For administrators who manage ChromeOS devices for a business or school.
As an admin, you can use an Android VPN app to force users to connect to a private network, like the network at your work or school, using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection. VPNs apply to Android and Chrome user traffic. System traffic, such as OS and policy updates, is not directed through the VPN. If the VPN connection fails, all user traffic is blocked until the VPN connection is re-established.
Before you begin
- Use your Google Admin console to automatically install your preferred Android VPN app on managed ChromeOS devices. For details, see Automatically install apps and extensions.
- Configure the Android VPN app. For details, see View and configure apps and extensions.
Set up Android VPN apps
-
Sign in to your Google Admin console.
Sign in using your administrator account (does not end in @gmail.com).
- From the Admin console Home page, go to Devices
Chrome.
- Click Settings
- To apply the setting to all users, leave the top organizational unit selected. Otherwise, select a child organizational unit.
- Go to Network
- Click Edit.
- Select the Android VPN app that you want to use.
- Click OK.
- Choose an option:
- Allow user to disconnect from a VPN manually (VPN will reconnect on log in)—Users can temporarily disconnect from the VPN connection.
- Do not allow user to disconnect from a VPN manually—Users are connected to the VPN all the time, and cannot disconnect.
- Click Save.
Chrome.What to tell your users
If you activate Always on VPN and the VPN connection fails, all user traffic is blocked.
Tell your users to check to make sure their VPN app is working and they have VPN connection:
- If they have no internet connection
- After they sign in to the device
- If the device was locked for an extended length of time
- After the device wakes up from sleep mode
Note: ChromeOS has no influence on how Android VPN apps work or how they behave after power loss.