- If you own a Google Pixel device, you might have trouble accessing the VPN by Google
- The issue affects users on Android 16 QPR1 Beta 3.1
- If you're affected, your device may be left unprotected with no access to VPN
Google Pixel owners who are trying out one of the latest Android 16 Beta 3.1 builds are reporting problems with the VPN by Google refusing to connect.
This affects users running Android 16 QPR1 Beta 3.1 who opted out of the Beta Program before moving to QPR2.
VPN by Google may not be among the best VPNs, but it's still better than nothing, so this could create an issue for beta testers. Here's everything you need to know.
VPN by Google's bug on Pixel – what we know and how to fix it
As reported by 9to5Google, a select group of Google Pixel users may be having problems accessing the VPN by Google.
Users who are currently running the Android QPR1 Beta 3.1, who didn't get the "No Data Wipe" over-the-air (OTA) update, are reporting problems. This can happen if they opted out of using the Android Beta Program to prevent updating to QPR2 too soon.
The issue comes down to being unable to connect to the VPN by Google. 9to5Google reports that affected users get an error stating that the service "isn't available for this account."
This group of testers also has to put up with problems with Google Wallet, which are – luckily – easy enough to resolve. According to 9to5Google, most users got back this functionality by simply tapping the "Got it" prompt displayed after the error message.
It's hard to say how big a group of users may be affected. The team at 9to5Google found that their Pixel Tablet received the OTA update, but their Pixel 8a did not.
While waiting for Google to patch this bug, the simplest fix for VPN users is to rejoin the Android Beta Program and download the QPR2 Beta 2.
Another solution would be to download one of the best VPNs for Android instead.
How does VPN by Google compare to other VPNs?
VPN by Google is a pretty unique, and dare we say niche, service; after all, it only works on Pixel devices.
For it to now be called VPN by Google, the service had to go through a couple of rebrands. Google initially used to offer a VPN with its Google One subscription. Dubbed the Google One VPN, it scored a measly 2 out of 5 stars in our review.
It was shut down due to a lack of interest, and the service was rebranded to Pixel VPN by Google instead. That name was later changed to simply VPN by Google. Later on, Google also replaced Google Fi VPN, a feature exclusive to Fi subscribers, with the same service.
Although convenient for Pixel users, Google's own VPN service pales in comparison to the top options available. Our top choices for Android include Surfshark, NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Proton VPN, all of which trump Google in terms of data privacy, features, and speed.
