How to Remove a VPN Connection in Windows 11 (Settings or PowerShell)

Q: It says the profile doesn't exist.

The name didn't match. Run Get-VpnConnection and copy the exact Name value — it's case- and space-sensitive.

Published ✓ Verified ⏱️ 2 min read December 15, 2025 · by Ryan Bennett

You want to delete a VPN connection in Windows 11 that you no longer use — either through Settings or, if the Remove button is greyed out, with PowerShell.

Why: A saved VPN profile is just a stored configuration. Removing it deletes the profile only; it doesn’t uninstall any provider app or touch your network adapters. The one catch: you can’t remove a VPN while it’s connected, so disconnect it first.

Fix 1: Remove it in Settings

Open Settings > Network & internet > VPN.
If the connection shows Connected, select it and choose Disconnect first.
Select the connection to expand it, then choose Remove.
Confirm with Remove in the prompt.

The profile disappears from the list immediately.

Fix 2: Remove it with PowerShell

Use this if the Remove button is greyed out, the profile is stuck, or it’s an all-user (global) connection. Open PowerShell as administrator and run:

Get-VpnConnection                     # list your profiles and exact names
Remove-VpnConnection -Name "Work VPN" -Force -PassThru

-Name must match the profile name exactly (copy it from the Get-VpnConnection output).
-Force suppresses warnings and non-terminating errors so it removes without prompting.
-PassThru prints the removed profile so you can confirm it’s gone.

For a connection that was created for all users on the PC (the global phone book), add -AllUserConnection:

Remove-VpnConnection -Name "Work VPN" -AllUserConnection -Force -PassThru

You can also remove several at once: Remove-VpnConnection -Name "Test3", "Test4", "Test5" -Force -PassThru.

FAQ

The Remove button is greyed out. The VPN is still connected, or it’s an all-user profile that your account can’t edit. Disconnect it first; if it’s still greyed out, use the PowerShell method (Fix 2) in an elevated window.

Does removing the profile uninstall my VPN app? No. If you used a provider’s own app (not the built-in client), uninstall that separately in Settings > Apps > Installed apps.

It says the profile doesn’t exist. The name didn’t match. Run Get-VpnConnection and copy the exact Name value — it’s case- and space-sensitive.

Sources: Microsoft Support — Connect to a VPN in Windows · Microsoft Learn — Remove-VpnConnection (VpnClient)