Sometimes you just want your regular connection back. A site refuses to load, your banking app complains about a secure connection, streaming services show the wrong region, or your internet simply feels slower than it should be. In many of these moments, turning off your VPN for a while is the quickest way to get things working again.
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In the easy cases, you open the app, tap a big button, and the VPN disconnects. But it does not always happen like that. The app can freeze, get stuck on connecting or disconnecting, or keep showing as active even after you press the button. On some devices the key icon or connection status stays on no matter what you do inside the app interface, and you are left wondering whether your traffic is still going through the VPN or not.
This guide walks through both situations: how to turn off a VPN when everything works as expected, and what to try when the app is unresponsive or refuses to disconnect. Step by step, you will see how to disable VPN on different devices, how to check that it is really off, and what to do if it keeps turning itself back on or blocks your internet after you disconnect.
First: make sure it’s really the VPN
Before changing anything, think about why you want to turn the VPN off:
- A site or app isn’t working
- Streaming gives you the wrong region
- Online games lag
- Your connection keeps dropping
In many of these situations, turning off the VPN just for a short time is enough. Once the problem is solved, you can turn it back on and keep your data protected.
How to turn off a VPN app (desktop & mobile)
Most users have a dedicated VPN app from their provider. In normal circumstances, disabling it is very simple.
On Windows or macOS
- Open your VPN application.
- Look for a large button that says Connected, On, or shows a green icon.
- Click it once to disconnect — the button should change to Disconnected, Off, or turn grey.
- Keep the app open if you plan to reconnect later, or close it completely.
If the app is frozen and won’t respond:
- On Windows, open Task Manager, find the VPN process, and choose End task.
- On macOS, press Command + Option + Escape, select the VPN app, and Force Quit it.
- Restart your computer and check your IP afterward to confirm that the VPN tunnel is closed.
On Android
- Open your VPN app.
- Tap the button that shows the connection status.
- Confirm if asked to disconnect.
When it works, the key icon in the top bar should disappear.
If the app is unresponsive, go to Settings → Apps → [Your VPN] → Force Stop, then open Settings → Network → VPN and disable the active VPN connection manually.
On iPhone or iPad (iOS)
You can turn off VPN either inside the app or through system settings.
- Open Settings.
- Scroll to VPN (sometimes under General).
- Toggle the switch next to the active VPN connection to Off.
If the app itself froze, closing it won’t help — use the system settings method to make sure the VPN actually stops.
Turning off a VPN in browser extensions
If your VPN runs only inside a browser, the steps are slightly different.
- Click the VPN icon near the address bar.
- Choose Disconnect or Turn Off.
- If the site still loads through the VPN, open your browser’s extensions page and disable the extension entirely.
Keep in mind that a browser-based VPN affects only that browser. Other apps and browsers on your device may still use your normal connection.
Turning Off VPN on a router
If your VPN is configured directly on your router, disconnecting it from an app won’t do anything. You need to change the settings on the router itself:
- Log in to your router’s admin page (usually by typing
192.168.0.1or192.168.1.1into your browser). - Find the VPN, Internet, or WAN section.
- Disable or disconnect the VPN connection.
- Save your changes and restart the router if required.
Now every device on your home network should use a normal, direct internet connection again.
How to check if the VPN is really disabled
Even after you disconnect, it’s smart to confirm that your real IP address and location are visible again.
Visit an IP check service such as whoer.net. Before turning the VPN off, note the IP address and location shown. Then disconnect and refresh the page.
- If the location and IP change to your real city or your provider’s region, the VPN is off.
- If you still see another country or a data center address, something is keeping the VPN active.
This step is especially useful when you’ve been using several VPN tools at once — like an app and a browser extension.
When the VPN won’t turn off
Some VPNs simply refuse to disconnect. Here are the most common causes and what you can do.
1. The app freezes or stops responding
When the app gets stuck on disconnecting, force quit it completely. After restarting your device, the system usually clears the tunnel automatically.
If not, go into your operating system’s network settings and manually disable the VPN connection.
2. A VPN profile is still active in the system
Even if the app is closed, the VPN profile might stay enabled.
On Windows, open Settings → Network & Internet → VPN and remove or disconnect any active profile.
On macOS, go to System Settings → Network, select the VPN on the left, and click Disconnect or Delete.
On mobile devices, you can remove the VPN configuration under Settings → VPN.
3. Built-In VPN from antivirus or security software
Some antivirus suites include their own VPN or secure connection feature. If you use one of these, turning off your main VPN app might not be enough.
Open your antivirus program and look for sections named VPN, Secure Connection, or Safe Browsing, and disable them separately.
4. Managed VPNs on work or school devices
If your laptop or phone belongs to your company or school, the VPN may be managed remotely. It can automatically reconnect or prevent removal for security reasons.
In that case, you’ll need to contact the IT department and ask for help. They may be able to pause or whitelist certain sites without removing the VPN entirely.
5. No internet after disabling VPN (Kill Switch)
Many VPNs include a kill switch feature that blocks all internet traffic when the VPN is off. This prevents leaks, but it can look like your internet has broken.
To fix it, open the VPN app, turn off the kill switch, or reconnect and then disconnect again with the option disabled. After that, your normal connection should return.
A quick recap
To turn off or disable a VPN safely:
- Use the Disconnect button in the VPN app, browser extension, or router settings.
- If the app freezes, force quit it and disable the VPN profile in your system settings.
- Double-check if other software, such as antivirus or a managed policy, runs its own VPN in the background.
- Confirm the VPN is truly off by checking your IP and location on whoer.net.
- If the VPN blocks your connection after disconnecting, check the kill switch setting.
Turning off a VPN is usually simple once you know where to look. Even when an app misbehaves or refuses to disconnect, these steps help you regain full control over your connection — and you can always turn the VPN back on later when you want your traffic to stay private and secure.
