{"id":32519,"date":"2025-10-07T01:14:31","date_gmt":"2025-10-07T08:14:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/?p=32519"},"modified":"2026-09-26T19:23:48","modified_gmt":"2026-09-27T02:23:48","slug":"slow-vpn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/slow-vpn\/","title":{"rendered":"Does a VPN Slow Down the Internet? Why It Happens and How to Fix It"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Turn on your VPN and suddenly everything feels slower? Some speed loss is normal when using a VPN because your traffic travels through an encrypted VPN tunnel to the VPN server before reaching its destination. If you\u2019re experiencing bigger drops, the source is likely a fixable issue like server distance or the wrong protocol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this guide, you\u2019ll learn how to run a quick speed test to determine whether your VPN or your internet connection is the problem, plus fixes for the most common causes of VPN slowdowns.<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/line><\/line><\/line><\/line><\/line><\/line><\/svg>Table of Contents<\/div>6 sections<\/span><\/div>
<\/div>
  1. How Much Can a VPN Slow Your Connection?<\/polyline><\/svg><\/a><\/li>
  2. Is the Slowdown Coming from Your VPN or Your Internet Connection?<\/polyline><\/svg><\/a><\/li>
  3. Why Is My VPN So Slow? Causes and Fixes<\/polyline><\/svg><\/a><\/li>
  4. Can a VPN Make Your Internet Faster?<\/polyline><\/svg><\/a><\/li>
  5. What to Do if Your VPN Is Still Slow<\/polyline><\/svg><\/a><\/li>
  6. FAQ<\/polyline><\/svg><\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

    How Much Can a VPN Slow Your Connection?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    There\u2019s no standard amount of speed you\u2019ll lose when using a VPN.<\/strong> A 2025 comparison of ten VPN products found that performance varied both across services and between local and overseas connections.1<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Your original speed matters as much as how much speed you lose.<\/strong> Suppose a VPN reduces your download speed by 20%. A connection running at 100 megabits per second (Mbps) would drop to 80 Mbps, while a 15 Mbps connection would fall to 12 Mbps. Both connections lost the same percentage of speed, but only the faster one could still stream in 4K, which requires at least 15 Mbps.2<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Several measurements help explain why a connection might feel slow despite a high download speed:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Measurement<\/strong><\/td>What It Means<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
    Download speed<\/td>How quickly you receive data. Lower speeds can mean slower downloads or reduced streaming quality.<\/td><\/tr>
    Upload speed<\/td>How quickly you send data. This affects file uploads and video quality during calls.\u00a0<\/td><\/tr>
    Latency<\/td>How long data takes to reach a server and travel back. Higher ping can make online games feel less responsive.<\/td><\/tr>
    Jitter<\/a> and packet loss<\/td>Uneven delays, with some data never arriving. Both can disrupt calls even when download speeds look good.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Is the Slowdown Coming from Your VPN or Your Internet Connection?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Before you tweak any settings, check whether your connection is also slow with the VPN off. This gives you a starting point for measuring the VPN\u2019s effect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Run a Before-and-After Speed Test<\/h3>\n\n\n
    \n
    \"Side-by-side<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

    Choose a speed-test tool that lets you select a server, such as Speedtest<\/a>, and use the same device and internet connection throughout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    1. Pause background activity:<\/strong> Stop downloads and cloud backups, and close streaming tabs. Avoid heavy internet use on other devices sharing your connection during the comparison.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Test with the VPN off:<\/strong> Disconnect your VPN and run a speed test. Note the test server\u2019s name, then record your download and upload speeds, along with ping or jitter if available.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Repeat with the VPN on:<\/strong> Connect to a nearby VPN server and run the test again, using the same test server as before.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. Repeat the comparison:<\/strong> Run the test three times with the VPN off, then three times with it on. For each metric, compare the middle result from each set. This helps prevent one unusually high or low reading from skewing your results.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Next, calculate the percentage of speed lost using this formula:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Speed loss (%) = [(speed without VPN \u2212 speed with VPN) \u00f7 speed without VPN] \u00d7 100<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Calculate download and upload losses separately, using the same units.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Understand Your Results<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      If the connection is also slow with the VPN off, the VPN probably isn\u2019t the main problem.<\/strong> Your Wi-Fi or regular internet connection may be slowing things down. If possible, compare Ethernet with Wi-Fi, or repeat the test later if the results keep changing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Observation<\/strong><\/td>What to Check<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
      Speeds consistently drop with the VPN on<\/td>Try another nearby VPN server or another VPN protocol.<\/td><\/tr>
      Download speed looks good, but calls or games lag<\/a><\/td>Check the upload speed and compare latency. Look for jitter or packet loss if your speed test reports them.<\/td><\/tr>
      Only one app or website struggles<\/td>Check whether it also struggles with the VPN off. The service in question may have performance issues of its own.<\/td><\/tr>
      Only one device is slow<\/td>Check that device\u2019s connection and VPN settings. Look for background activity that could affect its performance.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      Why Is My VPN So Slow? Causes and Fixes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      If your speed tests point to the VPN, try these fixes one at a time. Repeat the same test after each change so you can see what helps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Try a Nearby VPN Server<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      The farther your traffic has to travel, the more latency usually increases.<\/strong> Start with a VPN server close to your physical location or use your VPN app\u2019s automatic server selection option if it has one. The VPN will choose a nearby connection based on your network conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      If performance is still poor, try another nearby server. A low latency reading in milliseconds (ms) usually indicates a more responsive connection, but it doesn\u2019t show server congestion. You\u2019ll need to compare actual speed test results before deciding which server works best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Switch VPN Protocols<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      A VPN protocol is the set of rules your VPN uses to create the secure connection between your device and the VPN server. It affects how your VPN packages and sends traffic through the tunnel, which can influence speed, stability, and how well the VPN works on different networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Some protocols lower overhead, while others prioritize compatibility or reliability. If your VPN feels slow, switching protocols is one of the quickest ways to check whether the current one is causing it.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      In PIA\u2019s desktop app, you can do so under Settings > Protocols.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Protocol<\/strong><\/td>When to Try It<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
      WireGuard<\/a><\/td>Start here if you\u2019re using OpenVPN and want to improve speed<\/td><\/tr>
      OpenVPN with UDP<\/td>As an alternative for older devices that don\u2019t support WireGuard<\/td><\/tr>
      OpenVPN with TCP<\/td>On restrictive networks that don\u2019t work well with UDP, TCP can offer a more stable connection<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      PIA also lets you adjust encryption between AES-128 and AES-256<\/strong> for OpenVPN.<\/strong> AES-128 requires less processing in theory, but the real-world speed difference may be small on modern hardware. Server distance, network conditions, and the protocol itself often have a bigger effect on performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Restart and Update the VPN App<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Check that both your VPN app and your device\u2019s operating system are up to date, then restart the device before testing again.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      If the connection still feels unstable, a router restart may help too. Disconnect it from power for about 30 seconds, plug it back in, and wait for your internet connection to come back before trying the VPN again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Pause Background Downloads and Check for App Conflicts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Large downloads, cloud backups, and other background activity can leave less bandwidth for streaming, calls, or other apps.<\/strong> Some programs can also use a lot of your device\u2019s processing power, which may affect VPN performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      On Windows, Task Manager<\/em> can show which apps are using the network or system resources. On macOS, navigate to the Network and CPU tabs in Activity Monitor<\/em>, while on Linux, you can check your System Monitor<\/em> app.<\/p>\n\n\n

      \n
      \"macOS<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

      Another VPN, proxy app, or proxy browser extension can also interfere with your VPN connection. If antivirus software or a firewall<\/a> is blocking the VPN, add an exception for your VPN app instead of turning off your protection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Use Split Tunneling Where It Helps<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Split tunneling<\/strong><\/a> lets you choose which apps use the VPN and which connect through your regular internet connection.<\/strong> It can be useful if one app feels slow through the VPN but works without it. You can let that app bypass the VPN while keeping the rest of your traffic inside the encrypted tunnel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      This doesn\u2019t make the VPN connection itself faster.<\/strong> The excluded app skips the VPN server and its extra routing. If the VPN path was causing the slowdown, this can improve that app\u2019s performance. With PIA, you can exclude apps like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n