When you are browsing the internet in today’s world, you will require a VPN service to help you stay safe in online spaces.
You cannot compromise on it either, as hackers, snoopers or prying eyes can take advantage of your information and vulnerability, and access your data without the risk of any unauthorized people seeing your IP address.
After installing or activating a VPN network though on your iOS device, you might wonder how to disable it after you are done. You might even wonder if turning off the network is a good idea.
Should you do it, or should you leave it on?
Well, there is only one circumstance when you can turn off the VPN; when you want to do some troubleshooting on network issues you might experience, and you want to check and make sure the VPN you use is not the source of the problem. In a case like this, disabling the VPN temporarily is fine.
Why is using a VPN important?
There are many reasons that make VPN networks important to use, which include:
- They help to make your browsing experience more secure and private
- Help you gain instant access to region-restricted content and media
- Bypass limitations of censorship on certain parts of the internet, such as social media apps
- Help in accessing your work or home networks remotely
- Protects your information from prying eyes and lax data protection laws
Through using VPN networks to connect to servers in other countries, you should access content and services that are not normally available to you.
How do I activate a VPN on iOS devices?
Note that this method will work for most VPN services, if not all. The basis here is NordVPN though.
- First off, you need to create an account with the VPN service
- After this, you download the app on your iOS device. Avoid downloading the app first, as you will need to setup your account and then use your credentials to log in.
- Open the app and select the person icon, which is on the left side
- Use your account credentials to sign in to the service
- Select the ‘Quick Connect’ option. This will prompt you to grant permission that will connect to a VPN network. To approve this, select ‘Got It’.
This will bring up a message that states the VPN service would like to add configurations for the networks. It will also state that it will monitor or filter all the network activities on your phone while you are using the VPN network. In case you are unsure of what this means, it is asking for your permission to route all your activities on the internet through secure, encrypted VPN tunnels. To permit this, select the ‘Allow’ option.
If you are using Face ID or Touch ID, the VPN service will ask you to allow it in order to add configurations for VPN networks. You can also enter your passcode information if this method fails. Ultimately, this step will allow the service to set up VPN settings on your iOS device, which you can also see when you go to the General menu on your Settings.
The VPN will then show you a map that has its servers around the world. When you choose a server, the app will indicate that it is active by using a green icon.Throughout your connection to the specific server, your connection is entirely anonymous.
Using the VPN to access internet from other countries
Aside from increasing your privacy and security online, you may want to spoof your location by accessing the internet as though you are physically somewhere else. It is still possible to do so, though this will mean that you are breaking the conditions of the services you use through the VPN. It is important to know you will be going through with it at your own risk.
The process is as follows:
- In the map view that the VPN service presents to you, you can select the country you want to use as a connection route. An instance would be swiping across the map until you get to USA, then tap the server icons in the center part of the country.
- The app will then bring up a dialog box that has the name of the specific country, the choice of picking a server, and a switch icon for Off/On. to make the server active, simply tap on the Off/On button.
- The connection process will last for a few seconds.
When you browse the internet, it will show you that you are browsing in the country of the server. This also means that it is possible to access region-specific content.
How do I disable VPN on iOS?
When choosing the best VPN for iOS devices, it will allow you to log in faster to online spaces – through the use of a vendor application. While iOS has inbuilt VPN mechanisms, using apps is a faster way to ensure your security.
The app will also configure the device and does everything for you, which will allow you to use the VPN more efficiently and faster.
In order to turn it off, you:
- Open the settings menu on the iPad or iPhone – this app is on the home screen of the device.
- Scroll to the bottom of the menu, and select ‘General’. You will notice it as a grey icon, with its inner part having a white gear sign.
- Scroll to the bottom of this menu, and Select ‘VPN’.
- Select the “i” which is next to the VPN name, it is in a circle
- Toggle the ‘Connect on Demand’ switch off. This will prevent the iPad or iPhone from reconnecting to the VPN network after you switch it off.
- Select the back button at the top part of the screen on your device
- On the ‘Status’ switch, toggle it to Off. This will switch off the VPN, and it will remain off until you reconnect the VPN manually.
Conclusion
As you can see from the processes above, it is not a difficult task connecting or disabling a VPN service. It is important to disable it when you stop surfing, as it can consume your bandwidth limits as well and incur huge costs on your end.
