If you want more protection from hackers and online monitoring, you can make your connection more secure with a virtual private network (VPN) by Google One. Access VPN by Google One in the Google One app to encrypt your online activity for an extra layer of protection wherever you’re connected.
After you turn on the VPN, you can:
- Help shield against hackers on unsecure networks, like public Wi-Fi.
- Hide your IP address. When you hide your IP address, others can’t use your IP address to track your location.
Where VPN by Google One is available
VPN by Google One is available in select countries/regions and is included for Google One members with plans of 2 TB of Google storage and up. This feature is available in these locations:
- Austria
- Australia
- Belgium
- Canada
- Denmark
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Japan
- Mexico
- Netherlands
- Norway
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- United Kingdom
- United States
If you have VPN by Google One turned on and your home country/region is listed above, VPN by Google One still works when you travel internationally to many additional countries/regions.
A VPN adds a layer of encryption to your network traffic that makes it “unrecognizable” to:
- Your network operator.
- Your network operator can include your internet service provider, carrier, or public Wi-Fi provider.
- Other observers on the network, like potential hackers.
A VPN also masks your IP address from the sites and apps that you go to. Otherwise, sites and apps could use your IP address to track your activity over time or to determine your physical location.
When you turn on the VPN, your network traffic is encrypted and re-routed through the VPN proxy servers. This ensures that your network traffic stays private to you and makes it harder for trackers, sites and apps to track you. To learn more about how VPN by Google One protects and keeps you private visit g.co/vpn/howitworks.
To allow websites to show the right content for your region, VPN by Google One will assign you an IP address based on your current region. However, websites can't use this IP address to determine your precise location. You won't have the option to change your IP address region.
What makes VPN by Google One different from other VPNs
Privacy and security are at the core of the products and services we build. A VPN provides an important additional layer of privacy and security for your online activity, but it is critical to ensure that it is implemented with robust privacy and security guarantees.
VPN by Google One leverages advanced cryptographic techniques to ensure that no one, not even Google, can associate your network traffic with your account or identity. In addition, your network traffic and IP address will never be logged, and Google will never use the VPN connection to track, log, or sell your online activity.
To ensure a healthy and performant VPN connection, we collect fully de-identified metrics such as overall network throughput, uptime or latency.
To improve the overall experience, debug the service, and prevent fraud without compromising user privacy, the following data may be collected for a user:
- Use of the service in the last 28 days. This metric collects how often the service was used in the last 28 days but does not track the specific times they used the service nor the duration of the usage nor the amount of data used.
- Number of recent attempts by a user to set up a VPN session to ensure that the user does not exceed the maximum number of allowed concurrent sessions. User IDs are encrypted and therefore cannot be personally identified by the concurrent session check.
- Server error logs without request or response data.
Finally, for those users that wish to share feedback or errors with Google, the Google One application provides users the option to send logs from their device which contain personally identifiable information (such as email) and is used for debugging purposes. This is an optional capability and requires the user to submit the report each time any information is sent.
Learn more about our technical implementation and data practices.
If you’re on an eligible Google One plan, you can use VPN on up to 6 devices per plan. You must install the Google One app on each device.
If you share your Google One plan with a family group, they can use VPN too. Family group members must download the Google One app on their own devices and then turn on VPN. Supervised children’s accounts are not eligible. Learn more about how to share your plan with your family group.
Set up VPN by Google One
- To use the VPN by Google One, you must install the Google One app.
- Make sure you have the latest version of the Google One app. Learn how to update your apps.
- On your Android device, open the Google One app.
- At the bottom, tap Benefits.
- Find the VPN benefit and tap View details.
- Tap Manage VPN Settings.
- Turn on Block internet if VPN disconnects.
If your device restarts, the VPN tries to automatically reconnect. Before it reconnects, your internet connection isn't blocked or protected. Once the VPN reconnects, you'll find a key in the top right of your screen.
You can turn off this setting at any time in your VPN settings. This setting may not currently be available on all devices.
Stay more secure if the VPN disconnects
For extra security, you can set up your phone to only use the internet when the VPN is on. If your VPN is disconnected, internet access is blocked until the VPN reconnects.
- On your Android device, open the Google One app.
- At the bottom, tap Benefits.
- Find the VPN benefit and tap View details.
- Tap Manage VPN Settings.
- Turn on Block internet if VPN disconnects.
If your device restarts, the VPN tries to automatically reconnect. Before it reconnects, your internet connection isn't blocked or protected. Once the VPN reconnects, you'll find a key in the top right of your screen.
You can turn off this setting at any time in your VPN settings. This setting may not currently be available on all devices.
Add or remove from Quick Settings
For easier access, you can add the VPN by Google One to your Quick Settings. You can remove it from the menu whenever you like.
- From the top of your screen, swipe down twice.
- At the bottom left, tap Edit
.
- Scroll until you find the VPN by Google One
.
- Touch and hold VPN by Google One. Then drag the setting to where you want it.
- To add a setting, drag it up from "Hold and drag to add tiles."
- To remove a setting, drag it down to "Drag here to remove."
.Snooze VPN
You can temporarily turn off the VPN by Google One with the Snooze feature:
- From the VPN by Google One screen, tap Snooze for 5 minutes.
- The Snooze feature is pre-selected to last 5 minutes. You can extend the snooze 5 minutes at a time.
- The VPN by Google One automatically turns back on after Snooze finishes.
- To reconnect to the VPN, tap End snooze.
Allow apps to ignore the VPN
When the VPN is connected, you can still allow traffic from some mobile apps to route over your regular internet connection instead of the VPN's encrypted tunnel. This is useful for some situations, such as:
- If you need to use websites and services that block VPN usage.
- If an app needs to use your mobile wireless provider network to find info that relates to your account (for example, to check if you’re a customer).
- If you can’t use a device in your local network while the VPN is connected.
- If you want to stream content and privacy doesn’t concern you.
Important: It’s not recommended to bypass the VPN in the following apps:
- Apps in which you want your browsing activity encrypted (for example, web browsers like Google Chrome and Safari).
- Apps you don’t trust which can put your data at risk of being intercepted or leaked.
- On your device, open the Google One app
.
- At the bottom, tap Benefits.
- Find the VPN benefit and tap View details.
- Tap View settings
Allow apps to bypass VPN.
- Select the app you want to bypass and tap Add
.
- To remove an app from the bypass list, tap Remove
.
- To remove an app from the bypass list, tap Remove
- At the top, tap Save.
.
Allow apps to bypass VPN.Tip: If you don’t tap Save to restart the VPN by Google One, your changes don't save. If the VPN is disconnected, the changes apply the next time the VPN is connected.
VPN by Google One on Pixel 7 & 7 Pro
Consumers of the Pixel 7* and Pixel 7 Pro* can use VPN by Google One at no extra cost through the Google One app or without a Google One subscription. Other Google One membership benefits are sold separately.
Current Google One Premium members (2 TB or higher) can already use VPN by Google One on multiple devices. This VPN offer doesn't impact the price or benefits of Google One Premium plans. To use VPN by Google One on older Pixel devices, you need Google One Premium plan.
To use VPN by Google One on older Pixel devices, you need a Google One Premium plan.
The VPN by Google One is only available with eligible Google Accounts as long as the device continues to receive security updates. Workspace and certain supervised accounts, like a child’s account, aren't eligible.
*In India and Singapore, Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro devices aren't eligible for VPN by Google One.
Turn on VPN by Google One on your Pixel 7 or Pixel 7 Pro:
- On your device, sign in to your Google Account.
- Open the Google One app
- At the bottom, tap Benefits.
- Under the “VPN protection for multiple devices” benefit, tap View Details.
- Turn on the VPN.
Frequently asked questions
Does this prevent third parties or Google from saving my browsing history or personalizing my experience?No. Third-party sites and apps may still save information about your browsing or personalize your experience in other ways. Some examples include cookies or other technologies, or moments when you sign into an account on another company’s website.
Also, while VPN by Google One secures your device connection, it does not affect how Google collects data when you use our other products and services. For example, depending on your sync settings, Chrome will continue to store your Chrome browsing history to your Google Account. To manage the kinds of data saved to your account, you can review your Google Account’s privacy controls.
On your phone lock screen, you'll see a notification that says "VPN is connected." When your phone is unlocked, you’ll see the Google One logo in your notification tray. To see the status of the VPN connection, pull down the notification tray.
You'll also see a small key in the top right corner of your screen. This tells you that the VPN is connected and your network is secured.
Because of the extra step of encrypting your data to keep it private, VPNs inherently use more battery. This extra encryption also means about 5-10% more data is consumed. So you may notice a little more battery drain and data usage while the VPN is running and you use the internet.
If your provider zero-rates certain apps or services’ traffic, your internet or mobile data plan might affect your data usage.
Since the VPN obscures your traffic from your internet or mobile data provider, they can’t detect your traffic while you have the VPN on.
- To exclude apps that are zero-rated in your internet or mobile data plan, turn off the VPN or use the app bypass feature.
Use of any VPN might:
- Increase data costs based on your data plan
- Reduce your internet speeds
- Increase connection latency
- Reduce battery life
The permanent notification makes sure that Android 12 and lower runs the VPN all the time to keep your network safe. The notification lets you know when the VPN is active and when it's not.
Unless you turn off the VPN, you can't swipe the notification away via the notification tray or the Google One app.
Android 13 or later lets you dismiss this notification.
Check if you pay extra for the VPN as a Google One member
If you're on an eligible 2 TB or higher plan, we include the VPN at no extra cost.
If you're not on an eligible plan, you can update your account.
Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro consumers can use VPN by Google One at no extra cost on those devices through the Google One app without a Google One subscription.
Your VPN by Google One may not work if:
- There isn’t an available internet connection on your device. Check your network settings and troubleshoot connection issues.
- You’re in a country/region that we don’t support. Check where VPN by Google One is available.
- Your Google Account isn’t eligible for VPN by Google One. Workspace and certain supervised accounts, like a child’s account, aren't eligible.
- Your Google One app or VPN by Google One app isn’t up to date. To get the latest version, update your app.
- Your device is rooted or isn’t up to date with security updates. These devices might not be eligible to use VPN by Google One.