Opera VPN Not Working – How to fix?

Test your internet connection

These simple tips usually solve most problems:

Test your internet connection

Check whether you have a working internet connection before using the VPN service. Use the Opera browser and open your popular pages without the VPN. If you can’t access the pages, try accessing them on other browsers or devices. If you have no internet access:

1. Restart your router and your devices.
2. Reconnect, check your internet settings and try again.
3. Contact your ISP.

If you have access to the internet and the VPN is not working, proceed as follows.

Restart the VPN/the browser

Restart the Opera browser and try using the VPN again. If you still have no connection, switch off the VPN and turn it on again. Here is how to do it:

1. Click the VPN icon
2. Toggle off the VPN and wait for a few seconds
3. Toggle it on and try reconnecting to enable VPN.

Connect to a different server

Opera VPN uses the optimal location for the best server. However, the optimal server might not accept a new connection. This is due to congestion and server overload. In this case, try connecting to other available servers.

At times, Opera servers might not be available due to maintenance. You will have to wait for a while and try again.

Some sites are not working

Popular streaming sites like Netflix may be inaccessible even though your VPN connection is working. This is because Opera VPN cannot bypass its geo-restriction block mechanisms. Also, you may not access other sites outside heavily censored countries such as China.

In this case, you may look for another VPN with robust circumventing mechanisms. Opera VPN cannot help you.

Check out our guide on unblocking Netflix for a fix to this issue.

If you’re facing challenges accessing Netflix and other geo-restricted sites, it’s advisable to explore alternative VPN options that have proven success in bypassing these restrictions; our guide on the best VPNs for Netflix can provide valuable insights and recommendations to overcome such limitations.

Troubleshoot Opera browser issues

Opera issues can make the in-built VPN not work correctly. Here is what to do:

Check your security software: Antivirus and Firewall.

Your security software may flag Opera VPN connections as potentially harmful activities. Temporarily disable your security software and test the VPN if your security software is the problem, allowlist Opera browser, or adds it to the exception list or the allowed list, depending on your software.

Also, disable your antivirus software with the HTTPS scanning option.

Disable extensions on Opera

Some extensions, such as ad-blockers, may interfere with or conflict with the VPN connections. Disable your extensions one by one while testing the VPN. If you installed an extension recently and the VPN stopped working, the extension might be the problem. Remember to enable the ones that are not causing the problem.

Proceed as follows to disable extensions in the Opera browser:

1. Click the Opera icon (menu) on your browser.
2. Go to the Extensions option, and click it to open the Extensions tab.
3. On the list that shows up, click the Disable option on the extension you want to disable

Clear cookies and cache

Each website you visit drops cookies on your computer. These cookies enhance your browsing performance the next time you visit the page. They do this by storing information that can be used to track you. Your geo-location is among the information they store.

The cache keeps temporary information about the website. If you visited a page earlier that tracks your location, the page might override the current geo-location provided by the VPN. Hence, you may get inconsistent results and think your VPN is not working.

To solve this problem, clear the cookies and cache, and then use the VPN. The best way to clear cookies is by removing your browsing data.

On your Opera browser:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Click Advanced on the left sidebar, and click Privacy and security.
3. Under Privacy and security, click Clear browsing data.
4. Select a time range and the data types you wish to clear and click Clear data.

Update Opera

Unseen exploits, vulnerabilities, and bugs may impact how the VPN works. An outdated Opera browser may cause the VPN to malfunction. Most users have reported that the VPN issues were resolved once they updated Opera.

Use the following steps to update the Opera browser:

1. Open the Opera menu
2. Click Update and Recovery.
3. Click the Check for Update button.
4. Wait for the update to finish downloading, then click Update.

Wrap up

Unlike other standalone VPNs, Opera’s in-built VPN issues are easy to solve. Follow this troubleshooting guide, and you will get your Opera VPN working in no time. Let us know if none of the above solutions work for you.

Opera VPN is generally not that great for many things, such as unblocking websites and streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Facebook, and more.

If you want to learn more about the above unblocking options then check out our guides on how to watch the BBC iPlayer in the US and how to unblock Hulu.

Instead, you should use a paid VPN such as ExpressVPN. ExpressVPN comes with military-grade encryption, a firewall, high-speed VPN servers, and an app for iOS and Android. It also has a browser VPN form.

If you are interested in finding a VPN for Android, then the linked guide will be of help.