Posted on Oct 6, 2023 by Kristin Hassel
It’s happened again. You log into your VPN, pick your location, open your web browser, and — CAPTCHA. But why? Isn’t downloading a VPN designed to stop these types of online annoyances? The simple answer is no.
While running into a CAPTCHA is frustrating, it’s also kind of a good thing. CAPTCHAs are security measures that search engines and websites use to help protect you from bots and spam. Unfortunately, they’re also annoying and can slow you down. On the upside, seeing a CAPTCHA is proof your VPN is working (more on that later).
We’ll take a deep dive into why they appear when you open your search engine or attempt to access accounts online using a VPN, and what you can do to see CAPTCHAs less frequently.
Table of Contents
Why CAPTCHAs Appear When You Use a VPN
How to Reduce CAPTCHAs When Using a VPN
CAPTCHAs Are Unavoidable — Even Without a VPN
FAQ
Why CAPTCHAs Appear When You Use a VPN
VPN providers use shared IP addresses. This means multiple users are making requests simultaneously from one IP. A large number of requests coming from the same IP at once looks suspicious to search engines and websites, as bots and spam IPs often exhibit the same multi-request behavior.
Bots are used to spread malware and phishing scams – they use tools like spam IPs and keyloggers to steal your personal information. Once they have it, they could use it to access your sensitive accounts. CAPTCHAs are the search engine’s way of making sure you aren’t one of those sneaky bots.
Additionally, many VPNs provide you with a new IP address every time you log on. When you access sensitive online accounts from a new IP daily or even weekly, it raises red flags. Services may think someone is trying to fraudulently access your account, and you could get locked out if you can’t prove you aren’t a bot.
The appearance of a CAPTCHA in either of these situations is proof of your VPN’s ability to adequately hide your true IP address. If your true IP address was compromised or leaking, the search engine or site would see you were using your real IP address and you wouldn’t receive the prompt.
How to Reduce CAPTCHAs When Using a VPN
Even the best VPNs can’t completely stop CAPTCHAs. But just because you can’t eliminate CAPTCHAs while using a VPN (or in general), doesn’t mean you can’t reduce how often they show up. Below you’ll find a few ways you can try to beat the CAPTCHA.
Try Using Another Server
The first, most simple way to avoid a CAPTCHA is to try using another server — especially one closer to your true location. For example, if you live in the US but decide to access your account using a server in Albania, you’ll likely get a CAPTCHA.
Unless you specifically need to use an IP from another country to access an account, it’s best to use an IP in or near your home country to avoid setting off alarm bells.
Clear Your Browsing History or App Cache
It’s the most common piece of tech advice for a good reason — it works. Suddenly using the browser from a location in another area could prompt a CAPTCHA if you don’t clear your history before connecting to the VPN.
When you visit websites without a VPN, your search engine stores temporary files that can divulge the IP address you regularly access your accounts from. Oftentimes this is enough to prevent the CAPTCHAs from appearing when you open your web browser.
| How to Clear Your Cookies and Cache for Chrome, Edge, Firefox, & Safari | ||
|---|---|---|
| Chrome | Android & PC: Open the Chrome app > Press the menu icon (three vertical dots) > History > Clear browsing data > Clear data iOS: Settings > Chrome> Clear history and website data | |
| Edge | ||
| Android: Open the Edge app > Press the menu icon > Settings > Privacy & Security > Clear browsing data > Clear data iOS: Settings > Edge > Clear history and website data Computer: Type edge://settings/clearbrowserdata into your URL bar > Menu > Settings > Cookies and site data > See all cookies and site data > Remove all > Clear | ||
| Firefox | ||
| Android: Open the Firefox app > Press the menu icon > Settings > Delete browsing data > Select Delete browsing data iOS: Settings > Firefox > Clear history and website data Computer: Open Firefox > Ctrl + Alt + Del > Clear recent history > Select time range > Click Clear | ||
| Safari | ||
| iOS: Settings > Safari > Clear history and website data macOS: Safari > Preferences > Privacy > Manage website data > Select Remove all > Click Remove all | ||
Remove Unnecessary Browser Extensions
Disable or remove unnecessary browser extensions and add-ons to reduce CAPTCHAs. If the extensions come from untrustworthy sources or the add-ons are automatically downloaded to your device, they could contain malware.
This malware can cause functionality issues that make the browser unstable and trigger security prompts like CAPTCHAs and errors — think error 404 Page Not Found.
Get a Dedicated IP Address
One way you can prevent CAPTCHAs is to choose a VPN that offers dedicated IPs. When you get a dedicated IP, no one else has access to the IP. This prevents CAPTCHAs because it removes the red flag of your IP constantly changing and performing multiple simultaneous requests.
Don’t worry, if you get a dedicated IP you still have full access to the rest of the VPN network if you need to change locations.
Use a Different Web Browser
If all else fails, try using a different browser. Some mainstream search engines are more likely to give you a CAPTCHA while using a VPN. Using a different web browser could help you avoid CAPTCHAs. Browsers like Tor and DuckDuckGo keep little to no browsing history, which means they are less likely to trigger CAPTCHAs based on a location change.
CAPTCHAs Are Unavoidable — Even Without a VPN
CAPTCHAs will never be completely avoidable, whether you’re using a VPN or surfing the web unprotected. Search engines and websites both use them as a security measure and it’s not unusual to run into one.
Still, they are a common occurrence when using a VPN for several reasons, but that doesn’t mean you need to constantly waste time picking out crosswalks or buses. You can use the tips above to see far fewer CAPTCHAs.
FAQ
Can a VPN bypass CAPTCHAs?
Not completely, but you can reduce how many you see while using a VPN. Since many CAPTCHAs are triggered by multiple requests coming from the same IP, you can use a dedicated IP to avoid most of them.
When you get a dedicated IP from a VPN like PIA, you’re the only one with access to that IP address. This eliminates the issue of your IP being mistaken for a spam IP because it only handles your requests — no simultaneous requests from other users.
Does a VPN cause CAPTCHAs?
It can. This is especially true for some major search engines and using a VPN. Additionally, if VPN servers are frequently used by bots or the IPs they use are flagged as spam by websites, you will run into more CAPTCHAs. That’s why the quality of your VPN matters.
While you won’t be able to avoid all CAPTCHAs, using a VPN with secure servers and multiple IPs within a country can help you reduce the annoyance of running into them.
How do I avoid CAPTCHAs while using a VPN?
Try a different server location. If this doesn’t work and you’ve already cleared your cache/history, look for an alternate web browser. Some browsers are notorious for requiring CAPTCHA verification while using a VPN — especially if you’re using an IP from a country you don’t commonly log on from.
