How to Check If Your VPN Is Working
In a perfect world, you’d never have to doubt your VPN, but with the glut of sub-par providers out there, knowing how to check if VPN works and is actually protecting you is a vital skill. Our guide covers everything you need to know about testing your encryption as well as detecting DNS and IP leaks.
You might have heard about an issue in the internet security community at the beginning of this year, when a study came out which looked at the VPN apps available from Android’s Play Store. The study’s findings were shocking, showing a variety of security issues and, most worryingly, that 18% of apps didn’t encrypt traffic at all. That means that users thought that they were safe and protected by their VPNs, but in fact the software claiming to be a VPN wasn’t doing anything at all. If you want to check if VPN works on your device, today we’re going to show you how to check if a VPN is working.
For our test subject, we’ll be using the highly reliable ExpressVPN. We’ll start off telling you why we like this service, how to install it, and finally going through a few methods for checking to make sure it is working.
Please note: not all VPN providers offer the same diagnostic tools, though the best ones will include at least one or more of the ones we show you today.
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Why Use a VPN?
You might be wondering what all the fuss is about; why would you need a VPN anyway? Well, here are a few good reasons that you might want to use a VPN:
- Improve your security. There are many dangers of going online, especially when connecting to free public Wi-Fi networks like those you find in cafes or airports. When you connect to a public network, it is possible for other users on that network to hack your device and steal your data. If you use a VPN, your data is encrypted so no one else can access it.
- Boost your privacy and download in safety. When you’re on your home network, your ISP can see every site you access and any content that you may be streaming or downloading illegally. If you want to keep your browsing history private or to download safely, then a VPN will prevent your ISP from snooping into your internet usage.
- Get around region locks. If you want to watch content on sites like BBC’s iPlayer, you’ll notice that you can’t access the videos unless you’re based within the UK. Or there’s sites like Netflix which show you different content depending on which location you’re currently in. Using a VPN lets you get around these restrictions by spoofing your location so it appears to be somewhere else – letting you watch content on these sites with no restrictions.
We Recommend ExpressVPN
- Unblocks US Netflix, BBC iPlayer and other streaming services
- Super fast, reliable connection
- Secure encryption & VPN protocols
- Strict no-logs policy for personal information
- 24/7 Live Chat
- Slightly pricier than competition
Here at AddictiveTips, one of our favourite VPNs is ExpressVPN. A strength of this provider is that it is one of the speediest VPNs, with lightning-fast connections which mean no waiting around for pages to load. The network consists of more than 3,000 servers in 160 locations in 94 countries, meaning you’ll have no end of options for finding a server to connect to.
The security is excellent, with strong 256-bit AES encryption which is exceptionally difficult to crack, and a company-wide no-logging policy to keep your data private. These features make it easy to check if VPN works correctly and is genuinely protecting your connection.
The software is available for both new and older versions of Windows (that’s Windows RT, Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7, 8, and 10), it also supports Mac OS, Linux, and Android. Plus, there are browser extensions for the Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox browsers which are some of the easiest ways to use a VPN.
We’ll be using ExpressVPN as an example in this article to show you how you can check if VPN works and test out your connection for yourself.
Read our full ExpressVPN review.
Download and Install the ExpressVPN Software
First you need to install the ExpressVPN software. Fortunately, this is very easy. You just need to follow these steps:
- Go to https://www.expressvpn.com
- Go to My Account and sign in with your email address and password. If you don’t already have login information, it’s easy enough to sign up for an account by clicking the big red “Get ExpressVPN Now” button
- You’ll be taken to the My Subscriptions page, where you can download the appropriate software for your device using the Set Up ExpressVPN button which is displayed in green
- This will begin the downloading of an installer to install the program onto your system
- During the installation process, you may be asked to enter an activation code. Copy the activation code from the blue box on the download web page
- Once installation is complete, you’ll see a window saying Installation Successfully Completed and you can click Close
How to Use the ExpressVPN Software
Once you’ve opened up the ExpressVPN software, you can get started by following these instructions:
- You’ll start on the home screen of the application. There is a large round grey button which you can click to quickly connect to a “smart location”–that is, the fastest nearby server as chosen by the application itself
- When you click the button, it will take a second to connect and then the button will turn green, showing that you’re connected
- If you want to connect to a server in a specific location, use the smaller round Choose location button to the right of the main button. This brings up the VPN location window, where you can either search for a server in a particular country or city using the search bar at the top, or browse through the Recommended servers, see All the servers, or see your Favorites. Click on any server location and then next time you connect, you’ll be connected to a server there
- If you’d rather go back to using the automatically detected server location, simply click the Smart location button to the left of the main button to have the application take over making this decision again
- Your selected server will show beneath the large round button. Whenever this button is green, the VPN tunnel is connected — but you should still verify that your public IP, DNS, IPv6, and WebRTC data are not leaking to confirm you are fully protected.
How to Check If VPN Works: Testing Your ExpressVPN Connection
Now that your software is installed and your VPN is running, you might want to check if VPN works and whether your connection is really secured or not. Here are several ways that you can check this:
Use ExpressVPN’s Built-in Speed Test to Find the Fastest Servers
One of the advantages of ExpressVPN as opposed to other VPN packages is that it includes an extra speed test feature within its software. When you open up the ExpressVPN application, you’ll see a row of three horizontal lines in the top left. If you click this, it will bring up the app’s options.
RELATED READING: Is ExpressVPN Really As Fast As They Claim?
Included within these options are the following:
- VPN locations
- Speed test
- Help
- Options
- Diagnostics
- Get 30 free days
- Quit ExpressVPN
If you click on Speed test, a new window will open. The idea of the speed test is that it will run through the list of available servers and quickly check how fast they respond. You need to run this test on your own system as the speed of servers will depend on your location – servers which are closer to you will respond quicker than ones which are further away.
At the bottom of the speed test window you’ll see a green button that says Run Test. Click on this and the test will begin – you don’t need to do anything more. The test will take a few minutes, and then once it’s done you’ll see a list of results. The results are sorted by speed index, which is calculated by the ExpressVPN software. But you can also sort the list of servers by Latency or Download Speed if you prefer. If needed, you can also save these results in a text file so that you can refer to them later.
When you perform this speed test, it will help you to know which server you can connect to for the fastest and most reliable connections. Make a note of the servers which you want to use–you can easily add them to your favourites by clicking the star next to the server which will save that server for future reference.
Close down the speed test window and go back to the main ExpressVPN window. Click on Choose Location and then go to Favorites to see a list of the servers which you just saved from the speed test. Click the name of a server to be connected to it.
If you’re using a VPN that doesn’t offer a built-in speed test (and that’s most of them), you can check your connection using Ookla’s handy speed test tool. It’ll be a little more work to optimise your setup, but at the very least you can confirm whether your VPN is giving you adequate performance or not. For a more comprehensive evaluation of different providers, you can also review Urban VPN test results to see how various services compare in real-world testing scenarios, or test Netflix VPN access when troubleshooting streaming issues.
How to Check If VPN Works Using the IP Address Checker
The most reliable way to confirm your VPN is working is to run a proper before-and-after comparison rather than relying solely on what the VPN app tells you. Start by disconnecting your VPN completely, then visit a neutral tool such as WhatIsMyIPAddress or WhatIsMyIP. Record your public IP address, your ISP name, and your approximate location — these are your baseline numbers.
Next, connect your VPN to a server in a clearly different region or country, then refresh the same page. You should see a different IP address, a different ISP (typically the VPN provider’s name), and a location that matches the country of the server you selected. If any of those three things have not changed, your VPN is not routing your traffic correctly and needs attention.
One thing to keep in mind: the country and region shown should align with your chosen server location, but the city displayed may be slightly off. IP geolocation databases are not perfectly precise, so a small city-level discrepancy is normal and does not mean the VPN is broken.
If your VPN is up and running but you want to be sure that it’s working and that you have a new IP address, you can use the ExpressVPN IP address checker. To use this feature, start on the ExpressVPN application and then click the three horizontal grey lines in the top left to bring up the menu. Go to Help and then to IP Address Checker. Clicking on this will take you to a page on ExpressVPN’s website at https://www.expressvpn.com/what-is-my-ip
This site shows you information about your current IP address. If your VPN is working, you’ll see a green banner in the Current IP Status window which says ExpressVPN Secure Connection, so you know that everything is functioning okay. The page will also show you the location which you’re connected to, the IP address you’re currently browsing under, and a map with the location of your current server highlighted.
If your VPN is not active, you’ll see a red warning saying Your private information is not secure in the Current IP Status window. Your IP address will be unmasked and your city and country will be nearby to your location. This means that your VPN isn’t currently working and you need to take action to protect your privacy.
Alternatively, you can use a website like https://www.whatsmyip.org/ or https://whatismyipaddress.com/ to check if VPN works by verifying your current IP address.
Use ExpressVPN’s DNS Leak Test to Check Whether Your DNS Queries Are Protected
Another useful feature in the ExpressVPN software is the DNS leak test. You need to check for DNS leaks, as sometimes a VPN will encrypt your traffic but not your device’s DNS queries. This is a major problem as it means that your browsing history will be visible to your ISP, undermining the point of using a VPN.
Fortunately, most VPNs have got much better at protecting against DNS leaks in the last few years, but it’s still a good idea to check if VPN works properly by confirming you are not experiencing a DNS leak.
To check for DNS leaks using ExpressVPN, you can use the leak detection site. You can access this from the ExpressVPN application’s menu by clicking the three horizontal grey lines, then going to Help, then to DNS leak test. This will open up the site https://www.expressvpn.com/dns-leak-test in your browser.
If everything is okay and you are not experiencing any DNS leaks, you’ll see a green banner in the DNS leak status box that says No DNS leaks detected. Next to this you’ll see information about the DNS server which you are currently using.
If you are experiencing a DNS leak, you’ll see a red banner in the DNS leak status box that says Your DNS is exposed. with information next to it about your current DNS servers, which are probably the default of your ISP. If you see this, you know that you need to turn on your VPN or check your settings to ensure that you’re safe.
If you’d rather use an external site to test for DNS leaks, you can go to https://www.dnsleaktest.com/ and click on Standard test. The test should bring up results of a DNS server in the country you are connected to with your VPN – that means that it’s working okay and you have no DNS leaks.
How to Check for IPv6 Leaks
An IPv6 leak is one of the most commonly overlooked ways a VPN can fail you. Most internet connections today are assigned both an IPv4 and an IPv6 address by your ISP. Many VPN providers tunnel IPv4 traffic properly but leave IPv6 traffic unprotected, meaning websites and services you visit can still see your real ISP-assigned IPv6 address even when your VPN app shows a green connected status. In other words, your VPN can look like it is working while silently exposing your network identity through IPv6.
To check whether you have an IPv6 leak, follow these steps:
- Disconnect your VPN completely, then visit a leak test tool such as BrowserLeaks or IPLeak.net. Note whether your connection has an IPv6 address assigned — if it does, write it down.
- Reconnect to your VPN and choose a server in a different country or region.
- Refresh the same leak test page and examine the IPv6 section. If your real ISP-assigned IPv6 address still appears, you have a leak.
- If no IPv6 address appears at all, or if the address shown belongs to the VPN provider rather than your ISP, your IPv6 traffic is protected.
If you do find an IPv6 leak, here are your main options for fixing it. First, check your VPN app’s settings for an IPv6 leak protection or IPv6 disable toggle — many reputable providers include this. Second, if your provider does not offer native IPv6 support, you can disable IPv6 at the operating system level (on Windows, go to Network Adapter Settings and uncheck Internet Protocol Version 6) or at the router level through your router’s admin panel. After making any change, retest using the same tool, and consider switching servers or protocols if the leak persists, as some server configurations handle IPv6 more reliably than others.
How to Test for WebRTC Leaks
WebRTC is a browser-level technology that enables real-time features like video calls and file sharing. The problem is that WebRTC can communicate your real IP address directly through the browser, completely bypassing your VPN tunnel. This means a site can potentially detect your true IP even when the VPN is connected and showing a different IP through standard checks. It is a separate failure mode from DNS and IPv6 leaks, and it can affect users on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and other browsers differently.
To test for a WebRTC leak, follow these steps:
- With your VPN disconnected, visit the BrowserLeaks WebRTC test page and note which IP addresses are listed under the WebRTC section — this is your real IP baseline.
- Connect your VPN to a server in a different region, then reload the same page.
- Check whether your original home or public IP address still appears anywhere in the WebRTC results. If it does, you have a WebRTC leak.
- Repeat this test in every browser you regularly use, because WebRTC leak behaviour can differ between Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari.
If you find a leak, there are several practical fixes to try. Some VPN browser extensions include built-in WebRTC leak protection — check whether your provider offers one and enable it. In Firefox, you can disable WebRTC entirely by typing about:config in the address bar, searching for media.peerconnection.enabled, and setting it to false. In Chrome, the setting cannot be fully disabled without an extension, so using a reputable WebRTC-blocking extension is the most practical option. If leaks continue, switching browsers or adjusting privacy settings may be necessary. Always retest after making any change to confirm the leak is resolved.
How to Test Your VPN Kill Switch
A kill switch is designed to cut your internet connection the moment your VPN tunnel drops, preventing your real IP and traffic from being exposed to your ISP even briefly. However, knowing that your VPN has a kill switch and confirming that it actually works are two different things. It is worth running a quick test to be certain it behaves as expected before you depend on it.
To test your kill switch, follow these steps:
- Connect to your VPN and make sure the kill switch is enabled in the app’s settings.
- Start a continuous activity that will make a network interruption obvious — loading a web page repeatedly, running a continuous ping in your command prompt, or starting a video stream all work well.
- Force the VPN connection to drop. You can do this by disconnecting from the server inside the app, temporarily disabling your network adapter, or turning off Wi-Fi and switching back on quickly.
- Observe what happens to your internet traffic. If the kill switch is working correctly, all internet activity should stop immediately and not resume until you reconnect to the VPN. If your browser continues loading pages or your ping continues responding through your regular ISP connection, the kill switch is not functioning as intended.
One important troubleshooting note: if you have split tunneling enabled in your VPN app, certain applications may be configured to bypass the VPN entirely and will continue using your ISP connection even when the kill switch fires. This is by design, but it means you should specifically test the apps you care most about — your browser, torrent client, or messaging app — rather than assuming the kill switch covers all traffic equally. If an app you expected to be protected is slipping through, check your split tunneling exclusion list and remove it if needed.
Use ExpressVPN’s Diagnostics Feature to Identify Any Other Problems
If you’re having an issue using ExpressVPN or it isn’t working for some reason, there is a diagnostics feature built into the software which you can use to look up problems. If you start on the main application screen and bring up the menu by clicking on the three horizontal grey lines in the top left, you’ll see an option for Diagnostics and then for View diagnostics or Save diagnostics.
If you click view diagnostics, you’ll see a text file with the output from the software which will show you any errors. But if you find this too confusing to understand, don’t worry. You can use the save diagnostics option to save the output as a .txt file which you can then send to ExpressVPN’s support along with a description of your problems and they’ll be able to tell you what is wrong, if anything.
Common Problems When Using ExpressVPN
If you are having problems with using ExpressVPN, don’t despair. There are a number of common problems which are very easy to fix. When troubleshooting, you should start by looking at these issues:
- Is the VPN on? It sounds silly, but it’s easy to forget to turn the actual VPN on. When you open up the ExpressVPN application, it won’t connect to a VPN straight away. You need to click on the big round button to actually start using the VPN. If you’d like to change this so that you are automatically connected to your VPN when the software starts, you can open up the menu and then go to Options, then General, and check the box which says Connect to the last used location when ExpressVPN is launched. Most other VPN software will have a similar feature in its settings, as well.
- Is the server down? Sometimes, a server that you are connected to will go down. It doesn’t happen often, but now and then a server will stop responding for some reason or another. If your internet connection becomes horrendously slow or if you can’t use the internet at all, try disconnecting from your current server in your VPN software and connecting to another server instead.
- Is the kill switch on? You might find that your internet works just fine when your VPN is connected, but the internet stops working when your VPN is disconnected. This is actually an intentional feature called a kill switch, which is designed to prevent you from accidentally using an unsecured connection. This is enabled by default in ExpressVPN. However, if you don’t like this behaviour, you can easily turn it off. Open up the menu in ExpressVPN, then go to Options, then General. Uncheck the box which says Enable Network Lock (internet kill switch). Now you will be able to use your internet unsecured if you want to. Not every VPN provider offers this feature, but the best ones do. Be sure to check your provider’s features on its website.
- Are you using the correct protocol? There are a number of different VPN protocols which can be used to secure your data, like OpenVPN, IPSec, or PPTP. Which one you should use depends on the particular configuration of the network which you are connected to. If your VPN connection isn’t working, it could be because you are trying to use an incompatible protocol. To change the protocol used in ExpressVPN, open up the menu and go to Options then to Protocol. We recommend that you choose the Automatic option which lets the software choose the correct protocol for you.
FULL GUIDE: ExpressVPN not Working with Netflix? Try This
Conclusion
We hope that this guide has helped you to get your VPN connection set up and to check if VPN works to your satisfaction. ExpressVPN makes it easy to check if VPN works correctly with its software features like the speed test, IP address checker, DNS leak test, and full diagnostic information. If you have any tips for testing out your VPN to make sure that it’s safe, then leave them in the comments below.
If you need a VPN for a short while when traveling for example, you can get our top ranked VPN free of charge. NordVPN includes a 30-day money-back guarantee. You will need to pay for the subscription, that’s a fact, but it allows full access for 30 days and then you cancel for a full refund. Their no-questions-asked cancellation policy lives up to its name.
