VPN Not Working? Your DNS Might Still Be Leaking

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You're connected to a VPN, but are you actually protected? Many VPNs fail to prevent DNS leaks, leaving your browsing history exposed. Test yours with our DNS Leak Checker.

Common Reasons VPNs Fail

• No DNS leak protection — cheap or free VPNs often don't route DNS through the tunnel
• IPv6 not handled — your VPN tunnels IPv4 but IPv6 DNS queries leak through
• OS overrides VPN DNS — Windows and macOS can send DNS queries outside the tunnel
• WebRTC bypass — your browser reveals your real IP via WebRTC, ignoring the VPN
• VPN disconnects silently — without a kill switch, traffic flows unprotected when the VPN drops

How to Test If Your VPN Is Leaking

1. Connect to your VPN
2. Run our DNS Leak Checker
3. If the DNS servers shown belong to your ISP (not your VPN), you have a leak
4. Also run our WebRTC Leak Test to check for browser-level leaks

The Fix: Switch to a Reliable VPN

If your VPN is leaking, the simplest fix is switching to one that actually works. NordVPN has passed every leak test we've run — it handles DNS, WebRTC, and IPv6 leaks out of the box, with an automatic kill switch on every platform.

Quick Fixes If You Can't Switch VPNs

• Manually set DNS to 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8 in your OS settings
• Disable WebRTC in your browser (Firefox guide / Chrome guide)
• Enable your VPN's kill switch if it has one
• Disable IPv6 in your network adapter settings

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