How to put OpenVPN on your command path on Windows

The OpenVPN GUI offers an alternative connection method to NordVPN on Windows. While it lacks many features compared to our application, it can run via a command-line interface. This guide will walk you through a simple configuration tweak to control it anywhere via the Windows PowerShell or Command Prompt for easier scripting or manual connections without the GUI, similar to a Linux terminal.

Windows 11, Windows 10, and Windows 8.1:

1. Using the Windows Search feature, find and select the Control Panel.
   
   
   
   
2. Using the folder search feature, find and click on View advanced system settings.
   
   
   
   
3. Click Environment Variables.
   
   
   
   
4. In the section System Variables, find the PATH environment variable and select it. Click Edit. If the PATH The environment variable does not exist, click. New.
   
   
   
   
5. In the Edit System Variable (or New System Variable) window, specify the value of the bin folder in the OpenVPN installation location by clicking on an empty row. By default, it is C:\Program Files\OpenVPN\bin.
   
   
   
   
6. Click OK. Close all remaining windows by clicking OK.
7. Reopen the Command Prompt window, and run this command to check if OpenVPN works:
   openvpn --version.
   
   
   
   

Windows 7:

1. From the desktop, right-click the Computer icon.
2. Choose Properties from the context menu.
3. Click the Advanced system settings link.
4. Click Environment Variables. In the section System Variables, find the PATH environment variable and select it. Click Edit. If the PATH environment variable does not exist, click. New.
5. In the Edit System Variable (or New System Variable) window, specify the value of the bin folder in the OpenVPN installation location. By default, it is C:\Program Files\OpenVPN\bin. Click OK. Close all remaining windows by clicking OK.
6. Reopen the Command Prompt window, and run this command to check if OpenVPN works:
   openvpn --version