If you’re having problems using certain websites or apps on your mobile device, the first thing to check is whether your VPN is still connected. You can do this by going to your iPhone, iPad, or Mac’s Settings, then tapping General, and then VPN. If the VPN says Connected, your VPN is on and working properly. If the VPN says Disconnected or Unprotected, your VPN is off and you should try to reconnect it. If your VPN uses a proprietary protocol, such as Private Internet Access (PIA), you may be able to change the default port that it uses for connections by opening the PIA app and choosing Protocols.

Spotting VPN Usage: How to Detect VPN Connection on Mobile

You can also see if your VPN is running by looking at your network connection details in the System Settings app on your device. This is especially true if you use a VPN with a proprietary protocol like PPTP, which is very easy for networks to detect. How to detect VPN connections on mobile also change your virtual location when you use them, which can also be detected by web browsers. For example, if you visit YouTube while connected to a VPN, you might notice that your suggestions for videos include lots of cute puppies.

The good news is that you can prevent your device from being recognized as a VPN or proxy by some websites and services by changing the location you use to browse from in the web browser’s settings or turning off DNS over SSL. But this can sometimes cause issues with iCloud or other services that require a stable and secure connection, such as AirPlay and Continuity features on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.

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