Why a VPN disconnects when idle

Your VPN stays connected while you browse, then drops after the laptop sits untouched for a while. It may reconnect as soon as you open a page, which makes the problem easy to miss. A VPN can time out an idle tunnel, but sleep settings, Wi-Fi interruptions, or the VPN app can also be responsible.

First work out whether only the VPN disconnects or your internet connection drops too. The Connection Stability test can help you check the connection for response time spikes, jitter, lost requests, and dropouts. Keep in mind that running a test sends activity over the connection, so it may prevent an idle timeout from happening.

Check what disconnects

1. Note how long the device was idle, whether its screen was locked, and whether it went to sleep. Check the VPN app or system status for a disconnected message before reconnecting.
2. When the VPN drops, try loading a familiar website. If it loads, your internet is probably still working and the VPN tunnel is the part that ended.
3. Reconnect the VPN and run the Connection Stability test for a few minutes. Repeat once with the VPN on and once with it off, using the same network and location. Compare response time, jitter, lost requests, and dropouts.
4. To check whether idle time matters, leave the device awake and connected without browsing for your usual interval. Then repeat with the device set not to sleep during the test. Avoid running a continuous connection test during this comparison because its traffic can keep the VPN tunnel active.

What the result means

The internet works after the VPN disconnects

Your Wi-Fi or wired internet connection likely stayed up, while the VPN session ended. A VPN app may disconnect after a period with no traffic, or the VPN server may close idle sessions. Check the app's connection and idle timeout options, and ask your provider or workplace administrator whether there is a session limit.

The internet also stops working

This points to a broader network interruption, device sleep, or a Wi-Fi problem rather than just an idle VPN session. If the stability test shows lost requests or repeated dropouts with the VPN both on and off, troubleshoot the connection itself. A VPN can make a brief network interruption more noticeable because the tunnel may take longer to recover.

The test is stable with the VPN off but not with it on

The VPN route, app, server, or protocol may be involved. A stability test cannot identify which part of the VPN service is responsible, but comparing the same connection with the VPN on and off gives you useful evidence for support.

The VPN disconnects at nearly the same time every time

A consistent interval can point to an idle session limit or a scheduled rule in the VPN app or server. If it disconnects at about the same interval even while the computer stays awake, ask the VPN administrator whether the server has an idle timeout. If the interval is about an hour, see what to inspect when an office VPN reconnects every hour.

How to fix it

1. Turn on automatic reconnection. Look in the VPN app for an option to reconnect if the tunnel drops or to connect automatically when the network changes. The exact name varies by app. If you use a built-in VPN, check the connection options under Settings › Network & internet › VPN in Windows 11, or System Settings › Network › VPN on macOS.
2. Check whether the device is sleeping. Test with the computer awake and its lid open. In Windows 11, check Settings › System › Power & battery › Screen and sleep. On macOS, check System Settings › Battery and the available sleep options. If the VPN stays connected while awake but drops when the computer sleeps, the disconnect may be expected when network activity pauses.
3. Allow the VPN app to run in the background on a phone. On Android, check Settings › Apps › [VPN app] › App battery usage and avoid restricting background activity for the VPN app. Also check Settings › Network & internet › VPN for an always-on option if your Android version provides one. On iPhone, check Settings › General › VPN & Device Management for the VPN profile or app settings. Menu names can vary by device and operating system version.
4. Try another VPN server or protocol. If your app offers a choice, connect to another nearby server and test again. You can also try a different protocol. A particular server or route may handle idle connections differently, but changing protocols may affect speed or compatibility.
5. Compare another network. Try the same idle test on a different trusted Wi-Fi network or a wired connection. If the VPN stays connected there, your router or current network may be closing inactive connections. Restart the router and check whether its firmware or network settings have an idle timeout.
6. Ask the VPN provider or administrator about idle limits. If the disconnect happens reliably on one VPN, ask whether the server closes quiet sessions and whether a keep-alive or reconnect setting is available. For a workplace VPN, check with IT before changing protocols or connection settings.
7. Update the VPN app and device. Install available updates, then restart the device and test again. If the problem began after an update, tell the VPN provider which app version, device, network, and approximate idle interval you observed.

What an idle timeout does

A VPN tunnel is an encrypted connection between your device and a VPN server. Some networks and servers remove connection records after a quiet period. VPN software can send small keep-alive messages to maintain the tunnel, but the app, server, or network may not use them in every situation. When the tunnel closes, the app may reconnect only when another request needs the internet.

If you are concerned that traffic could escape during a disconnect, check whether your VPN has a kill switch and test its behavior separately. A connection stability result cannot prove that a kill switch blocks all traffic. For more detail, see how to check a VPN kill switch in a browser.