Should Your VPN Be On or Off? How to Decide When It Matters

The short and simple answer is on. If your online privacy and security matter, you should keep your Virtual Private Network (VPN) on as much as possible. 

A VPN hides your IP address from the websites you visit, making it harder for advertisers and other third parties to link online activity back to you. It also encrypts your traffic, so anyone monitoring the network, whether that’s an internet service provider, a network administrator, or a hacker lurking on public Wi-Fi, can’t easily see what you’re doing online.

However, there are situations where turning it off might make sense. In this article, we’ll discuss the reasons for keeping your VPN turned on, when it might be better to turn it off, and how to decide what’s right for your situation.

Should I Use a VPN All the Time?

In most cases, yes. There are many benefits to using a VPN, the main one being an extra layer of defense against privacy threats at all times. Think of it like having a private security guard on duty 24/7, protecting your data. 

A VPN also makes it easy to maintain connectivity to websites and online services when switching between networks or traveling. Network changes often result in a new IP address, which can interrupt sessions or trigger security checks. 

Routing traffic through the same VPN server can reduce some of that friction. This can be especially helpful when traveling, as it may make it easier to use familiar websites and online services that sometimes behave differently or change their content based on your location.

Still, always-on use isn’t mandatory. In some situations, a VPN might slow down your connection, interfere with access to local services, or cause issues with certain websites and apps (like certain games that flag VPNs as suspicious). In those cases, turning it off temporarily can make your experience smoother.

When to Use a VPN: 9 Reasons to Keep Your VPN Turned On

Whether you are working, browsing, or doom-scrolling on public Wi-Fi, here are 9 reasons to keep your VPN on:

1. Casual Browsing

Casual web browsing isn’t exactly private. Even with HTTPS, websites can still track visits, link activity to your accounts, and use cookies or trackers to follow you across the web. Your ISP can also see which websites you visit, while advertisers may track your activity across sites.

A VPN limits how much of that data gets exposed. It hides your IP address and encrypts your connection, so instead of broadcasting where you’re connecting from, you’re browsing behind a privacy buffer.

2. Working Remotely

Working away from the office often requires you to access internal tools, emails, and documents that contain confidential company or client information. Many industries, like healthcare, finance, or legal services, have strict data protection regulations (like HIPAA or GDPR) that require secure internet connections.

Using a remote access or site-to-site VPN can help you stay compliant with security policies.

3. Using Public Wi‑Fi 

Public Wi-Fi networks, like those in coffee shops, hotels, and airports, often lack the network encryption you have at home. This makes it easier for others on the same network to monitor unprotected traffic or exploit weak network settings to access sensitive information.

Sometimes, attackers even create fake Wi-Fi hotspots that look legitimate, and if you connect to one, you’re giving them direct access to anything you send over that connection.

A VPN encrypts your traffic before it leaves your device. So even if the network itself is compromised, what you send and receive stays private.

4. Banking and Shopping Online

Identity fraud keeps rising every year as more people shop and bank online. Cybercriminals steal credit card numbers, social security details, and logins through phishing, data breaches, or by intercepting traffic on unsecured networks.

A VPN scrambles your data, so if someone tries to intercept it on public Wi-Fi or an unencrypted (HTTP) site, they’ll only see unreadable information they can’t use.

Note: A VPN won’t protect you from phishing attacks, so it’s important to know how to spot them and how to avoid falling victim.

5. Avoiding Bandwidth Throttling

Some ISPs don’t have enough network capacity to handle heavy data usage. To manage the load, they sometimes slow down internet traffic. 

Depending on the situation, your ISP may slow down speeds for all users during congested hours or only target users that stream, game, and file share. If you’re wondering how they can tell what you’re doing, they’re typically looking at packet headers of your traffic to identify traffic types. 

If you’re in the second group, a VPN might be able to speed up your connection by encrypting your traffic. This will make it much harder for your ISP to detect and therefore selectively throttle your streaming, torrenting, or gaming speed.

6. Reducing Targeted Ads

One day, you’re shopping for a new fall jacket. Before long, ads for jackets seem to follow you everywhere online. That happens because big ad networks track your activity across websites, often using your IP address as one of the signals.

A VPN replaces your real IP address with a shared IP address. With fewer reliable identifiers to work with, ad networks have a harder time linking your browsing activity and serving highly personalized ads across sites. 

7. Visiting Unsecured Websites

Some websites still default to HTTP, which lacks any type of encryption. This makes it easier for attackers to steal passwords or credit card details. They also leave you open to man-in-the-middle attacks that can inject malware or redirect you to fake pages designed to steal information.

While we recommend avoiding unsecured HTTP sites, if you must use one, keep your VPN on. The VPN’s encryption makes it much harder for anyone to eavesdrop or steal your data.

8. Accessing Peer-to-Peer and Blockchain Services

Using file sharing or blockchain services can lead to accidental data exposure if you aren’t careful. That’s because these services can expose your IP address to all other users in the network, which puts your identity and location out in the open.

A VPN masks your real IP address, reducing the chances of unwanted attention from malicious users.

9. Protecting Yourself from Geo‑Attacks (For Gamers)

In competitive or high-stakes gaming, a network-savvy opponent can launch Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks to knock you off the game. These attacks work by flooding your connection with traffic from multiple systems, overwhelming your network and forcing a disconnect. 

The key thing to know is that this usually only works if your real IP address is exposed. Since a VPN hides your IP address, it becomes much harder for anyone to zero in on your connection and target you mid-match.

When You Should Turn Your VPN Off

While we do recommend keeping your VPN on as much as possible, there are some exceptions to the rule. Here are some cases where you might want to temporarily disable your VPN:

1. Maintain Connection to Local Websites and Services

Some websites and streaming services rely on IP-based location signals to decide what content to display based on regional rights or regulations. For example, streaming platforms may show different catalogs depending on the country.

Temporarily disabling your VPN allows websites to detect your actual location and load the local version more reliably. That makes it easier to receive local news alerts, watch live local sports, or see what content is available locally while traveling.

2. Improving Streaming Performance

If you’re on a sluggish connection and dealing with buffering or a drop in streaming quality, turning off your VPN might help. Without the extra step of encrypting and routing traffic through a VPN server, the connection goes straight to the streaming service, which can improve playback and reduce interruptions.

If you still want the privacy benefits of a VPN, try connecting to a VPN server that’s geographically closer to you. A nearby server reduces the distance your data has to travel and might improve your connection speed. If you stream a lot, consider getting a good streaming VPN.

3. Extending Your Battery Life

A VPN can put more demand on your device because it uses more CPU power to encrypt and decrypt data. That means you may notice your battery power draining faster than usual, especially if you’re using an older device with a worn-out battery. 

While this may not be an issue when using a VPN at home, you may need to turn it off if you’re using a mobile device or your laptop on the go and there’s nowhere to charge it for a while.

4. Satisfying Network Login Requirements

Some school and office Wi-Fi networks require you to first log in through a captive portal (the page that pops up asking for credentials or acceptance of terms). 

If your VPN is already running when you connect, your device encrypts traffic immediately. Since the network can’t read those first requests, it never redirects you to the login page, and the connection may fail altogether. To fix this, turn off your VPN, log in through the captive portal, and then reconnect the VPN for secure browsing.

5. Reducing Latency for Online Gaming

If you notice frequent lag times when gaming online, your VPN may be the culprit. Just like with streaming content, a VPN can sometimes diminish the gaming experience because of the extra steps required in encrypting and routing your traffic. 

We recommend using a high-quality gaming VPN to get around this issue. But as a temporary solution, you can disable your VPN for faster gameplay. 

6. Using Services that Block VPNs

Certain apps and websites, including some streaming services, actively block VPN connections. When they detect an IP address associated with a VPN, these platforms may prevent sign-ins, trigger additional verification steps, or block access altogether. Turning off your VPN briefly may be necessary to sign in or complete a task.

How to Keep Your VPN on All the Time and Running Smoothly

A VPN, like any other app, can occasionally crash, disconnect, or run into compatibility issues, especially if your device sleeps, switches networks, or restarts. If you want to make sure your VPN’s uptime stays as high as possible, here are a few smart tips to keep it running smoothly and consistently:

Use Auto Connect 

Auto connect automatically starts your VPN whenever your device powers on or connects to the internet. It essentially keeps your VPN on for you, so you don’t have to remember to manually turn it on.

To enable auto connect in the PIA app on Windows, Linux, and Mac, just follow these steps:

1. Open the PIA app and go to Settings.
2. Navigate to the General or Automation tab.
3. Enable Connect on Launch (PIA will connect when you launch the VPN app) or Launch on System Startup (PIA will connect when your device powers on).

On Android, PIA offers similar options:

1. Open the PIA VPN app.
2. Tap the three horizontal lines (☰).
3. Go to Settings > General.
4. Enable Launch on System Startup and Connect on Launch.  

On mobile devices, PIA also lets you enable automatic VPN connections based on the networks you join. This is useful when switching between home, work, and public networks. 

To set this up, go to Settings > Automation > Networks, and configure it depending on your preferences.

Turn On the Kill Switch

The kill switch is a feature that blocks all internet traffic if your VPN connection drops unexpectedly. This keeps your data protected by preventing accidental exposure while the VPN reconnects.

To enable the kill switch in the PIA VPN apps for Mac, Windows, and Linux, follow these steps:

1. Open PIA and navigate to Settings > Privacy (or Advanced).
2. Tick the box next to VPN Kill Switch. If you’re already connected to the VPN, you might have to reconnect.

Consider Split Tunneling

Split tunneling lets you choose which apps or websites use the VPN connection and which can access the internet directly without encryption. That means you can keep your VPN connection for sensitive activities like work-related tasks while allowing specific content (like local content) to bypass the VPN.

Follow these steps to enable split tunneling on the PIA desktop apps:

1. Open the PIA App and go to Settings > Split Tunnel.
2. Enable Split Tunneling.
3. Choose which apps to exclude or include.
4. Save your settings.

PIA also lets you split tunnel apps on Android. To use it, go to Settings > Privacy Features > Per App Settings. From here, choose which app should use or get around the VPN tunnel.

Choose Fast, Nearby Servers

Always choose nearby servers whenever possible. A VPN server that’s geographically close usually improves connection speeds and gives you the best performance. Many VPNs also offer automatic recommendations based on your location or can connect you to the fastest available server. 

On desktop environments, follow these steps to choose servers with PIA:

1. Open the PIA App.
2. Click VPN Server to access the server list. On those that have a dropdown, you can click the arrow to expand and view specific cities or regions.
3. Select the server location you want to connect to, and then click on the power button on the main screen of the PIA app. You can also disconnect and reconnect with one click.

Regularly Check for DNS Leaks

DNS leaks happen when your device’s DNS requests bypass the VPN tunnel and go through your internet service provider instead. This leaves your browsing activity exposed and out in the open for all to see. 

You can use a tool like DNSleaktest.com to check for DNS leaks. When you’re connected to PIA, it automatically uses its own DNS servers and routes your DNS traffic through a secure tunnel. This prevents your DNS requests from leaking to your internet provider or any third parties.

Follow these steps on your Windows, Mac, or Linux device to make sure you’re connecting to PIA’s secure DNS servers:

1. Open the PIA app.
2. Go to Settings > Network.
3. Make sure that PIA DNS is selected (on by default).

If you do experience a DNS leak, contact the PIA support team for assistance.

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