OpenVPN Connect: Workaround for CLI-Based Connect/Disconnect on macOS and Windows

Issue

The command-line interface (CLI) for OpenVPN Connect doesn't currently support direct connect or disconnect commands on macOS or Windows. This is confirmed by their absence in the CLI help output (--help).

References:

• Help output for Windows
• Help output for macOS

Workaround

You can work around this limitation by using the target extension commands, which allow connection and disconnection through a saved profile using the profile ID:

• --connect-shortcut=<ovpn_profile_ID>

• --disconnect-shortcut=<ovpn_profile_ID>

Note: This workaround launches OpenVPN Connect's graphical user interface (GUI) and may not be suitable for headless or automated environments.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Open the terminal and navigate to the OpenVPN Connect app path:
   On Windows C:\Program Files\OpenVPN Connect\OpenVPNConnect.exe  
   On macOS/Applications/OpenVPN Connect.app/Contents/MacOS
2. List available profiles and retrieve the profile_ID of the OpenVPN profile:
   On Windows ./OpenVPNConnect.exe --list-profiles
   On macOS ./OpenVPN\ Connect --list-profiles)
   Copy the output of the "id" value to the clipboard.
3. Run the --connect-shortcut command to connect using the profile ID:
   On Windows ./OpenVPNConnect.exe --connect-shortcut=<ovpn_profile_ID>
   On macOS  ./OpenVPN\ Connect --connect-shortcut=<ovpn_profile_ID>
   *(replace <ovpn_profile_ID> with the value copied to clipboard)
4. Connection has been established.
5. In order to disconnect from the VPN run --disconnect-shortcut
   On Windows ./OpenVPNConnect.exe --disconnect-shortcut
   On macOS  ./OpenVPN\ Connect --disconnect-shortcut

Important Note

This method doesn't provide a true CLI experience:

• It triggers the GUI, making it unsuitable for automation or scripts.
• There's no silent or headless mode equivalent available at this time.

We're aware of this limitation, and full CLI connect/disconnect support may be introduced in a future release.