Unable to access a website when VPN is connected

While using the VPN, you might run into some websites that won't load or will give you an error message when you try to open them. There are a couple of main reasons for why this happens.

VPN IP Blocking

Certain websites ban IPs or IP ranges they suspect VPN activity to come from. If this is the case, then using the VPN IP you currently have probably won't work so the best option is to try switching around to a few other VPN servers to see if that helps or not. Changing to a different server location will assign you a different VPN IP that might work with the website. Try several locations to see if there are any improvements. 

You can also add the domain to the VPN/Extension whitelist so that we don't proxy it and you can visit the website on your own personal IP while everything else still goes through the VPN server. 

I can’t reach some websites when connected to VPN

If you cannot access some websites or suspect that NordVPN is blocking them, follow these instructions:

• Clear the cache of your browser while connected to the VPN.
• Use the incognito mode, safe mode, or private mode in your web browser: 
  • How to enable Chrome safe mode
  • How to enable private mode on Safari
• Try a different browser, such as Chrome, Edge, or Brave.

After each step, check if you can access the website in question. 

How do I stop VPN from blocking sites?

If the issue persists, try these steps:

• Switch between VPN servers. Simply disconnect from the server you're currently connected to and click/tap on a different location using the NordVPN map.
• If you trust the website you’re trying to access, turn off the Threat Protection feature in the NordVPN app settings and try again. If you can access the site with Threat Protection off and you think that NordVPN shouldn’t block this website, please inform our customer support.
• If you’re using a Windows device, your antivirus/firewall may be blocking the access. Try adding exceptions for NordVPN.exe and nordvpn-service.exe. 
• Try other connection methods, such as the OpenVPN or IKEv2 protocols. 
• Connect to obfuscated servers (via the OpenVPN connection).
• If you have recently installed our app, try restarting your device and checking our VPN troubleshooting tutorial.

If none of these steps help, get in touch with our customer support. 

Credits: Windscribe, NordVPN