Opera includes a high-quality, free VPN, but occasionally you might experience connectivity issues or problems accessing geo-blocked sites. The easiest fixes are restarting the VPN, changing servers, and updating your browser. If you’re having trouble using Opera’s VPN, keep reading. I’ll explain how to troubleshoot any anomalies and walk you through the process of fixing Opera VPN errors step-by-step.
How to fix problems with Opera VPN: the quick version
Before we begin, it’s important to recognize that Opera Free VPN isn’t really a VPN at all; it’s a proxy. While it’ll hide your real IP address from the sites you visit, only browser traffic is encrypted. To secure traffic from other apps, you’ll need a true VPN. Opera has these too but charges $8 per month, and the functionality is pretty basic for the price.
The good news is that most problems with Opera’s VPN can be resolved in minutes. Follow the steps below to fix connectivity and performance issues with Opera’s free VPN service:
- Begin by making sure the VPN is actually enabled. Check Opera’s address bar for a button labeled VPN. If the button’s blue or purple, skip this step. If it’s white, click it and hit the power icon to connect.
- Assuming the VPN was connected already, go ahead and restart it. Just click the VPN button, then tap the power button twice. It sounds basic, but you’d be surprised how often a simple reboot can help.
- Disable any extensions that might be interfering with the VPN. To do this, click the cube icon in the top-right, followed by Manage Extensions. It’s a good idea to disable everything, then slowly re-enable them individually to see which was at fault.
- If all else fails, make sure Opera is up-to-date. Click the logo in the top-left, select Update & Recovery, then hit Check for updates. If any are found, install them.
- If you’re trying to access a geo-blocked site, make sure you’re using the correct region. Opera’s free VPN isn’t great for this since you can only choose regions (Americas, Asia, and Europe), not individual countries.
Potential problems with Opera VPN
There are two main kinds of issues you can run into using Opera’s VPN. You’ll either have difficulty getting (or staying) connected, or problems unblocking geo-restricted sites.
Unfortunately, like most other free VPNs, Opera VPN’s functionality is quite limited, so we only have so much control when things go wrong. We can’t try a different connection protocol, for instance, which most paid VPNs allow. Still, Opera’s VPN problems are usually fairly easily resolved. I’ll explain why complications occur and how to rectify them below.
How to fix connection problems with Opera’s VPN
Restart the browser and VPN
Software glitches happen for all kinds of reasons, but rebooting allows us to return the app to its default state. First, close Opera by clicking the X in the top-right. Then, simply reopen it, hit the VPN button in the address bar, and try to connect. Was your problem resolved? If so, fantastic, but if not, move on to step two.
Change server location
Usually, VPNs let you select specific servers to connect to, or at least a specific location. You may occasionally choose one that has more users than it can reasonably support, leading to performance and stability issues. Your connection may also drop if your chosen server is too far away, if it’s taken down for maintenance, or if your internet speeds are too slow.
Now, Opera VPN has users choose a region, not a country or server. This rules out maintenance as a cause unless Opera updates every server in the region simultaneously. With that in mind, pick the continent closest to you and see if that helps. If not, disconnect and reconnect a few times to see if you’re assigned a server with a different IP address.
Make sure Opera VPN isn’t blocked by your firewall
If your VPN doesn’t connect, or immediately disconnects, it might be blocked by your firewall. All we have to do is add an exception, telling the firewall that Opera is safe.
- Windows: Click the Windows icon in the bottom-left, type “Allow an app through Windows Firewall”, and hit Enter. Click Change settings and check the Private and Public boxes next to opera.exe
- MacOS: Open the Apple menu, click System Settings, then Network, then Firewall. Click the plus icon and add Opera.
Ensure no other VPNs or proxies are active
Using two VPNs or proxies simultaneously can cause instability, dropped connections, or total loss of internet access. That’s why I’d recommend making sure you aren’t already connected to a different VPN app. I’d also encourage you to disable any proxy or privacy addons installed in Opera, just to be sure.
Use a wired connection
If your internet connection is too slow, you’ll struggle to stay connected to any VPN. For that reason, I’d suggest connecting to your router via an Ethernet cable instead of wifi. Wired connections don’t have the same issues with interference, thick walls, or signal degradation that wireless connections do. As such, your speeds should be higher, which may help prevent spontaneous disconnection.
Accessing geo-blocked content using Opera’s VPN
Verify the VPN is enabled
First, verify you’re connected to the VPN. There were a couple of times during testing I thought I was connected, only to discover I’d been stopped by an error reading “Opera VPN is temporarily unavailable. Opera is resolving the problem.” Thankfully, all that was required to resolve this was another connection attempt.
If the VPN button in the URL bar is white, click it then hit the power button. If it’s blue or purple, you’re already connected.
If there’s no VPN button in Opera’s address bar, you’ll have to activate this feature manually. Just open the settings menu, find VPN, and hit Enable in Settings. From there, click I understand followed by Enable VPN.
Clear cookies and cache
Previously-visited websites may have stored location data that’s conflicting with your VPN’s apparent location. The solution is simple: just delete saved cookies and clear the cache.
To do this, click the padlock icon in Opera’s address bar. From there, select Cookie and site data, then Manage on-device site data. Finally, find the site you’d like to delete data for and click the trashcan icon.
Make sure the VPN isn’t bypassing the website you’re using
Opera allows you to specify websites that aren’t affected by the VPN (a feature called split tunneling). It’s unlikely, but if you’ve previously added a geo-blocked site to this list, you’ll never be able to access it. This is because your real location will always be visible.
To remove any exceptions to your VPN’s tunneling, hit the VPN button in the address bar, then click the gear icon. From here, select Manage additional VPN bypass rules. Make sure the site you’re trying to access isn’t in the VPN bypass rules list. If it is, hit the three dots and click Remove.
Nothing I’ve tried has helped: what now?
If none of the steps above have addressed your problem, your only remaining option is to contact customer support. Opera’s free VPN only provides support via email, but they aim to respond within 48 hours.
Should I use Opera’s built-in VPN?
Opera’s free VPN is a good way to boost your online privacy, but it has its shortcomings. I experienced frequent CAPTCHAs while connected, and speeds were extremely slow when using distant servers. Additionally, Opera VPN failed to access major streaming sites.
If you just want to be that little bit safer, Opera’s VPN is a solid option. However, if you’d like to access geo-blocked sites, perform data-intensive activities like live streaming, or protect non-browser traffic, there are better alternatives available.
Conclusion
To its credit, Opera VPN is one of the only completely free, no-logs VPNs on the market. Its limited functionality actually makes it more accessible, since novice users won’t be overwhelmed by lots of advanced options. However, this does limit the tools we have to resolve any complications that could arise.
We’ve covered a wide range of potential solutions today. As such, you’ll have plenty of tricks to try when you next experience VPN trouble. Better still, these troubleshooting steps will work whether you’re using Opera’s free VPN or a fully-fledged paid provider.
