VPN by Google: Who Gets It, How to Turn It On, and Its Limits

VPN by Google is a free VPN built directly into the settings of Pixel 7 and newer phones and the Pixel Tablet, and it is also included for Google Fi Wireless customers. You turn it on in Settings > Network & internet > VPN > VPN by Google; there is no separate app to buy, and the old Google One VPN subscription no longer exists.

Below is what the service is today (as of October 2026), who can use it, how to enable it, and the limits worth knowing before you rely on it.

A quick history: why the name keeps changing

Google has run its consumer VPN under several labels, which is why searches for it can be confusing.

• Google Fi VPN came first, for Fi phone plan customers, and later reached iPhone.
• VPN by Google One was offered with Google One storage plans and had apps for Android, iOS, Windows and macOS. Google discontinued it starting June 20, 2024.
• Built-in VPN by Google on Pixel launched with the Pixel 8. A system update on June 3, 2024 extended it to the Pixel 7, 7 Pro, 7a and Pixel Fold, so those owners did not lose VPN access when Google One VPN ended.
• In May 2025 the Fi VPN was renamed VPN by Google. Google described it as a branding change, and TechRadar and others found the service itself largely unchanged. On Pixel phones, Fi VPN controls moved from the Fi app into the phone’s own Settings app.

The short version: if you have a Pixel 7 or later, or a Google Fi line, you probably already have it. If you have neither, there is no way to buy it on its own.

Who can use VPN by Google

According to Google’s Pixel help page, you also need:

• A personal Google Account or a Google Workspace account. Workspace administrators can block access.
• An eligible account. Some supervised accounts, such as a child’s account, are not eligible.
• A device in a normal, supported state. Rooted phones, unlocked bootloaders, Android beta builds and devices without current security updates are excluded.

Which countries?

This is where sources disagree. Google’s Pixel page points you to an availability list rather than naming countries in the main text. Older Google One and Fi help pages listed different sets of roughly 20-plus countries, mostly in North America, Europe and parts of Asia-Pacific, and TechRadar counted 25 countries at one point. Because the lists have changed and do not match each other, check the current list on the Pixel help page for your country rather than relying on any third-party count.

How to turn on VPN by Google on a Pixel

1. Make sure your Pixel is on the latest system update (Settings > System > Software updates).
2. Open the Settings app.
3. Tap Network & internet, then VPN, then VPN by Google.
4. Read the disclosures and requested permissions.
5. If you agree, tap Use VPN.

After that, the VPN reconnects automatically when you join a network. You can also add it to Quick Settings. In early 2026 Google updated the Quick Settings tile so it shows the VPN’s state (connected, paused, connecting or can’t connect), according to Android Authority. That change rolled out server-side, so it may appear on your phone at a different time.

On Google Fi

On a Pixel 7 or newer with Fi, the VPN lives in the phone’s Settings as above. On other Fi phones, Google’s Fi help page is the place to check the current steps, since reports from 2025 showed some non-Pixel phones still using the older Fi VPN screens. On iPhone, the Fi VPN has historically been toggled in the Google Fi app or under Settings > General > VPN.

What it actually does

VPN by Google encrypts your phone’s traffic and routes it through Google’s servers, so websites see a Google IP address instead of yours. That is useful mainly for:

• Public Wi-Fi. Your traffic is encrypted between your phone and Google, so other people on the café or hotel network can’t easily snoop on it.
• Hiding your IP from sites. Google’s Fi help page says the VPN stops websites using your IP address to track your location.

On the privacy side, Google says it does not tie your Google Account to your VPN connection and that it won’t use the VPN to track, log or sell your browsing. NCC Group audited the earlier Google One version in 2021 and again in late 2022, reviewing the design, VPN library code and apps. Reported issues were mostly fixed, and the auditors described a robust security posture. Keep the scope in mind, though. An audit of code and architecture shows the system can separate your identity from your traffic. It doesn’t prove what happens in Google’s data centers. Those audits also covered the Google One service, not specifically the current Pixel build.

What it doesn’t do

This is where VPN by Google differs most from paid, standalone VPNs:

• No server or country choice. It connects you automatically, and there is no location list. You cannot appear to be in another country.
• Not for streaming catalogs. Since you can’t change regions, it won’t unlock other countries’ streaming libraries, and reviewers don’t expect Google to add that.
• No kill switch. Google’s own transition notes said the built-in version lacks the option to block internet access when the VPN drops. The broader-region IP option from the Google One app was dropped too.
• Hotspot traffic isn’t covered. Tethering over USB or Wi-Fi hotspot is not protected. A laptop on your hotspot needs its own VPN.
• Some apps get excluded. The Pixel page says the VPN checks for apps tied to your mobile carrier and may suggest excluding them so they keep working.
• Phone only. There are no longer Windows or macOS apps, and you can’t put it on a router or share it with other devices.

Should you use it?

If you own an eligible Pixel or have Fi, turning it on costs nothing and is a sensible default for public Wi-Fi. It is low effort, it reconnects on its own, and the underlying design has been independently reviewed.

It is the wrong tool if you need any of the following:

• a specific server location, for travel or for streaming
• a kill switch for stricter leak protection
• coverage for your laptop, tablet or router
• a provider that isn’t Google

A dedicated VPN covers those, so look for one with a published, recent independent audit and clear logging terms. It also makes sense to think about trust. With VPN by Google, you are handing your traffic to the same company that runs your search, email and phone OS. Google’s stated separation of account and VPN traffic is a real design feature. Whether you’re comfortable with it is your call.

Google changes this feature through server-side updates and system releases, so check the Pixel help page for the latest device, country and feature details.