Setting up a VPN on your phone
- Install your provider’s app from the App Store or Google Play (check the developer name matches the provider).
- Sign in and allow the app to add a VPN configuration when your phone asks.
- Turn on auto-connect, ideally for all networks or at least untrusted Wi‑Fi.
- Enable the kill switch where available.
On iPhone and iPad, you’ll see VPN settings under Settings → VPN once an app is installed. On Android, look under Settings → Network & internet → VPN (wording varies by manufacturer).
Keep it on: always-on VPN
Android has built-in Always-on VPN and Block connections without VPN options for each VPN app, which act as a system-level kill switch. On iPhone, VPN apps typically use an on-demand or auto-connect setting to reconnect automatically. Check your provider’s help pages for the recommended settings on your device.
Battery, data and speed
Encryption uses a little extra battery and adds a small amount of data overhead. Modern protocols such as WireGuard are designed to be efficient and to reconnect quickly when you move between Wi‑Fi and mobile data. IKEv2 is also good at handling network changes.
Is iCloud Private Relay a VPN?
Not quite. iCloud Private Relay, part of Apple’s paid iCloud+ subscription, hides your IP address and encrypts browsing in Safari (plus some other traffic), using two separate relays. It doesn’t cover all apps and doesn’t let you choose a country, so it won’t replace a VPN for travel or for protecting every app.
Last updated: 13 October 2026
