Can't Access Specific Websites or Apps While Using PIA VPN

Important: If you are in a country with internet restrictions, contact PIA Support for assistance. If you are using a manual VPN configuration, try switching to the official PIA app for the best compatibility and access to PIA’s latest connection settings.

If you cannot access specific websites or apps while connected to Private Internet Access (PIA), it might be because the site or app itself is restricting access or a PIA feature or network setting is getting in the way. Follow the steps below to troubleshoot the issue. 

Jump To:

  1. Try Another PIA Server
  2. Change VPN Protocol
  3. Try a Different Browser
  4. Temporarily Turn Off PIA MACE
  5. Check Location Data
  6. Use the PIA Browser on Your Computer
  7. Exclude the Website or App from the VPN Connection
  8. Contact the PIA Support Team

1. Try Another PIA Server

Switching to a different server can fix two different problems:

  • The server you are connected to is temporarily down or experiencing connectivity issues.
  • The service is blocking access. Some services, like banks or government sites, check whether your location matches where you are allowed to use them, for security reasons. If the VPN server is not in an allowed region, a website or app may deny access.

Note: Private Internet Access is a privacy and security service and must not be used for copyright infringement. Use of the service to access, stream, or download content in violation of copyright laws, to circumvent geographic restrictions imposed by content providers, or to engage in any unlawful activity is strictly prohibited and constitutes a breach of our Terms of Service. Users are solely responsible for ensuring their use of the service complies with all applicable laws, regulations, and third-party terms.

To connect to a different server in the PIA app on mobile and desktop:

  1. Select the VPN SERVER widget on the main screen.
  2. Select a server location based on the guidance below. 

If you are dealing with a server experiencing issues

You can let PIA choose the optimal location:

  • Windows, macOS, and Linux: Click Choose Automatically at the top of the list.
  • iOS and Android: Tap Automatic at the top.

If you are trying to access a service that checks your location 

If you are in your home country or visiting another region where the service permits you to use it, select a PIA server in that same region. 

For example, if you're in the U.S. and trying to access your U.S. banking website, connect to a server in the U.S. Note that choosing a server that is close to your actual location typically offers the best speeds.

If you are trying to access a streaming service

If you are in your home country and trying to access your streaming library, make sure that you are connected to the appropriate streaming-optimized server. For example, if you are in the U.S., use a U.S. streaming server for the platform you are trying to stream. For more detailed instructions, read the streaming with Private Internet Access guide.

  1. You will be taken back to the main screen. Select the power button to connect.
  2. After reconnecting, reload the website or fully close and reopen the affected app.

2. Change VPN Protocol

Some networks, like work or public Wi-Fi, might block specific VPN protocols and ports. To check if this is the cause, try a different protocol and settings in the PIA app.

On desktop: 

  1. Disconnect from PIA.
  2. Select the three-dot menu, and choose Settings.
  3. Select Protocols.
  4. Switch from WireGuard to OpenVPN or vice versa.
  5. Reconnect and test your connection.

On mobile:

  1. Tap the menu button (☰).
  2. Go to Settings > Protocols.
  3. Tap Protocol Selection and choose another protocol.
  4. Reconnect and test your connection.

3. Try a Different Browser

Browser extensions, cached data, or cookies can cause a site to misbehave and not load properly. 

If the site loads properly in a different browser, go to Browser Location Permissions to resolve the issue with the first browser you tried. If the site still will not load in another browser, move on to the next step.

4. Temporarily Turn Off PIA MACE

PIA MACE blocks advertising, tracking, and potentially harmful domains. However, some websites use certain scripts from some of these domains. When that happens, the page may appear blank, remain stuck loading, or lose certain features.

To disable PIA MACE on desktop: 

  1. Select the three-dot menu and open Settings.
  2. Select Privacy.
  3. Uncheck the box next to PIA MACE.
  4. Reconnect to the VPN and reload the website.

To disable PIA MACE on Android: 

  1. Tap the burger menu (☰).
  2. Select Settings > Privacy.
  3. Toggle PIA MACE off.

On iOS, PIA MACE is tied to Safari’s content blocker feature. It is off by default, but if you have enabled it, follow these steps to disable it:

  1. Open your iOS Settings and tap Apps.
  2. Find and tap Safari > Extensions.
  3. Tap PIA VPN.
  4. Tap to turn the toggle off next to Allow Extension.

If this fixes the issue, you can leave MACE off while using that service or use split tunneling where supported.

If you want to learn more about how PIA MACE works, read our guide on What is MACE?

5. Check Location Data

A website or app may use your device settings, browser permissions, or saved site data to determine your location. If any of this information is incorrect or outdated, the service may prevent access.

Mobile Location Data

Some mobile apps check your device’s location signals, like your GPS. To prevent a mismatch between your IP address and your phone’s location data, which can cause the website or app to block access, follow these steps:

Android

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap Location.
  3. At the top, turn off Use Location to disable it for all apps, or select App permissions, find the app from the list, and tap Don’t Allow to turn off location access for that app only.

iOS

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap Privacy & Security > Location Services.
  3. Toggle Location Services off to disable location services for all apps, or select an app from the list and choose Never to disable location services for just that app.

Browser Location Permissions

If you have previously allowed a website to access your location, your browser may provide location data to it every time you visit. If the browser location and VPN location do not match, the website may display incorrect regional information or request additional verification.

To find whether a website has location access:

  • Chrome: Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Location.
  • Firefox: Settings > Privacy & Security > Permissions > Location.
  • Safari: Settings > Websites > Location.

If it does, you can remove any existing permission that allows the site to see your location.

For more detailed instructions, check out PIA’s guide to Location-Aware Browsing.

Saved Location Data

Websites you have visited in the past may keep your previous region in cookies and cached data. If that information is no longer correct, you can clear the affected website’s cookies and cache, close the browser, reconnect to the appropriate PIA server, and visit the site again.

Note: Clearing cookies may sign you out, so make sure you have your login or account recovery information available.

6. Use the PIA Browser Extension on Your Computer

If you use Chrome or Firefox, you can use the PIA browser extension to prevent websites from asking your browser for location information it typically shares. This helps prevent a mismatch between what the website gets from the browser and the VPN IP address it sees when you visit it while connected to PIA. 

To enable this feature: 

  1. Open the extension and select the three vertical dots.
  2. Select Extra Features > Privacy.
  3. Enable Block camera, microphone, and location access. 

The extension also includes Block WebRTC IP Detection, which helps stop WebRTC from exposing your IP address.

To get the extension and find out more about its features, follow the steps for your browser:

7. Exclude the Website or App from the VPN Connection

If the service works normally without PIA and you are comfortable using the website or app without the VPN protection, split tunneling may be the simplest solution. It lets you configure PIA so the app or website you are trying to access bypasses the VPN tunnel entirely while the rest of your traffic is protected by the VPN (and PIA MACE). 

Note: Split tunneling is not available on iOS. 

To use split tunneling on desktop:

  1. Open the PIA app, select the three-dot menu, and choose Settings.
  2. Click the Split Tunnel tab.
  3. Check the box next to Split Tunnel to turn it on.
  4. Depending on whether you are dealing with an app or a website, select either:
    • Add Application: Find the app on your computer and add it to the split tunneling list.
    • Add IP Address: Enter the IP address of the website and click OK to add it to the list.
  5. Click the dropdown next to the app or website and select Bypass VPN. 

In the Android app, the split tunneling setting is called Per App Settings and it only lets you split tunnel apps (not websites). To use it: 

  1. Tap the burger menu (☰).
  2. Tap Per App Settings.
  3. By default, all apps use the PIA tunnel. To exclude an app, tap the green lock next to it to turn red. 

8. Contact the PIA Support Team

If you cannot find a working solution after the steps above, please contact the PIA Support Team for assistance.

Related to

Related articles