How to Use Opera GX VPN Step by Step
Quick Answer
To learn how to use Opera GX VPN, open the settings panel (press `Alt+P` or click the gear icon in the sidebar). Search for 'VPN' in the top search bar, and toggle the 'Enable VPN' setting to ON. This places a 'VPN' button in the address bar, allowing you to toggle the proxy, change target regions, and check data use.
Step-by-Step Activation Guide
Enabling the free VPN on the Opera GX browser takes less than a minute. Follow these steps:
- Step 1: Launch Opera GX and click the gear icon (Settings) located at the bottom of the left sidebar.
- Step 2: In the settings search bar, type `VPN` to filter configuration settings.
- Step 3: Find the 'Enable VPN' option and switch the toggle to the right (turning it blue).
- Step 4: Check the address bar. A blue button labeled 'VPN' should now be visible to the left of the URL.
Configuring Search Bypass and Regions
By default, activating the **Opera GX VPN enable** setting routes all traffic through proxy servers. However, this can slow down local Google searches or display results in foreign languages.
To prevent this, toggle the setting labeled 'Bypass VPN for default search engines'. This allows search engines to read your local IP address for relevant results, while keeping other websites routed through the secure proxy tunnel.
Troubleshooting: Fixing the Orange VPN Indicator
Sometimes, the VPN button in the address bar turns orange. This indicates the browser is trying to connect but is blocked by a network firewall or server outage.
To fix this, click the orange icon and change the 'Virtual Location' setting to a different region (for example, switching from 'Optimal' to 'Europe'). If the problem persists, check that your system antivirus software is not blocking Opera's network packets.
Data Matrix & Comparison
| Icon Color | Current Connection Status | Meaning | Recommended User Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Icon | Active | Successfully connected to a secure proxy server. Traffic is encrypted. | None (Safe to browse) |
| Gray Icon | Inactive / Disabled | The VPN is turned off. Your real IP address is visible. | Click the icon and toggle it on to encrypt traffic |
| Orange Icon | Connecting... | The browser is attempting to establish a server connection. | Wait 10 seconds, or click and select a different region |
| Red Icon | Failed / Blocked | The connection was blocked by firewall rules or an outage. | Temporarily disable antivirus firewall rules and restart Opera |