How to Install a VPN on Chrome

Check that you’re running the latest version of the Chrome browser.

You’ll also need:

• A subscription to a VPN service that offers a Chrome extension. Not all providers publish Chrome extensions, so it’s best to check before paying for a long-term plan. We’ve put together a roundup of our top VPN picks for Chrome to make deciding easier.
• An account with a VPN provider. Make sure you’ve clicked on the email verification link to activate the account, or it may not work.
• Possibly, the desktop application for your VPN. Many providers need you to run the desktop and Chrome applications alongside each other.

When you search the Chrome Web Store, you’ll find lots of different VPN extensions. Before picking one at random, check out some of our independent VPN reviews to make sure it offers the security you need.

Here’s how to install a VPN in Chrome, using ExpressVPN as an example:

1. Head to the Chrome Web Store, and search for your VPN provider. Here’s what the listing for ExpressVPN looks like.
2. Click the Add to Chrome button to install the VPN extension.
3. You may see a drop-down alert that tells you the permissions the extension needs in order to run. Review these carefully before you click Add Extension.
4. The button on the website turns green to show that your VPN extension is now installed.
5. In your Chrome browser, at the top-right, you’ll see the icon for your extension. Click it once.
6. Select a location, or stick with the Smart Location if you’re happy with it.
7. Click the large round button to connect to the VPN.

Once you’ve installed the extension in one browser, it’ll be automatically installed on other desktop browsers you use if you’re signed in with Google.

You don’t need to add a username and password if you’re using the ExpressVPN Chrome extension. It picks up your security credentials from the desktop app, and funnels all of your internet traffic through the VPN — not just your browsing activity.

If something isn’t working as expected, your first port of call should be your provider.

You might also want to try setting up the VPN on another device, like your phone, to check that your account is working, and your credentials are correct.

If you see a grey X on an ExpressVPN Chrome extension icon it’s a sign that the extension can’t find the desktop application. It needs this to be installed first in order to connect. If you’re sure you’ve installed it, you may not have set it up properly, or it could be installed in the wrong place on your computer. To fix this, click the icon in Chrome and re-install it.

If you need help setting up the desktop application for your VPN provider, you’ll find more VPN guides here.