Improve VPN connection speed on Android

In this article, you will learn what might be causing slow connection issues on your Android when connected to a VPN and how to avoid them.

Keep in mind that some decrease in speed (around 30%) is expected when using a VPN.

If you have noticed that the connection speed has decreased more drastically, you may want to try the adjustments below.

Test the speed of several different locations (servers)

Please try several locations, even though you may expect the best results while connected to the nearest server to your physical location.

If you're not sure how to check if the speed has increased - there are many apps on the App Store for testing the speed. Download one and use it for speed testing purposes.

Change the default protocol on the NordLayer app

Go to the Settings page on your NordLayer and open the VPN Protocol pane. By default, 'Select automatically' will be chosen. Change the protocol and test the speed again.

Switch from the Wi-Fi network to Mobile Data (or vice versa) and see if that affects the speed

Some networks might be performing worse compared to others when connected to a VPN.

Turn off the Battery-saving mode if you are using it

Battery saving mode or other settings that optimize battery consumption on your device might disable essential networking functions. You will find all the data settings if you open your phone's Settings app and select the Battery settings tab.

Reset network settings

As a last resort, we suggest resetting your device's network settings. This clears cached routing, cached DNS records, saved WiFi connections and settings made by networking programs like web browsers, email clients, and VPNs. In order to do that on Android device, you can follow our separate guide.

Reboot your device

Even though this may sound too simple to have any effect, it often helps because rebooting your device will close all idle apps and stop other background processes that might be running.

Note: In case you have any questions or are experiencing any issues, please feel free to contact our 24/7 customer support team.