NordVPN

ApplicationNord Security

Also called nord vpn, nordlynx

Nord SecuritySecurity

A consumer VPN client. The window is NordVPN.exe. NordLynx is their WireGuard-based protocol name. It is not NordPass.

What you need to know

NordVPN.exe is the tunnel. NordPass.exe is the vault.

NordVPN is a consumer VPN. NordLynx is their WireGuard-based protocol. NordPass is a different product. Surfshark is another Nord Security VPN brand. Tailscale is a mesh for your devices, not this app.

What is it?: Consumer VPN. Not NordPass
NordLynx?: Their WireGuard-based protocol name
Same as Tailscale?: No. This is not a device mesh

Feex says

If you opened NordPass looking for a Connect button, I would send you to NordVPN.exe. The vault does not tunnel traffic. I would also not call this Tailscale. Nord is a consumer VPN brand.

What is NordVPN?

NordVPN is Nord Security's consumer VPN. NordVPN.exe is the Windows client. NordPass is a different exe.

If you have never used it

If you wanted a consumer VPN from Nord, this is NordVPN, not NordPass. Download it from nordvpn.com/download/windows. NordVPN.exe creates the tunnel. NordPass.exe is the password vault. They are different products. This is a general-purpose VPN, not Tailscale's mesh for your own devices.

What is it used for?

Consumer VPN tunnel

Pick a country server for privacy or a geo unlock. That is not Tailscale linking your laptop to your NAS.

NordLynx protocol

NordLynx is Nord's WireGuard-based mode. ExpressVPN calls its protocol Lightway. Different vendor names.

Threat Protection extras

Optional blocking in the VPN app. That is not NordPass Watchtower-style vault alerts and not Windows Security.

Who is it for?

People who paid for NordVPN and should open NordVPN.exe
Users who installed NordPass and cannot find a connect button
Anyone comparing consumer VPNs, not a mesh overlay

Current status

Actively sold. This article is the Windows VPN client, not NordPass or Surfshark.

How old is it?

NordVPN launched in 2012. NordLynx arrived later as their WireGuard-based protocol. NordPass (2019) is a sibling app, not a rename. Current Windows builds are the NordVPN app, not a browser-only extension.

Versions

Major channels first. Exact build numbers are not all verified here.

Windows app

NordLynx mode

OpenVPN mode

System requirements

Values follow the publisher's public guidance. Workload still changes the real need.

Minimum

Minimum system requirements
Operating system	Windows 10 or Windows 11, per NordVPN Windows download
RAM	Light client. The tunnel is the cost

Resource profile

CPU demand: Encryption while connected
Network demand: All traffic while the tunnel is up

Installed processes

These executables belong to this product when it is installed.

Installed processes
NordVPN.exe	VPN client. Not NordPass.exe

Startup components

NordVPN.exe can connect at logon from its settings. That does not start NordPass.

File locations

Common NordVPN locations
Typical install	C:\Program Files\NordVPN\

Common problems

Pass installed instead of VPN

NordPass.exe has no country map. Install NordVPN from nordvpn.com.

Two Nord VPNs plus Surfshark

Nord Security also owns Surfshark. Running two consumer VPNs at once is how routes fight.

Getting unstuck

Confirm Program Files\NordVPN

NordPass lives under a Pass folder. The tunnel is NordVPN.exe.

Try NordLynx if OpenVPN mode is slow

That is a protocol toggle in NordVPN, not a WireGuard.exe you downloaded from wireguard.com.

Disconnect before you add ExpressVPN

Two consumer VPN clients will fight over the default route.

Alternatives

NordPass if you meant the vault. ExpressVPN or Mullvad if you want another consumer VPN. Tailscale if you wanted a mesh to your own machines.

Official help and downloads

Start with the vendor. Random exe sites are not a support channel.

Official contacts
Download	nordvpn.com/download/windows/ Official installer or vendor page
Help	support.nordvpn.com/ Vendor support
Official site	nordvpn.com/ Start here, not a random exe host
NordLynx	nordvpn.com/blog/nordlynx-protocol-wireguard/ Nord's WireGuard-based protocol name

Related hardware

The tunnel uses CPU for encryption. A current Windows PC is enough. This is not a disk-encryption load like VeraCrypt.

Technical details

Vendor version numbers change. This article does not pin a build.

Sources and verification

Reviewed by Feex editorial. Last verified August 2026 Status: Feex Reviewed. How we research.

NordVPN official site · Vendor product page
NordVPN help · Vendor support
Foxhole process map · First-party samples on Windows PCs. Not a lab benchmark.

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