How to Set Up a VPN on iPhone or iPad

The simplest and safest way to install a VPN on your iPhone or iPad is to download a custom app from the Apple App Store.

That’s not always possible, though. As some VPN services don’t provide apps for iPhone or iPad. If that’s the case, you’ll need to go to methods 2, 3, or 4.

You should also skip ahead if you’re in a country that has removed VPN apps from the App Store (like China).

It’s really quick and easy to install a custom VPN app on your device, and these apps are generally very intuitive once downloaded, too.

Here’s some simple steps to help you install a custom VPN app on your iPhone or iPad in just a few minutes:

1. Search for the name of your VPN provider in the Apple App Store and tap Get to download the app. We’ll use PrivateVPN as an example. To be safe and avoid potentially dangerous copycat software, you can follow a link through from your VPN provider’s website to the App Store listing.
2. Once the VPN software has finished downloading, tap Open and log into the app with your VPN subscription credentials (the username and password you chose when you signed up or, in some cases, had sent to your email address by the provider).
3. Read the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy if you haven’t already and tap Continue.
4. Your device requires you to authorize all new VPN configurations. Tap Allow at the bottom of the pop up that says [The Name of Your VPN] Would Like to Add VPN Configurations. This step may come later depending on the VPN service you are using.
5. Enter your iPhone or iPad passcode to add the configuration.
6. Tap through the rest of the installation prompts and permissions – some VPN services include more than others. Just be sure to read the terms before you agree to them.
7. Now it’s time to take a look at the settings menu and configure the VPN to meet your needs. You can usually find the settings menu by tapping the burger menu (three horizontal lines) or cog symbol.
8. We recommend that you enable the VPN kill switch feature (if there is one) and any leak protection that comes with the app to prevent your personal data from being exposed. You should also select the VPN protocol that you want to connect through – OpenVPN is a safe choice, but IKEv2 may be more stable for mobile connections.
9. Once you’ve configured the security settings and profile you’re free to choose a VPN server and tap the Connect button. It’s usually a central, circular button.
10. Check for any IP, DNS, or WebRTC leaks using a leak test tool. You can find out how to do that in our comprehensive VPN leak guide.

This is the safest and easiest way to use a VPN on your iOS device, but if your VPN provider doesn’t come with a custom app for iPhones and iPads, keep reading to find out the next best way to install the software.

If you can’t (or don’t want to) install an app on your phone or tablet, iOS and iPadOS devices do come with a built-in VPN solution.

This just requires manually configuring VPN server files within the device’s settings menu.

While this method saves space on your device, the built-in VPN feature doesn’t include extra settings like a VPN kill switch or leak blocking, so it may not be as secure as the other methods in this guide.

There’s another catch – you can’t use OpenVPN, our preferred VPN protocol (more on that in Method 3).

Instead, the iOS VPN only supports IKEv2/IPSec and L2TP/IPSec, which we still consider safe to use.

Here’s how to manually configure IKEv2 configuration files with your iOS or iPadOS device:

1. On your device go to Settings > General > VPN
2. Tap Add VPN Configuration.
3. Fill in the fields with the information provided by your VPN. You should be able to find this information from within your account or on the VPN server status page.Here’s an example using Private VPN:Type: IKEv2
   Description: Type in a name for the configuration, e.g. PrivateVPN – Sydney
   Server: Type in the server address here
   Remote ID: Type in the server address again
   Local ID: Leave this field empty
   User Authentication: Select Username
   Username: Type in your VPN account username
   Password: Type in your VPN account password
   Proxy: Toggle OffTap Done.
4. Use the Status slider to connect and disconnect from the VPN server. When connected you should see the word ‘VPN’ in your iPhone’s status bar.
5. You can now add more server configurations if you want and easily toggle between locations.
6. Remember to check for IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaks.

The process is very similar for L2TP setup, but it may require you to enter a ‘Secret’ in addition to a username and password.

This ‘secret’ is a pre-shared key supplied by your VPN provider. The use of pre-shared keys poses a security risk, though, which is why we recommend sticking with IKEv2 if possible.

You can read more about this in our guide to VPN encryption.

We’ve talked a bit about OpenVPN and how it’s our favorite VPN protocol, known for being super secure and pretty fast, too.

Well, if your VPN provider’s custom app for iOS doesn’t run on OpenVPN – or it doesn’t have a custom app for your device – you may still be able to use the VPN software with OpenVPN on your phone.

Not all VPN services support this installation method, though, so get in touch with your provider to confirm before you try.

And even if your provider does support it, be aware that this setup is a bit more fiddly than the first two methods we’ve shown you.

Still want to try it? Let’s get started.

For this type of setup, you’ll need a desktop computer as well as your phone – Microsoft Windows, macOS, and Linux are all fine. For this demonstration we’re using a Windows PC.

Here’s how to install a VPN on iPhone using OpenVPN Connect:

1. Find OpenVPN Connect (by OpenVPN Technologies) in the Apple App Store and tap Get to download the software.
2. Now log into your VPN account on the provider’s website (not the app) on your computer.
3. Find the OpenVPN config files and download them. You may need to extract a .zip file.
4. Find the server location you wish to connect to on your iPhone and send the .ovpn file to yourself via email.
5. Open the email (via an app, not via web browser) on your iPhone and tap the download button. You should choose to open the file in OpenVPN Connect by tapping Copy to OpenVPN.
6. Tap Add to add the configuration file to OpenVPN Connect.
7. Enter your VPN account username and then Add again.
8. Tap Allow to authorize the VPN connection.
9. Enter your iPhone passcode.
10. Enter your VPN account password and tap OK.
11. Slide the slider to switch the VPN on and off. When connected, the slider will turn green and you’ll see the word ‘VPN’ in your iPhone’s status bar.
12. Go into the OpenVPN Connect settings menu (burger menu > Settings) and enable the Seamless Tunnel, which acts a bit like a VPN kill switch.
13. Now carry out a leak test to ensure the VPN is working as it should.

You can add more .ovpn files for other server locations after this if you want – the process is exactly the same from Step 3 onwards.

As you can see, this installation method isn’t the easiest one, but it does provide the best VPN protocol and useful extras like the Seamless Tunnel feature.

The final way you can protect internet traffic on your iOS or iPadOS device is to install the VPN software at router level.

This is useful if you also want to protect a bunch of other devices in your home, including smart TVs and games consoles, that wouldn’t normally be able to support a proper VPN app.

Once you connect your devices to the VPN router all traffic will be encrypted between the router and the VPN server.

However, the setup is quite advanced and may require you to buy new router hardware, which can be very expensive.

Once you leave your home and connect to other WiFi hotspots or use mobile data, your device will no longer benefit from VPN encryption.

It’s by no means the best way to use a VPN on your iPhone.

But if you do want to protect multiple devices in your home using a VPN router, we recommend also installing a VPN on your iPhone or iPad to switch on while you’re out and about.

Setting Up a VPN on Your Router

There are a few different ways to set up a VPN on your router:

1. Buy a pre-configured router.
2. Manually configure VPN files using the native VPN client built into your current router software. Avoid PPTP setup at all costs, as this VPN protocol is outdated and insecure.
3. ‘Flash’ your current router with new firmware (download and install it, in other words) that supports OpenVPN and then manually configure the VPN files.
4. Use a VPN applet. There aren’t many of these available at the moment, but ExpressVPN provides one.

We’ve put together a separate guide to installing a VPN on your router, which comes with in-depth step-by-step instructions and tips.