Need connection help?
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Need connection help?
Talk to a HumanThe troubleshooting steps below are for users who cannot connect to an ExpressVPN server location.
If the ExpressVPN application is running properly, but you still cannot connect to the VPN gateway, ExpressVPN will display the following error message:
For Windows and Mac
For Android
For iOS
For Windows (version 3.x)
Troubleshooting steps
After each step, check if the problem is resolved.
You can also contact the ExpressVPN Support Team via live chat for immediate assistance.
- Make sure your internet connection is active
- Try connecting to another ExpressVPN Location
- Try disabling your firewall, antivirus, or anti-spyware program
- Download the latest version of ExpressVPN
- Try changing the protocol
- Send in your ExpressVPN log file or diagnostics
- Resolve your log file errors
- If you run into the Android Tun Missing Driver error…
- Cannot connect on router
Make sure your internet connection is active
To test whether your internet connection is active, disconnect from ExpressVPN and try to access a website regularly.
If you are able to access the internet while disconnected from ExpressVPN, move on to the next step.
If you are unable to access the internet even when disconnected from ExpressVPN, you will need to check your internet connection. For Windows users, please perform the following checks too.
Need help? Contact the ExpressVPN Support Team via live chat for immediate assistance.
Try connecting to another ExpressVPN Location
If you can access the internet when disconnected from ExpressVPN but cannot connect to an ExpressVPN server location, choose a different server location from the list of locations.
You can also consult this guide to choosing the best server location for your needs.
Connect to a different server location for…
- ExpressVPN Windows App
- ExpressVPN Mac App
- ExpressVPN iOS App
- ExpressVPN Android App
- ExpressVPN Linux App
Need help? Contact the ExpressVPN Support Team via live chat for immediate assistance.
Try disabling your firewall, antivirus, or anti-spyware program
Your VPN connection might be blocked by a firewall, antivirus, or anti-spyware program.
To test this, disable these programs and see if you can connect to an ExpressVPN server location. If you are able to connect, do one of the following:
- If you know how to configure the program that’s blocking the connection, configure it to allow ExpressVPN. Depending on the program, you may need to change the security level from High to Medium, grant an exception to ExpressVPN or to UDP ports 1194-1204, or set it to Trust ExpressVPN. Consult the instructions for your own firewall, antivirus, or anti-spyware program for details.
- If you have the option to reinstall the program that’s blocking your VPN connection, installing it after ExpressVPN is already installed should get it to allow ExpressVPN to connect. Do the following:
- Uninstall ExpressVPN
- Uninstall the program that’s blocking the VPN connection
- Install ExpressVPN
- Install the program that’s blocking the VPN connection
Need help? Contact the ExpressVPN Support Team via live chat for immediate assistance.
Download the latest version of ExpressVPN
- Quit the version of ExpressVPN you are running
- Uninstall your app
- Sign in to your ExpressVPN account
- Select Set Up ExpressVPN
- Find and download the latest version of the ExpressVPN app for your device
- Set up your ExpressVPN app
- Connect to a VPN server location
Need help? Contact the ExpressVPN Support Team via live chat for immediate assistance.
Try changing the protocol
VPN protocols are the methods by which your device connects to a VPN server.
By default, ExpressVPN uses the UDP protocol, which is often blocked in some countries, especially in the Middle East. For the best experience, ExpressVPN recommends using the Automatic protocol option.
If you need to change protocols, please choose the protocols in the following order:
- OpenVPN TCP
- L2TP
- PPTP
Note: PPTP and L2TP/IPsec provide weak security benefits and should only be used for anonymization or for changing locations.
Note: ExpressVPN does not recommend using L2TP or PPTP unless absolutely necessary. These protocols offer only minimal security.
How to change the protocol for the…
- ExpressVPN Windows App
- ExpressVPN Mac App
- ExpressVPN Android App
- ExpressVPN iOS App
- ExpressVPN Linux App
- ExpressVPN Windows App 3.x
Need help? Contact the ExpressVPN Support Team via live chat for immediate assistance.
Change the protocol for the ExpressVPN Windows App 3.x:
Click Options.
Under “Change Protocol,” choose the protocol you want to use, then click Back to locations list.
Back to Try changing the protocol
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Send in your ExpressVPN log file or diagnostics
Your ExpressVPN log file or diagnostics keeps a record that shows what might be causing your connection to fail.
Save the log file or diagnostics and email it as an attachment to the ExpressVPN Support Team at support@expressvpn.zendesk.com.
To save your diagnostic files, go to ≡ > Help & Support > Diagnostic Information. Save your diagnostics or copy them into a text file.
Need help? Contact the ExpressVPN Support Team via live chat for immediate assistance.
Resolve your log file errors
Are you tech-savvy? Find out what the error messages mean and resolve the issue yourself.
If you run into the Android Tun Missing Driver error…
If the ExpressVPN app is working on your Android device but you encounter the Android Tun Missing Driver error, learn how to resolve the Android Tun Missing Driver error.
Need help? Contact the ExpressVPN Support Team via live chat for immediate assistance.
Cannot connect on router
If you have problems with your router or with the ExpressVPN app for routers, it is best to contact the ExpressVPN Support Team via live chat. This is due to the huge variation in router models and firmware.