Windows 10 VPN – “Connect” Missing from First List of Network Connections

Update: Microsoft Listened! The Windows 10 Creator’s update has fixed this issue! 

 

Okay, so I wasn’t sure how to title this article. However, I will endeavor to explain my frustration I am having with Windows 10’s VPN settings.

Whenever I click the network icon in Windows 10, it will bring up my local connection, WiFinetworks, and VPN connections. When I select my VPN connection instead of being able to connect directly from the first network setting list I get directed into the Settings app in Windows 10.

Windows 10 Network Connections

Connect is “Missing” underneath my VPN connection on Windows 10.

From the Settings app in Windows 10, I can then select my VPN connection and click connect.

Windows 10 Settings App

Windows 10 Settings App

I know this may sound quite trivial but it is a frustration especially since it feels like we took a step back from Windows 7 and Windows 8.

I did some searching online to see if I was alone in my complaint. I certainly wasn’t. I found this thread on Microsoft’s forums with other people frustrated with the same limitation. On this forum I came across a work around to allow me to connect from the first list of network connections. Thanks Tobias.Csaki

Here are the steps to accomplish this.

Step One: Open Regedit ( How did you know this wasn’t coming ha! ) (WIN+R and type regedit.exe)

Step Two: Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Control Panel\Settings\Network

Step Three:Take ownership of the “Network” key/folder (right click, Permissions)

Step Four: Select “Advanced” in the Permissions window

Step Five: In the Advanced window, select “Change” where the owner field is (at the top of the window)

Step Six: Type in your username and save your changes.

Step Seven: Close the advanced window

Step Eight: Now select “Administrators” in the security tab

Step Nine: Make sure “Full control” is selected, then apply changes

Step Ten: Now that’s done, double click “ReplaceVan

Step Eleven: Change it’s value to 2

These changes should take place without having to reboot. Now when you click the network connections icon you will get a Windows 8 type network menu that allows you to connect to your VPN connections.

Windows 10 VPN Connection Edits

The way it should look!

I think this registry edit is awesome! However, I don’t think we should have needed to do it in the first place! Please, Microsoft add this functionality back into Windows 10. I will keep you posted if I find a better solution.

This was posted by techspeeder. Please consider following my blog or my twitter feed.

Sources:  Windows 10 – VPN – first list connect and sort alphabetically

4 thoughts on “Windows 10 VPN – “Connect” Missing from First List of Network Connections

  1. Tiago Fernandes

    You’re a star for publishing this, specially when someone like me runs through 40+ VPN connections that I connect to most of them every single day at work. Believe it or not, i havent upgraded my work laptop because of this issue and i also thought i was alone in the boat

    Once again, Thank you very much for posting this.

    Reply
  2. darin

    You said this has been fixed in the Windows 10 Creators update, however this doesn’t appear to be the case. I’m running Win10 Pro; version 1709; Buid 16299.98, and this lack of “Connect” button is still as issue for me. My VPN profile was built with CMAK and deployed via GPO, so perhaps this is the reason it’s still not working.

    Reply

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