How to Safely Disconnect from a VPN (and Why You Should Be Careful)

As a cyber security expert with over a decade specializing in protecting privacy and securing data, I always advise people to use a virtual private network (VPN) as much as possible. VPNs provide an essential layer of encryption to shield your online activity from snooping and greatly reduce your risk of falling victim to hacks and data theft.

But no matter how security-conscious you are, there may be rare times when you need to temporarily turn off your VPN. In this guide, I‘ll walk through exactly how to disable a VPN on various devices—and more importantly, explain the right way to do it to minimize your exposure to threats.

What Are the Risks of Disabling a VPN?

Before we discuss how to turn off a VPN, let‘s make sure you understand the risks. Connecting to the internet without a VPN, even briefly, can open you up to several types of vulnerabilities:

1. Your data is exposed to your internet service provider (ISP) and any servers or networks it passes through. Sensitive details could be intercepted by man-in-the-middle attacks.

2. Websites you interact with can see your real IP address and track your approximate location, compromising anonymity.

3. Hackers can exploit security flaws in unencrypted connections to steal passwords, financial info, and other valuable data.

4. Network administrators can monitor your traffic on public Wi-Fi hotspots, school or office networks and even your home internet.

5. Government agencies and law enforcement can request logs of your online activity from your ISP.

Clearly, you don‘t want to spend any significant time online without VPN protection if you value privacy and security. But just how common is disabling VPNs?

According to a 2021 survey by Security.org, a surprising 46% of VPN users admit to turning off their VPN at least sometimes—most often to access websites, content, or services that block VPNs. Speeds and performance are also commonly cited as reasons for disabling VPNs.

However, as VPN technology improves, disconnecting should be less and less necessary. Premium VPNs are getting better at unblocking content without sacrificing performance. Many now include advanced features designed to let you bypass most reasons for turning off a VPN:

So before you go turning off that VPN, check if yours offers these helpful features. The top providers have invested heavily in making their apps and network infrastructure as reliable and user-friendly as possible.

Step-by-Step Guide to Turning Off a VPN Safely

Still, the security professionals I‘ve talked to estimate that the average VPN user disables their VPN at least 1-2 times per month. Those in the know seem to agree occasional disconnects are normal and not necessarily cause for major concern—if you‘re careful about it.

To minimize risks when you do need to briefly turn off your VPN, keep these tips in mind:

• Only disconnect your VPN when absolutely necessary, for the minimum time required
• Avoid disabling on public Wi-Fi networks or any network you don‘t fully trust
• Ensure you‘re not logged into any sensitive accounts or entering private info while the VPN is off
• Double check that you‘ve re-enabled the VPN and it‘s working before resuming normal internet usage

With that, let‘s walk through the steps to turn off a VPN on the most common device types and operating systems.

Windows 10 & 11

1. Locate the icon for your VPN program in the taskbar (usually near the clock) or on the desktop
2. Right-click the icon and choose Disconnect to turn off the VPN connection
3. Open your VPN app to confirm the VPN is off and check the status
4. Alternatively, you can manage the VPN from Windows Network Settings:
   • Open the Settings app and navigate to Network & Internet > VPN
   • Click on your VPN and click Disconnect
5. To reconnect the VPN, just click the icon again or toggle it back on in the app or Windows settings

macOS

1. Check the menu bar at the top of the screen for an icon indicating an active VPN connection
2. Click that VPN icon and choose Turn Off (or Disconnect) from the menu
3. Open the app to verify the VPN is disabled
4. If the icon doesn‘t appear in the menu bar:
   • Open System Preferences and click Network
   • Select your VPN in the left sidebar and click Disconnect
5. To re-enable the VPN, click the icon or app again

iOS (iPhone & iPad)

1. Find your VPN app and tap the toggle, Disconnect, or Turn Off button to disable it
2. If you set up the VPN using iOS settings instead of an app:
   • Open the Settings app and go to General > VPN & Device Management
   • Tap the switch next to your VPN configuration to turn off the connection
3. Note that disconnecting the VPN at the iOS level will override any active connections in VPN apps
4. To reconnect, simply toggle the VPN back on using the app or iOS settings

Android

1. Tap your VPN app and look for a Disconnect or Turn Off option, usually on the main screen or under the server/IP address
2. You can also control VPNs from the Android system settings:
   • Go to Settings > Connections > More Connection Settings > VPN
   • Tap the gear icon next to your VPN
   • Toggle off the VPN connection or tap Disconnect
3. Re-enable the VPN by opening the app again or using the Android VPN settings

Choosing a VPN That Minimizes Disruptions

As you can see, disabling a VPN is quick and easy on all major platforms. But in my professional opinion as a cyber security researcher, the best solution is to pick a VPN service that‘s so reliable and user-friendly, you‘ll rarely even think about turning it off.

To help narrow down your options, here‘s a comparison of top VPNs I often see recommended by my colleagues and other security experts:

These VPNs excel in the areas that matter most: security, performance, ease of use, and overall value. With rock-solid connections, intuitive interfaces, and helpful fail-safes, you can connect once and forget about it.

Take NordVPN, for example. In addition to tough 256-bit encryption, it runs on diskless RAM servers so no data can ever be physically stored. You get a built-in kill switch, split tunneling, and double VPN servers for extra sensitive tasks. It unblocks content without issues and maintains some of the best speeds I‘ve tested for a VPN. Helpful features like auto-connect and zero logging mean stress-free, "set it and forget it" privacy protection.

That‘s not to say other quality VPNs like Surfshark and ExpressVPN aren‘t great choices. But the more I‘ve compared the options through real-world experience, the more I believe investing in the right VPN is the single best way to minimize connection interruptions and the need to turn off protection.

Key Takeaways

Here are my main recommendations for disabling a VPN, backed by over a decade in cyber security:

1. Turning off your VPN, even briefly, creates vulnerabilities. Avoid it when possible, especially on public Wi-Fi.
2. When you must disconnect, do so selectively using split tunneling or for the minimum time necessary.
3. Always double-check the VPN is back on and leak protections are active before proceeding.
4. Choose a reputable paid VPN that‘s reliable enough to "set and forget." Avoid free VPNs.
5. Take advantage of advanced security features like a kill switch, multihop servers, custom DNS, and obfuscation for extra sensitive online activity.

The bottom line is that in today‘s digital world, having a VPN is non-negotiable if you‘re serious about privacy and security.

But you get the most benefit when you leave it on consistently. So if connection issues or other annoyances have you reaching for that off button more than you‘d like, it may be time to upgrade your VPN. Invest in a premium service and you can connect with confidence.