To get Norton VPN on your smartphone, be it Android or iPhone, is now a relatively easy process.
While VPN installation once required some technical skills, Norton VPN makes the process as straightforward as possible.
Why do I need a VPN on my smartphone?
There are many key reasons to have a VPN on your smartphone. Five of the most important are:
- Public wi-fi protection: From airport to café to hotel wi-fi, these open networks leave you open to snooping. Using a VPN prevents that, ensuring your privacy.
- Location flexibility: Appear to be somewhere you're not – ideal to unblock geo-restricted content which can be helpful when traveling internationally.
- Avoid tracking: Your network carrier can see a lot of what you're doing online, but with a VPN installed, that view is hidden so your IP address is private and connection encrypted securely.
- Avoid censorship and blocks: Some networks or countries impose blocks, restrictions and censorship, which a VPN can help you circumvent for a freer internet experience.
- Smartphone streaming: Want to watch content on your phone in another country? You can with a VPN. Meaning you don't need to miss your favorite shows or live sport when on vacation or on overseas business.
It's also worth thinking about Norton VPN on your smartphone if you find yourself switching between networks and wi-fi connections often. This point of jumping can leave you open to potential threats and is an area where a VPN can help keep your identity secure without exposing your IP address.
Choosing your Norton VPN plan
Norton VPN comes in several variants to suit different levels of need, each offering features that may or may not be useful to you. As such, you can decide which price point suits your VPN needs.
These break down into three tiers: Standard, Plus and Ultimate.
Norton VPN Standard
The most basic option for secure web browsing on a few devices. This does include ad and tracker blocking but device cover is limited and varies depending on location.
Norton VPN Plus
All the above, plus Norton security tools offering malware protection, dark web monitoring, password management and 10GB of secure cloud storage.
Norton VPN Ultimate
The top pick for privacy and premium extras like privacy monitoring, parental controls for families, use on up to 10 devices, plus 50GB of secure cloud storage.
Essentially your tier choice will depend on which extra tools you want bundled in with your Norton VPN.
Standard may suit for pure VPN uses across a few devices, but for a more comprehensive online protection, Plus bundles in some useful tools. Or, for complete peace of mind, it's the Ultimate option which offers the widest selection of tools and protections for your identity.
How to get Norton VPN on your iPhone or Android mobile
Whether you're installing Norton VPN on an iOS or Android device, your journey to get going will start in their respective app stores.
Find the app called Norton Secure VPN and install that on your device.
You will then need to set up your account to log in on that app. Fortunately you are able to then follow the prompts to set up your account.
Once you're signed in, it's time to get set up. Firstly, tap 'Turn on VPN' for iPhone and 'Connect' or use the toggle in Android.
In the case of iPhone you will then need to grant permission when prompted, likely entering your password or authenticating with Face ID or Touch ID. You will then be able to use that 'Connect' button to start encrypting traffic. The app should then establish a secure connection by automatically connecting to the best server option with the ideal protocol. This is when you will see a VPN icon in your iOS status bar to show that you are connected securely.
At this point you are up and running but can make adjustments to settings as needed. In both Android and iOS you can go to the 'Settings' section where you are able to make adjustments like picking if you want to auto connect on untrusted wi-fi, picking different server locations, deciding which protocol you'd prefer to use and – in the case of Android – if you'd like to use features like the kill switch.
These settings can be changed each time you connect, as needed, and may result in the connection dropping and re-connecting, depending on what you are changing at that time. That's something to keep in mind in relation to the security of the network you're connecting to.
