Why travellers use a VPN
- Untrusted Wi‑Fi: hotel, airport and café networks are shared with strangers and run by people you don’t know. A VPN encrypts your traffic before it crosses that network. See public Wi‑Fi security.
- Home banking and services: some banks, government sites and services block or flag logins from abroad. Connecting via a server in your home country can help, but tell your bank you’re travelling too.
- Your own subscriptions: some streaming services restrict access outside your home country. See our streaming guide for what’s allowed.
Check the rules where you’re going
VPNs are legal in most countries, but some restrict or regulate them, and a few penalise using one to commit other offences. Before you travel, check your government’s official travel advice for each destination, such as GOV.UK foreign travel advice or the US State Department’s country information. Read more in is a VPN legal?
Set up before you leave
- Install and sign in to the VPN apps before travelling: provider websites and app stores can be hard to reach from some countries.
- Turn on auto-connect for untrusted Wi‑Fi and enable the kill switch.
- Save servers in your home country as favourites.
- If networks block VPNs, try another protocol or an “obfuscation” or “stealth” mode if your provider offers one.
- Keep a note of your provider’s support contact, in case the app won’t connect.
Last updated: 13 October 2026
