| title | Configure P2S VPN clients: certificate authentication: Azure VPN client: Windows |
|---|---|
| titleSuffix | Azure VPN Gateway |
| description | Learn how to configure VPN clients for P2S configurations that use certificate authentication. This article applies to Windows and the Azure VPN client. |
| author | cherylmc |
| ms.service | azure-vpn-gateway |
| ms.topic | how-to |
| ms.date | 07/03/2025 |
| ms.author | cherylmc |
| ms.custom | sfi-image-nochange |
If your point-to-site (P2S) VPN gateway is configured to use OpenVPN and certificate authentication, you can connect to your virtual network using the Azure VPN Client. This article walks you through the steps to configure the Azure VPN Client and connect to your virtual network.
Before beginning client configuration steps, verify that you're on the correct VPN client configuration article. The following table shows the configuration articles available for VPN Gateway point-to-site VPN clients. Steps differ, depending on the authentication type, tunnel type, and the client OS.
[!INCLUDE All client articles]
This article assumes that you already completed the following prerequisites:
- You created and configured your VPN gateway for point-to-site certificate authentication and the OpenVPN tunnel type. See Configure server settings for P2S VPN Gateway connections - certificate authentication for steps.
- You generated and downloaded the VPN client configuration files. See Generate VPN client profile configuration files for steps.
- You can either generate client certificates, or acquire the appropriate client certificates necessary for authentication.
[!INCLUDE Supported Windows versions]
To connect to Azure, each connecting client computer requires the following items:
- The Azure VPN Client software must be installed on each client computer.
- The Azure VPN Client profile is configured using the settings contained in the downloaded azurevpnconfig.xml or azurevpnconfig_cert.xml configuration file.
- The client computer must have a client certificate installed locally.
For certificate authentication, a client certificate must be installed on each client computer. The client certificate you want to use must be exported with the private key, and must contain all certificates in the certification path. Additionally, for some configurations, you'll also need to install root certificate information.
- For information about working with certificates, see Point-to site: Generate certificates.
- To view an installed client certificate, open Manage User Certificates. The client certificate is installed in Current User\Personal\Certificates.
Each computer needs a client certificate in order to authenticate. If the client certificate isn't already installed on the local computer, you can install it using the following steps:
- Locate the client certificate. For more information about client certificates, see Install client certificates.
- Install the client certificate. Typically, you can do this by double-clicking the certificate file and providing a password (if required).
The VPN client profile configuration package contains specific folders. The files within the folders contain the settings needed to configure the VPN client profile on the client computer. The files and the settings they contain are specific to the VPN gateway and the type of authentication and tunnel your VPN gateway is configured to use.
Locate and unzip the VPN client profile configuration package you generated. For Certificate authentication and OpenVPN, you'll see the AzureVPN folder. In this folder, you'll see either the azurevpnconfig_cert.xml file or the azurevpnconfig.xml file, depending on whether your P2S configuration includes multiple authentication types. The .xml file contains the settings you use to configure the VPN client profile.
If you don't see either file, or you don't have an AzureVPN folder, verify that your VPN gateway is configured to use the OpenVPN tunnel type and that certificate authentication is selected.
The features and settings that are available for the Azure VPN Client are dependent on the version of the client that you're using. For information about Azure VPN Client versions, see the Azure VPN Client versions article.
[!INCLUDE Download the Azure VPN client]
[!INCLUDE Configure the Azure VPN client profile]
If you experience connection issues, if you're running the v4.0.0.0 version of the Azure VPN Client or later, you can click the ... at the bottom of the Azure VPN Client page and select Prerequisites. On the Test Application Prerequisites page, select Run Prerequisites Test. Fix any issues and try connecting again. For more information, see Azure VPN Client prerequisites check.
[!INCLUDE Work with profiles]
[!INCLUDE Secondary profile]
These steps help you configure your connection to connect automatically with Always-on.
-
On the home page for your VPN client, select VPN Settings. If you see the switch apps dialogue box, select Yes.
:::image type="content" source="../../includes/media/vpn-gateway-vwan-azure-vpn-client-entra-windows/vpn-settings.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the VPN home page with VPN Settings selected." lightbox="../../includes/media/vpn-gateway-vwan-azure-vpn-client-entra-windows/vpn-settings.png":::
-
If the profile that you want to configure is connected, disconnect the connection, then highlight the profile and select the Connect automatically check box.
:::image type="content" source="../../includes/media/vpn-gateway-vwan-azure-vpn-client-entra-windows/automatic.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the Settings window, with the Connect automatically box checked." lightbox="../../includes/media/vpn-gateway-vwan-azure-vpn-client-entra-windows/automatic.png":::
-
Select Connect to initiate the VPN connection.
If your Azure VPN Client is version 4.0.0.0 or later, you can run a prerequisites check to verify that your computer has the necessary items configured and installed in order to successfully connect. To view the version number of an installed Azure VPN Client, launch the client and select Help.
- Click the ... at the bottom of the Azure VPN Client page and select Prerequisites.
- On the Test Application Prerequisites page, select Run Prerequisites Test.
- Fix any issues and try connecting again. For more information, see Azure VPN Client prerequisites check.
-
Select the ... next to the VPN connection that you want to diagnose to reveal the menu. Then select Diagnose.
-
On the Connection Properties page, select Run Diagnostics. If asked, sign in with your credentials, then view the results.
:::image type="content" source="../../includes/media/vpn-gateway-vwan-azure-vpn-client-entra-windows/diagnose.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the ellipsis and Diagnose selected." lightbox="../../includes/media/vpn-gateway-vwan-azure-vpn-client-entra-windows/diagnose.png":::
You can configure the Azure VPN Client with optional configuration settings such as more DNS servers, custom DNS, forced tunneling, custom routes, and other settings. For a description of the available settings and configuration steps, see Azure VPN Client optional settings.
Follow up with any additional server or connection settings. See Point-to-site configuration steps.