One of the disconcerting things about using a virtual private network (VPN) is that it can be hard to tell when it's doing its job. The best VPNs all work in the background to keep your IP address hidden and your communications with their servers encrypted. The better the VPN, the less you notice it, which can make a top-performing VPN feel (uncomfortably) like one that isn't working at all.
Luckily, you've got options for checking whether your VPN is working — other than just taking the app at its word. In this article, I'll cover the basics, then go through five different tests you can run to make sure you're actually using an encrypted VPN server. For each test, I'll explain what kind of problem it's looking for, how to run it and what to do in case it fails.
Make sure your VPN is turned on
Before you do anything else, though, it's not a bad idea to check your VPN app and make sure you remembered to connect. It's all too easy to open up the client app, choose a server, tweak some preferences and feel like your work is done. On top of that, we don't always remember to tell VPN beginners that simply opening the client isn't enough.
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To check that your VPN is turned on, open the app on your desktop or mobile home screen. Each VPN designs its apps differently, but common signs include the color green, the word Connected and information on what server location you're connected to.
The main UI for Proton VPN, with the connection button visible at top-left and the server location menu below it. (Sam Chapman for Engadget)
If you don't see anything like that, click the On button, which should be on the first page that appears when you log into the app. Most VPNs also connect whenever you click the name of a server location.
For those of you on iPhone or iPad, I've just written an explainer on how to turn a VPN off and on. For all the tests I'll discuss across the rest of this article, make sure you're connected to a VPN server before you run them. Also, make sure your internet connection is active — a VPN can only work when there's internet.
5 tests to check if your VPN works
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