Home » iOS » 13 Ways to Fix VPN Is Not Connecting on iPhone Issue

13 Ways to Fix VPN Is Not Connecting on iPhone Issue

by Kaushal
0 comment

Most VPNs offer an app for every platform and I use my VPN app on the iPhone as well. It’s convenient but I encountered a problem when no matter what I tried, the VPN just wasn’t working on the iPhone. After a lot of trial and error, I eventually got it to work and that’s why I created this comprehensive list of methods that you can follow to fix your VPN not connecting to iPhone error. Let’s fix it.

Before We Begin

There are a lot of different VPNs out there that use different protocols, and techniques to offer services. I have tried to cover all the bases and would be listing out each and every method. While testing, I used PureVPN and Nord VPN yours could be different. Still, these methods to fix VPN issue on iPhone should work for you.

1. Disconnect and Connect VPN Again

Reconnecting the VPN can help fix small errors. Open the app and if the VPN is connected, tap the Disconnect button and connect to a server again.

disconnect and reconnect vpn on iPhone

2. Force Close VPN App

Kill the VPN app using the app drawer. Swipe up from the bottom or press the home button twice to open the app drawer and swipe up on the VPN app window to kill the app. Now, open the app again and try connecting to the VPN server.

kill the vpn app from iPhone app drawer

3. Update the VPN App

Next, check if the app is due for an update. Open the App Store and search for the VPN app. If there’s an update, you’d see an Update button instead of the Open button. Tap the Update button and wait for it to finish. After the app is updated, connect to a VPN server and check if VPN works on iPhone.

update the vpn app in app store

4. Try Other VPN Servers

Let’s say you’re trying to connect to a US server and the server isn’t responding. Try other servers available in the VPN app. Just to be safe, try connecting to a completely different server on a different continent. For example, if the US server isn’t responding, try the UK, France, or anywhere away from the US server.

try another vpn server on iphone

5. Try the VPN on Another Device

Most VPN providers have apps for all popular platforms and if your VPN is not connecting on the iPhone, check if it works on Android or Windows, or even macOS. This is also a good time to choose a different server.

vpn app on mac

6. Try Another VPN on the iPhone

There are plenty of free VPN clients available on the App Store that work decently. You can temporarily install one to check if VPN is working or not on iPhone. Install a VPN from the App Store and connect to the VPN server.

try another vpn app- when vpn not connecting to iPhone

7. Restart Your iPhone

Restart iPhone by pressing the side button and the volume down button simultaneously and then slide to turn off the iPhone. Press the side button again to power up the iPhone.

Power off the iPhone by sliding the top bar

8. Change VPN Protocol

There are various protocols that VPN apps use to connect to the servers. Some popular ones are IPsec, IKE, IKEv2, L2TP, TCP, and UDP. Open the VPN app and go to Settings. Find Connection Protocol and select a new protocol from the list. You can always go back to the old one if VPN is not connecting on iOS.

Change Connection protocol in the VPN app from IKE to TCP

IKE is one of the most advanced protocols implemented by VPN providers as it offers better security and consumes less battery on the iPhone. However, you can try other protocols such as TCP and UDP to see if the VPN starts working on iPhone.

9. Use a Custom DNS in the VPN App

There are multiple advantages of using a custom DNS and one of the reasons would be the compatibility of your apps with the VPN. To change the DNS within the app, open the VPN app and navigate to its Settings page. Find the VPN protocol settings and change the DNS to an address of your choice. Save changes and see if it works.

Change DNS in the VPN app

10. Disable Private IP

The Private IP address is a privacy setting on your iPhone that prevents tracking across multiple Wi-Fi access points. Try disabling Private Address in Settings and see if it makes any difference in iPhone VPN connectivity. Open the Settings app on the iPhone, tap Wi-Fi Settings. Tap the i button next to the connected Wi-Fi network and disable “Private Address”.

disable private address in iPhone Wi-fi settings

11. Disconnect the Hotspot

When you connect the iPhone to someone else’s Wi-Fi hotspot, your VPN may cause some trouble. Open the Wi-Fi Settings and verify the Wi-Fi connection. If the Wi-Fi access point shows a hotspot icon as shown in the image below, disconnect the Wi-Fi.

check if the iPhone is connected to a  Hotspot

12. Disable Connect On Demand

The Connect on Demand is an intuitive feature that allows the VPN to automatically connect without user input. Try disabling the Connect on Demand to see if it helps.

Open the Settings app > VPN > VPN Profile > Connect On Demand and turn it off.

Disable Connect on Demand on iphone

13. Reset Network Settings

If nothing has worked so far then go ahead and reset Network Settings. Open the Settings > General > Reset Network Settings > and enter the iPhone PIN. After resetting the network settings, check again if VPN is still not connecting to iPhone.

reset network setting on the iPhone to fix VPN not connecting iPhone

VPN Not Working on iPhone: What’s Next

Hopefully, VPN working again on your iPhone. However, if the issue still persists, it would be pertinent to contact the Customer Care of your VPN provider. Did I miss anything? Did you find another way to fix the VPN problem on iPhone? Let me know on Twitter.

Also Read: 5 Best VPN Browsers for iPhone

You may also like