In this article, we will help you with the easy methods on how to fix the ‘Opera VPN not working‘ issue. But before jumping on the solution, let’s know more about Opera.
Opera is a nostalgic app for those who were born around the 2000s. Let it be an Android or keypad, we have all come across Opera (or opera mini) since childhood. And like us, Opera changed and developed over time and now comes with additional features like safer and faster search results. The developers recently added the feature of VPN.
Many governments are worried about other multinational corporations stealing their people’s information secretly. To avoid that or other problematic sites, governments often ban those websites or applications in their individual area. Now, people who still want to access those sites or applications can use VPN to bypass the geo-blocking boundaries set by the government. A VPN encrypts your traffic and lets you access the desired site via an altered server making your IP address untraceable.
This way you can access various banned sites. But most of the VPN services are not free and require a monthly subscription. Opera, on the other hand, comes with a VPN of its own. But its functionality is a bit different from the rest. Instead of taking the help of various IP addresses of countries, it simply allows you to switch servers from Asia to Europe or North America to South America. And as a matter of fact, Opera VPN is not a VPN but a proxy, which is an inferior version of VPN with slower speed and less secure connectivity.
But even with its flaws, it is still grossing in the browsing industry because of its versatility. Opera’s VPN, in theory, is very easy to use. You just have to launch it, choose the continent you want to access from, and you are all set. But people have encountered several issues regarding the opera VPN not operating properly. Don’t worry, we have mentioned few methods to resolve this issue.
Methods To Resolve The ‘Opera VPN Not Working’ Issue
Here are the 5 methods that will resolve the ‘Opera VPN Not Working’ issue.
Method 1: Restart The VPN
The first and most obvious thing to do is to restart the VPN. If you have not done that yet, then just cancel the connection and retry. You can do this by restarting the browser and clicking the VPN connection button to either connect or disconnect from the server.
Honestly, there is less chance that the connectivity issue is solved. If not, please continue with the next method which might solve the problem of Opera VPN not working.
Method 2: Change Server
It is a very common reason for the ‘Opera VPN not working’ issue. Changing the server has a good probability to solve your connectivity problem, especially in the case of other VPNs. The reason is that most VPN uses a server or IP address of a particular country. But in the case of Opera, it uses multiple servers in every single continent.
The server problem could be because of overloading (especially in the evening) due to a lot of people accessing the server at the same time. Another reason could be that the server is taken down for maintenance. Often servers are taken down for maintenance without notifying their users.
But it is very unlikely to happen for Opera as it has multiple server points in every continent. You can change the server by pressing the server icon and selecting any other server. If this process solves your problem that would be very wonderful. In case if it doesn’t, please continue to the next method.
Method 3: Check Your Firewall or Antivirus
Checking on your PC’s firewall or antivirus is very crucial. But most people tend to forget to do so because the antivirus or the firewall has no direct link. Sometimes the antivirus installed in your PC detects malware in the VPN and hinders its functions. It can be due to the fact that either you have not let the Opera VPN overrun other applications, or the firewall considers VPN servers as harmful.
To deal with this problem, you can simply add an exception stating VPN as a safe source. It can be done in the settings/control panel menu. Although it is simple, and it differs from one firewall or antivirus to another. For example, Windows Firewall and Avast Protection have different interfaces.
To take a common example, in Windows Firewall, you can find the exception option by going to Control Panel > System and security > Windows Defender Firewall > Allow an App or Feature Through Windows Firewall.
After following the above-mentioned steps, look for a check box adjacent to the VPN tab. If both the boxes (public and private) are already selected, the VPN is good to go. If not, then select both the boxes and press OK.
Method 4: Check Browser Version and Disable Extensions
It might have something to do with your browser’s version if you are still having the problem of Opera VPN not working. Many sites and applications, especially streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime keep updating their geo-blocking measures to prevent VPN users from accessing their content.
Opera sends an update notice every time a new version comes up. Even for a minor update, you must keep up with the latest version. Although this is crucial, many people overlook this fact. So, to make sure that you have the latest version of Opera, go to the app store to check for updates. Or else you can just enter Opera > Opera icon > Update & recovery, check for any update that is due.
If you have passed the update test, you can try cutting down any extensions of the Opera browser. Web extensions seem very tempting as it adds many features to the browser. For example, you can customize the web pages that you visit and add your favorite logo or picture as the background. But it can cause a lot of malware in your device and hinder the VPN from working properly.
To disable it, Open Opera, click on the Opera icon, select the Extension bar to see the currently running extensions, Disable them and try reconnecting to the VPN.
If it does not work, go back to the extension part and Enable all the extensions again, which will be there by default.
Method 5: Clear Cookies and Caches
When you enter a site, it will try to load you with cookies. As for caches, when we frequently access a particular website or application, our device automatically forms a cache. This helps us to access the desired site faster and easier. But if it is a geo-blocked site, the cookies saved in your device might prevent any subsequent attempt to access the site again. So, it is very important that you erase them from time to time.
But if there is something wrong with a file stored in the cache, it can cause the app to display data incorrectly, glitch, or even crash. For example, if the stored data is different from the actual one, it will disrupt the actions from time to time. That is why a common remedy for browser issues is clearing the cache, inclusive of the issue when Opera VPN not working.
To clear the cache and cookies of the Opera, you can click on the Opera icon, then go to Settings > Advanced > Privacy and Security > Clear Browsing Data. Click the boxes next to Cookies, cached images, and files, and clear them out.
Conclusion
If you have already followed all the steps mentioned above and your Opera VPN not working after all these, the problem might lie in the network service that you are using. Maybe it is programmed to prevent traffic from VPN and proxies. Another reason could be that you are in a region that is under strict censorship (China or North Korea).
In these countries, they use TCP and packet forging which allows literally nothing to pass under the radar. And also reckon the fact that Opera’s built-in VPN is not proper as they claim. But besides a proxy that has far less compatibility with unblocking blocked sites. There are many new VPN such as NordVPN, Proton VPN, ExpressVPN, which are either dirt cheap or free and provide better connectivity than Opera VPN. Do give them a try.
Yes, Opera VPN is still up and running.
Not only Opera VPN every VPN while sending and receiving data from the web encrypts and decrypts the traffic. Due to this overload, VPN provides slow internet speed.
Yes, if they have the court order they can get all the information from your ISP.