The feature has been available for some time to Google One users on the Premium tier ($100 a year), so if you’re renting cloud storage from the big G, you can also use this feature, no matter what device you have. Setting it up the first time is not as intuitive as you’d hope, but once you’ve enabled it, it’ll be way easier to turn on and off whenever you need an extra layer of security. On a new Pixel, once Google One is installed, the device will prompt you to sign in using the main account on your phone. On the next screen, the app will show you a pop-up message saying you have access to a VPN and inviting you to set it up. Tap Manage to do just that. If you’re not on a Pixel 7, log into the app using the account linked to your Google One subscription. On the Home tab, scroll down and tap Manage on the VPN tile. On the next screen, tap the toggle switch next to Use VPN to turn it on. Accept the connection request that follows, and your connection will automatically become private. You’ll know the VPN is active because you’ll see a tiny key icon to the left of the clock in the upper right corner of your screen. Remember that the Quick Settings menu only has 16 slots. When you open the notifications drawer (pull down from the top of your screen with one finger) you’ll only see the first four; if you fully open the menu, you’ll only see the first eight; and you’ll have to slide that group to the left to see the remaining eight. If you will be using your VPN on and off throughout the day, we recommend you drop its corresponding tile into one of the first four slots, to save yourself some slide gestures and ensure you always have easy access to it. This virtual globe-hopping feature has helped users access content that’s not readily available in their region, like titles in Netflix’s French catalog that you can’t get in the US. To prevent this workaround, some apps just block VPNs altogether—you can open them, but they won’t load until you turn your VPN off. If you have one of these restrictive apps on your phone, it won’t make any exceptions for Google’s VPN, but you’ll be able to give these apps the ability to bypass the private connection so you can keep using them while the VPN is on. To do this, open the Google One app and tap on the VPN tile. Under Using apps when the VPN is on, tap Update settings, then hit the plus sign next to each app you want to ignore the VPN. Once you’re done, Google One will prompt you to restart your connection and you’ll be good to go. VPNs can be extremely helpful whenever you have to access sensitive information while using a public network. So, if you need to check your bank balance and the only way to connect to the internet is through a store’s WiFi, you’ll definitely want to protect yourself from potential attacks by using a VPN. Setting it up now will let you have it handy whenever you need it.
