How to Fix VPN Not Working in Windows 11

Many people use VPNs to access geo-restricted content and even hide the details of the work they do online. Users have recently reported coming up with issues regarding their VPN. Many users have complained that the Windows 11 VPN is not working. The issue is commonly faced due to reasons like outdated Windows, faulty drivers, the issue with DNS, Firewall, and various such.

Fix VPN Not Working in Windows 11

This guide will help you fix Windows 11 VPN not working. 

Use Third-Party VPN

The first thing you should try doing is using a third-party VPN. You can install a dedicated VPN on your PC which meets your requirements. Use the dedicated VPN instead of the built-in VPN, and this should most probably fix the issue. If this doesn’t fix the issue, you should move to the next troubleshooting step in this article. 

Update Windows

Another thing that you can try doing is updating the Windows. To do so, follow the steps given below-

• Open the Settings app by pressing the Windows + I key combo. 
• From the left sidebar, click on the Windows update. 
• Now on the right side, click on Check for updates.

• Download and install the update and then try using the VPN again. 

Flush DNS

If Windows 11 VPN is not working, you should try flushing the DNS. Flushing DNS should most probably fix the issue for you. To do so, follow the steps given below-

• Press the Windows key to open the Start Menu. 
• In the Start Menu, search for CMD. Right-click on the Command Prompt and then click on Run as administrator. 

• In the Command Prompt, execute the following commands-
  • ipconfig /release 
  • ipconfig /flushdns
  • ipconfig /renew 
  • netsh int ip reset 
  • netsh winsock reset

• Once done, close the Command Prompt and restart your PC. 

Disable Firewall

You may also face the issue due to the conflicting Firewall. If you have a third-party Firewall, you should try disabling it to fix the issue. However, if you use Windows Defender Firewall, you will have to disable it. To do so, follow the steps given below-

• Press the Windows key and search for Control Panel and open it. 
• In the Control Panel, search for Windows Defender Firewall and open it.

• Next, click on Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off from the left sidebar. 

• Now, select Turn off Windows Defender Firewall for both Private Network Settings and Public Network Settings. 

• Click on OK to save the changes. 

Reinstall WAN Miniport Network Adapters

The very next thing that you should try doing is reinstalling the WAN Miniport network adapters. To reinstall WAN Miniport Network Adapters, follow the steps given below-

• Press the Windows + X key combo and then click on Device Manager. 
• In the Device Manager, expand the tab for Network Adapters. 
• Now, right-click on the WAN Miniport (IP) and click on Uninstall device. 

• When asked to confirm uninstalling the driver, click on Uninstall.
• Do the same for the WAN Miniport (PPTP) and WAN Miniport (IPv6).
• Now, restart your PC to reinstall the network adapter. 

Disable Proxy Settings

If you still face the issue, you should try disabling Proxy settings. You can do so by following the steps given below-

• Open the Settings app on your PC by pressing the Windows + I key combo. 
• On the left sidebar of the Settings app, click on Network and Internet section. 
• Now on the right side, click on the Proxy option.

• Click on the Setup button and then turn off the toggle to use a proxy server. Once done, click on Save to save the changes.

Set Exception For UDP

If Windows 11 VPN is not working, you can try setting up an exception for UDP. To set an exception for UDP, follow the steps given below-

• In the Start Menu, search for Registry Editor and open it.
• In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following address-
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\PolicyAgent
• On the right side, right-click on the PolicyAgent and then click on New and then on DWORD (32-Bit) Value.
• Rename it to AssumeUDPEncapsulationContextOnSendRule.
• On the right side, double-click on the new key you created to edit it. 
• Set the Value Data to 2 and click on OK to confirm
• Restart your PC, and the issue should be fixed. 

Reset Your PC

The above steps should most probably fix the issue. However, if you still face the issue, you should try resetting your Windows 11 PC. To do so, follow the steps given below-

• Open the Settings app on your Windows 11 PC. 
• Ensure you are on the System section in the Settings. 
• Now on the right side, click on Recovery. 
• Click on the Reset PC button under the Recovery Options.

• You will see two options now- Keep my files and Remove Everything. 
  • Keep my files- This will remove the apps and settings, but it will keep your personal files. 
  • Remove everything- This will remove all of your settings, apps, as well as personal files. 

• Now follow the on-screen instructions to reset your PC. 

Final Words

This is how you can fix Windows 11 VPN not working. Following the steps in this article, you should be able to fix the issue. The last step we discussed in this article should be followed at the end if none of the other steps resolves the issue. 

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