How to turn off a VPN on any device

When to turn off a VPN

While many experts recommend using a VPN at all times, you might want to disable it for a short while under a few scenarios. Situations in which you may want to turn your VPN off include:

• Troubleshooting network issues, such as "No internet, secured."
• Connecting to a service available in your country.
• Testing the speed of your internet connection.
• Setting up an internet connection for the first time.
• Using services that block VPN traffic.
• Traveling to countries where VPN usage is prohibited, such as China, Russia, Belarus, Iraq, and North Korea.

When you disconnect a virtual private network, there’s always a chance you will forget to turn it back on, making yourself more likely to fall victim to cyberattacks. Luckily, NordVPN has a special feature that allows you to pause your VPN connection on Windows and Android devices for up to one hour. After that, the VPN connection will automatically be restored.

You can also use split tunneling if you only need to exclude specific apps or sites. This option routes some traffic through the VPN for privacy and the rest outside it, so you stay protected while still accessing local or VPN-restricted services.

How to turn off a VPN through the application

If you use a dedicated VPN app (like NordVPN), turning it off is straightforward:

1. 1.Open the VPN app.
2. 2.Find the "Disconnect" or "Stop" button on the main screen.
   
3. 3.Confirm if prompted.

That’s it — your VPN is now off. You can reconnect at any time by hitting "Connect" or enabling "Auto-connect" in the settings to make sure you’re always protected once you’re back online.

Now that we’ve covered how to disable NordVPN using the app, we’ll focus on how to turn off a VPN using your system’s built-in VPN client.

How to turn off a VPN on an iPhone and iPad

It’s easy to turn off a VPN on an iPhone or iPad — it only requires a few taps. Here’s how to disable a VPN on your iPhone:

1. 1.Go to "Settings."
   
2. 2.Toggle the "VPN status" switch next to your VPN connection to "Not connected."
   

If you’ve connected recently, you may also see a VPN icon at the top of your screen. Swipe down to open the Control Center and tap the VPN toggle to disconnect quickly.

How to turn off a VPN on Android devices

The steps to turn off a VPN on Android are typically the same across devices, since they follow Android’s core settings. However, each phone brand (like Samsung, Xiaomi, or Pixel) may use slightly different menu names or layouts.

General method for all Android devices

If you need to turn off a VPN on your Android phone:

1. 1.Open the “Settings” menu and select "Network & internet" > "VPN."
2. 2.Tap the gear icon or three dots next to your active VPN connection.
3. 3.Tap "Disconnect" or toggle to "Off."

If you have "Always-on VPN" or "Block connections without VPN" enabled, you’ll need to disable those first. Otherwise, the VPN may reconnect automatically.

For Samsung devices specifically

Samsung phones use their own settings layout, so the path is a bit different:

1. 1.Go to "Settings."
   
2. 2.Choose "Connections" and click "More connection settings"
   
3. 3.Tap "VPN."
   
4. 4.Tap your VPN’s name and select "Disconnect."

Note: On other Android brands like OnePlus, Xiaomi, or Huawei, the names may vary slightly, but you’ll always find VPN controls in your network settings.

How to turn off a VPN on Google Chrome and other browsers

Browser-based VPN or proxy extensions only affect your web traffic within that browser, so turning them off won’t disable the encryption system wide.

Turn off a VPN on Google Chrome

If you’re using a VPN extension on Chrome, you can disable it right from the browser toolbar:

1. 1.Open Chrome.
2. 2.Click the "Extensions" icon (puzzle piece) or select your VPN extension.
   
3. 3.Toggle the switch off or click "Disconnect."
   

If you’re using Chrome’s built-in VPN (available on ChromeOS or some mobile versions), go to "Settings" > "Privacy and security" > "Security" > "Use secure connections," and disable it there.

Turn off a VPN on Microsoft Edge

Edge includes its own VPN feature called Secure Network, which you can turn off in just a few clicks:

1. 1.Click the VPN icon in the address bar.
2. 2.Select "Disconnect."
3. 3.To disable it fully, go to "Settings" > "Privacy, search, and services" > "Secure network" and toggle the switch off. 
   

Turn off a VPN on Firefox

If your VPN runs as a Firefox add-on, you can disable it through the browser’s extension settings:

1. 1.Open the browser menu and select "Add-ons and themes."
2. 2.Find your VPN extension.
   
3. 3.Click "Disable."  
   

How to turn off a VPN on your TV

Smart TVs usually use either built-in VPN apps or router-level connections. 

If your smart TV has a VPN app installed, follow these general guidelines:

1. 1.Go to your smart TV settings.
2. 2.Select "Apps" or "Network" settings.
3. 3.Find your VPN app and open its settings.
4. 4.Select "Disconnect" or toggle the switch off.

If your VPN runs on your router, you’ll need to turn it off from there instead. Once disabled, every device connected to that network, including your TV, will disconnect automatically.

How to disable a VPN on your router

You can disconnect a VPN on your router via the router’s admin settings. However, the exact steps may vary depending on your router’s model. These are the general steps:

1. 1.Access the router’s admin page. Find the sticker on your router with its IP address and enter it into your browser, such as 192.168.0.1.
2. 2.Log in. Again, login credentials should be on your router. If they aren’t there, try "admin" or "administrator" as the username and "password" as the password.
3. 3.Find the VPN settings. In the admin panel, find a tab called "VPN settings."
4. 4.Disable the VPN. Toggle the switch to turn off the VPN and reboot the router.

How to turn off a VPN on desktop computers

Turning off a VPN on your computer depends on your operating system, but the process is quick on all major platforms. Follow the steps below to do so on Windows, macOS, and Linux. 

How to turn off a VPN on Windows

You can disable a VPN in just a few clicks through your system settings:

1. 1.Go to "Settings."
   
2. 2. Select "Network & internet" and "VPN."
   
   
3. 3.Select your VPN connection and click "Disconnect."

How to turn off a VPN on a Mac

macOS makes it easy to manage VPN connections from the network settings:

1. 1.Open the Apple menu and go to "System settings" > "Network."
   
2. 2.Select your VPN connection.
3. 3.Click "Disconnect."

How to turn off a VPN on Linux

The steps vary depending on your Linux distribution, but these are the most common methods:

• Ubuntu/GNOME. Open "Settings" > "Network" > "VPN," then toggle the connection off.
• Command line. Use nmcli connection down vpn-name to disconnect.

If you’ve set up OpenVPN manually, you can also stop it with:

sudo systemctl stop openvpn@client

If you’ve configured your VPN through NetworkManager, you can also right-click the network icon in your taskbar and disconnect from there. 

What happens if I turn off a VPN?

Turning off your VPN software removes the encrypted layer that keeps your activity private. That means:

• Your real IP address becomes visible to websites and services.
• Your internet service provider can see which sites you visit and when.
• Web trackers and advertisers can identify your location and behavior.
• You may lose access to content that’s only available in certain regions.
• On public Wi-Fi, your traffic is no longer encrypted, making you vulnerable to snooping.

That’s why it’s wise to leave your VPN active, especially when you’re outside your home network.

Why you should keep your VPN on

There’s little downside to keeping your VPN enabled, but it has plenty of benefits:

• Reliable encryption. A VPN encrypts your data traffic and keeps it private from ISPs, hackers, and surveillance.
• Secure public Wi-Fi use. It protects you on hotel, airport, and café networks.
• Access to global content. It keeps your location flexible for streaming and browsing. For example, a VPN can help you unblock YouTube.
• No bandwidth throttling. When you’re connected to a VPN server, ISPs can’t slow you down based on what you’re doing online.
• Blocking annoying ads. The internet is full of annoying ads and pop-ups that can lead you to downloading malware. NordVPN’s Threat Protection Pro blocks such ads, trackers, and malware-ridden files.
• Automatic protection. The VPN kill switch (if available) blocks traffic if the connection drops.
• Battery consumption. There’s a myth that a VPN might drain your battery more. The truth is, the difference between using a VPN and having it off is minimal, and, in some cases, a VPN helps conserve battery power.

If you ever need to disconnect your VPN briefly, use the "Pause VPN" feature available in most VPN apps instead of turning it off completely. It will automatically reconnect after a set time.