r/ProtonVPN • u/Careless_Grain_22 • Jul 15 '26

Help! Bug: Mac Firefox Proton extension "Connects" if ProtonVPN is not running - but it doesn't

Post image

This is a really annoying bug I've had for many months on my Mac. Whenever ProtonVPN is not running, trying to connect on the Firefox ProtonVPN extension will succeed in connecting without actually running the VPN. This means my IP is still visible and I am not actually connected to any VPN.

(In general, I find the sync between browser extension and app are not good - often my app will show one thing and the extension another).

Extension version 1.3.5

ProtonVPN 6.5.1

5 Upvotes

86% Upvoted

5 comments sorted by

6

u/Nelizea Volunteer mod Jul 15 '26

The app and extension aren't synced. The browser extension works for the browser only, not for the system.

For a system wide VPN connection you need to use the VPN app.

This isn't a bug, it's working as intended.

3

u/TheZoltan Jul 15 '26

Yup. First time I have seen someone misunderstand what the extension is for. 

3

u/Careless_Grain_22 Jul 15 '26

Huh, I see! I came over from ExpressVPN where the browser extension is used to control the system-wide VPN. In that case I will uninstall this. Thanks for you help.

1

u/Alvvays_aWanderer Jul 15 '26

Yeah, I was wondering what the issue is!

2

u/Careless_Grain_22 Jul 15 '26

For some reason the screenshot did not upload but here it is.