VPN disappears without warning
There is a bug in Android 16 that could cause problems with your privacy. The bug causes VPN apps to stop working in the background, without notifying you. This mainly happens when an active VPN app is automatically updated through the Google Play Store. At that point, Android's network layer gets disrupted, causing the VPN connection to fail and your internet traffic to no longer be encrypted.
Well-known services like Proton VPN, Mullvad VPN and WireGuard have been warning about this since the summer of 2025. According to them, the problem lies entirely with Google, as it is deep in the operating system. So developers cannot fix it themselves.
What makes the problem extra troublesome is that you don't always notice it right away. Android does not give an error message, so you can be unnoticed online unprotected. Moreover, a simple restart of the app usually doesn't help. In practice, you have to restart your smartphone completely or reinstall the VPN app to restore the connection.
Because updates often happen automatically in the background, many users discover the problem late, or not at all. This can be especially risky if you rely on a VPN when using public Wi-Fi or to protect sensitive data.
Still no solution in sight
Despite reports going back more than six months, there is still no clear solution. Google has investigated the problem, but concrete updates or a schedule for a fix are lacking. This causes frustration among VPN providers, who repeatedly call for action.
For now, there is little choice but to stay alert yourself. Check regularly whether your VPN is still active, especially after updates to apps. Until there is an official fix, manually checking remains the only way to be sure your connection is still protected.
Via Androidheadlines
