This article covers problems you may encounter when using NordVPN on Windows devices, including situations where NordVPN is not working on your Windows 10 device, or you have no internet access with NordVPN on Windows 10.
“Error 1001” during installation
If you encountered “Error 1001” while trying to install the NordVPN app on Windows, follow these steps:
- Update your Windows system using the “Windows update” tool.
- Make sure you’re running the latest .NET Runtime version:
- Click the “Start” button, type “control panel” in the search bar, and select the “Control panel” app.
- Click “Programs” and select “Programs and features.”
- Check the version number beside the “Microsoft .NET Framework” entry. If it is not version 4.8 or later, download the latest .NET Runtime version.
- Temporarily disable your cybersecurity software (such as your antivirus and firewall) and try installing the NordVPN app for Windows again.
Crash or freeze
If your NordVPN app keeps freezing, follow these steps:
- Uninstall the NordVPN application.
- Update your Windows operating system to the latest available version.
- Install the latest NordVPN app for Windows.
If the above method failed to fix your issue, try the following:
- Press the “Windows” key and the “R” key at the same time to open the "Run" window.
- Type in "services.msc" (without the quotation marks) and press “Enter” to open the "Services" window.
- Check if the “Task scheduler” is running — if it is not, right-click on the “Task scheduler” entry and select “Start.” You can also access the “Windows event log” from this window.
NordVPN Kill Switch feature does not work
If the Kill Switch feature fails to stop specific apps, you can manually add their executable files (.exe) to the Kill Switch list in the NordVPN app:
- Go to “Settings.”
- Select “Kill Switch” in the left sidebar menu.
- Click on “Add apps” under “App Kill Switch” and select the app’s executable file. For example, you would need to add the following file for Skype:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Skype\Phone\Skype.exe
No internet access when connected to a NordVPN server
If you’re getting disconnected from the internet when you connect to a VPN server, try the following to fix the problem:
- Connect to a different VPN server in the NordVPN app.
- Change your VPN connection protocol:
- Switch to OpenVPN (UDP or TCP)
- Switch to NordLynx
- Disable your other cybersecurity software (such as your antivirus and firewall) to check if it’s responsible for the issue. If the NordVPN app works after disabling other cybersecurity software, you may need to add exceptions for NordVPN files.
- Perform a network flush:
- Open the NordVPN application.
- Head to the "Advanced" section.
- Click "Run diagnostics tool."
- In the opened window, select "Network flush."
- Restart your PC and try connecting to VPN servers again.
If the problem persists, reinstall the NordVPN app:
- Uninstall the NordVPN application.
- Restart your device.
- Install the latest version of the NordVPN Windows app.
A certain feature of the application is not working properly
If you discover that a feature isn’t working as it should, follow these steps:
- Open the "Settings" menu in the NordVPN app.
- Head to the "Advanced" section.
- Click "Run diagnostics tool."
- In the opened window, select "Reset app."
- Re-launch the application.
If the problem persists, try the following:
- Update to the latest NordVPN Windows app version.
- Reinstall the NordVPN app:
- Uninstall the NordVPN application.
- Restart your device.
- Install the latest version of the NordVPN Windows app.
NordVPN is not working after an update
If your NordVPN Windows application has stopped working after an update, try the following to fix the problem:
- Disable your other cybersecurity software (such as your antivirus and firewall) to check if it’s responsible for the issue. If the NordVPN app works after disabling other cybersecurity software, you may need to add exceptions for NordVPN files.
- Uninstall the NordVPN app and reboot your Windows device, then download and install the latest version of the NordVPN Windows app.
The NordVPN icon is missing
If the NordVPN application icon is missing from the NordVPN shortcut on your desktop, follow these steps:
- Left-click the broken NordVPN app icon to select the shortcut.
- Right-click the selected shortcut and choose “Delete.”
- Right-click on your desktop, choose “New,” and select “Shortcut.”
- Click “Browse,” find the NordVPN directory, and select the NordVPN executable file (.exe).
- Name the shortcut and click “Finish.”
Alternatively, you can try reinstalling the NordVPN Windows app:
- Uninstall the NordVPN application.
- Restart your device.
- Install the latest version of the NordVPN Windows app.