How to Add VPN in iOS for iPhone and iPad?

VPN or Virtual Private Network is used to secure your internet activities by routing your connections through a dedicated server. VPN is mainly used to access blocked sites like Facebook or YouTube and to avoid the data transmission through local internet service provider (ISP). Once you subscribed for any paid or free VPN service the next question is how to connect to your mobile device so that you can access unrestricted internet. This article explains step by step instruction on how to add VPN in iOS for iPhone and iPad.

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Configuring Your VPN Account

Manual Configuration Method

Step1 – Tap on “Settings” icon on your Home screen.

Step2 – Go to “General” section and tap on “VPN” option.

Step3 – Tap on “Add VPN Configuration…”

Step4 – Tap on the correct connection method (L2TP, PPTP or IPSec), enter your VPN server description, IP, account user id and password details you must have received from your VPN service provider.

Save your changes once you entered all the details.

Installing VPN Profile

Most of the service provider offers iOS app to access VPN. Download the app from App store, login with your account and you will be automatically prompted to install the VPN profile. This is a recommended method of using VPN since you can switch the servers within the app if one server is not available. Whereas the manual configuration has a fixed server and you will not be able to connect if that server is not available.

Touch the “Install” option to add VPN profile.

You will be warned before installing VPN profile since all your internet activities can be easily monitored by a third party VPN service provider.

View your installed profiles under “General > Profiles” settings:

Connecting Through VPN

Step5 – Once you successfully configured your VPN either manually or installed the profile then the VPN option will be automatically added as a network option in your iPad or iPhone settings. Slide the switch button to connect to your VPN.

Generally VPN profile installation will have two type of connections – connect on demand and always on. By choosing the profile connect on demand you need to connect to VPN every time you connect your iPad or iPhone to Wi-Fi network. Choosing always on will automatically connect to VPN when Wi-Fi is connected.

Checking VPN Connection

Once VPN is connected you will see a icon on top left corner as shown in the below picture.

Note: The VPN slider will be showing in Green color when connected. The duration of connection and the server details can be seen by tapping the information icon of the connected VPN profile.