How to manually set up OpenVPN on Android

Reading: 5 mins
Category: Android

Our Android app allows you to choose between the OpenVPN, WireGuard®, and Stealth protocols. If enabled, Smart Protocol will choose the best option for you. We strongly recommend using our Android app on your Android or Chrome OS device.

You can download our Android app from the Google Play Store(new window), or you can download our Android app’s APK from the open-source app repository F-Droid(new window) and GitHub(new window) (Android only).

How to set up Proton VPN as an Android VPN

Download your chosen app

Note: To avoid undesired behavior and bugs, we strongly recommend using one of the following applications:

OpenVPN for Android (free, open-source software): available on the Google Play Store(new window) or on the independent app store F-Droid(new window).
OpenVPN Connect (free, created by authors of OpenVPN protocol): available on the Google Play Store(new window)

Download configuration files to your device

Note: Below we describe how to download config files directly onto your device, though you can also send config files to your device via email or USB transfer.

1. Sign in to your Proton VPN account at account.protonvpn.com/login

2. Go to Downloads → OpenVPN configuration files and choose:

Select Platform – Android
Select Protocol – UDP (recommended) or TCP if you experience slow VPN speeds (this utilizes port 443)
Select config file and download – choose whether you want to download a configuration file for a whole country, an individual server, or for a Secure Core server
Select a country or server and click the Download button next to it

Note: You can also perform the above steps on your desktop computer and send the OVPN config files as attachments to your email address that you can access on your Android device.

Set up OpenVPN on Android

Note: The instructions below are for OpenVPN for Android(new window). If you’re using another application, you will follow similar steps but there will likely be slightly different user interfaces.

In the OpenVPN for Android app, tap the Import button in the top right corner, then select the OVPN files you downloaded previously.

Tap the Save button to finish importing the config file.

To add more connections simply repeat the above steps with different configuration files. Note: Secure Core(new window) servers are marked as xx-xx-01.protonvpn.com.xxxxxxx.ovpn.

Connect to Proton VPN

1. Tap on the newly added profile to connect.

2. Tap OK when you see the below prompt for Connection request.

3. When prompted for the username and password, enter your OpenVPN credentials(new window) and hit connect.

4. For more information on your OpenVPN credentials and where to find them, see here(new window).

Note: To use our NetShield DNS filtering(new window) feature, append the suffix +f1 to your username to block malware, or +f2 to block malware, ads, and trackers (for example 123456789+f2).

5. A new screen will appear detailing the connection attempt. When you see Initialization Sequence Completed and a key icon appears in the top status bar, you are successfully connected.

Disconnect from Proton VPN

1. Tap the profile you are currently connected to (Indicated by Connected:SUCCESS […] underneath the profile name).

2. Select Disconnect on the confirmation window.

3. Once you have disconnected, the profile will now show No process running.