Websites Not Loading or Showing CAPTCHAs With a VPN

You connect the VPN and most of the internet works as normal, but one site will not load. Or it loads and then keeps asking you to click traffic lights and crosswalks. Or it simply says "access denied". Meanwhile, with the VPN off, the same site opens without any fuss. This is a very common experience and it is rarely a sign that the VPN is broken.

This guide explains why it happens, how to tell the difference between a VPN problem and a website problem, and what to try in a sensible order. Use the app or connection profile listed on your My Pass page, and treat the menu names below as approximate, since they differ between devices.

What you may be seeing

The symptoms look different but often come from the same cause.

• A CAPTCHA that appears again and again. A "prove you are human" check shows up more often than it used to.
• A "403 Forbidden", "access denied" or "your IP has been blocked" page. HTTP status codes in the 400 range, described in the HTTP specification, tell your browser that the server refused the request.
• "Too many requests" or a 429 message. The site is limiting how often an address may ask for pages.
• A blank page, endless loading or a timeout on one site while others work.
• Email that will not send or gets bounced while the VPN is on.
• A sign-in that triggers extra verification such as a code sent to you, because the site sees a new or unusual address.

If nothing at all loads, the problem is the connection, not the site. In that case go to VPN not connecting instead of reading further.

Why it happens

Shared IP addresses

When you use a VPN, websites see the VPN server's IP address, not the one your home or mobile provider gave you. That address is usually shared by many people at the same time. To a website, a hundred different people using one address can look like one very busy visitor.

Reputation and blocklists

Websites and security services keep track of how addresses behave. If somebody else using the same address has been sending spam, running automated scripts or attempting repeated logins, the address can end up with a poor reputation or on a blocklist, and you inherit the consequences even though you did nothing wrong. Some services also treat any address from a data centre differently from an ordinary home connection.

Bot protection

Many sites use automated systems to tell people from bots. A shared address that sends many requests can trigger those systems, so you see a CAPTCHA, a slower page or an outright block. These systems are working as designed, and a CAPTCHA is a sign that the site is unsure about the address, not that you are in trouble.

Account-security checks

Banks, payment services and large platforms watch for sign-ins from new locations. A VPN makes your apparent location jump, and the service may ask for extra verification or temporarily lock the sign-in to protect the account.

Local network and DNS problems

Occasionally the VPN is not the direct cause at all. A name-lookup (DNS) problem, a captive portal that has not been completed or a weak connection can look like a blocked website. The lookup step is explained in the Cloudflare DNS guide listed under references.

Step 1: work out whether it is the VPN, the site or the network

Spend two minutes on these checks before changing anything.

1. Try another site. If other sites load, your VPN connection is working.
2. Turn the VPN off and reload the problem site. If it works, the site is reacting to the VPN address. If it still fails, the VPN is not the cause, and the site may be down or your network may have a problem.
3. Try mobile data or another Wi-Fi network with the VPN on. If the problem moves, the first network was part of it.
4. Check the site's status. Search for a notice from the site or ask a friend on another network whether it opens for them.
5. Confirm the VPN is really connected. The steps are in how to check if your VPN is working.

Step 2: simple fixes to try

Go through these in order. They are safe, ordinary steps that do not try to defeat anything.

1. Complete the CAPTCHA once, patiently. Answer it honestly. If it keeps repeating, move on rather than clicking endlessly.
2. Reload and wait. A temporary rate limit often lifts after a few minutes.
3. Close and reopen the browser tab. Then try a private window to rule out a stale cookie.
4. Clear cookies and cache for that site only. Do not clear everything unless you need to.
5. Check the date and time on your device. A wrong clock can break secure connections.
6. Reconnect the VPN. Disconnect, wait a few seconds and connect again. Depending on the app and the connection method listed on your My Pass page, you may receive a different address.
7. Try another connection method if your My Pass page lists more than one.
8. Restart the app, then the device. This clears stuck network settings.
9. Update the browser and the VPN app. Old versions cause strange failures.
10. Test a different browser. An extension or setting in one browser can be the culprit.

Step 3: if one site still refuses you

Some websites will always treat shared addresses cautiously. At that point you have a few legitimate options.

• Turn the VPN off for that site, if it is safe to do so. For a bank or a government portal that needs your regular connection, it may be reasonable to disconnect briefly. Do it only on a network you trust, and reconnect afterwards. Some apps and systems offer split tunnelling, described in what is split tunnelling, which lets chosen apps skip the VPN. Use it only if your own app offers it.
• Contact the website's support. Explain that you use a VPN and ask whether the block can be reviewed. A calm message often works better than repeated attempts.
• Try again later. Reputation changes over time, and a temporary block may lift.
• Do not try to evade a block or break a site's terms. If a site says VPNs are not allowed, respect it. Nothing in this guide is meant to help you get around rules you have agreed to.

Email that will not send

Email problems have their own causes, because mail servers are strict about who may send through them.

• Many mail servers reject connections from addresses on blocklists. A shared VPN address may be on one even though you never sent anything.
• Your email provider may limit sign-ins from unfamiliar addresses. You might see a verification prompt or a temporary lock.
• Some networks restrict the ports used for sending mail. Your provider's own app or webmail normally uses the correct, authenticated route.

What to do: send from your provider's own app or webmail. Read the error text, since it often names the reason. If the provider says the address is blocked, disconnect the VPN to send an urgent message and reconnect after. Never change settings you do not understand or follow unofficial workarounds.

A few examples

The CAPTCHA loop. You open a shopping site on café Wi-Fi with the VPN on, and every page asks for a CAPTCHA. You answer one, it works for a few minutes and then it returns. You disconnect the VPN, the loop stops, and you realise the site dislikes the shared address. You decide to reconnect the VPN after checking out.

The blocked ticket page. A ticket-booking site says access is denied only with the VPN on. You wait ten minutes, try a different browser and the page loads. The earlier block was a short-lived rate limit.

The bounced message. You send an email from a laptop while travelling and receive a bounce message that mentions a blocklist. You send it from your provider's webmail instead, and the message is delivered.

Limits and what to watch for

• A VPN cannot make every site accept every address. Some will always restrict shared addresses.
• Repeated attempts can make rate limits last longer. Stop and wait.
• Do not use tools or tricks that try to defeat a site's protection. They can breach its terms and put your account at risk.
• Beware of pages that ask you to install software to "fix" a CAPTCHA or a block. Real CAPTCHAs do not need downloads.
• A CAPTCHA does not mean your VPN is unsafe. It means the site is checking the traffic.

When to contact support

If the VPN shows connected, other sites work, and the problem happens on several networks for many different sites, contact us through account support. Include the site name, the exact message, the time, your device, the connection method and whether the site works with the VPN off. Never send your password.

Summary

Websites that fail or ask for CAPTCHAs only while a VPN is on are usually reacting to a shared IP address. Test with the VPN off, try another network, complete the check once, wait, clear cookies for that site, then reconnect or try another connection method. If a site still refuses you, pause the VPN briefly where it is safe, contact the site, and respect its rules. For more help, see the Help Center.