I can't launch the NordVPN app, or it crashes on Linux

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.
  • 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
     
  • Follow the troubleshooting steps according to your installed Linux distribution:
     
    • Debian-based:
       
      • Check for system updates and reboot the device:
         
        1. Press Ctrl + Alt + T to open the terminal.
        2. In the terminal, type these commands:

          sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade 
          sudo reboot
           
      • Reinstall the NordVPN app:
      1. Press Ctrl + Alt + T to open the terminal.
      2. In the terminal, enter:

        sudo apt autoremove --purge nordvpn
         
      3. Once it’s removed, reinstall it by following these steps:
         
        1. Change the directory to the “Downloads” folder:

          cd ~/Downloads
           
        2. 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"
           
        3. Extract the packages:

          sudo dpkg -i nordvpn-release_1.0.0_all.deb
           
        4. Install NordVPN and reboot your device:
           
          sudo apt install nordvpn
          sudo reboot
           
  • Fedora-based:
     
    • Check for system updates and reboot the device:

      1. Press Ctrl + Alt + T to open the terminal.
      2. In the terminal, type these commands:

        sudo sudo dnf update --refresh
        sudo reboot
         
    • Reinstall the NordVPN app:

      1. Press Ctrl + Alt + T to open the terminal.
      2. In the terminal, enter:

        sudo dnf remove nordvpn*
         
      3. Once it’s removed, reinstall it by following these steps:

        1. Change the directory to the “Downloads” folder:

           cd ~/Downloads
           
        2. 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"
           
        3. Extract the packages:

          sudo dnf install nordvpn-release-1.0.0-1.noarch.rpm
           
        4. 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

Additional tips

  • Check if the issue persists on different devices.
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