by We all deserve more secure internet connections, and if you’ve bought one of Google’s newest phones, you already have one. Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro come with a built-in VPN and offer users a private and secure network at no extra cost.
This feature has been available to Google One users for some time in the Premium tier ($100 per year); so if you are renting cloud storage from big G, you can also use this feature no matter what device you have.
Setting up for the first time isn’t as intuitive as you might hope, but once you’ve enabled it, it should be much easier to turn on and off whenever you need an extra layer of security.
On a new Pixel, after installing Google One, the device prompts you to sign in using the main account on your phone. On the next screen, the app will show you a pop-up message telling you that you have access to a VPN and inviting you to install it. Faucet overcome just to do it.
If you’re not using a Pixel 7, sign in to the app using the account linked to your Google One subscription. On house Scroll down and tap the tab overcome On the VPN tile.
On the next screen, tap the toggle switch next to it. use VPN to open. After you accept the incoming connection request, your connection will automatically become private. You will know the VPN is active as you will see a small wrench icon to the left of the clock in the top right corner of your screen.
Easily access your Google VPN
Once you go through the setup process, you won’t have to do it again. Your phone will recognize the VPN connection and you can easily turn it on or off if you add it to the Quick Settings menu. To do this, swipe down with two fingers from the top of the screen to open the menu and pencil icon scroll down to find to edit VPN tile—there is a wrench icon on the left—and then long press and drag somewhere in the first eight lines.
Note that there are only 16 slots in the Quick Settings menu. When you open the notifications drawer (swipe down from the top of your screen with one finger) you’ll only see the first four; if you open the menu completely, you will only see the first eight; and you will have to swipe that group left to see the remaining eight. If you’re going to be using your VPN on and off throughout the day, we recommend leaving the corresponding tile in one of the first four slots to save some swiping and make sure you always have easy access to it.
How do you configure your Google VPN?
One of the biggest drawbacks of Google’s service when compared to other popular alternatives like ExpressVPN or NordVPN is that you won’t be able to choose where to browse. This means that even if your connection is secure, your IP address will always correspond to your physical location.
[Related: How to use a VPN]
This virtual world skip feature has helped users access content that you can’t find in the US, such as titles from Netflix’s French catalog, that are not easily available in their region. To avoid this workaround, some apps block VPNs completely; you can turn them on, but they won’t load until you turn off your VPN. If you have one of these restrictive apps on your phone, it won’t make any exceptions for Google’s VPN, but you will be able to give these apps the ability to bypass the private connection so you can continue using them while the VPN is on. on.
To do this, open the Google One app and tap . VPN tile. Under Using apps with VPN turned on, faucet update settingsthen press button plus sign Next to every app you want to ignore VPN. When you’re done, Google One will ask you to restart your connection and you’re ready.
VPNs can be extremely helpful when you need to access sensitive information while using a public network. So, if you need to check your bank balance and the only way to connect to the internet is through a store’s Wi-Fi, you’ll want to protect yourself from potential attacks using a VPN. Setting it up now will ensure you have it at hand when you need it.
