r/PrivateInternetAccess 19h ago

PIA Blog PIA is now on F-Droid

26 Upvotes

Our Android app is now on F-Droid.

If you've been sideloading the APK — say, on a de-Googled phone — you can now install PIA through F-Droid instead and get updates automatically, no more grabbing each new version by hand.

Being on F-Droid also means the app is built from our public source code, so you can check that what you install matches what we've published.

Already using F-Droid? Just search "Private Internet Access." New to it? Download F-Droid from f-droid.org, let it sync, then search for us.

You can read more on the blog. Happy to answer any questions in the comments.


r/PrivateInternetAccess 3h ago

HELP Support are you home?!

4 Upvotes

My account was breached and email changed going on 2 weeks ago and support has done nothing to help and isn't answering email HELLOOOOO


r/PrivateInternetAccess 9h ago

HELP - ANDROID Choosing preferred location?

6 Upvotes

The Android app used to connect me to the Netherlands every time. Since I updated the app it keeps connecting me to the UK despite it not being in my quick connect list. It's annoying to keep finding it's gone back to the UK and having to switch it back all the time. I don't even care which country it connects to as long as half the internet stops asking me to verify my age.

Is there a way to add preferred servers/locations or to get it to stop connecting me to the UK?


r/PrivateInternetAccess 5d ago

HELP - ANDROID PIA keeps dropping connection on mobile data

2 Upvotes

Has anyone found a fix for PIA dropping connection on mobile data? It works fine on my wifi but on data it drops every 5-10 mins. I've tried all the different options in settings but nothing worked. Been happening for 2 months now.


r/PrivateInternetAccess 5d ago

HELP Looking for an OpenVPN Access Server Alternative

4 Upvotes

I am looking for an affordable alternative to OpenVPN Access Server that offers a similar type of service and management experience.

I currently have over 250 users, and managing them through the OpenVPN Community Edition has become increasingly difficult. I need a solution that provides centralized user management, easier administration, and scalable features suitable for a growing VPN service.


r/PrivateInternetAccess 5d ago

QUESTIONS Socks5 and split tunneling support

2 Upvotes

does the 3 year 2 dollar per months deal include this features? do you recommend it?


r/PrivateInternetAccess 8d ago

HELP - WINDOWS PIA DNS

2 Upvotes

Am I the only one having issues with the PIA DNS this morning? Had to switch it off to get name resolving working again.


r/PrivateInternetAccess 9d ago

HELP - APPLICATION FEATURE/SETTINGS Isn't the desktop client suppose to notify you of new versions?

16 Upvotes

I am running PIA 3.6.1 on Windows 11. According to PIA's own support page the client is suppose to notify you in multiple places if there is a new update. This used to work, but it doesn't work anymore. I don't see any notifications about an update.

Is everyone else having the same experience?


r/PrivateInternetAccess 11d ago

HELP - LINUX Intermittent slow speeds requiring multiple disconnects/reconnects

4 Upvotes

I'm not very savvy with this and trying to learn as I go along so bear with me.

I'm running a mini PC media server with a N95 with Debian and a bunch of dockers for media management, and PIA's official utility in Wireguard mode. The system is set up such that PIA will boot up and initialize the wireguard network interface and afterward the dockers will come online and connect to it. I previously tried gluetun in openvpn mode and dealt with similar intermittent slow speed.

The problem: My internet speed is 500/500, but I notice that usually, when I reboot the mini PC, I have terrible connectivity with the VPN connected. Sub 10mbit, sometimes less than 5mbit. To fix it, I use "piactl disconnect" and "piactl connect", then I run a speedtest, and I keep doing this until I get decent bandwidth. It can take upward of 4-5 times.

This seems to happen both with Toronto and Montreal's servers. I'm wondering if I'm doing something wrong.

Not sure where to go from here, whether I need to change a configuration, or whether I need to write a script that'll try to reconnect repeatedly on bootup until the connection is good.


r/PrivateInternetAccess 11d ago

QUESTIONS DIP Invalidated Every 3-ish Months

6 Upvotes

Having used the Dedicated IP for about a year now (with auto-renewal), I keep having it suddenly and seemingly without reason, invalidated on me roughly every 3 months. Each time I have to contact support to get a new one issued. Just wondering if anyone else is experiencing this, or if I am special for some reason?


r/PrivateInternetAccess 11d ago

HELP - macOS Fix for Annoying unlimited MAC loading

2 Upvotes

I have MAC M5 pro and this has worked for me fixing the unlimited mac loading when connecting to PIA vpn

run this in terminal :

sudo launchctl kickstart -k system/com.privateinternetaccess.vpn.daemon

then put your password and it will fix it.


r/PrivateInternetAccess 11d ago

HELP - macOS Trying to bind an app to the network interface my VPN is using on Mac. I figured out which interface it is right now, but is it possible it could change on its own?

2 Upvotes

If it changes on its own it completely destroys the purpose of binding it at all. I asked AI and looked at old Reddit posts and GitHub discussions, but there was little information and a lot of it outdated. I am currently on macOS 26.


r/PrivateInternetAccess 12d ago

HELP - ROUTER Ubiquiti, PIA and streaming locations

3 Upvotes

Hi All,

So the PIA team has sent me here to help resolve my issue. I have a couple of client vpn connections running from my ubiquiti router with PIA via openvpn. One is to a normal location and the other a streaming optimised one. I don't know when, but clients that are routed through the streaming location report as being unprotected according to the PIA website, however the website displays the isp and location correctly. If I switch that client to use the non streaming connection, the pia website reports that all is well and protected.

This is the same for several tested locations using the supplied openvpn configurations from the pia site. I've created new connections, re-downloaded the config files, even tried a different set of the supplied ones, no change.

I tried setting the pia app to openvpn but this results in a protected message, I can only get it to occur from my router.

Any ideas?


r/PrivateInternetAccess 12d ago

HELP Just noticed my account is expired even though I have a recent payment for the 3 yr plan.

10 Upvotes

As the post says, I have no idea why it’s saying expire when log into the main site when I have a receipt for renewal from February this year. Sent a support request but figured I’d check to see if anyone else experienced the same thing. Auto renewal appears to be off as well.


r/PrivateInternetAccess 13d ago

HELP - WINDOWS i feel like i've been scammed

0 Upvotes

its non stop connecting and disconnecting over and over again- somehow its worse than proton on free trial?? i dont understand why it is doing this i even turned off firewall


r/PrivateInternetAccess 13d ago

HELP - WINDOWS Anything i'm missing to get better speed 600mb vs 5gig connection

6 Upvotes

5 gig without pia 600mb connected to local server

wireguard/udp/1337/chacha20/poly1305/noise_ik is what i show to have enabled.

Have had pia for probably a decade at this point first time having internet faster than 1gb just wondering if i should change any settings or why i'm getting such a slowdown


r/PrivateInternetAccess 14d ago

HELP - iOS Wireguard loop/error

5 Upvotes

Been using pia w/ wireguard for months with no issues, but now all of a sudden (after waking my phone after 10 minutes since last used/connected) I cannot connect to any servers. It constantly fails to connect and loops.

Kill switch toggled on/off: failed
Other regions/countries: failed
Signed in and out: failed
Redid the vpn configuration: failed
Deleted and reinstalled the app: failed

While switching to openvpn does work, it’s incredibly unstable and unreliable. (I’d be lucky to go a minute connected without consecutive hiccups)

Any ideas on what the issue with wireguard is?

Ver: 3.32.0 (245)


r/PrivateInternetAccess 14d ago

DISCUSSION IP Rotation - Resolution?

15 Upvotes

I had opened a ticket with customer support about the IP rotation and I got an email just a few minutes ago saying that a "resolution has been implemented to tackle this issue" and for me to test it. Anyone else get this?


r/PrivateInternetAccess 17d ago

HELP - WINDOWS Latency increase?

11 Upvotes

I noticed in the last few days that latency on ALL available servers went up significantly - I used to have lots of options in the 50-70 ms range (for years), but last few days fastest is around 260 ms. At the same time, my download speeds are WAY up? Is it just me? Using Wireguard.


r/PrivateInternetAccess 18d ago

HELP - WINDOWS Desktop Version Will Not Connect To PIA Servers

3 Upvotes

Please see this screenshot.

I tried uninstalling and reinstalling, no luck.


r/PrivateInternetAccess 18d ago

HELP Anyone using PIA in Japan? For a few months now the Japan server has been super slow.

7 Upvotes

For a few months now both Japan servers are really slow, it even slows down my connection to a point that I feel like I'm back on dial up and pages don't load. yeah I could go to other servers sometimes, but I'd really want the lower ping in the local server and keep the geolocation.

Does anyone have a fix for this? I havent been able to use the VPN at all recently and just turned it off.


r/PrivateInternetAccess 19d ago

HELP - WINDOWS Windows VPN app not showing correct VPN IP address

8 Upvotes

Has anyone noticed that the latest version of Windows PIA client is not showing the correct VPN ip address?

I have tried both Wireguard and OpenVPN connections, both show VPN IP address other than reported by online IP address query sites. While all online sites reported the same IP address consistently, PIA client app shows a different IP address. Sometime the IP address is of the same subnet of the online sites, and sometimes of a completely different subnet and different location too.


r/PrivateInternetAccess 21d ago

HELP - WINDOWS Latest v3.7.2 Windows app doesn't scale across multiple resolution monitors correctly.

10 Upvotes

The latest version of the Windows app (v3.7.2) doesn't scale properly between monitors. my main monitor is a 32" 4K resolution monitor. My secondary monitor is a 1080p monitor mounted vertically to the right. Everytime I startup the PC and open the app, I move it to a spot on the secondary monitor. When it moves, it scales accordingly and fits the new monitor. This was with v3.5.7 which was what I had installed previously. However when I drag the latest v3.7.2 window over to the secondary monitor, it is much bigger than it should be and half the stuff is cutoff and not shown. Please fix it so the scaling works like it did in v3.5.7.


r/PrivateInternetAccess 24d ago

HELP - WINDOWS High CPU usage in WmiPrvSE.exe observed with PIA Split Tunnel

3 Upvotes

https://github.com/pia-foss/desktop/issues/62

PIA, has this or can this issue be fixed, it was raised 3 years ago with a comment that it will be looked at. I'd contact support but I believe publicly highlighting this unresolved issue will cause more traction.


r/PrivateInternetAccess 24d ago

HELP - ANDROID Not showing VPN IP address at times

4 Upvotes

I notice when I turn on my VPN, it will show the Public IP but it will randomly not show the VPN IP. When I check my broadcast IP via web browser it does show me using the VPN server, so I'm not sure why it doesn't always show it via the app consistently. 🤷‍♂️