Fix Urban VPN Chrome Extension not Working [3 Easy Methods]
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Using the Urban VPN Chrome extension should protect your personal data and allow you to bypass online restrictions, but many people report it’s not always working.
As a result, private information like your real IP and location become vulnerable.
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But on the bright side, the underlying causes for this are easy to identify and fix. We did just that and outlined below the steps you can take to fix it yourself!
Read til the end to see which best applies to your needs!
Why is the Urban VPN extension not working?
There are multiple possible reasons why the VPN Chrome extension is no longer working. The most common culprits include:
➡️ Bad Internet connection – make sure to verify if your Internet is up and contact your ISP in case there are any problems
➡️ Outdated VPN extension – check the Chrome Web Store to see if a new version is available to download
➡️ Conflicting DNS Cache – outdated DNS can lead to all sorts of browser malfunctions, including extensions not working
What is Urban VPN?
Urban is a popular VPN choice because it’s free, lightweight, and easily available as a Chrome extension.
It is useful for bypassing geo-restrictions on websites like Netflix. Moreover, it offers decent speeds and unlimited bandwidth, which is rare for free VPNs.
However, it’s worth noting that the service uses a peer-to-peer (P2P) network instead of actual VPN servers. Essentially, people connect to the web through other users’ IP addresses, which raises privacy concerns.
Nevertheless, if that’s not a problem for you, here is how to make Urban VPN work again.
How to fix it
1. Reinstall Urban VPN
- Delete the extension from your browser. To do this, simply click on the Extensions
icon located at the top-right corner of your Chrome browser.
- Then click on Manage extensions.
- Scroll to Urban VPN and click on the remove button.
- Next, go to your Chrome browser settings by clicking on the three dots icon
at the top-right corner of the browser. - Once you open the settings tab, click on the Privacy and security button. Then click on Clear browsing data and then clear only the cookies.
- When the cookies are deleted, go to the Chrome Web Store. Then, search for Urban VPN and install the extension by clicking the Add to Chrome button.
- Enjoy your VPN.
icon located at the top-right corner of your Chrome browser. 
at the top-right corner of the browser. 
2. Try a different VPN
If you keep having problems, consider using a better VPN.
Truth is, extension VPNs only protect activities on the browser. But a full-featured VPN app provides protection for the entire PC.
While there is an Urban VPN app, you’ll likely have the same issue with it. Because it is free, it occasionally gets flooded with too many requests and stops working, especially during peak hours.
A good option that, as opposed to the service’s concerning peer-to-peer network, offers 35, 000+ servers in 100+ countries is Private Internet Access (PIA).
Not only that, its privacy policy clearly states it doesn’t collect any data.
It’s also worth noting that PIA is compatible with most operating systems, including Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS.
It’s just as easy to set up as Urban VPN and it works as a browser extension for Chrome as well.
Private Internet Access
Upgrade your VPN game with zero logs, private DNS, thousands of speedy servers, and dedicated apps for all devices!3. Flush the Chrome DNS Cache
- In the address bar, type
chrome://net-internals/#dnsand press Enter. - Click on the Clear host cache button.
Your browser’s DNS cache keeps track of web pages you visit on a regular basis and serves the purpose of loading them faster.
However, if you have been using the same browser for a long time, some data stored here can become outdated and interfere with your browser’s features, including the Urban VPN extension.
❌ Is Urban VPN legit? ✅
The service’s P2P VPN network is a privacy concern and its claims of being 100% free, fast, and private are not accurate.
At a quick glance, this extension looks like a solid option for anyone who wants to gain access to geo-restricted content. However, it’s not very reliable and we don’t recommend Urban VPN if you care about privacy.
Besides sharing IP addresses between its users, it also collects data. Here’s what we gathered from their privacy policy:
- Non-personal information i.e., user’s device details including type of browser, user’s operating system, time and date, user’s approximate location, etc.
- Personal information which means your IP address, every webpage visited, and every search engine result is being monitored and stored.
Now, does this mean Urban VPN is malicious? Not necessarily. Most free VPNs make a profit from selling data and not all of this data is a privacy concern for you.
However, this particular VPN doesn’t clearly state what it does with the info it collects, so be aware of that if you decide to use it.
Conclusion
You can easily fix the Urban VPN extension not working by tackling underlying issues like DNS conflicts or giving it a chance to reset by reinstalling. Ultimately, picking a more reliable alternative can also help.
