If you’re trying to play Pokémon Go with a VPN and it’s not working, chances are you’re coming across two main issues.
The first is the VPN you’re using probably isn’t secure enough to ensure Niantic can’t find out you’re using a VPN IP address. The second is you need to ensure you’re using a GPS spoofing app to work alongside your VPN.
To play Pokémon Go with a VPN, not only do you need a reliable VPN, you also need a reliable GPS spoofing app.
If this sounds complicated, don’t panic. This article will explain how you can easily fix Pokémon Go not working with VPN and how you can play the game anywhere in the world reliably.
See also:
- The best VPNs for gaming! (May 2023)
- How to watch Crackle outside the US: The EASY method! (May 2023)
Pokémon Go not working with VPN: Fixes
Delete Cookies
A good place to start when trying to fix Pokémon Go not working with VPN is deleting your Cookies.
Cookies can sometimes contain information regarding your location.
When you connect to Pokémon Go, Niantic can potentially scan this information on your Cookies. If the location stored here differs from your IP address or GPS location, Niantic will block the connection.
Try deleting your Cookies to see if that works.
Change to a different server
If your VPN has stopped working with Pokémon Go, it might be because the IP address you’ve been given has been blocked.
This doesn’t necessarily mean all of your VPN’s IP addresses have been blocked, though.
Changing server will give you a different IP address, and if that one hasn’t been blocked, you’ll be able to use your VPN with Pokémon Go again.
Ensure you’re using a reliable GPS Spoofing app
If you’re not using a GPS spoofing app when playing Pokémon Go with a VPN. You’ll need one.
We go into more detail about it below, but a VPN on its own won’t allow you to play Pokemon Go in different locations. You need a VPN and a GPS spoofer.
We recommend Fake GPS Location by Lexa for Android and Tenorshare iAnyGo for iOS.
Upgrade to a better VPN
If you’ve tried all the fixes above and your VPN still isn’t working with Pokémon Go, your VPN isn’t good enough to get around Niantic’s VPN blocking techniques.
The easiest and fastest way to fix this is to upgrade to a VPN that works reliably with Pokémon Go and has measures to ensure you can play the game consistently worldwide.
The best VPN for Pokémon Go is ExpressVPN ($6.67/month). ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) has fast servers worldwide, a 30-day money-back guarantee, and most importantly, if Niantic blocks an IP address provided by ExpressVPN ($6.67/month), the VPN will close that IP address and open a new unblocked one.
This will allow you to play Pokémon Go anywhere in the world and will ensure you don’t come across the same issues you’ve been coming across with your current VPN.
Why isn’t my VPN working with Pokémon Go?
One of the reasons your VPN isn’t working with Pokémon Go is because the game’s parent company, Niantic, has identified you’re using a VPN and has blocked your connection.
The other reason why your VPN isn’t working is because the location your IP address is showing is different from your GPS location. To get around this, you need a GPS spoofing app (more below).
Why and how does Niantic block VPNs?
Using a VPN to play Pokémon Go violates Niantic’s terms of use. A VPN allows users to change their location and therefore catch region-specific Pokémon.
To stop this, Niantic constantly monitors for VPN connections and blocks them. The way Niantic blocks your connection is all to do with your IP address.
When you connect to Pokémon Go, Niantic scans your IP address. When using a free or lesser VPN, this can be a problem because these VPNs have more customers than IP addresses and subsequently force their customers to share IP addresses.
When Niantic sees an abnormal amount of connections coming from the same IP address, it knows it’s a VPN, and it blocks the connection.
The best way to get around this is to use a VPN that has measures in place to counter Niantic’s blocks. We recommend ExpressVPN ($6.67/month). It has a feature whereby if Niantic blocks an IP address, ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) will close that IP and open a new one so there’s always one for you to use. This will ensure the VPN works reliably with Pokémon Go.
Why do I need a GPS spoofing app to play Pokémon Go with a VPN?
Pokémon Go is a location-based game. It uses both your IP address and your GPS location to determine where you are in the world.
If you want to change your location in-game using a VPN, you also need to change your GPS to the same location.
As an example, let’s assume you live in the US and you use a VPN to change your IP address to the UK. There’s a disconnect here because your GPS location will show you’re in the US, whilst your IP address will be in the UK. Niantic will notice this discrepancy and block your connection. Sometimes even banning users for a few days.
Using a GPS spoofing app without a reliable VPN like ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) could result in lengthy bans.
How to fix Pokémon Go not working with VPN?
To fix Pokémon Go not working with VPN, you need two things.
You need a reliable VPN that has measures in place to get around Niantic’s VPN blocking techniques. The best VPN for this is ExpressVPN ($6.67/month).
And you also need a reliable GPS spoofing app. For Android devices, we recommend Fake GPS Location by Lexa. You can find it on Google Play.
Spoofing your GPS location on an iOS device is a little trickier than on Android; below, we’ll explain the easiest way to do it.
How to change GPS location on an iOS device?
Changing the GPS location on an iOS device can be tricky. Some guides will tell you you need to jailbreak or root your device. While this can potentially work, it isn’t recommended as jailbreaking your iPhone can be dangerous and will void any warranties you may have.
The easiest way to change GPS location on an iOS device is to use a computer-based GPS spoofing app. These apps require you to connect your phone to a PC or Mac, and you change the location from there.
The best app for this is Tenorshare iAnyGo. The problem is it is a tad expensive.
Why use a VPN with Pokémon Go?
There are many reasons why using a VPN with Pokémon Go can enhance your gaming experience.
First, a reliable VPN like ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) allows you to play the game in a place where it might be banned. This could be in certain countries like Iran, China and Saudi Arabia, or it could even be on your school or work WiFi, where you may not be able to access the game.
Second, a VPN also adds a level of security when you’re online. The best VPNs like ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) give you an anonymous internet connection to help prevent your device from being hacked.
Third, a VPN allows you to change your location so you can catch regional Pokémon that are only available in certain countries. ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) will allow you to catch Farfetch’d, which is only available in South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and Hong Kong, Kangaskhan, which is only available in Australia and more.
