How to fix the Windows error "AdBlock VPN ran into a problem"

In some cases, you may encounter the error "AdBlock VPN ran into a problem" while using AdBlock VPN for Windows.

If you see this error, please try the following steps to troubleshoot this issue:

Step 1) First try restarting your computer. When you open the app after rebooting, in most cases, the error should no longer appear.

Step 2) If you continue to see the error message, check to see if the AdBlock VPN service is running:

1. 1. Open Windows Search on the Taskbar (in Windows 10 this will appear as a search field and in Windows 11 it looks like a magnifier glass icon). 
   2. In Search type "services" to locate the Services app and select it. 
   3. Locate the AdBlock VPN service and see if it has a status of "Running". 
   4. If the service is not running, select the service, and try to run it by either selecting the menu item Actions > Run, or clicking on the "play" triangle in the toolbar. 
   5. Check to see if the service stays running by clicking refresh (the circular green arrow in the toolbar or menu item Actions > Refresh).

Step 3) If the service won't start or doesn't stay running in Step 2, perform a clean reinstall:

1. 1. Uninstall AdBlock VPN (Settings > Apps > AdBlock VPN > uninstall)
   2. In "File Explorer" type "%programfiles(x86)%" into the address bar, then select the "AdBlock" folder and delete it.
   3. In "File Explorer" type "%programdata%" into the address bar, then select the "AdBlock" folder and delete it.
   4. Restart your computer.
   5. Install AdBlock VPN for Windows again.

Step 4) If the same error continues to appear, go back to Services (Step 2) and try to start the AdBlock VPN Service again. If it doesn't start, immediately do the following:

1. 1. In the Search icon in the task bar, type in "event viewer" and launch the "Event Viewer" app.
   2. In the left pane, expand the "Windows Logs" folder, and select the "Application".
   3. In the main pane at the top, look for items around the time when the error message appeared (or around the time the VPN was installed) where the type is "Error" and the Source is "AdBlock VPN". 
   4. When you select the item in the list, there will be detailed information in the box below it. Please submit a ticket with a screenshot of the error message you see there. Steps for how to take a screenshot are available here: How to take a screenshot.