In this guide for learWithMyke.com I will take you through the actions I would do to troubleshoot a non function VPN on my android device.
You open up your VPN application, you select a server and click connect, nothing happens
You try again and again, maybe it connects for a few seconds then disconnects, maybe it just keeps saying connecting... Perhaps it connects normally but your internet stops working.
I understand how stressful these situations can be, especially if you're relying on your VPN for work, or for more secure browsing on a foreign WiFi, or maybe you just want to use an application that isn't available on your network.
The good news is you don't have to go and uninstall the app and factory reset your phone
In this guide for learWithMyke.com I will take you through the actions I would do to troubleshoot a non function VPN on my android device.
Important: Android menus can look different depending on your phone manufacturer and Android version. Samsung, Xiaomi, Tecno, Infinix, OPPO, vivo and other brands may use different names for some settings.
1. First, Make Sure Your Internet Actually Works
This is the first thing I would check.
A VPN does not create an Internet connection by itself. A VPN uses your Wi-Fi or mobile-data connection to create a secure connection to their VPN server.
Therefore, if your Internet is not working properly, the VPN may not work, too.
Before trying something inside the VPN app, open Chrome or another browser and try to open a normal website.
If the sites aren't loading, there's something wrong with your Internet connection.
Try this:
Turn Wi-Fi off and back on.
If you're using mobile data, toggle mobile data off and on.
Turn Airplane Mode on for a few seconds and then turn it off.
Restart your router if you're using Wi-Fi.
Switch from Wi-Fi to mobile data, or from mobile data to Wi-Fi.
Restart your phone.
If the internet works normally without the VPN but stops working when you connect the VPN, continue with the next steps.
2. Give the VPN Permission to Create a VPN Connection
When you launch a VPN application the first time, Android usually prompts you to authorize the app to establish a VPN connection.
This permission is required.
If you canceled the request or did not configure the application, the program will fail to connect.
Launch the desired VPN application and try to connect to the selected server
If a VPN permission window appears, read the information and allow the application to access the system.
In some cases, you have to enable a VPN manually. To do this, open the Settings application in Android and go to similar location:
Settings → Network & Internet → VPN
In Samsung and other manufacturers, the menu may have a different layout, name, or wording.
3. Try a Different VPN Server
Do not worry that your vpn application was broken because you cannot connect to one server.
Vpn providers have several servers and each server sometime be busy or have maintenance or traffic congestion problems.
So you must try to connect to different server in the same country or city to test.
For example, you choose one server to connect, but it does not work, try with other server in the same region you are interested, and if this also does not work, try a city near the first.
What I would test
I would try:
Current server → Another server in the same country → Nearby country → Automatic/Fastest server
If one server works while another doesn't, the problem may be related to that particular server rather than your Android phone.
4. Switch Between Wi-Fi and Mobile Data
This is one of the most useful troubleshooting tests.
If yourVPNis working on mobile data but not on Wi-Fi, then the problem is in your Wi-Fi network.
In the same way, if it is working on Wi-Fi but not mobile data, then the problem is in your mobile network or its settings.
This is especially helpful if you are connected to:
School Wi-Fi
Office Wi-Fi
Hotel Wi-Fi
Public Wi-Fi
Shared hotspots
Some networks may block or impede specific forms of vpn traffic.
Therefore, it may be helpful to try another network in order to change the circumstance.
This can help you ascertain whether the issues are related to your phone or the network that you are using.
5. Check Your VPN Subscription
If you're using a paid VPN service, make sure that your subscription is up-to-date.
Depending on your provider, an expired subscription may prevent you from being able to use the service altogether.
Check the application for your account or subscription details.
If needed:
Renew the subscription.
Confirm that your payment method is valid.
Sign out and sign back in.
Restart the application.
If you're using a free VPN, also check whether you've reached a usage limit or whether the provider has restricted certain servers.
6. Stop Android From Putting the VPN App to Sleep
This is especially crucial to check on phones that have aggressive battery-management systems
Android can kill background processes to save battery. Some manufacturers add their own features that aggressively kill background processes.
If your VPN application is being suspended in the background, you may experience unexpected disconnections.
Check under the battery settings of your phone for the VPN application.
You may see options such as:
Settings → Apps → Locate your App → Battery
Then review the available background or battery-usage options.
You may be able to allow the app to run in the background or choose a less restrictive battery setting.
What about locking the VPN app?
Some Android smartphones let you lock an app on the Recent Apps screen.
If your device has this feature, you should lock the VPN application so that the system does not kill it.
The process is slightly different for every manufacturer, so you might not see the Lock option.
7. Check Android's Always-On VPN Option
Android includes an Always-on VPN feature on supported versions and devices.
This can automatically maintain a VPN connection and, depending on your configuration, can help prevent traffic from being sent outside the VPN.
You may find the option under:
Settings → Network & Internet → VPN
Select your VPN and look for Always-on VPN.
Some Android versions also provide a Block connections without VPN option.
Be careful with this setting
I would not turn that on without knowing what it does.
If the VPN fails while traffic is being blocked outside the vpn it will make it look like you have no connection on your phone.
That can be helpful if your main concern is making sure nothing is going outside the vpn. That said. It can also make it harder to troubleshoot if you're just trying to get your vpn working. Leave those options alone until you know what they do.
8. Update the VPN App
An outdated application can have some glitches or be incompatible with the system.
Go to the Google Play Store and look for your app.
If there is an update, you should install it.
You should also update your Android system regularly since there maybe important security patches and other fixes.
After that:
Close the VPN app.
Reopen it.
Sign in if necessary.
Select a server.
Try connecting again.
9. Clear the VPN App's Cache
If the application has accumulated corrupted or problematic temporary data, clearing its cache may help.
On many Android phones, you can find this under:
Settings → Apps → [VPN App] → Storage
Then look for Clear Cache.
Be careful not to confuse Clear Cache with Clear Data.
Clearing an app's data can remove saved settings or sign-in information, depending on the application.
I would start with the cache before considering more drastic options.
10. Reset Your Network Settings as a Last Resort
If you've tried everything above and the VPN still refuses to work, resetting network settings may be worth considering.
On many Android phones, you may find something similar to:
Settings → System → Reset Options → Reset Wi-Fi, Mobile & Bluetooth
The wording varies between manufacturers.
This can remove saved Wi-Fi networks, Bluetooth connections and certain network configurations.
So don't treat this as the first troubleshooting step.
If you use it, make sure you know your important Wi-Fi passwords before proceeding.
After the reset, reconnect to your Wi-Fi or mobile network and test the VPN again.
What If the VPN Connects but the Internet Stops Working?
This is a slightly different problem.
Your VPN may show Connected, but websites refuse to load.
If this happens, try the following:
Disconnect and reconnect the VPN.
Change VPN servers.
Try another VPN protocol if the application provides that option.
Test another network.
Restart your phone.
Check whether the problem occurs only with one website.
Temporarily disable advanced VPN features to identify the cause.
Some VPN applications provide features such as ad blocking, custom DNS, split tunneling or threat protection.
These features can sometimes affect how specific websites or applications connect.
Rather than changing everything at once, change one setting at a time so you can identify what actually fixes the problem.
What If Only One Website or App Doesn't Work?
Don't immediately conclude that your VPN is broken.
Some websites and online services restrict or challenge traffic coming from known VPN addresses.
For example, a service may detect that many users are accessing it through the same VPN server and restrict that server.
Try another VPN location.
You should also check whether the website works normally after disconnecting the VPN.
If the website works without the VPN but fails with it, the issue may be related to the service's treatment of VPN traffic rather than your Android device.
A Simple Troubleshooting Order I Would Use
If I had only a few minutes to troubleshoot a VPN problem, I wouldn't randomly change ten settings.
I'd follow this order:
1. Test the internet without the VPN.
2. Restart the phone.
3. Try another VPN server.
4. Switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data.
5. Check the VPN account/subscription.
6. Update the VPN application.
7. Review battery/background restrictions.
8. Check Android VPN settings.
9. Clear the app cache.
10. Reset network settings if nothing else works.
This approach helps you identify the problem without unnecessarily changing important Android settings.
One More Thing: Choose Your VPN Carefully
If you're using a VPN for privacy, don't choose one simply because an advertisement says it will make you "100% anonymous."
A VPN can hide your IP address from websites and route your internet traffic through the VPN provider, but it doesn't make you completely anonymous online.
Your VPN provider can also be an important part of your privacy model.
Before trusting a VPN with your internet traffic, investigate its privacy practices, reputation, ownership, logging policies and security history.
And be particularly careful with unknown free VPN applications.
Free doesn't automatically mean bad, but a free VPN still needs to have a business model you understand and a privacy policy you are comfortable with.
Final Thoughts From Myke Educate
When a VPN isn't working on Android, the solution is often simpler than it first appears.
Start with the basics.
Check whether your internet works. Try another server. Switch networks. Make sure the VPN application is updated and isn't being aggressively restricted by your phone's battery settings.
Only move to more advanced steps, such as changing VPN settings or resetting network configurations, when the simpler solutions haven't worked.
And remember that Android isn't identical on every phone.
The menu on a Samsung may not look the same as the menu on a Tecno, Infinix, Xiaomi, OPPO or vivo device. So if you don't see exactly the same wording used in this guide, look for the equivalent VPN, Network, Apps, Battery or Privacy settings on your device.
Technology troubleshooting isn't about changing everything until something works.
It's about testing one possibility at a time until you understand what is actually causing the problem.
That is the approach I recommend whenever your VPN stops working.
