VPN on Quest 3: Native Apps, Setup Steps and Workarounds (2026)

Yes, you can use a VPN on a Meta Quest 3, and in 2026 the easiest way is a native VPN app from the Meta Horizon Store. ExpressVPN, NordVPN and AdGuard VPN all now have headset apps that protect the whole device; if your provider has no Quest app, a VPN on your router or a shared connection from your PC still works.

That is a big change from a year or two ago, when almost every guide told you to sideload an Android APK or fiddle with a laptop hotspot. Here is what is available as of October 2026, how to set it up, and what a VPN can and cannot do on a headset.

What changed: native VPN apps on Horizon OS

Until recently, Horizon OS had no VPN apps in the official store, so Quest owners relied on three workarounds: a router-level VPN, a hotspot from a VPN-connected computer, or sideloading. Comparitech’s setup guide still describes those methods, and they remain valid.

During 2026, several providers shipped native apps:

• ExpressVPN launched its Quest app (“ExpressVPN: VPN Fast & Secure”) in February, alongside a browser extension for the Quest browser, according to heise and TechRadar.
• NordVPN arrived on Meta Horizon in June, as TechRadar reported. Before that, heise noted that NordVPN and Surfshark could only be installed by sideloading.
• AdGuard VPN followed with a standalone Quest app in August, after releasing a browser-only extension for the headset in March, per TechRadar and AdGuard’s own announcement.

We could not confirm a native Horizon Store app for Surfshark as of this writing. Store listings change, so search the Store on your headset before you decide.

Native apps at a glance

Feature lists come from the providers and the press coverage cited above. We have not run our own speed tests on the headset versions yet, so treat this as an availability check, not a ranking.

How to install a VPN app on Quest 3

The steps are nearly identical for every Store app. This version follows ExpressVPN’s official setup guide; AdGuard’s instructions match it.

1. Put on the headset and press the Meta button on the right Touch controller to open the universal menu.
2. Open the Meta Horizon Store.
3. Search for your VPN by name and select the official listing from that provider.
4. Select Download. The app installs automatically and appears in your Library.
5. Open the app, accept the terms and sign in with your existing VPN account.
6. When Horizon OS asks you to approve the VPN connection, allow it. Without this approval the app cannot route traffic.
7. Pick a server location and connect.

Once connected, the native apps cover all app traffic on the headset, not just the browser. That is the key difference from the browser extensions, which only protect what you do inside the Quest browser.

Useful settings to check

• Split tunneling. In ExpressVPN, every app uses the VPN by default; you can change that under Profile > Settings > Split Tunnel. AdGuard calls the equivalent feature app exclusions. This is handy if a multiplayer game or a streaming app misbehaves through the VPN.
• Auto-connect. ExpressVPN can reconnect to your last location when the headset starts.
• Blocking features. ExpressVPN’s ad, tracker and malicious-site blocking is off by default, according to its support page, so turn it on if you want it.

If your VPN has no Quest app

You have three options, in the order we would try them.

1. Run the VPN on your router

A router-level VPN protects every device on your network, including the headset, and needs nothing installed on the Quest. The catch is that your router has to support VPN client mode. Comparitech points to routers running firmware such as DD-WRT or Tomato, and many VPN providers publish router guides. Everything in the house goes through the VPN unless your router lets you choose per device.

2. Share a VPN connection from your PC

Connect your Windows or Mac computer to the VPN, turn on the computer’s Wi-Fi hotspot, and join that hotspot from the Quest’s Wi-Fi settings. Comparitech calls this the simplest workaround, but it needs a Wi-Fi card that can host a hotspot, and the computer has to stay on while you play.

3. Sideload the Android app (last resort)

Horizon OS is Android-based, so some providers’ Android APKs run on the headset after sideloading. We do not recommend this for most people:

• It requires developer mode. Meta’s official developer setup page says you must belong to a developer team on the Meta Horizon Developer Dashboard, have a verified account and be 18 or older.
• Meta describes developer mode as meant for running, debugging and testing apps, and says other activities may lead to account limitations, suspension or termination.
• Sideloaded apps do not update through the Store, and phone apps are not designed for VR controls.

If you go this route anyway, only install the APK from your VPN provider’s own website. Never use third-party APK mirrors.

What a VPN does (and doesn’t do) on a headset

It does: encrypt traffic leaving the headset, hide your IP address from the networks and services you connect to, and protect you on hotel or public Wi-Fi. AdGuard and NordVPN both pitch exactly that: system-wide encryption without router configuration.

It doesn’t: stop Meta from collecting data. You are still logged in to your Meta account, and TechRadar’s NordVPN coverage makes the same point: a VPN limits what third parties learn about your connection, not what Meta knows.

Streaming and regions. Some VPN guides suggest using a VPN to reach other countries’ catalogs in streaming apps on the Quest. Streaming services’ terms generally prohibit getting around regional restrictions, and they actively block VPN servers, so do not count on it working. If you travel, a VPN mainly keeps your connection private on unfamiliar networks.

Performance. Any VPN adds a hop, which can add latency in online multiplayer. Choose a nearby server, or exclude the game with split tunneling. Comparitech also warns that free VPNs often limit speed, data and server choice, which you will notice in VR.

Our take

If you already pay for ExpressVPN, NordVPN or AdGuard VPN, install the Horizon Store app and you are done in five minutes. If your provider is not on the Store yet, a router-level VPN is the cleanest long-term setup, and a PC hotspot is fine for occasional use. Leave sideloading and developer mode for actual development work.

Native Quest support is new and moving quickly, so expect more providers and features over the coming months. We will update this guide as the Store listings change.