NordVPN response on why their Windows app doesn't support ARM

VPN
1

“Unfortunately, due to incompatibilities between TAP and TUN virtual adapters and devices with ARM processors, the NordVPN application will not work. With that said, we cannot guarantee that we will have an application that is supported on ARM soon.”

They go on to say that you can create a manual connection but you still won’t have access to functionality from the Windows app.

Edit: New response from Nord, via Android Authority:
“We are building an Arm-native NordVPN application and launching process is on the final stages. We are now in close cooperation with Microsoft to receive driver signing certificate. We expect to release the application in the near future”.

That’s good news.

2

Whatever. Both OpenVPN and WireGuard have Windows ARM builds available including the TAP drivers. NordVPN has just been sleeping on it.

3

No engineer here… but they have apps for:

iOS (x bionic and m chips)

Android (Qualcomm)

macOS M chip

x86 (Intel and amd garbage chips)

that’s 4 different platforms and chips. But can’t do it for WoARM?

4

OpenVPN uses ARM-native TAP and TUN drivers. Viscosity is a nice GUI for OpenVPN that also runs natively and it’s pretty cheap too.

Other providers like ExpressVPN provide OpenVPN profiles for users who don’t want to run their app. I think this is just Nord being lazy.

5

Switch to a service that provides OpenVPN and/or Wireguard configs so you can just use those native ARM apps to connect to their servers instead of relying on their proprietary app. Mullvad works great for me.

6

I just use the edge extension and that seems to work for me for what I need.

7

Good to see companies are working on ARM versions

8

This whole thing feels so reminiscent of Windows Phone… kinda eerie. If it’s left up to Satya this will all fall on it’s face. Microsoft need to push hard on WoARM, and stick with it so DEVs care enough to develop for it. It’s a chicken and egg thing, and if Microsoft wavers in the slightest this will all implode. Too bad it’s not Azure ARM PC for Consumers - that may catch Satya’s attention.

This feels way too much like Windows Phone at the moment, maybe a little too much for me to bite yet.

9

Yeah I reached out to them too and their answer wasn’t ideal. Hope they put their devs on it asap

10

I really hope they figure this out. I use NordVPN for mesh networking with my home computers. I don’t think they will stay away for long, but it’s definitely an early inconvenience.

11

I’m on ProtonVPN, they have the same issue with not having an native ARM App.

Right now I’m just using the native Wireguard client, works just fine.

I’m also trying to compile their Windows App for ARM and open a PR on their GitHub repo.

12

I just cancelled Mozilla VPN because they have no ARM support. I provided feedback and they didn’t mention any plans for future support.

13

Has there been any further updates from NordVpn about arm?

14

Unfortunately… This is why I’m waiting. I use a bunch a different apps. Not sure if they’ll work … Laptop 2 it’s is until it dies…

15

It’s pretty bad Microsoft’s emulation stops when anything more advanced is needed. From peripherals to Google’s backup and sync (or whatever the regular Google Drive client is called nowadays) it’s very easy to point fingers but also completely unhelpful.

16

I use Window 11 built-in pptp client to connect to my home Asus router when I’m out.
Torguard browser addon works, I haven’t checked for a while if they have updated their client.

17

Found something odd, if you install open VPN for arm, then install another VPN like McAfee that will run the installer on arm, the McAfee VPN will magically work. Granted I have 5 tap adapters installed now. :roll_eyes:

18

Hey, they finally added support for ARM64. I just managed to download and install Nord VPN on Snapdragon X Elite today! :partying_face:

1123×177 10.5 KB

19

Surfshark also have an ARM version of their VPN. This is 100% an issue with NordVPN not bothering to look at it.

20

100% sleeping. WOA has been around for almost a decade now (not including the surface RT). There’s no excuse at this point.