It happens every single time. You’re settled in, maybe at a coffee shop or tucked into a hotel bed, and you click that big "Connect" button. The little icon spins. And spins. Then, the dreaded "Connection Failed" or—even worse—the icon turns green but your internet just... dies. Why is my VPN not working? Honestly, it’s usually something remarkably simple, but finding that one loose screw in the digital engine can feel like a nightmare.
VPNs are weird pieces of software. They’re basically trying to trick your entire operating system into sending data through a tiny, encrypted tunnel that your ISP isn't supposed to see. Sometimes the tunnel collapses.
The "Kill Switch" trap and why your internet just vanished
If you’re asking why is my VPN not working because your internet completely cut out the moment you turned the app on, you probably have a Kill Switch enabled. This is a safety feature. It’s supposed to be there. Most top-tier providers like NordVPN or Mullvad include this to prevent your real IP address from leaking if the VPN server hiccups.
But here’s the thing: sometimes the VPN thinks it’s disconnected even when it’s trying to wake up. It locks your internet down tight. You’re sitting there staring at a "No Internet" bar while the app is technically "active." It's frustrating. You might need to toggle the Kill Switch off just to see if you can get a signal, though I wouldn't recommend leaving it off if you're on public Wi-Fi.
Sometimes the issue is deeper in the plumbing. Your network drivers might be acting up. If your computer recently did a Windows Update, it’s entirely possible the virtual network adapter—that invisible piece of hardware the VPN uses—got sidelined or corrupted.
Your ISP is probably ghosting your VPN traffic
Let’s talk about ISPs for a second. Companies like Comcast, AT&T, or even mobile carriers like Verizon aren't exactly fans of you hiding your traffic. They want to see what you're doing so they can throttle your Netflix stream or sell your browsing habits to advertisers.
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Some ISPs use Deep Packet Inspection (DPI). They look at the "shape" of your data. Even if they can't read what's inside the encrypted packet, they recognize the metadata signature of a VPN protocol. Then, they just... drop the packets. This is especially common if you're using older protocols like L2TP or PPTP.
If you suspect your ISP is the culprit, try switching your protocol in the app settings. Most modern apps let you choose between OpenVPN, IKEv2, or WireGuard. WireGuard is usually the winner here. It’s faster, sleeker, and a lot harder for ISPs to block without breaking a whole bunch of other legitimate internet services.
The DNS headache
DNS is basically the phonebook of the internet. You type in a URL, and DNS tells your computer the actual IP address of the server. When you use a VPN, you stop using your ISP’s DNS and start using the VPN’s.
If those two "phonebooks" get into a fight, you get "DNS Probe Finished" errors. It feels like the VPN is broken, but really, your computer just doesn't know where to go. Flushing your DNS cache—using ipconfig /flushdns in the command prompt—is a literal five-second fix that solves this more often than you'd think.
Why is my VPN not working on Netflix or Disney Plus?
This is the big one. You aren't actually "broken"; you’re just blocked.
Streaming giants are in a constant arms race with VPN providers. Netflix has massive databases of IP addresses known to belong to data centers (where VPN servers live). When you connect to a server in London to watch a show only available in the UK, Netflix sees a thousand people all coming from the exact same IP address. They aren't stupid. They flag that IP and block it.
This is why "Why is my VPN not working?" is such a common question during new season releases. The solution isn't to fix your settings. You just have to hop servers. Most people give up after one try. Don't. Try three or four different cities in the same country. Eventually, you’ll find an "obfuscated" server or a fresh IP that hasn't been blacklisted yet.
Browser cookies are snitching on you
You've got the VPN on. You’re "in" Japan. You open Google. Why is it still showing you results for Chicago?
It’s the cookies. Your browser stores your location history and previous login data. Even if your IP says you’re in Tokyo, your browser is screaming "THIS PERSON IS ACTUALLY IN ILLINOIS" through the cookies stored on your hard drive.
- Try using an Incognito or Private window.
- Clear your browser cache entirely.
- Check for WebRTC leaks.
WebRTC is a technology that helps with video chats in the browser, but it can accidentally bypass your VPN and leak your real IP address to the websites you visit. There are browser extensions that can block this, and honestly, if you care about privacy, you should probably be using one.
The "Too Many Devices" limit
We all share passwords. We all have four different devices.
Most VPN services have a limit on how many simultaneous connections you can have. If you’ve got your phone, your laptop, your partner's tablet, and that one smart TV all logged in, the next device you try to connect simply won't work. It’ll just hang at "Connecting."
Check your account dashboard. Log out of everything. It’s a boring fix, but it's a common one.
Hardware conflicts and the "Double VPN" problem
Are you running two VPNs at once? Maybe a corporate one for work and a personal one for privacy? That is a recipe for disaster. They will fight over the network stack like two kids fighting over a toy, and usually, they'll just break the connection entirely.
Also, look at your antivirus. Some overly aggressive firewall settings in Norton or McAfee see a VPN as a "man-in-the-middle" attack—which, technically, it is, just a helpful one. You might need to whitelist your VPN app in your firewall settings to let it do its job.
Specific steps to get back online right now
If you are currently staring at a disconnected app and wondering why is my VPN not working, don't panic. Follow this logic chain. It's not a fancy guide; it's just what works.
First, turn the VPN off and see if your internet works. If it doesn't, the problem is your Wi-Fi or your ISP, not the app. If the internet works fine without the VPN, move to the next step.
Change your protocol. Go into settings and look for "Protocol" or "Connection." If it's on "Automatic," force it to "WireGuard" or "OpenVPN (UDP)." This resets the way the app talks to the server. If that fails, try a different server location. Sometimes a specific server in New York is just down for maintenance, and the app is too dumb to tell you.
Check for updates. An outdated VPN client is a broken VPN client. Security protocols change constantly, and if your app is three months behind, it might be using a handshake method that the servers no longer accept.
Lastly, if you're on a mobile device, toggle your Airplane Mode on and off. This forces your phone to reconnect to the cell tower and refresh its IP lease, which often clears up any weird routing hangs that were preventing the VPN from "latching" onto the connection.
Final reality check
Sometimes, the VPN isn't working because the service itself is having a bad day. Check sites like Downdetector. Even the giants like ExpressVPN or Surfshark have outages. If thousands of people are reporting issues, there’s nothing you can do on your end except wait it out or switch providers.
The internet is a messy web of cables and protocols. A VPN adds a whole new layer of complexity to that mess. Most of the time, a quick protocol swap or a DNS flush is all it takes to get things moving again.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check for a "Kill Switch" lock: If you have no internet even when the VPN is off, disable the Kill Switch in your VPN settings and restart your browser.
- Switch to WireGuard: If your connection is slow or failing to connect, manually select the WireGuard protocol in your app settings for better stability.
- Clear your DNS cache: Open your command prompt (Windows) or Terminal (Mac) and type
ipconfig /flushdns(Windows) orsudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder(Mac) to resolve routing errors. - Try an Obfuscated Server: If you're in a country with heavy censorship or on a restricted school/work network, look for "Obfuscated" or "Stealth" servers in your VPN's server list to bypass firewalls.