Identify where the connection stops
Can you open the app? Does the server list load? Does the connection button keep spinning, or does it report an error? These are separate stages. Write down the exact message and try two unrelated websites once the app reports a connection. A failure in one service does not establish that the whole VPN is down.
Next, disconnect the VPN briefly and check whether ordinary internet access works. If it does not, begin with the Wi-Fi or mobile connection. On a managed work device, follow your organisation's instructions before changing network settings. A consumer VPN cannot repair a missing mobile signal or grant access to a company network.
Complete the Wi-Fi sign-in first
Hotels, airports and cafés sometimes require a sign-in page before allowing internet access. An unfinished or expired session can prevent a VPN from connecting. Confirm the network name with the venue, temporarily disconnect the VPN if needed, and complete only the network's legitimate sign-in process.
Then reconnect the VPN and try a normal page. Do not install an unexpected certificate or configuration profile to make a public network work. A certificate warning is a reason to check the connection, not a routine step to skip. If the portal remains unavailable, ask the venue or use another connection.
Compare one network or server at a time
Keep the same VPN location and switch from Wi-Fi to mobile data, if available. If the connection works on mobile data, the original network deserves further attention. This is a clue, not proof of a particular cause. Network restrictions, routing and a portal session can produce similar symptoms.
Next, return to one working internet connection and try a different available VPN location. Avoid changing DNS, server, battery settings and network together: even if the problem disappears, you will not know why. A brief note such as “home Wi-Fi, first location fails; mobile data, same location connects” is useful evidence for support.
Check for another app managing traffic
Some filtering, security and ad-blocking apps use a local VPN configuration. Check which connection is active and whether another app is taking control. Reviewing the configuration is more useful than removing every security tool from the phone. Ask an administrator before altering a managed profile.
If the problem began after an update, record the app and operating-system versions. Restarting the device may clear a temporary problem, but repeated restarts without any new observation rarely improve diagnosis. Keep track of which steps you have already tried so support does not need to repeat them.
Connected, but no internet—or only one broken app?
If several unrelated websites fail, investigate the tunnel and network together. If browsing works but one service fails, check that service's own availability and access requirements. Some services handle shared IP addresses differently; this does not mean the VPN is universally broken.
DNS problems can prevent names from resolving, but changing the resolver is not a universal fix. Record the original setting before making a supported change, and restore it if the test does not help. Avoid instructions that ask you to disable broad security protections without explaining the specific problem.
Disconnections after locking the screen
Notice whether the interruption follows a screen lock, a move between networks or a particular amount of time. Those patterns help distinguish background activity from a network transition. On Android, review the app's battery settings if the timing suggests a background restriction; menus vary by manufacturer.
Do not reset all network settings as the first experiment. A reset can remove saved connections and create additional work. Prefer a small, reversible change, then repeat the same short test to see whether the symptom actually changes.
Send a support request that can be investigated
Include the device model, OS version, app version, approximate time, network type, selected location and exact error. Explain what happens with the VPN off and whether a second network changes the result. Remove account details, access codes and other private information from screenshots.
A public status page can provide context, but a sample status display does not verify your individual connection. The details from your device are more useful than a green badge alone. Never send your password or payment-card details to troubleshoot a tunnel.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the VPN say connected when websites will not open?
The network sign-in, tunnel, DNS or an individual service may be involved. Try several websites and check internet access with the VPN off, then compare one different network or server.
Should I reinstall the app immediately?
First confirm ordinary internet access, check for an app update and record the error. Reinstallation may remove local preferences; simple, reversible checks are a better starting point.