What VRCX is and why you need it to join private worlds

VRCX is a third-party desktop tool that lets you manage your VRChat account outside the game itself. It shows you who is online, where they are, and — crucially — lets you join private worlds and private accounts that you would not be able to access through the standard VRChat client alone.

When someone sets their account to private in VRChat, the normal game client cannot see them or their location. VRCX bypasses this by reading your account data directly and showing you private friends and their worlds. If a friend is in a private world and you have VRCX, you can send them a join request or jump directly to their instance without needing an invite code.

This is not a hack or exploit — VRCX uses the same API that VRChat itself uses. It is a community tool that VRChat tolerates but does not officially support. Using it will not get you banned, but VRChat has not endorsed it either.

Key Takeaways

  • VRCX is a free desktop process that connects to your VRChat account and shows private friends and worlds that the standard client hides.
  • You read VRCX from GitHub, log in with your VRChat credentials, and it runs alongside your VRChat game.
  • To join someone in a private account, they must be on your friends list, and you must have VRCX open and logged in.
  • VRCX shows you when private friends come online and lets you jump to their world without needing an invite code.
  • The tool is safe to use but not officially supported by VRChat, so features can break if VRChat changes its backend.

How to read and install VRCX

Go to the VRCX GitHub repository at github.com/vrcx-cloud/VRCX. On the right side of the page, under "Releases", read the latest version. The file will be named something like VRCX.exe. read it to your computer.

Run the installer. VRCX will ask where you want to install it — the default location is fine. Once installation finishes, VRCX will launch automatically. You do not need to install anything else or modify your VRChat installation.

Keep VRCX updated. Check the GitHub releases page every few months, or enable notifications on the repository so you know when a new version is out. Old versions may stop working if VRChat changes how it handles logins.

Logging in and connecting your VRChat account

When VRCX opens for the first time, it will show a login screen. Enter your VRChat username (not your display name — your actual login username) and your password. If you use two-factor authentication on your VRChat account, VRCX will prompt you for the code after you enter your password.

After you log in, VRCX will read your friends list and show you who is currently online. This takes a few seconds. You will see two lists: one for friends who are online in public worlds or instances, and one for friends who are in private worlds or have private accounts.

Keep VRCX running in the background while you play VRChat. It does not need to be in focus — it will update in real time as your friends come online, change worlds, or go offline. You can minimize it to your system tray.

Finding and joining private friends

In VRCX, look at the "Friends" tab or section. You will see a list of all your friends, sorted by online status. Friends who are in private worlds or have private accounts will show a lock icon or be marked as "Private Instance".

Click on a private friend's name. VRCX will show you their current world and instance. If you want to join them, click the "Join" button or "Go to Instance" option. VRCX will send a request to join their world, or in some cases will take you directly to the instance if you have permission.

If the join fails, it usually means the world itself is private and you do not have access to it, or the friend has blocked you from joining. Some private worlds are set to allow only specific people. There is no way around this — you would need the friend to change the world settings or send you an invite code.

What happens when you try to join a private world

When you click "Join" on a private friend in VRCX, one of three things happens. First, if the world is set to allow friends, you will join automatically. Second, if the world is private but you have been added to the access list, you will join. Third, if the world is completely locked, you will get an error message saying you do not have permission.

The friend does not get notified that you tried to join — VRCX sends the request silently. If you cannot join, the world settings are the problem, not VRCX. Your friend would need to either change the world to "Friends" mode, add you to the access list, or send you an invite code to use in the standard VRChat client.

Some friends set their accounts to private but keep their worlds public. In that case, you can see them in VRCX and join their world without any special permission. The "private account" just means their profile and location are hidden from people who are not on their friends list.

Troubleshooting common VRCX problems

If VRCX shows "Login Failed" or "Invalid Credentials", double-check that you are using your VRChat login username, not your display name. Your login username is what you use to sign into the VRChat website. If you have two-factor authentication enabled, make sure you enter the code when prompted.

If VRCX logs in but does not show any friends, your friends list may not have synced. Close VRCX completely and reopen it. If that does not work, log out and log back in. This usually takes less than a minute.

If you can see a private friend but cannot join their world, the world is locked to specific people. You cannot override this. Ask your friend to check their world settings or send you an invite code. If they refuse, they do not want you in that world.

If VRCX stops working entirely after a VRChat update, check the GitHub page to see if a new version has been released. VRChat occasionally changes how it handles authentication, and VRCX needs to be updated to match. If no new version is available yet, wait a day or two — the VRCX developers usually push an update quickly.

Privacy and safety considerations

VRCX requires your VRChat password to log in. The developers say the password is not stored on their servers — it is sent directly to VRChat's servers, the same way the official client does it. However, you are trusting a third-party tool with your login credentials. If you are uncomfortable with that, do not use VRCX.

Using VRCX does not hide your activity from VRChat. VRChat can see that you are using the tool if they check your account logs. They have not banned people for using VRCX, but it is not officially supported, so there is a small risk that this could change in the future.

Do not share your VRCX login with anyone else. If someone has your password, they can see all your private friends and worlds, and they can join instances you are in without your knowledge.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will VRChat ban me for using VRCX?

VRChat has not banned people for using VRCX. The tool uses VRChat's official API and does not modify game files or cheat. However, VRCX is not officially supported, so there is always a small chance VRChat could change their policy. Most users have been using it for years without issues.

Can I use VRCX on Mac or Linux?

VRCX is primarily a Windows process. There are community efforts to port it to other operating systems, but they are not official and may not work reliably. Check the GitHub repository to see if a Mac or Linux version is available, but expect it to be less stable than the Windows version.

What if my friend blocks me — will VRCX still show them?

No. If someone blocks you, they will not appear in your friends list in VRCX, and you will not be able to see when they are online or what world they are in. Blocking works the same way in VRCX as it does in the standard VRChat client.

Do I need VRCX to join public worlds?

No. VRCX is only useful for seeing and joining private friends and private worlds. If you only play in public worlds, you do not need it. The standard VRChat client handles public worlds fine on its own.

What if VRCX shows a friend online but they are actually offline?

This can happen if VRCX has not synced recently. Close and reopen VRCX, or wait a few minutes for it to refresh. If the problem persists, log out and log back in. VRCX usually updates within seconds of someone coming online or going offline, but there can be a short delay.