Ever been super excited to translate something with DeepL, only to be kicked out over and over again? You just want to use the plugin, but your session keeps expiring. And adding a VPN into the mix? Total chaos. Don’t worry, we’ve been there. This article walks you through a frustrating issue and a clever fix that made everything better.
TLDR:
DeepL plugin sessions kept expiring over and over when users were connected via VPN. The VPN caused some weird token issues behind the scenes. The solution? A slick token-renewal workflow that keeps sessions alive without constant logouts. No more refreshing, no more relogging—just smooth translating fun.
What Was Happening?
Let’s break it down. You install the DeepL plugin for your browser or app. You log in. You start translating. So far, so good.
But then, a few minutes later… BAM! Session expired. You’re forced to log in again. And again. And again.
This got worse for users who were behind a VPN. Every time they logged in, their session wouldn’t last more than a couple of minutes. Annoying is an understatement.
Why Was VPN Making It Worse?
VPNs are great for privacy. But to web apps like DeepL, they sometimes look suspicious—especially if your IP keeps changing. DeepL’s backend saw different IPs or unexpected headers every few minutes and thought, “This can’t be the same user.”
So it reacted in the most dramatic way possible: kick them out.
How Sessions Usually Work
Most websites handle login sessions with something called a token. This token says, “Yes! You’re still logged in.” The token has an expiration time, like a carton of milk. When the token expires, you’re out until you log in again.
Normally, when things work right, the token gets quietly refreshed in the background. You never notice. You just keep doing your thing.
But DeepL Plugin’s Token Wasn’t Refreshing
There was a bug—or maybe a quirk—in how the DeepL plugin was handling the token. If anything interfered with it, like a finicky VPN, the token refresh request would fail.
And if that happened, the session expired. Boom. Logged out. Again.
Key Problems at a Glance
- Session expired too soon
- Token wasn’t refreshing as expected
- VPN usage confused the backend
- Unhappy users everywhere
The Real Trouble: Token Handling
Behind the scenes, DeepL uses OAuth-like tokens. There are two kinds:
- Access token – lets you use the plugin
- Refresh token – gets you a new access token when the first one expires
Under perfect conditions, the plugin uses the refresh token to silently ask for a new access token. But with VPNs messing with the request, the refresh token call failed—often due to mismatched headers, suspicious traffic signatures, or timing issues.
It’s like going to a bouncer every 30 minutes saying, “Still me!” and the bouncer saying, “Hmm… that’s not what you looked like before.”
Introducing the Token-Renewal Workflow Fix
The solution was clever and clean. Developers added a new token-renewal handler inside the plugin itself. Instead of relying 100% on the auto-refresh, they built a fallback workflow using a few key principles:
1. Pre-Warning the User
Before a token expires, the system now proactively checks if a refresh is needed. If a refresh attempt fails, the plugin warns the user—not with a full logout, but a subtle message like, “Connection issue detected. Trying again…”
2. Multiple Retry Attempts
Instead of just one try, it now tries 3 to 5 times in quick succession. These retries are spaced out with a technique called exponential backoff. That means each retry waits a little longer: e.g., 1 sec, then 2 secs, then 4 secs…
3. Out-of-Band Token Refresh Option
If all retries fail, the plugin then opens a separate tab behind the scenes (called a silent auth window) to fetch a new token via a different channel, bypassing the VPN-influenced issues.
4. Cookie Isolation Fixes
Some cookie-scope tweaks were added to make sure VPN-changed domains didn’t dunk the session cookies into confusion. This helped preserve token states more reliably across regions and IPs.
The Results? Victory!
After rolling out this new token-renewal workflow, forced logouts practically vanished. Users behind VPNs reported:
- Longer, stable sessions
- Rare or no re-authentication prompts
- No more frustrated sighs or random logouts mid-task
Overall, it felt like magic. Or at least like modern, well-engineered plugin behavior.
Best Practices for You (Yes, You!)
If you’re reading this and still having issues—or want to avoid them—try these friendly user tips:
- Use consistent VPN server locations. Avoid switching from New York to Berlin every 5 minutes.
- Keep your plugin updated. The fixes are in the latest version.
- Don’t disable cookies randomly. Hate them if you must, but DeepL needs them for tokens.
- Check browser extensions. Some privacy blockers mess with background auth windows.
Fun Geeky Fact
Developers added a debug overlay (only visible in dev mode) that shows token age, IP match checks, and last refresh attempt time. It looks like Matrix code and is wildly satisfying for bug-hunters.
Final Thoughts
VPNs are awesome. Translation tools are mega-useful. But when they collide just wrong—like sushi and peanut butter—it can be a problem.
Luckily, the DeepL team found a smart way to keep those sessions up and running. The token-renewal strategy worked like a charm.
So now, with everything humming along, you can translate cat memes from German to English without interruption. Go ahead. DeepL’s got your back.
