Split Tunneling With Proton VPN

Split tunneling is a feature that allows you to route some of your internet traffic through a VPN while letting the rest use your normal internet connection. This is useful if you want certain apps or websites to bypass the VPN for speed or access reasons while still protecting other traffic. Proton VPN supports split tunneling, and implementing it is straightforward, depending on the device and platform you’re using.

Here’s how to implement split tunneling with Proton VPN on various platforms:

1. Implementing Split Tunneling on Windows

Steps:

1. Download and Install Proton VPN from the official website if you haven’t already.
   • Visit Proton VPN’s website to download the client for Windows.
2. Launch Proton VPN and log in with your account credentials.
3. Go to Settings:
   • Click on the Settings icon in the top-right corner of the Proton VPN application.
4. Navigate to the “Split Tunneling” Tab:
   • In the settings window, find and select the “Split Tunneling” option from the left-hand menu.
5. Enable Split Tunneling:
   • Toggle the switch to enable split tunneling.
6. Configure Split Tunneling:
   • You’ll have the option to either:
     • Exclude specific apps from the VPN connection (those apps will use your regular internet connection).
     • Include specific apps (where only certain apps will use the VPN, and everything else will bypass it).
   • Choose the option that fits your needs.
7. Add Applications:
   • Click “Add application” and browse your system for the apps you want to either include or exclude from the VPN tunnel.
   • For example, you could exclude streaming apps like Netflix from the VPN to avoid geo-restrictions while keeping all your other traffic secure.
8. Save Settings:
   • After selecting the apps, click “Save” to apply the changes.
9. Connect to Proton VPN:
   • Select a VPN server and connect. Your split tunneling settings will now be active, routing only the chosen traffic through the VPN.

2. Implementing Split Tunneling on Android

Steps:

1. Install Proton VPN from the Google Play Store.
   • If you haven’t already, download and install the Proton VPN app from the Google Play Store.
2. Open Proton VPN and log in to your account.
3. Go to Settings:
   • Tap the Menu (three lines) icon in the top-left corner and select Settings from the menu.
4. Find and Enable Split Tunneling:
   • Scroll down to the “Split Tunneling” option and toggle the switch to enable it.
5. Configure Split Tunneling:
   • You’ll have the option to:
     • Exclude specific apps from the VPN tunnel, which means these apps will use your regular internet connection.
     • Include specific apps to route only certain apps through the VPN.
   • Select the option that fits your use case.
6. Add Apps:
   • Once split tunneling is enabled, select “Add applications” and choose the apps that you want to exclude or include.
   • For example, you could exclude an app like Google Maps to get accurate location results without using the VPN.
7. Save and Connect:
   • After configuring the apps, connect to a VPN server as usual. The split tunneling rules will be applied, and only the selected apps will follow the specified routing.

3. Implementing Split Tunneling on macOS (Apple Mac Computers)

Currently, Proton VPN for macOS does not support native split tunneling. However, users can achieve similar functionality by manually configuring split tunneling via advanced settings, using a third-party tool, or through command-line options in some cases. Keep an eye on updates as Proton VPN is continually improving their services, and split tunneling for macOS may be included in future versions.

For now, you can use workarounds such as manual routing through Terminal or using specific proxies to bypass the VPN for certain applications, though this requires technical expertise.

4. Implementing Split Tunneling on Linux

Steps:

1. Install Proton VPN using the official Linux CLI app.
   • Follow Proton VPN’s installation guide for Linux if you haven’t installed it yet.
2. Launch the CLI Interface:
   • Open a terminal window and run the Proton VPN client by typing protonvpn-cli.
3. Enable Split Tunneling:
   • The split tunneling feature in Linux works by defining specific IP addresses or domains you want to bypass or route through the VPN.
   • Use the command: protonvpn-cli configure to configure the split tunneling.
4. Specify Routes:
   • You can exclude specific IPs or ranges from the VPN connection using command-line options or include only specific traffic.
5. Activate Split Tunneling:
   • Once the routes are defined, connect to Proton VPN. Only the specified routes will go through the VPN, with the rest of the traffic using your regular network connection.

5. Proton VPN Split Tunneling for iOS (iPhones and iPads)

As of now, split tunneling is not available on iOS devices (iPhone or iPad). This is primarily due to limitations in the iOS operating system, which restricts the VPN configuration options that apps like Proton VPN can access. Proton VPN users on iOS must route all traffic through the VPN or none at all.

Conclusion

Implementing split tunneling with Proton VPN is a powerful way to optimize your internet experience by routing only essential traffic through the VPN while letting non-sensitive traffic bypass it. This helps to maintain privacy where necessary and ensures high-speed access for apps or services that don’t require VPN protection. However, note that the feature is currently only available on certain platforms like Windows, Linux, and Android.

For macOS and iOS users, split tunneling may be available in future updates or via workarounds, but for now, they must rely on routing all or none of their traffic through the VPN.

iOS Workaround For Split Tunnelling – Disconnect VPN

iOS users can temporarily turn off Proton VPN when they want to use an application that is not compatible with the VPN. This is a simple and effective workaround for the lack of split tunneling support on iOS devices.

Here’s how iOS users can do it:

Steps to Turn Off Proton VPN on iOS:

1. Open the Proton VPN app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap the “Disconnect” button to turn off the VPN connection.
3. Use the app or service that is not compatible with the VPN (such as streaming apps or online banking services).
4. When you’re done, simply open the Proton VPN app again and tap “Connect” to re-enable the VPN.

Considerations:

• Turning off the VPN means all internet traffic during this time will not be encrypted or routed through the VPN, so your IP address will be visible to websites and apps.
• This manual method requires you to remember to turn the VPN back on after using the app that requires direct access.

While it’s not as convenient as split tunneling, this method allows iOS users to bypass Proton VPN temporarily when needed for specific apps.