How to Make Your VPN Undetectable & Avoid Blocks in 2026 by Husain Parvez

This tip is useful for mobile users, since many apps (especially streaming apps) check your device’s GPS data to confirm location. Even with a VPN active, the app may still see your real location and block your connection.

The solution is to spoof your device’s GPS data and make it match the location of the VPN server you’re connected to. This can be done via GPS-spoofing apps, though it’s much easier to do on Android since such apps are available on the Google Play Store.

If you’re an Android user and would like to spoof your device’s GPS data, I recommend trying Surfshark or Windscribe.

On iOS, it’s much harder. You’d need to jailbreak your device and install apps from unofficial stores (with real malware risks), or use a clunky desktop setup where your iPhone/iPad is tethered to a GPS-spoofing app running on your computer. That’s why, for most iOS users, the better fallback is simply to use the VPN in a browser instead of relying on the app.

Shadowsocks is an open-source encrypted proxy that can help your VPN traffic look less like VPN traffic. Think of it as a transport/obfuscation tool, not a full VPN protocol. It’s most useful when stealth/obfuscation over TCP 443 and protocol switches still fail.

Shadowsocks requires a manual setup, but it’s pretty simple to use. However, you need to use it with a VPN that supports Shadowsocks connections to its servers. The VPN also has to support manual port selection, since you need to pick a server port while setting up Shadowsocks.

I personally recommend using a VPN that has built-in support for Shadowsocks (like Private Internet Access) instead because it’s much more convenient.

In practice, try Shadowsocks only if you’ve already enabled obfuscation and changed protocols but are still hitting detection. It adds another layer of disguise (which is helpful for strict restrictive networks, like government censorship) but is more complex than the other methods here.

Tor is a privacy network that lets you access the dark web. It routes your traffic through multiple servers, changing your IP address and encrypting your traffic several times. Tor is free to use — you only need to download and install the Tor browser to access the Tor Network.

You can tunnel a Tor connection over a VPN connection to prevent internet and dark web sites from detecting your VPN IP address and hide your VPN connection behind several layers of Tor encryption. Basically, your connection will look like this:

You → VPN → Tor Server #1 → Tor Server #2 → Tor Server #3 → Internet or Dark Web

Pretty much all top VPNs support Tor over VPN connections, but I like ExpressVPN the most because it has really fast speeds (Tor over VPN connections are usually pretty slow). I also think NordVPN is a good pick because it has Onion Over VPN servers that automatically send your traffic through the Tor network, meaning you don’t need to download and use the Tor browser to use the Tor network.

If your school, workplace, or hotel Wi-Fi blocks VPNs, the fastest workaround is to switch to mobile data. By connecting through your telecom provider’s network, you bypass restrictive firewalls entirely. It’s especially useful if a captive portal won’t let you log in while your VPN is active, or if a managed network is aggressively filtering VPN traffic.

For smoother mobile use, I found ExpressVPN’s app makes the switch seamless. It’s lightweight, works consistently on both iOS and Android, and includes built-in obfuscation so your connection looks like regular HTTPS even on 4G or 5G.

That way, you can connect securely on the go without losing speed, whether you’re just logging in quickly or streaming on a mobile network.

I have seen a lot of online sources claim that using a dedicated IP address (an IP that’s only assigned to you) will make your VPN connection harder to detect. That’s not quite true, and I think many people believe this because they think that streaming sites don’t block dedicated VPN IP addresses.

Streaming services block dedicated VPN IPs just as easily as they block shared VPN IPs. In fact, most VPNs with dedicated IPs even warn against using them for streaming, since once a dedicated IP is flagged, you’d need to buy a new one.

The thing is, most dedicated VPN IPs come from data centers, and these IP ranges are usually added to databases by proxy detection services. Streaming sites use these databases to block VPNs.

You could make it harder for streaming sites to detect your dedicated IP by making sure it’s a residential IP, which means it comes from an ISP instead of a data center. Even a residential dedicated IP could still be detected and blocked. If you want to try one out, check out TorGuard.

But in 2026, detection also relies on ASN/provider reputation and traffic fingerprinting, so it’s not just about the IP itself.

I personally only recommend using a dedicated IP to access websites that mainly block shared IPs, like bank sites, and to avoid seeing too many reCAPTCHAs on search engines.

Not exactly. Decoy traffic is meant to make it harder for third parties to detect specific online activities when someone is connected to a VPN. Detection at that level usually comes from traffic correlation attacks, where upload/download volumes are analyzed to guess what apps or sites you’re using.

For example, let’s say you use a VPN to upload torrents or post on social media. Even though your ISP couldn’t see that you’re interacting with torrents and social media sites, it could still detect your upload volume. If it detects a lot of upload spikes, that could be a sign of torrenting or social media posting. While this is very hard to achieve for the ISP, it’s not impossible.

That’s where decoy traffic comes into play. By generating fake data transfers at random intervals, it blends your real activity with noise. This makes it harder for observers to match your traffic volume to a specific service. However, it’s important to remember that decoy traffic only disguises activity patterns — it doesn’t make the VPN connection itself harder to detect.

If you’d like to try it, Windscribe has a decoy traffic option in its Android app. Just keep in mind that using it will significantly increase your data usage and throttle your speeds a bit (this is done to make it even harder for third parties to single out specific web activities).

Not really. Setting up your own VPN usually means renting a virtual server that you configure to act as a VPN server. You then connect to the virtual server and use it to surf the web.

But you run into the same issue you do with dedicated IPs — streaming sites can still detect and block your virtual server IP address. It comes from a data center, after all. If that happens, you’ll need to request a new IP, and the hosting provider will likely charge you for that.

On top of that, the whole process is time-consuming and requires technical know-how. You’d have to configure the server, set up a VPN protocol, and maintain it. While Linux-based servers are cheaper (under $10/month), they’re harder to configure. Windows servers are easier but cost closer to $10–$12 per month.

In 2026, this approach may help you dodge basic blocklists, but it won’t beat fingerprinting or ASN reputation checks. Considering all of that, you’d be much better off just getting a premium VPN that’s affordable, easy to use, and can bypass pretty much any type of detection — like ExpressVPN, which ticks all of these boxes!

Restrictive countries often block access to popular sites, including social media sites, news sites, and platforms like Google and YouTube. These governments know that citizens use VPNs to get around firewalls, so they deploy advanced technology to detect and block VPN traffic. Note that in some of these countries, using a VPN to get around the firewall is illegal, so it’s important to do your research before doing so.

Many schools, universities, and businesses use firewalls to stop students/employees from accessing certain sites. Since VPNs can be used to bypass these restrictions, administrators often block VPN traffic outright.

Streaming platforms show different titles depending on which country you’re in — this is all due to the licensing agreements they signed with copyright holders. Basically, if a site doesn’t have the licensing rights to show a specific title in a certain country, it can’t legally broadcast it there.

Streaming sites detect and block VPNs because they allow people to bypass geo-restrictions (a type of content protection). If the sites were to ignore VPN connections, it could be a breach of the licensing agreements they signed.

Some ISPs worry that their customers might use VPNs to illegally torrent copyrighted content. To avoid facing any potential legal repercussions, they throttle or block VPN connections on their networks.

Similarly, gambling sites often block VPNs to prevent access from countries where gambling is illegal, and payment processors may block them as a fraud prevention measure.

Modern VPN blockers don’t just rely on IP lists and ports. Many also use traffic fingerprinting, SNI filtering, and ASN/provider reputation checks to identify VPN usage — making blending techniques like obfuscation more important than ever.

When using a VPN, websites only see the IP address of the VPN server you’re connected to. If a site blocks that IP address, you won’t be able to access the site through it.

Many streaming platforms use IP blocks to prevent VPN users from accessing geo-blocked content. To do this, they often source VPN and proxy IP databases from services like IP2Location. These websites also employ automated scripts to detect and block VPN IP addresses trying to connect.

Network administrators, internet service providers (ISPs), and governments with strict policies also use firewalls to block VPN IP ranges.

Ports are numbers assigned to network protocols used for online communication. Each VPN protocol uses different ports to access the web — for example, OpenVPN uses UDP port 1194 by default. Network admins and ISPs can block certain ports to prevent you from using a specific VPN protocol.

Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) searches for indications and signatures in your internet traffic that suggest you’re using a VPN protocol. If a VPN is identified, DPI has the capability to either obstruct it or slow it down to the point of being ineffective, a strategy referred to as Quality of Service filtering. Countries that impose VPN restrictions, such as China, use DPI to identify and hinder OpenVPN connections.

Modern detection doesn’t stop at simple IP or port blocking. Today, systems also use more advanced techniques:

• TLS/JA3 fingerprints: Every VPN protocol leaves a “handshake pattern” when it connects, kind of like a digital fingerprint. Blockers can flag those patterns even if the IP looks fine.
• SNI filtering: When you visit a site, your device often tells the server the hostname up front (called the Server Name Indication). Filters can spot if that doesn’t match normal behavior.
• ASN reputation: If too many VPN servers come from the same provider’s network (its Autonomous System Number), entire ranges can be blocked at once.
• ECH (Encrypted Client Hello): A newer tech that hides SNI data to make detection harder, but it’s not widely supported yet.

Because of all this, obfuscation is still critical. It disguises your VPN traffic so it looks like regular encrypted web browsing, which is what allows you to avoid VPN detection on restrictive school or work networks.

Unlikely. Free VPNs rarely refresh IP addresses, so it’s easy for sites and network admins to block their servers. What’s more, most free VPNs don’t provide access to obfuscation or protocols that can use multiple ports (like OpenVPN and WireGuard). Also, many free VPNs lack essential VPN security features like a kill switch or a no-logs policy.

I’d recommend a paid premium VPN like ExpressVPN instead, which refreshes IPs frequently, supports stealth protocols, and works in restrictive regions.

No. Switching to third-party DNS (like Google DNS or Cloudflare DNS) only changes where your queries resolve — it doesn’t disguise VPN traffic itself. At most, it can fix connectivity issues, but it won’t make your VPN less detectable. If your VPN has built-in DNS leak protection and runs its own encrypted DNS servers (like ExpressVPN does), you don’t need to tweak DNS settings at all.

Not really. A double VPN connection sends your traffic through 2 VPN servers instead of 1 server — while that hides the IP address of the 1st VPN server, it’s still possible to detect the IP address of the 2nd VPN server. Plus, a double VPN connection won’t prevent network admins or ISPs from detecting VPN traffic.

I recommend using double VPN when you need an extra layer of encryption to secure your data. Surfshark has a very good double VPN feature that lets you pick the entry and exit servers (most VPNs with double VPN support don’t let you do that).

Probably not. Some online sources say you can use a proxy to hide your VPN IP. In reality, this often causes compatibility issues and doesn’t hide the underlying VPN patterns. It’s better to rely on built-in obfuscation or Shadowsocks if you need to disguise VPN traffic, since proxies aren’t designed for that purpose.

Proxies aren’t designed to defeat DPI or traffic fingerprinting—use obfuscation or Shadowsocks if you specifically need to disguise VPN patterns. It’s much better to just try the tips mentioned here instead.

No, obfuscation can only help you get around Deep Packet Inspection (DPI), which detects and blocks VPN traffic. However, streaming platforms rely mostly on IP reputation and ASN checks, so they can still detect a VPN connection even when it’s obfuscated. Obfuscation helps in restrictive countries (like China), but for streaming, the deciding factor is IP pool freshness.

Not really. People probably get this impression because, with P2P VPNs, you access the web via other VPN users’ IP addresses (and they browse the web via your IP). Due to this, people assume that it will be harder for sites to detect and block your VPN IP.

But I already mentioned how even residential IPs can be blocked — not to mention that P2P VPNs are risky to use, as other users could use your IP to engage in illegal activities (like downloading copyrighted content).

This happens when your ISP or streaming app flags your IP range, even without an active VPN. The best fix is to refresh your IP by rebooting your router, clearing app/browser data, and reconnecting. If you’re still blocked, switching servers (or ISPs, in rare cases) is the only way forward.

Shared IPs are often abused by spammers, so services respond with CAPTCHAs. To avoid this, switch to a different VPN server or pool. Some providers, like ExpressVPN, reduce this problem by rotating IPs automatically with tools like ShuffleIP, so you don’t get stuck with a “bad neighbor” IP.

Most hotels use captive portals, and you usually have to log in before setting up your undetectable VPN. First, connect to the Wi-Fi and accept the portal’s terms. Only after that should you connect your VPN — otherwise, the login page won’t load. If the network still blocks VPN traffic, temporarily switching to mobile data is a quick workaround to get online securely. VPNs that support OpenVPN over TCP 443 and robust obfuscation tend to connect more reliably after you accept the captive portal.