VPN Keeps Disconnecting

If your VPNUK connection drops repeatedly or randomly disconnects, the steps below cover the most common causes and fixes.

1. Check Your Base Internet Connection

An unstable underlying internet connection is the most common cause of VPN drops. Run a speed test without the VPN — if the connection fluctuates, the VPN drops are caused by the underlying connection, not VPNUK itself. Contact your ISP or try a different network (e.g. mobile hotspot) to isolate the issue.

2. Enable Reconnect / Persist Tun

In your OpenVPN config file, add these directives to automatically reconnect if the connection drops:

3. Switch from UDP to TCP

UDP connections are faster but less reliable on poor networks. Switching to TCP 443 provides a more stable connection as TCP includes built-in error correction and retransmission. Use the config generator to download a TCP config file.

4. Check Power Management Settings

On Windows: Device Manager → Network Adapters → TAP adapter → Properties → Power Management — untick "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power". This prevents Windows from killing the VPN adapter when idle.

5. Enable the Kill Switch

If you use the VPNUK Software on Windows, enable the built-in kill switch. This blocks all internet traffic if the VPN disconnects unexpectedly, preventing any unprotected data from leaving your device.