A VPN can open a blocked site when the block comes from the network you're on or from the country you're in. It can't help when the block is on your account or your device, or when the site refuses VPN users. This VPN unblock guide shows how to tell which case you have, how to open the site, and what to do when the VPN itself gets blocked.
How a VPN gets you past a block
A VPN sends your internet traffic through a server somewhere else, so sites and networks see that server instead of you.
Every connection has an IP address, a number that shows roughly where you are. So with a VPN on, sites see the VPN server's address and location. If a site only opens in certain countries, you can then connect to a server in one of them.
DNS is the lookup your device does to turn a name like example.com into a server address. Many providers and Wi-Fi networks block sites right at this step, by not answering or by sending you to a warning page. With a VPN on, though, those lookups go through the encrypted connection, past the local block.
The VPN also encrypts (scrambles) your traffic on the way to that server. The hotel Wi-Fi, your office network or your internet provider can't see which sites you open, so they can't block them one by one. They can often tell that you're using a VPN, though, and some networks block that. More on this below.
When a VPN helps and when it doesn't
A VPN can unblock sites when the block is set by the network or based on your location. But it does nothing against blocks tied to your account or your device. Here are the common cases.
The last three cases are behind most "my VPN doesn't work" complaints. In those cases the VPN is working fine. It's just not a block a VPN can touch, so switching servers won't help.
A one-minute check to find out what's blocking you
Before you blame the VPN or pay for one, find out where the block comes from.
- First, turn off Wi-Fi on your phone and open the site on mobile data. If it loads, the Wi-Fi is blocking it.
- Still failing on mobile data? Then try another network, like your home internet. If it fails everywhere, the block comes from your provider, your country or the site itself.
- After that, read the error page. "Not available in your country" means the site is blocking your location. A page with your provider's or network's logo means they're blocking it.
- Log out and open the site in a private window. If what you see changes when you log in, the limit is on your account.
- Finally, try to install an app or change network settings. If the device won't let you, it's locked, and a VPN won't work on it.
If the check points to the Wi-Fi, your provider or your country, a VPN should unblock the site. But if it points to your account or a locked device, no VPN will fix it.
How to unblock websites with a VPN, step by step
Setting up a VPN to unblock a site takes a couple of minutes. Steps 4 and 5 are the ones people skip, but they're often why a site stays blocked with the VPN on.
- Install a VPN app and sign in. On a work or school device, check that you're allowed to first.
- Pick a server location. If the block comes from your Wi-Fi or provider, pick the closest one, even in your own country. It'll also be faster. If the site only works in certain countries, pick one of those.
- Connect, then search "what is my IP" in your browser. The location shown should be the server's, not yours.
- Run a DNS leak test (dnsleaktest.com is a simple one). If your own provider shows up in the results, your DNS lookups are going around the VPN. In that case, disconnect, reconnect and test again.
- Open the site in a private window. Old cookies can remind the site where you were before. If the browser asks to share your location, say no, because that uses your device's real location.
- Still blocked? Try another server in the same country.
Why your VPN is blocked and how to get it working again
A VPN gets blocked either by the network you're on or by the site you're trying to open. Each has a different fix.
The network blocks the VPN
If the VPN won't connect on one Wi-Fi network but works on mobile data, that network is blocking it. Offices, schools, some hotels and a few countries do this on purpose. They block known VPN servers or use deep packet inspection (DPI), a way to recognize VPN traffic by its patterns even without reading it.
Try these:
- Another server. A network may only block the VPN servers it knows about.
- Another connection type. Many VPN apps offer a few ways to connect, called protocols. If one is blocked, another may get through.
- A disguise mode. Some VPNs can make their traffic look like normal web traffic. Check whether yours has one.
- Another network. Mobile data is often the quickest fix.
On a work or school network, the block is deliberate. So ask IT. Some workplaces allow a VPN if you ask.
The site blocks VPN users
If the VPN connects and most sites work, but one keeps showing captchas or says it detected a VPN, that site is blocking you. Many large sites can tell when an IP address belongs to a VPN.
Another VPN server may unblock it for a while. However, some sites block every VPN they find, and no setting fixes that.
The VPN won't connect anywhere
When the VPN fails on every network, the problem is usually on your device.
- Check the date and time. If they're wrong, secure connections can fail. So set them to update automatically.
- Check your antivirus or firewall. Some block VPN apps. Allow the app, then try again.
- Close other VPN apps. Two VPNs running at once can get in each other's way.
- Update or reinstall the app.
- Check that your subscription is still active.
Still stuck? Send the VPN's support team the error message and tell them which network you're on.
Free VPN, proxy, Tor or paid VPN
For a quick look at one blocked page, a proxy or Tor is enough. For everyday use, though, a paid VPN is the practical choice.
Running VPN servers costs money, so a free VPN pays for it somehow. Read its privacy policy before you install it. If it doesn't clearly say what it records, assume the worst.
Tor is free and built to get around censorship. It's run by the nonprofit Tor Project and sends your traffic through three volunteer-run servers, so it's slow.
What to check before you unblock anything
Using a VPN is legal in the US and most of Europe, but not everywhere, and networks and services have their own rules.
- The law where you are. China, Russia and Iran are among the countries that restrict VPNs or allow only approved ones. Freedom House tracks internet restrictions country by country. Check local rules before you travel. This isn't legal advice.
- Work and school rules. Getting around a work or school filter may not be illegal, but it can still get you in trouble.
- The service's rules. Some services don't allow changing your location and may limit your account.
- What a VPN can't do. It doesn't make you anonymous, because sites still know it's you when you log in. It also won't stop scam emails or fix a device that already has malware.
Using Atomic VPN to open blocked sites
You can use Atomic VPN to unblock sites in the everyday cases from this guide, like a blocked Wi-Fi network, a provider block or a site that only opens in some countries.
You can connect to servers in 88+ countries. Apps are available for Windows and macOS, and an iOS app is coming soon. Atomic VPN doesn't keep logs of what you do while connected, and an independent audit checked that.
It costs $2 a month, billed $24 once a year, with every feature on every plan.
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