Problem
The NordVPN app crashes and is unusable on Linux.
Common symptoms
- You see this message from the CLI NordVPN app: “daemon is not running: /run/nordvpn/nordvpnd.sock not found.”
- The CLI can also show this error: “Cannot reach System Daemon.”
- The GUI application shows warnings about the daemon not running.
Troubleshooting steps
NOTE: This guide follows troubleshooting for Debian-based and Fedora-based systems. If you use a different distribution or package manager, double-check the commands to ensure they use the correct package managers.
NOTE: Make sure to check if the issue persists after each step.
- Check if your Operating System supports the NordVPN app.
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Enable the NordVPN background services:
sudo systemctl enable --now nordvpnd
NOTE: If you use a container or an environment without systemd, use this command:
sudo /etc/init.d/nordvpn start
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Follow the troubleshooting steps according to your installed Linux distribution:
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Debian-based:
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Check for system updates and reboot the device:
- Press Ctrl + Alt + T to open the terminal.
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In the terminal, type these commands:
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade
sudo reboot
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Check for system updates and reboot the device:
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Debian-based:
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- Reinstall the NordVPN app:
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- Press Ctrl + Alt + T to open the terminal.
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In the terminal, enter:
sudo apt autoremove --purge nordvpn
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Once it’s removed, reinstall it by following these steps:
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Change the directory to the “Downloads” folder:
cd ~/Downloads
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Download the latest NordVPN “.deb” file:
sudo wget “https://repo.nordvpn.com/deb/nordvpn/debian/pool/main/n/nordvpn-release/nordvpn-release_1.0.0_all.deb"
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Extract the packages:
sudo dpkg -i nordvpn-release_1.0.0_all.deb
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Install NordVPN and reboot your device:
sudo apt install nordvpn
sudo reboot
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Change the directory to the “Downloads” folder:
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Fedora-based:
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Check for system updates and reboot the device:
- Press Ctrl + Alt + T to open the terminal.
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In the terminal, type these commands:
sudo sudo dnf update --refresh
sudo reboot
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Check for system updates and reboot the device:
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- Reinstall the NordVPN app:
- Reinstall the NordVPN app:
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- Press Ctrl + Alt + T to open the terminal.
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In the terminal, enter:
sudo dnf remove nordvpn*
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Once it’s removed, reinstall it by following these steps:
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Change the directory to the “Downloads” folder:
cd ~/Downloads
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Download the latest NordVPN “.rpm” file:
sudo wget “https://repo.nordvpn.com/yum/nordvpn/centos/noarch/Packages/n/nordvpn-release-1.0.0-1.noarch.rpm"
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Extract the packages:
sudo dnf install nordvpn-release-1.0.0-1.noarch.rpm
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Install NordVPN and reboot your device:
sudo dnf install nordvpn
sudo reboot
NOTE: If the installation fails, go to the Downloads folder via a file manager and double-click the "nordvpn-release-1.0.0-1.noarch.rpm" file. After that, run this command once more:
sudo dnf install nordvpn
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Change the directory to the “Downloads” folder:
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Additional tips
- Check if the issue persists on different devices.