separate from the current EasyAntiCheat status, so a game update is never treated as unchanged by default.
Fresh EasyAntiCheat Hardware Profile
When you open Sea of Thieves with Microsoft account, EasyAntiCheat reads the supported identifiers produced by the completed permanent rewrite.
Setup Guide
How to Bypass a Sea of Thieves HWID Ban
Getting around a Sea of Thieves HWID ban used to take hours — reinstalling Windows, flashing BIOS, wiping drivers, re-downloading everything, and praying it worked. One wrong step meant starting over and burning another account. With TraceX, a single click does more than all of that combined.
01
Get TraceX for Sea of Thieves
Submit your email through the TraceX Spoofer homepage form to receive the Sea of Thieves setup instructions — free, no card required.
02
Rewrite Your Hardware
Run TraceX once before launching Sea of Thieves. Every hardware identifier EasyAntiCheat reads is rewritten in a single pass — then you can delete the tool.
03
Log In and Play
Open Sea of Thieves via the Steam / Microsoft Store / Xbox app with a new Microsoft account. EasyAntiCheat scans your hardware and sees a machine it has never seen before — no ban record.
04
Play Ban Free
You're back in Sea of Thieves. The rewrite is permanent — no daemon running, no expiry, nothing to renew.
Free download
Get the free Sea of Thieves HWID spoofer.
Submit your email and receive your free TraceX HWID Spoofer license in a few minutes. Run it once on your PC to permanently rewrite the identifiers EasyAntiCheat fingerprints, then delete the binary and reinstall Sea of Thieves.
Detection Analysis
How Sea of Thieves Scans Your Hardware
EasyAntiCheat can combine identifiers from your PC into a hardware profile for Sea of Thieves. TraceX rewrites the supported fields shown below before the game runs.
What Sea of Thieves Reads Without TraceX
CPU / Platform DataBFEB...0684
ExposedSMBIOS Board Serial / UUIDPF0W...R3X9
ExposedGPU Adapter ID / LUID0x0000:0x0001D3A7
ExposedDisk & Volume SerialsS75B...6859N
ExposedPhysical NIC MAC Address4A:3B:8C...5E:01
ExposedWindows MachineGuidd83fa349-...-4f3a
ExposedWhen you launch Sea of Thieves, your real hardware IDs are scanned and matched against ban records. Every new account on a flagged PC is blocked.
What Sea of Thieves Reads With TraceX
CPU / Platform Data906E...A0C2
RewrittenSMBIOS Board Serial / UUID7KM2...JQ84
RewrittenGPU Adapter ID / LUID0x0000:0x00F4B810
RewrittenDisk & Volume SerialsWMC4...3J2L
RewrittenPhysical NIC MAC AddressD2:7E:19...1C:A4
RewrittenWindows MachineGuid71c0e28d-...-9b7f
RewrittenSea of Thieves sees a completely new machine with no ban history. New account, clean hardware — access granted.
Ban Reference
Sea of Thieves Ban Details
Anti-CheatEasyAntiCheat
Account SystemMicrosoft account
Ban TypeHardware Ban (HWID)
DurationNo public Sea of Thieves HWID expiry window; cheating can result in a permanent ban
Common Triggers
Aimbot or cannon-targeting software used in High Seas or Hourglass Faction BattlesESP tools exposing crews, ships, players, or treasure through hidden game dataTampering with Sea of Thieves installation files or adding files intended to alter playReShade filters or another external tool flagged by Sea of Thieves security systemsUnluckyNo Reason At All
All EasyAntiCheat Games
Other Games Using EasyAntiCheat
All of these games use EasyAntiCheat — the same anti-cheat that banned you in Sea of Thieves. One permanent TraceX rewrite covers every one of them.
Fortnite
EasyAntiCheat
Apex Legends
EasyAntiCheat
Rust
EasyAntiCheat
Dead by Daylight
EasyAntiCheat
The Finals
EasyAntiCheat
Fall Guys
EasyAntiCheat
Hunt Showdown
EasyAntiCheat
For Honor
EasyAntiCheat
NBA 2K26
EasyAntiCheat
Lost Ark
EasyAntiCheat
New World
EasyAntiCheat
Squad
EasyAntiCheat
Throne and Liberty
EasyAntiCheat
VRChat
EasyAntiCheat
Off the Grid
EasyAntiCheat
ARC Raiders
EasyAntiCheat
FAQ
Sea of Thieves HWID Ban — Frequently Asked Questions
Does Sea of Thieves issue HWID bans on PC?
Rare says its security tools can make enforcement more stringent and may extend bans to other users in the same household, but it has not published a rule saying every cheating sanction includes an HWID block. A device restriction is plausible when otherwise valid Microsoft accounts fail only on one PC and the affected accounts still work elsewhere. One account ban or one EAC error does not establish that pattern.
Is Rumblebeard proof of a Sea of Thieves HWID ban?
No. "Kicked for anti-cheat violation (Rumblebeard)" is an EAC kick. Reports on the official Sea of Thieves forum include players who reconnected immediately, so the message cannot be treated as a permanent ban by itself. Relaunch once, record whether it repeats, check Rare's enforcement page, and separate an EAC installation or background-software conflict from a server-side account sanction.
How can I tell an account ban from a Sea of Thieves hardware ban?
An account sanction follows the Microsoft account across PCs. A device restriction follows one PC across otherwise valid accounts. The strongest diagnosis comes from behavior you have already observed on machines and accounts you control: if the account plays elsewhere while this PC blocks multiple valid accounts, hardware linkage is more plausible. Rare's enforcement record and support response still matter because no single Beard error identifies the matched field.
Which identifiers can matter in a Sea of Thieves EAC hardware profile?
Relevant Windows surfaces include the SMBIOS Type 2 baseboard serial, system or motherboard UUID, physical-disk serials queried through IOCTL_STORAGE_QUERY_PROPERTY, filesystem volume serials, physical NIC MAC addresses, and MachineGuid under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Cryptography. TPM 2.0 endorsement-key material and Secure Boot state can add device or integrity context, but Rare and Epic do not publish Sea of Thieves' exact field selection or weights.
Will formatting Windows clear a Sea of Thieves hardware ban?
Not reliably. A clean Windows installation may regenerate MachineGuid and filesystem volume metadata, but it does not normally replace the SMBIOS board serial, motherboard UUID, drive firmware serials, or the factory MAC on a physical network adapter. Formatting can repair corrupt game or EAC files, which is useful for a technical Rumblebeard fault. That is different from changing a durable composite hardware profile.
Will a new Microsoft account or another Sea of Thieves copy fix an HWID ban?
A new account changes the login, and another Steam or Microsoft Store purchase changes entitlement data. Neither action rewrites the PC underneath them. If Rare sanctioned only the original account, the hardware may never have been the issue; if a device restriction exists, the same board, storage, Windows, and network values remain available. Buying another copy is therefore not a hardware diagnosis or a guaranteed fix.
Can a Sea of Thieves EAC ban automatically ban Fortnite, Rust, or Apex Legends?
No automatic EAC-roster ban is documented. Those games use separate EAC integrations that can encounter comparable classes of board, disk, Windows, network, TPM, and boot-state data from the same PC. That creates cross-game fingerprint exposure and possible re-identification, but Epic, Facepunch, EA, Rare, and other publishers administer their own accounts and sanctions. A Rare ban alone does not prove another title has banned you.
Can I appeal a Sea of Thieves hardware ban?
Use Rare Player Support and preserve the exact in-game message, enforcement-page record, platform, date, and any evidence that the Microsoft account or device was compromised. Rare says banned players can contact Customer Support to confirm the reason for an action, but it does not promise disclosure of EAC's detection details, a fixed response time, or reversal. An appeal is the only route that can change the server-side sanction.
Will changing my router or IP address clear a Sea of Thieves HWID ban?
No. A public IP address describes the network route, not the Windows hardware profile. Replacing a router does not rewrite the SMBIOS board serial, motherboard UUID, physical disk and volume serials, NIC MAC address, MachineGuid, TPM-rooted material, or Secure Boot state. It also cannot remove a sanction attached to the Microsoft account. A connection change may fix a network Beard error, but it is not an HWID rewrite.
What is the difference between a temporary Sea of Thieves spoofer and a permanent rewrite?
A temporary session spoofer supplies replacement values only while its runtime or driver is active. The original profile can return after reboot, so the tool must run again. TraceX uses a one-time permanent rewrite for its supported identifier set. Run TraceX once, confirm the rewritten values, then delete the tool; no background daemon or per-boot session remains. The rewrite cannot restore the banned Microsoft account or cancel Rare's enforcement decision.
Learn More
Related Guides
HWID Spoofing Guides
How HWID Bans Work: The Full Pipeline
How HWID bans work, step by step: what anti-cheats collect, how the fingerprint is hashed and stored, and what happens the moment you launch the game again
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HWID Spoofing Guides
HWID Spoofer Setup Guide for 2026
A complete HWID spoofer setup guide for 2026: the BIOS prep, the clean Windows install, the rewrite itself, and the account hygiene that keeps it holding
Chris Doyle12 min read
Next Steps
Not sure the Sea of Thieves ban is hardware-based?
Work out which ban you are actually dealing with before you change anything. The ban-type checker walks the symptoms, and how long a EasyAntiCheat ban lasts covers whether waiting it out is realistic for Sea of Thieves.
You can also browse every game TraceX supports or read up on the anti-cheat engines behind these bans.