How to set up a manual NordVPN connection on Windows using WireGuard

Introduction

In this article, you will learn how to set up a manual NordVPN connection on Windows using the WireGuard® protocol. By downloading a WireGuard configuration file from your Nord Account and importing it into the official WireGuard app, you can connect to a NordVPN server without the standard NordVPN application.

Before you start

An active NordVPN subscription.
You will need your NordVPN service credentials, not your standard Nord Account email and password.

Here's what to do

Step 1: Download and install WireGuard

Go to the WireGuard downloads page and select Download Windows Installer.
Open the installation file and follow the setup wizard. Allow the application to make changes to your device when prompted.
Once installed, the WireGuard app icon will appear on your desktop and in your Start menu.

Step 2: Obtain your WireGuard configuration file

Log in to your Nord Account and choose NordVPN.
Scroll down to Advanced Settings and select Set up NordVPN manually.
Use the dropdown menu to choose your preferred country.
Find the server you want to use and, under Available protocols, select WireGuard.
In the Setup configuration screen, select Download config.
Save the downloaded .conf file somewhere you can find it, such as your Downloads folder.

Step 3: Import the configuration into WireGuard

Open WireGuard.
Click Import tunnel(s) from file.
Browse to the location where you saved the downloaded .conf file, select it, and click Open.
The imported server will now appear in the list of tunnels on the left-hand side of the WireGuard app, named after the config file.

Step 4: Connect to the VPN

In WireGuard, select the tunnel you just imported from the list, and click Activate.
Within a few seconds, the tunnel status will change to Active, indicating that the VPN connection is successful.

Additional tips

To change locations, deactivate your current tunnel and activate a different imported tunnel, or download a new WireGuard configuration file following Step 2.
After the tunnel shows Active, you can verify your connection by checking your IP address status in the top bar on the NordVPN website.

WireGuard is a registered trademark of Jason A. Donenfeld.

Also available in:

Was this article helpful?

Still having issues?

Live chat

Contact our support to solve an issue live.
Email form

Fill out an email form so we can help you with an issue.

Email us

Our Support team will get back to you within 24 hours. We’ll reply to the email address you provide.

Attach a file (Optional)

Supported formats: JPEG, PNG.

We couldn’t process your form. Please try again or come back later.

By clicking “Submit”, you agree to our Terms of Service and acknowledge our Privacy Policy.

Thank you! We've got your message and will get back to you within 24 hours.

By clicking “Chat with support”, you agree to our Terms of Service and acknowledge our Privacy Policy. Chat functionality relies on cookies. By starting the chat, you agree to their use. Learn more in our Cookie Policy.

{ "chatTitle": "NordVPN Support", "chatCustomText": { "actionPaymentCompleted": "Payment Completed", "actionPaymentError": "An error occurred while processing the card. Please try again or use a different card.", "actionPostbackError": "An error occurred while processing your action. Please try again.", "clickToRetry": "Message not delivered. Click to retry.", "clickToRetryForm": "Form not submitted. Click anywhere on the form to retry.", "connectNotificationText": "Sync your conversation and continue messaging us through your favorite app.", "connectNotificationSingleText": "Be notified when you get a reply.", "conversationListHeaderText": "My conversations", "conversationListRelativeTimeJustNow": "Just now", "conversationListRelativeTimeMinute": "1 minute ago", "conversationListRelativeTimeMinutes": "{value} minutes ago", "conversationListRelativeTimeHour": "1 hour ago", "conversationListRelativeTimeHours": "{value} hours ago", "conversationListRelativeTimeYesterday": "Yesterday", "conversationListTimestampFormat": "MM/DD/YY", "conversationListPreviewAnonymousText": "Someone", "conversationListPreviewCarouselText": "{user} sent a message", "conversationListPreviewFileText": "{user} sent a file", "conversationListPreviewFormText": "{user} sent a form", "conversationListPreviewFormResponseText": "{user} filled a form", "conversationListPreviewImageText": "{user} sent an image", "conversationListPreviewLocationRequestText": "{user} sent a location request", "conversationListPreviewUserText": "You", "conversationTimestampHeaderFormat": "MMMM D, h:mm A", "couldNotConnect": "Offline. You will not receive messages.", "couldNotConnectRetry": "Reconnecting...", "couldNotConnectRetrySuccess": "You're back online!", "couldNotLoadConversations": "Couldn't load conversations.", "emailChangeAddress": "Change my email", "emailDescription": "To be notified by email when you get a reply, enter your email address.", "emailFieldLabel": "Email", "emailFieldPlaceholder": "Your email address", "emailFormButton": "Submit", "emailLinkingErrorMessage": "Please submit a valid email address.", "errorPrefix": "Error:", "fetchHistory": "Load more", "fetchingHistory": "Retrieving history...", "fileTooLargeError": "Max file size limit exceeded ({size})", "fileTypeError": "Unsupported file type.", "formErrorEntryRequired": "This entry is required", "formErrorInvalidEmail": "Email is invalid", "formErrorNoLongerThan": "Must contain no more than ({characters}) characters", "formErrorNoShorterThan": "Must contain at least ({characters}) characters", "formErrorUnknown": "This doesn't look quite right", "formFieldSelectPlaceholderFallback": "Choose one...", "frontendEmailChannelDescription": "To talk to us using email just send a message to our email address and we'll reply shortly:", "headerText": "How can we help?", "imageClickToReload": "Click to reload image.", "imageClickToView": "Click to view {size} image.", "imagePreviewNotAvailable": "Preview not available.", "inputPlaceholder": "Type a message...", "inputPlaceholderBlocked": "Complete the form above...", "introAppText": "Message us below or from your favorite app.", "lineChannelDescription": "To talk to us using LINE, scan this QR code using the LINE app and send us a message.", "linkError": "An error occurred when attempting to generate a link for this channel. Please try again.", "linkChannelPageHeader": "Sync your conversation", "locationNotSupported": "Your browser does not support location services or it's been disabled. Please type your location instead.", "locationSecurityRestriction": "This website cannot access your location. Please type your location instead.", "locationSendingFailed": "Could not send location", "locationServicesDenied": "This website cannot access your location. Allow access in your settings or type your location instead.", "messageError": "An error occured while sending your message. Please try again.", "messageIndicatorTitlePlural": "({count}) New messages", "messageIndicatorTitleSingular": "({count}) New message", "messageRelativeTimeDay": "{value}d ago", "messageRelativeTimeHour": "{value}h ago", "messageRelativeTimeJustNow": "Just now", "messageRelativeTimeMinute": "{value}m ago", "messageTimestampFormat": "h:mm A", "messageDelivered": "Delivered", "messageSeen": "Seen", "messageSending": "Sending...", "messageTooLongError": "Max message size limit exceeded ({size}).", "messengerChannelDescription": "Connect your Facebook Messenger account to be notified when you get a reply and continue the conversation on Facebook Messenger.", "newConversationButtonText": "New Conversation", "notificationSettingsChannelsDescription": "Sync this conversation by connecting to your favorite messaging app to continue the conversation your way.", "notificationSettingsChannelsTitle": "Other Channels", "notificationSettingsConnected": "Connected", "notificationSettingsConnectedAs": "Connected as {username}", "prechatCaptureGreetingText": "Hi there 👋\nTo start off, we'd like to know a little bit more about you:", "prechatCaptureNameLabel": "Your name", "prechatCaptureNamePlaceholder": "Type your name...", "prechatCaptureEmailLabel": "Email", "prechatCaptureEmailPlaceholder": "name@company.com", "prechatCaptureConfirmationText": "Hi there! I’m NordVPN's AI assistant. How can I help you today?", "prechatCaptureMailgunLinkingConfirmation": "You'll be notified here and by email at {email} once we reply.", "sendButtonText": "Send", "settingsHeaderText": "Settings", "shareLocation": "Location", "smsBadRequestError": "We were unable to communicate with this number. Try again or use a different one.", "smsCancel": "Cancel", "smsChangeNumber": "Change my number", "smsChannelDescription": "Connect your SMS number to be notified when you get a reply and continue the conversation over SMS.", "smsChannelPendingDescription": "Check your messages at {number} to confirm your phone number.", "smsContinue": "Send", "smsInvalidNumberError": "Please submit a valid phone number.", "smsLinkCancelled": "Link to {appUserNumber} was cancelled.", "smsLinkPending": "Pending", "smsPingChannelError": "There was an error sending a message to your number.", "smsSendText": "Send me a text", "smsStartTexting": "Start Texting", "smsTooManyRequestsError": "A connection for that number was requested recently. Please try again in {minutes} minutes.", "smsTooManyRequestsOneMinuteError": "A connection for that number was requested recently. Please try again in 1 minute.", "smsUnhandledError": "Something went wrong. Please try again.", "syncConversation": "Sync conversation", "tapToRetry": "Message not delivered. Tap to retry.", "tapToRetryForm": "Form not submitted. Tap anywhere on the form to retry.", "telegramChannelDescription": "Connect your Telegram account to be notified when you get a reply and continue the conversation on Telegram", "unsupportedMessageType": "Unsupported message type.", "unsupportedActionType": "Unsupported action type.", "uploadDocument": "File", "uploadInvalidError": "Invalid file.", "uploadPhoto": "Image", "uploadVirusError": "A virus was detected in your file and it has been rejected", "viberChannelDescription": "Connect your Viber account to be notified when you get a reply and continue the conversation on Viber. To get started, scan the QR code using the Viber app.", "viberChannelDescriptionMobile": "Connect your Viber account to be notified when you get a reply and continue the conversation on Viber. To get started, install the Viber app and tap Connect.", "viberQRCodeError": "An error occurred while fetching your Viber QR code. Please try again.", "wechatChannelDescription": "Connect your WeChat account to be notified when you get a reply and continue the conversation on WeChat. To get started, scan this QR code using the WeChat app.", "wechatChannelDescriptionMobile": "Connect your WeChat account to be notified when you get a reply and continue the conversation on WeChat. To get started, save this QR code image and upload it QR code scanner.", "wechatQRCodeError": "An error occurred while fetching your WeChat QR code. Please try again.", "whatsappChannelDescriptionDesktop": "Sync your account to WhatsApp by scanning the QR code or clicking the link below.\nThen", "whatsappChannelDescriptionMobile": "Sync your account to WhatsApp by clicking the link below.\nThen", "whatsappLinkingError": "An error occurred while fetching your WhatsApp linking information. Please try again." }, "chatCustomScreenReaderAnnouncement": { "supportTyping": "{author} is typing", "supportSays": "{author} says:", "sentImage": "{author} sent an image", "sentFile": "{author} sent a file", "sentCarousel": "{author} sent a carousel", "sentLocation": "{author} sent a location" } }