How to Fix Windows 11 VPN Not Working?

Nowadays, VPN has become one of the most important aspects of any device. Whether you want to do some untraceable work on the Internet, or need a secure Internet connection, in either case, VPN is something that you will be looking for. However, in the latest windows update, Windows 11, many users are experiencing problems with the VPN service. The problem is mainly occurring with users who have recently downloaded the Windows 11 regular patch update.

That said, is there any way to fix the problem? Thankfully, there is and this post is all about that. Here, we are going to talk about how to fix Windows 11 VPN not working problem. So, without any further delay, let’s get straight into the topic.

Reasons Behind Windows 11 VPN Not Working Problem

There can be several reasons because of which you are not able to access the VPN Service on Windows 11. But among all, some of the most common ones are listed below.

1. Outdated VPN Service or WAN MiniPorts is the very first reason because of which you are facing the mentioned problem.
2. Different third-party applications can also interfere with the VPN client which will eventually result in the problem you are currently facing.
3. Windows Firewall can also block the VPN client, thus interfering with the smooth access of the VPN service on Windows 11.

These were some of the most common reasons triggering the mentioned problem. Now let’s check out different workarounds to fix them.

How to Fix Windows 11 VPN Not Working Issue?

Here are different workarounds you can follow to get rid of the Windows 11 VPN not working issue.

Fix 1: Reinstall VPN

The very first thing you should do to fix the mentioned problem is to re-install the VPN client on your Windows 11 PC. The chances are very high that while you were upgrading your system to Windows 11, some of the VPN files may have been corrupted due to some reasons.

Thus, to fix the problem, re-install the VPN client right away, and check if the problem is fixed or not. If yes, you are good to go. However, if it still continues, fret not, move on to the next workaround.

Fix 2: Download Latest Windows 11 Update

Another thing that you can check before getting into the complex workaround is whether you have the latest Windows 11 version or not. The chances are very the problem is being caused because of a temporary Windows glitch. And the best solution to it is downloading the latest Windows 11 update. So, here are the steps you need to follow.

1. Press Windows + I Shortcut key to open Windows 11 Settings.
2. Click on the “Windows Update” option present at the left panel of the screen.
   
3. Lastly, click on “Check for updates”.

Check if you are still facing the problem or not. If yes, it’s time to get into the more technical solutions.

Fix 3: Reinstall WAN Miniport (IP) Network Adaptor

Windows is a complex operating system, thus it’s no surprise that it features a lot of drivers that are essential to keep everything in sync. Each hardware component of a Windows PC has its own driver. All the network-related stuff comes under “Network Adaptor”. And under network adaptor, the WAN Miniport (IP), WAN Miniport (PPTP), and WAN Miniport (IPv6) are the important drivers that are responsible for the VPN connection.

So, in case there is any problem with either of these drivers, then you are most likely to face a problem with the VPN service. Thus, to fix the problem you will have to re-install all these drivers. Here are the steps you need to follow.

1. Press the “Windows” key from your keyboard to open the start menu on Windows 11.
2. In the search, type Device Manager and press enter.
3. The Device Manager window will pop up containing different drivers installed on your system.
4. Double-tap on “Network Adaptors” to expand the option.
   
5. Now, right-click on WAN Miniport (IP), and select uninstall the device.
   
6. Repeat the same process with, WAN Miniport (PPTP), and WAN Miniport (IPv6).
7. Once you have uninstalled all these drivers, click on the “Action” icon present at the top panel of the screen.
   

That’s it. Windows will automatically reinstall all the drivers that you just uninstalled. Now try to connect to a VPN client and see if the problem is fixed or not. If not, continue with the guide.

Fix 4: Clear DNS Settings

A misconfigured DNS setting can also trigger the mentioned problem. As a solution to it, you will have to flush the Windows 11 DNS settings. So, here are the steps you need to follow.

1. Open the Start Menu by pressing the Windows key.
2. In the search bar, type command prompt and click on the “Run as administrator” option present at the right panel of the screen.
3. In the command prompt window, type the below-mentioned commands and press enter.

   ipconfig /release 
   ipconfig /flushdns
   ipconfig /renew 
   netsh int ip reset 
   netsh winsock reset

Now, the command prompt will take a few seconds to execute the command. Once completed, restart your Windows PC and check if the VPN Service is connecting or not.

Fix 5: Change Firewall Settings

As mentioned in the comments, if you are facing Windows 11 VPN not connecting issue, the chances are very high that the Firewall settings are blocking the VPN client. Thus, you’ll have to change the Firewall settings to rid of the problem. To do so, here are the steps you need to follow.

1. Press Windows + S shortcut key to open the start menu.
2. In the search bar type Windows Defender Firewall, and press enter.
3. Click on the “Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off” option present at the left panel of the screen.
   
4. In the window that pops up, select, “Turn Off Windows Defender Firewall (not recommended)” option.
   
5. Lastly, click on ” Ok” to save the applied settings and exit the window.

Now, check if the problem is fixed or not. Further, if you have any third-party antivirus program installed on your system, disable it before using VPN. An antivirus program can also interfere with the VPN Service.

Fix 6: Change Registry Settings

Any VPN client and Windows 11 uses UDP to establish a low-latency network. But in case, if there is any security problem in it, then you are most likely to face the current problem. To fix the problem, you will have to create or update its registry.

So, here are the steps you need to follow to get the work done.

1. Press Windows + R shortcut key to open the run dialogue box.
2. In the search bar, type “regedit” and press enter.
3. Head towards the below-mentioned location in the Registry Editor window. Just copy-paste the location in the address bar.

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\PolicyAgent

4. In the left panel of the screen, right-click on PolicyAgent and select the “New” option, followed by DWORD (32-bit) Value.
   
5. Name the value, “AssumeUDPEncapaulationContextOnSendRule“.
6.  Now, double click on the newly created value. And in the “Value data” section type “2” and click on “OK”.
   

That’s it. Now restart your Windows 11 PC and try to connect to the VPN client. Check if the problem is fixed or not.

Fix 7: Run Clean Boot

As mentioned, a third-party application can also interfere with the services of a VPN client. To fix this problem, you can run a clean boot on your system. A clean boot is a simple process in which your Windows PC will boot with only the Microsoft applications running in the background, blocking all the third-party programs from starting on every boot.

Nevertheless, here are the steps you need to follow to run a clean boot on Windows 11 PC.

1. Open run dialogue box and in the search bar type, “msconfig” and press enter.
2. The above code will open the “System Configuration” window.
3. Head towards the “Services” section.
   
4. Checkmark the “Hide all Microsoft services option”.
   
5. Now, click on the “Disable All” option, followed by clicking the “Apply” button.
   
6. After that, click on the “Startup” option.
7. In the Startup window, select “Open Task Manager”.
8. The Task Manager window will pop up containing all the third-party apps that start on their own on every boot.
9. Right-click on each app, one by one, and select the “Disable” option.
   

That’s it. Now boot Windows 11 PC, and try to connect with the VPN client.

Fix 8: Reset PC

The chances are very low, but in case you’re still facing Windows 11 VPN not working issue, then the only option left with you is to reset your PC. Note that, resetting the PC will change all the settings to default. Thus, make sure you are only following this method if your work can’t be completed without a VPN client.

So, here’s what you need to do to reset Windows 11 PC.

1. Head towards the Windows 11 settings by pressing Windows + I shortcut key.
2. In the System window, click on the “Recovery” option.
   
3. Now, click on “Reset PC” followed by “Keep my files” if you don’t want to lose your important documents. Otherwise, you can also choose the “Remove everything” option if you want to make a fresh start.
   

Once you are done with resetting your PC, connect to the VPN client. You will notice that you are no longer facing Windows 11 VPN not working issue.

Final Words

This was how to fix Windows 11 VPN not working issue. Let us know in the comments whether the problem is fixed or not. You can also share any other workaround that you think will be helpful in the situation. Moreover, feel free to check out our other Windows 11 guide to solve different problems revolving around the operating system.