What is a VPN?

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) routes your internet traffic through an encrypted tunnel to a server you trust, then out to the wider internet. Two things change as a result: your data becomes unreadable to anyone between you and that server, and the websites you visit see the server's IP address instead of yours.

How a VPN works on Android

You install a VPN app from Google Play, sign in and grant the system VPN permission. From that moment on, every connection from your phone — apps, browser, background sync — goes through the encrypted tunnel until you turn it off.

What does a VPN protect you from?

• Your internet provider seeing which sites and apps you use.
• Public Wi-Fi snooping in cafés, airports and hotels.
• Websites tying every visit back to your real IP and location.
• Region locks on streaming and content you've paid for.

What a VPN doesn't do

A VPN isn't anonymity. If you log into accounts, those services still know it's you. It's also not antivirus — it doesn't stop malware or phishing on its own. And it doesn't make otherwise-illegal activity legal.

When do you actually need one?

You're on public Wi-Fi often; you stream content from another region; you want your provider out of your browsing history; you simply prefer your traffic to be encrypted by default. For most Android users, the answer is "more often than you'd think."