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To set up a VPN kill switch, enable the control in your VPN app—or, on supported Android devices, turn on Always-on VPN and Block connections without VPN. To check DNS leak protection, connect to the VPN and run a DNS leak test; the results should not show your real internet provider’s resolver. Exact menus and protections depend on your VPN, app version, and operating system, so use the instructions for your specific setup.
What a VPN kill switch does—and which mode to choose
A kill switch blocks internet traffic if the VPN connection drops, helping prevent traffic from leaving over your ordinary connection. Some versions act only after an unexpected drop. Stricter or always-on modes can also block traffic when you disconnect deliberately, or while the VPN is reconnecting. The stricter option offers more protection from accidental exposure but can leave you offline until the VPN reconnects or you turn the protection off. Surfshark describes its kill switch as shutting down the internet connection if the VPN drops; Proton VPN documents different modes and their behavior.
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Before changing settings, note your VPN provider and app, operating system and version, and whether you want blocking only after an accidental drop or any time the VPN is disconnected. A system-wide kill switch can affect all network traffic, while an app-specific one may close only selected programs. For example, NordVPN distinguishes an internet-wide kill switch from an app kill switch; the terms and behavior are not universal.
Turn on the kill switch in your VPN app
Start with your provider’s current support instructions, because one provider’s menu path is not a reliable guide to another app. For Surfshark, its support article updated September 11, 2026, gives this path across its Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Linux apps:
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- Open the Surfshark app and select Settings.
- Open VPN settings.
- Turn on Kill Switch.
That path is specific to Surfshark’s documented apps; labels and available options can change with app versions. See Surfshark’s current kill-switch instructions, or check your own VPN provider’s support page.
Use Android’s system-level blocking if you need it
Android can provide an OS-level safeguard in addition to—or instead of—a VPN app’s own control. On supported versions, connect to the VPN, open Android’s VPN settings, select the VPN, and enable Always-on VPN. If you want traffic blocked whenever the VPN is not connected, also enable Block connections without VPN. The exact location and wording vary by Android version and device maker; follow the phone maker’s or VPN provider’s instructions. Amnezia’s guide and Proton VPN’s guide describe these system controls.
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These options can make the phone appear to have no internet when the VPN is disconnected or unavailable—that is the intended fail-closed behavior. Proton says its own kill-switch feature is unavailable on Android 7.x and earlier, so check your provider’s compatibility notes if you use an older device. Amnezia also says its iOS app has no separate built-in kill-switch control and relies on Android system controls for blocking; that is a provider-specific limitation, not a general description of every VPN app.
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DNS translates domain names, such as a website address, into network destinations. A DNS leak can occur when DNS requests use a resolver outside the VPN’s intended path. Manually configured DNS servers, Android’s Private DNS, or a browser’s DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) setting can affect where queries go. They may be intentional choices, so do not change them automatically or replace them with a different DNS provider without checking your VPN provider’s guidance.
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Proton VPN warns that third-party DNS settings and browser DoH can interfere with its DNS protection. Its guidance covers system DNS, Android Private DNS, and browser DoH: DNS leaks when using a VPN. If you use a custom resolver for a specific reason, check whether your VPN supports that configuration and how it affects DNS requests.
Test for DNS leaks while connected
- Connect to the VPN and wait for the app to show a stable connection.
- Open a reputable DNS leak test site and run its test. If possible, choose a VPN server in a different country from your usual connection; Proton recommends this to make a mismatch easier to spot.
- Review the resolver results. They should be consistent with the VPN connection rather than exposing your real ISP’s DNS resolver.
- If results are unclear, compare the displayed resolver with your ISP and VPN provider’s information. A resolver may be operated by an infrastructure partner, so seeing a company name different from the VPN brand does not by itself prove a leak.
Proton describes its own apps as using firewall rules and other platform-specific techniques to keep traffic, including DNS queries, within the VPN interface. That describes Proton’s apps, not every VPN: Proton’s DNS leak guidance.
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Understand platform-specific limits and trade-offs
- Windows: Proton documents standard and advanced kill-switch modes and an explicit Apply step. Follow the instructions for your installed client and version; do not assume another provider uses the same modes or confirmation step. Proton’s platform instructions.
- macOS and iOS/iPadOS: Protections and guarantees differ by provider. Proton documents possible Apple-service DNS queries outside its VPN and says its kill switch can limit local-network access. These are Proton-specific caveats. Proton’s kill-switch guidance.
- Split tunneling: Some providers document incompatibilities between split tunneling and their kill switch on most platforms. Check the provider’s notes before combining them; do not assume that selected apps will keep working under every blocking mode. Proton’s feature guidance.
- Linux: GUI settings and command-line controls depend on the installed VPN client. Proton documents both GUI configuration and a CLI command; NordVPN documents
nordvpn set killswitch on. Use a command only if it applies to your provider’s installed client and version. Proton VPN; NordVPN. - Defaults: Do not assume a kill switch is off just because you have not enabled one. Mozilla says its kill switch is on by default across Windows, Android, iOS, macOS, and Linux, with no app setting to turn it off. This applies to Mozilla VPN as described in its support article, last updated July 15, 2025. Mozilla VPN kill switch.
Stricter blocking can interrupt internet access during a VPN outage and may affect local-network access, split tunneling, or platform services. If connectivity breaks after enabling a mode, check whether the VPN is connected, whether the mode blocks deliberate disconnects, and whether the provider documents a conflict with the DNS or network settings you use. Change one setting at a time so you can identify what restores access without silently routing traffic outside the VPN.
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