- NordVPN has begun a server-by-server upgrade until the end of 2026
- Each machine gets a newer Linux distribution, kernel and IP address
- App users should notice little beyond the occasional reconnection
NordVPN has launched a month-long overhaul of the software running its VPN servers, a rollout that started in July and will continue, one server at a time, until the end of 2026.
Despite its scope, this is not a feature update. TechRadar’s top VPN picks replace the foundation beneath its network: each default VPN server moves to a newer Linux distribution, gets an updated kernel, and gets a reworked software stack.
The only change that users can actually see is the addressing. Each upgraded server is assigned a new IP, which is harmless if you use the NordVPN app, but a headache if you don’t.
A new Linux base for each server
NordVPN is framing the work as maintenance rather than a redesign, and is explicit that it won’t add features or change how the service behaves. The stated gain is a more flexible environment for its engineers to automate, maintain and scale.
Four things change: A newer Linux distribution with current security patches, newer kernels, an optimized software stack aimed at server efficiency, and a different IP address on each upgraded machine.
Each server needs a brief reboot to get there, which is less disruptive than it sounds, as NordVPN runs a diskless, RAM-only fleet on hardware it owns and aggregates in third-party data centers. That architecture has been examined repeatedly in the provider’s Deloitte no-logs audits.
What you will actually notice
Very little, for most. NordVPN says app users don’t need to do anything, and the client will automatically reconnect if the server you’re on drops out mid-session. Expect a brief interruption while this happens.
Recent releases were built with this in mind. The provider’s Linux release notes from July describe the app switching you to another server in the same country, city or group when yours goes offline, with the kill switch on guard during the handover.
There should be some upside once the dust settles: stable peak performance, more traffic capacity per server and less disruption along the line.
It builds on April’s milestone, when the network passed 100 Tbps of aggregate capacity across 211 locations in 135 countries, with servers deliberately running at about a third of their limit to make room.
The exception: manual setups
If you connect manually using OpenVPN configuration files on a router, a NAS, or just a Linux box, your setup will stop working once the server it points to has been upgraded.
The fix is easy, but not automatic – download replacement configuration files from the manual setup area of your Nord account when the server is back online, then replace the old ones. NordVPN says the new files have a “Verified” badge, so you can see which ones are current.
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews and opinions in your feeds. Be sure to click the Follow button!
