Setup Guide for new users

Reading: 4 mins
Category: Proton VPN apps

Welcome to the Proton VPN community. This guide will help you download and install the proper Proton VPN app for your device. It will also address some of the more common questions we get from our new users.

You’re just a couple steps away from making your online activity secure and private. Let’s get started!

Installation

Android

The majority of non-Apple smartphones and tablets use the Android operating system. If you have a smartphone and it’s not an iPhone, it is likely an Android. You can get the Proton VPN app for free on Android(new window).

Learn how to install the Proton VPN Android app

Android TV

Android TV is built into some TVs and is used by a wide selection of streaming sticks and boxes that can plug into any TV with a spare HDMI port. If you don’t have an Android TV, you can find some examples in this article(new window).

Learn how to install the Proton VPN Android TV app

iOS

If you have a smartphone or tablet from Apple — an iPhone or an iPad — it runs on iOS. You can easily download the Proton VPN app for free on iOS(new window).

Learn how to install the Proton VPN iOS app

Windows

If your laptop or desktop is a PC, then it likely runs Windows. The Proton VPN app is available for free on Windows(new window).

Learn how to install the Proton VPN Windows app

macOS

If you have a laptop or desktop computer from Apple, it runs on macOS. To use Proton VPN on your Mac, sign up for a Free plan for macOS(new window).

Learn how to install the Proton VPN macOS app

Linux

Linux is an open source operating system that has dozens of different distributions. If Linux does not sound familiar to you, it is unlikely you’re using it. Get Proton VPN for free on Linux(new window) for the distro of your choice.

Learn how to install the Proton VPN on Linux client

Browser extension

The stand-alone Proton VPN browser extension for Chrome and Firefox is available to anyone with a paid Proton VPN plan and provides a quick and convenient way to protect your privacy while browsing the internet.

Learn how to install the Proton VPN browser extension

Common questions

Q: Does the VPN just protect the Internet through my browser?

A: No. Once you are connected to a Proton VPN server, your whole Internet connection is secured, and your public IP address and geolocation are changed. The applications on your device that connect to the Internet will also have their connections routed through the same secure VPN tunnel. Therefore, the services you access on the Internet cannot see your true IP address and location.

Note: This applies to our full VPN apps. Our browser extension only protects your browser.

Q: Does it matter what Internet browser I use with Proton VPN?

A: Proton VPN works with the latest version of most popular Internet browsers, including Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, the Brave browser, and Google Chrome. However, we no longer support Internet Explorer as it is outdated.

Learn more about which browsers you can use with Proton VPN(new window).

Q: What can I do to make my VPN connection faster?

A: The speed of your VPN connection is a function of the speed of your Internet connection. If you have a slow Internet connection with your Internet service provider, using a VPN will not make it faster.

That being said, there are some basic steps you can take to optimize your VPN connection’s speed. You can:

Connect to a VPN server that is geographically closer to your location;
Connect to a VPN server that currently has a lower load; or
Use the UDP transmission protocol instead of TCP(new window) for your connection.

Learn more about how to increase the speed of your VPN connection(new window).

Q: I’m having trouble connecting to the Internet with Proton VPN. What can I do?

A: If you are experiencing connection difficulties, it is generally the result of one of the three following situations:

The server you are trying to connect to is currently down for maintenance, in which case you should try to connect to another server;
Your system time does not match the time on the SSL certificate, in which case you should reset your device’s clock; or
There may be restrictions on your network.

Learn more about how to resolve Proton VPN connection issues(new window). If you try these solutions and still cannot connect, or if you have any other questions, please contact our Support team(new window).