How to Set Up & Use a VPN on iPhone or iPad

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

It’s really quick and easy to install a custom VPN app on your iOS device. Native VPN mobile apps are generally very intuitive to use, too.

Installing a Native VPN App on Your iPhone/iPad

1. Search for your VPN service in the Apple App Store and tap Get to download the app. We’re using PrivateVPN as an example.
2. Once the VPN software is installed, tap Open and log into the app using your VPN subscription username and password you chose at signup (or the provider has emailed you).
3. Read the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, and tap Continue.
4. Your iPhone/iPad requires you to authorize all new VPN configurations. Tap Allow on the overlay that says [The Name of Your VPN] Would Like to Add VPN Configurations. This step may come later depending on the VPN you’re 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. Ensure you read the terms before you agree to them.
7. Go into the VPN’s settings menu and configure the VPN to meet your needs. You can usually find the settings menu by tapping the burger menu or cog symbol in the app.
8. Enable the VPN kill switch (if there is one), and leak protection settings in the app to prevent your true IP and DNS addresses from being exposed. Select your desired VPN protocol – OpenVPN and WireGuard are safe choices, but IKEv2 can be more stable for mobile connections.
9. Once you’ve configured the security settings, choose a VPN server and tap the Connect button.
10. Check for IP and DNS leaks using our IP/DNS leak test tool.

The method above is the safest and easiest way to use a VPN on your iOS device.

However, some VPN services don’t have apps for iPhone or iPad. If that’s the case, you’ll need to consult setup methods 2, 3, or 4.

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

If you can’t (or don’t want to) install a native VPN app from the App Store, your iOS and iPadOS devices allow you manually configure VPN server files within the device’s settings menu.

This method saves space on your device, but the built-in VPN feature lacks extra settings like a VPN kill switch and IP leak blocking. Therefore, it’s not as secure as the other setup methods we cover.

There’s another catch – you can’t use OpenVPN, our preferred VPN protocol.

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

Manually Configuring IKEv2 Using the Built-in VPN Client

1. On your device go to Settings > General > VPN & Device Management > 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 PrivateVPN: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.

OpenVPN is our favorite VPN protocol, balancing high security and fast connection speeds.

If your iOS VPN application doesn’t run on OpenVPN, you may still be able to use the VPN software with OpenVPN.

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

Also, this setup is more tedious than the above two installation methods.

To manually configure OpenVPN on your iPhone/iPad, you’ll need a Windows, macOS, or Linux computer. For this demonstration we’re using a Windows PC.

Installing 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 on your router.

This method is useful if you want other devices in your home to use a VPN connection. This includes some smart TVs and games consoles, which don’t support native VPN apps.

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.

VPN means Virtual Private Network, which is software that relays your internet connection between your device and a remote VPN server, and then onto a destination website or application.

A VPN running on an iPhone or iPad encrypts your WiFi and cellular data transfers, hides your IP address from snoopers, and lets you even unblock IP-based geo-restrictions on websites and apps.

When you install a VPN application on your iOS device, like in our PrivateVPN example above, you’re adding a new VPN configuration profile to your device.

VPN Toggle in the iPhone Settings Menu

There are two different VPN toggles in the settings of your iPhone or iPad.

You can find the first, much simpler, toggle in the main Settings menu of your device.

By turning on or off the VPN toggle, you can enable or disable a VPN connection without having to open the installed VPN application.

However, turning on the VPN toggle only enables the VPN connection set up in the VPN application. To switch server locations, or access other app features, you’ll have to open the VPN application.

VPN & Device Management for VPN Configuration

There is a second more advanced VPN toggle in your iPhone or iPad, which lets you add VPN configurations. Here’s how to find it:

1. From the Settings menu, tap on General, then VPN & Device Management, and finally VPN
2. Alternatively, search for VPN in the Settings search bar, tap VPN & Device Management and then VPN

This setting lets you enable a VPN connection using the VPN application(s) installed on your device. It also lets users add new VPN configurations.



VPN ‘Connected’ Status in the iPhone’s VPN & Device Management setting.

We’ve explained more thoroughly how to manually add a VPN configuration earlier in this guide.

Most people don’t need to add new VPN configurations, though. It’s much easier to simply use the native iOS VPN application you’ve installed.

Should VPN Be On or Off on my iPhone/iPad?

We recommend keeping the VPN toggle turned on in your iPhone/iPad settings if you want to enhance your device’s internet privacy and security.



VPN toggle turned on in the iPhone settings.

Remember, you must have a VPN application installed or configured already, though. Otherwise, the VPN toggle won’t work.

The only time you should turn off the VPN toggle is if a website or application needs a specific IP address (not provided by your VPN service) in order to work e.g. your home IP address.