How to set up and use a VPN on an iPhone or iPad
If you’re at all concerned about your security and privacy online, you should definitely spend a few bucks a month on a VPN. A virtual private network is when your internet traffic is redirected to the VPN’s servers, hiding your location and what you see online. It’s definitely advisable if you’re used to using free public WiFi spots for email and online banking. You can also get a VPN for your internet router. So how do you set up and use a VPN on an iPhone or iPad? It’s very easy.
Continue reading: The Best Free VPN Providers in 2022
QUICK RESPONSE
To set up a VPN on your iPhone or iPad, download and install the VPN company’s iOS app. Once you’ve signed into the app, you’ll be prompted to install a configuration profile, which will remain in your iPhone settings. Agree to the configuration profile and the VPN will start. If the VPN company doesn’t have an iOS app, you can manually install the VPN on the iPhone or iPad itself.
SKIP TO KEY SECTIONS
How to set up a VPN on your iPhone or iPad
There are so many VPN providers out there that it’s impossible to cover them all. But setting up these services on an iPhone or iPad is pretty much the same. So today we will use Proton VPN for our tutorial.
Once you’ve installed your VPN app of choice, open it and sign up for an account if you haven’t already. Or log in if you have an account.
You will then be presented with a list of countries that the VPN service supports. Tap the one you want to use.
When you use the VPN on your iPhone or iPad for the first time, you will be prompted to allow a VPN configuration profile on your phone. This is completely secure and essential for the VPN to work on your device. So type To allow.
The VPN will now connect to the selected country and you can start browsing. But if you ever want to see the installed configuration profile, you can find it by going to Settings > General > VPN & device management. There will be a link there to delete the profile if you ever decide to stop using this VPN in the future. But until that happens, leave the profile installed.
How to use a VPN on your iPhone or iPad
As explained above, after installing the VPN on your iPhone or iPad, all you have to do is simply select your country and get started. However, it’s worth going through some of the common features of a VPN.
Emergency switch
This will automatically shut down your internet if the VPN connection drops. It will not come back until the VPN connection is restored. It is highly recommended to leave this on; Otherwise, your real IP address will be exposed when the VPN connection is momentarily lost.
Trusted Networks
You can designate certain Wi-Fi networks as “trusted”. This means that the VPN will not turn on when you are connected to that network. However, it turns on when you are out of range of that network.
VPN protocol
There are different types of VPNs to choose from. There is no perfect one-size-fits-all VPN that fits all user needs, so it depends on what you need the VPN for. When it comes to speed, WireGuard is widely considered to be the fastest. IKEv2 is also considered to be very fast. On the other hand, if you are more concerned about security and privacy, many people gravitate towards OpenVPN.
Allow LAN connections
Typically, a VPN offloads your internet traffic to its servers, thereby changing your IP address. This would normally prevent your device from finding other devices on your Wi-Fi network, such as B. printers, tablets, smart home accessories, etc. Many VPNs allow your device to bypass the VPN to find other devices on your Wi-Fi network.
Always-on VPN
This will keep your VPN on all the time until you decide to turn it off.
NetShield
This gives you the ability to block malware, cookies, internet trackers and the like. It’s usually a good idea to turn this on, although some sites can get a little wonky if you block cookies.
Continue reading: The best VPNs for every use case
frequently asked Questions
If the VPN company doesn’t have an iOS app for their VPN, you can set it up manually on your iPhone or iPad. Go to Settings > General > VPN & device managementand tap Add VPN configuration. Get the VPN setup details from the company and add them to the relevant fields on your iOS device screen.
This used to be the case, but since iOS 8 the VPN now stays on even when the device is asleep.
To make sure the VPN really protects your privacy, try to avoid free services. If they don’t make money from you, they will make it in other ways, e.g. B. by selling your data. But paid VPNs are safe. Make sure they guarantee no logs are kept. There are also VPN companies that accept cryptocurrency and cash if you don’t want to leave a payment trail.
It’s still possible to watch geo-restricted streaming TV, but Netflix and the BBC in particular are cracking down on VPNs. It is now virtually impossible to use a VPN for Netflix and BBC iPlayer.