How to Use a VPN to Improve Security on Your iOS Device

Posted on Dec 11, 2018 by Summer Hirst
iOS VPN

If you have an iPhone or an iPad, you’re lucky because iOS devices are considered pretty safe. While there are fewer chances of malware entering your device, your data is still at risk when you connect to the internet.

If your device is hacked, your data and personal files may be seen by third parties with nefarious intentions. To make sure this doesn’t happen, it’s best to use a VPN every time you connect to the internet.

Installing or configuring a VPN is pretty easy and can be done in multiple ways. And no matter which way you use, a VPN will help in improving the security of your iOS device.

Here I’ll discuss some of the various ways in which you can install a VPN on your iPhone.

Installing an iOS VPN app

Look around and you’ll find several VPN companies that offer their apps for all major platforms. This includes iOS, which means you can install their app directly on your iPhone or iPad.

To install the PIA app, here’s what you can do.

  1. Visit the iTunes store and search for your VPN providers’ app (for PIA, search for “VPN by Private Internet Access”).
  2. Find the app in the search results and install it.
  3. The app will be installed on your device in less than a minute.
  4. Open the app and connect to the VPN. You can connect to the default location or select a location of your choice.

With these simple steps, you can make your iOS device more secure.

Installing OpenVPN

OpenVPN is the most secure VPN protocol and is therefore the favorite of many users. To run OpenVPN on your iOS device, follow these steps.

  1. Look for OpenVPN Connect app on the iTunes store.
  2. Find the app and install it.
  3. Ask your VPN provider for OpenVPN configuration.
  4. Use this configuration in the OpenVPN app.

Now connect to OpenVPN Connect.

Using inbuilt settings

If your VPN provider doesn’t have a custom app, iOS will let you configure the VPN using its inbuilt settings. Here’s how you can configure the VPN on your phone.

  1. Go to Settings from your Home screen.
  2. Go to General and select VPN.
  3. Select Add VPN Configuration.
  4. Click on Type and select the protocol for your VPN.
  5. Now click on Add Configuration and enter the VPN details such as the server, User ID, etc. These details will be given by your VPN provider.
  6. Once you’ve entered the settings, click on Done.

Your VPN is configured. To connect to the VPN, go to Status and turn it on.

As you can see, configuring a VPN on your iOS device is easy and takes just a few minutes. Make sure the Send all Traffic option is turned on. With this option, all your traffic will be sent through the encrypted tunnel.

Now that you’ve installed a VPN on your device, make sure you connect to it whenever you go online to improve your security.

If you’re not a techie, try to get a VPN that offers custom apps for all major platforms. This way you won’t have to follow the somewhat complicated steps of manual configuration and all you’ll have to do is click on install.

VPN Service