- Flaw in Android 16 interrupts VPN connections after background app updates
- Proton VPN, Mullvad, Windscribe have all reported the issue to Google
- Users are currently forced to restart their device or reinstall their VPN app
If you’re using the best VPN on your Android smartphone and recently found yourself mysteriously disconnected from the Internet, your VPN provider may not be to blame.
According to a new public warning from Proton VPN, a long-standing bug in Android 16 is causing virtual private network apps to permanently lose internet connectivity after receiving a routine app update.
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The problem doesn’t just affect Proton VPN. Other major privacy players, including Mullvad and Windscribe, have also been struggling with the same Android 16 headache since last summer, leaving developers helpless to implement a permanent solution of their own.
TechRadar has contacted Google, Proton, Windscribe and Mullvad for comment on the current situation.
A Proton spokesperson told Tech Radar that “Google has not yet responded to our message. This is particularly frustrating because our Android app is generally robust and stable. In fact, the majority of issues reported by users turn out to stem from this specific issue.”
What is the Android 16 VPN bug?
When a VPN app updates in the background on an Android 16 device, the operating system’s network stack may become corrupted. Instead of reconnecting seamlessly, all network calls time out. This means that basic Internet functions, like DNS lookups or simple socket connections, remain completely blocked.
For VPN users, the risk is twofold. Depending on your Android settings, you might find yourself completely without Internet access if you have a Enable the VPN kill switch. Or, you might unknowingly browse the web without your VPN protection.
1/4Google is aware of a bug that has been blocking VPN apps for 7 months, leaving users exposed with no warning or error, just a VPN app that has stopped working in the background. If you are using ANY VPN on Android, you can help us by bringing Google’s attention to fix it.Details 👇 🧵March 18, 2026
Mullvad was the first to file a bug report on Google Issue Tracker in August 2025, detailing how the VPN would fail to reconnect after an app update.
Proton VPN released its own detailed report in September 2025. Although the developers provided additional logs and information, no definitive fix materialized.
Since the problem is built into the operating system, VPN developers cannot fix it themselves. In a recent support statement regarding the bug, the Proton team confirmed: “We would like to inform you that this issue is primarily related to Android rather than Proton VPN. We have reported this to Google for further investigation.”
In a separate update, Proton noted: “Our engineering team is aware of a bug between Proton VPN and Android 16 devices where the app fails to connect after an update,” reassuring users that they are pushing for a resolution.
What can you do about it
Until Google rolls out an official patch, the workarounds are frustrating and manual. If your VPN suddenly drops your connection after an update, standard troubleshooting steps like force stopping the app or clearing your cache won’t work.
Instead, users must either completely restart their phone or uninstall and reinstall the VPN app to reconnect.
A Proton spokesperson told Techradar that “the only remedies” for affected users are to restart their phone or uninstall and reinstall the app. “Users can also avoid upgrading to Android 16 until the issue is resolved, but this carries security risks and is not a recommended solution,” Proton added.
