Protocols, SmartConnect and kill switch
How SmartConnect, VPN protocols and VPN Kill Switch work, and which settings to choose.
Updated
Connection settings are in Preferences › Connection in the desktop app. Changes are saved automatically. Disconnect before you change the protocol.
SmartConnect
SmartConnect chooses the best server and connection protocol for you. While it’s on, the location shows Automatic location and the protocol is managed by SmartConnect. Choosing a location or protocol yourself turns it off.
VPN protocols
- WireGuard: connects quickly, saves power and uses modern cryptography.
- IKEv2: a safe and stable protocol.
- Beast Protocol (Stealth UDP): an obfuscated tunnel designed to get through strict firewalls.
- OpenVPN (UDP / TCP): fast UDP with automatic TCP fallback for restrictive networks. It gives limited protection, so it’s unavailable while VPN Kill Switch is on.
Which protocols you can use depends on your device and app version; the app shows unavailable ones as turned off.
VPN Kill Switch
VPN Kill Switch blocks internet traffic if the VPN connection drops, so nothing leaves your device outside the VPN. It’s on by default, and we recommend keeping it on.
Start-up and notifications
In Preferences › General you can choose Start on Boot, Auto-Connect on Launch and Notify when protection drops, which alerts you when an expected VPN connection is interrupted.
