How to turn off a VPN (on any device!)
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Every reputable VPN available today comes with unlimited bandwidth. This means that you are free to leave it active at all times. However, VPNs come with their own advantages and disadvantages, and they can slow down your web connection at times. Still, no matter why you want to disable your VPN, it can be done at any moment. So, let us show you how to turn off a VPN.
Noticeable
Keep in mind that VPNs come with their own interfaces, so we can’t give you detailed steps to turn off each individual VPN. Moreover, you may not use the VPN app – if you configure the VPN manually. Therefore, we will provide a general guide instead.
windows
Depending on how you set up your VPN on Windows, there are two ways to disable it. You can do this from the VPN app itself or from the Windows Settings app. This is what you have to do.
- If you have a native VPN app: Launch your VPN app and wait until you see its home screen. Then tap the on/off switch to disable the currently active VPN connection.
- If you configure the VPN manually: Go to Settings > Network & Internet. Then select “VPN” and choose the VPN connection you want to disable. Finally, click on Disconnect.
macOS
Just like on Windows, there are two ways to disable VPN on your macOS computer. So, check below and follow the instructions that apply to your situation.
- If you have a native VPN app: Open your VPN app, and you will see its home screen. See to disable your currently active connection from there. There should be an on/off switch or a button that says “Disconnect”.
- If you configure the VPN manually: Go to Apple > System Preferences > Network. Next, select the VPN connection you want to disable from the panel on the left. On the right, click the “Disconnect” button.
Iphone
Your iPhone offers two ways to set up a VPN – via iOS itself or the iOS App Store. Depending on the path you chose (when installing your VPN), here’s what you need to do.
- If you have a native VPN app: Run your VPN app. Then, using its home screen, find a switch that will allow you to disable the currently active VPN session. There should be a switch or button that says “Disconnect”.
- If you configure the VPN manually: Open the Settings app. Then scroll down a bit until you see an entry that reads “VPN”. On the right side, press the key. The connection will be disconnected as soon as the switch is toggled to Off or the Not Connected message appears.
Android
When it comes to Android, the problem is that there are many different versions of this operating system. So here is our general guide on how to turn off a VPN on your Android phone.
- If you have a native VPN app: Go to your VPN app and wait for its home screen to load. Next, find a button or switch that will allow you to end the currently active VPN session.
- If you configure the VPN manually: There is no universal way to turn off a VPN on Android. However, this process always starts with the Settings app. Next, look for an entry that might say VPN settings (usually called “Network and Internet”). Next, turn off the VPN connection you are trying to disable.
firestick
On Fire TV devices, you can install a VPN by downloading it from the Amazon App Store. Or you may have “downloaded” your VPN app. Either way, the only way to access a VPN on your Fire TV is via the original app – and that’s exactly how to disable it. Here are the steps:
- Using the remote, go to the VPN that you have installed on your Firestick.
- Next, select your VPN by clicking on its icon (thumbnail).
- Wait until you see the main screen of the VPN app.
- Find a kill switch or button that will allow you to disable your VPN.
- It should say your VPN gives you a notification that you turned it off.
Chromebook
Google’s Chrome OS gives you multiple ways to install a VPN – via an Android app, Chrome extension, or you can set it up manually. As a result, to turn off the VPN, you need to rely on the method you used when installing it. Here is more information.
- If you have a native VPN app: Visit the VPN app you have installed (regardless of whether you installed it from the Play Store or if you sideloaded it). You can access your apps using the app drawer at the bottom of the screen. Next, find a toggle that allows you to turn off your VPN.
- If you have a Chrome VPN extension: In this case, you need to visit your VPN extension inside Chrome, whose icon should be visible in the top-right corner. Once your VPN extension is on, find the switch/button to disable your VPN service.
- If you configure the VPN manually: The VPNs you configure will continue to “exist” under your Chromebook’s settings. More precisely, you will need to click on the bottom right corner of the Chrome OS home screen, and then choose “Network”. This is where you should see a list of VPNs, with a switch to disable individual connections.
routers
In general, disabling the VPN on your router requires access to the admin panel (using its own IP address). Next, you will need to find a section where VPNs can be modified, where you will usually find a switch or button that will allow you to disable your VPN connection.
Here is a series of quick instructions on how to disable VPN on the most popular router brands and different types of router firmware:
- DD-WRT: Select the “Services” tab, then choose “VPN” from the submenu. Then, next to “Start the OpenVPN Client”, select “Disable”. Save and apply your settings.
- ASUS RT / Merlin: Select “VPN” on the left (in the “Advanced Settings” group). Then select the “VPN Client” tab and use the “Deactivate” button.
- TP-Link: After logging in to your router’s administrator, select the “Network” tab using the main menu. Then choose “Internet”, and you will see the details of your VPN connection. At the bottom, there should be a button that will allow you to disconnect from your VPN.
- GL.iNet: Go to VPN > OpenVPN Client. Choose the Status tab to review the status of your VPN connections. Finally, click on the Disconnect button.
- Sabai: Go to Network > OpenVPN. Next, find the VPN connection you have installed and enabled on your router. Use the “Stop” button to disable it.
- tomatoes: Choose “VPN Tunnel” on the left side (Tomato main menu). Then choose the type of VPN connection you added (eg “OpenVPN Client” for example). On the right side of the screen, use the “Stop Now” button.
- Ntdoma: Once you are logged into your router’s administrator, choose “Hybrid VPN” on the left. Then look for a section called “VPN Setup”. You should now see a switch that you need to disable.
Smart TVs
In general, smart TVs do not allow you to install native VPNs – unless they are supported by Android TV. And in this case, you can only install the VPN from the Play Store. So here’s how to turn it off as well.
- Use the remote control to go to the VPN app you installed.
- Once you see its icon (or thumbnail), select to open it.
- This will bring up your VPN’s home screen.
- Find a button or switch that will allow you to disable your VPN connection.
So, these will be all the ways to disable VPN on any device. In case you have any questions, be sure to let us know by posting your comments below. Finally, thank you for reading!
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