How to check if your VPN is working

The best VPNs are great tools for protecting your identity online and exploring web content from around the world. The catch is that the better a VPN is, the harder it is to know whether it's doing anything. A VPN runs in the background, encrypting all your web access while you browse like you normally would.

If it's not working, you may not notice unless something goes seriously wrong. It's rare if you use reputable services, but VPNs do leak, with several common web technologies posing a security threat if the provider hasn't properly addressed them. And a leaky VPN means your anonymity is at risk.

The good news is that there are a couple of simple tests you can run to check if your VPN is working. The best time to do this is during your subscription's refund period (usually 30 days from first purchase), so you can dump an underperforming VPN without cost and find another. If it has a full free trial, even better.

How to connect to a VPN

To cover all your bases, start any test by making sure your VPN is active. It's not enough to open the app — you have to connect to a server to reap the benefits. Since VPNs aren't always great at explaining this, I'll walk through the general steps.

First, open your VPN app. Most VPNs on phones open like any other app, but there's a little more variation on desktop; some services have their own windows, while some open in the bars at the top or bottom of the screen.

The first screen that appears when you open the app should have some clear way of turning the VPN on — usually either a power button or a button that says "connect." If you click or tap that without selecting a location, the app will probably select one for you, either the fastest location or one that's optimal in some other way.

If you want to get an IP address from a specific location, find the VPN's menu of server locations, which shouldn't be more than one click away from the main window. Use the search bar or scroll to check if there's a server in the country you want, then click on that location. If it doesn't connect right away, go back to the main screen and hit the connect button again.

How to check if your VPN is working

Now that you've double-checked that you're connected to the VPN, you're ready to start testing. The tests below can be run by anyone with basic skills and an internet connection. The leak and speed tests are completely free, while the streaming test only needs a subscription to a streaming service — ideally one like Netflix that functions in multiple countries.

The leak test

For this first and most important test, you'll need a website that shows your current IP address. I prefer ipleak.net , but you can also use whatismyipaddress.com or just Google "what is my IP address."

Start this test with your VPN disconnected. Access your IP address website and copy the address that appears. Next, activate your VPN, and check the IP address of the server you select. Once the connection is good to go, return to your IP tester website.

At this point, the visible IP address should have changed. It might not be exactly the same as the one shown on the VPN app, since some servers have virtual locations and are actually hosted elsewhere. The important thing is that it should NOT be the one you saw before connecting to the VPN. If it is, your real IP address is leaking. To be sure it wasn't a one-off fluke, run the test at least twice more, disconnecting and reconnecting each time.

VPNs can leak for any number of reasons, but if you discover a leak, your best approach is generally the same: switch to another VPN. That's why I recommend testing your VPN during the refund period — so you can jump ship without cost.

The speed test

This test is a little more vibes-based than the leak test, but it's good for corroborating results. To run it, find a free speed testing tool like Ookla Speedtest .

VPNs add more steps that must be completed before you can see any website. It's all in the name of anonymity and security, but it does mean that an active VPN will slow down your browsing speeds a little. The fastest services, like Proton VPN and Surfshark, barely drag your internet down at all, but there's always a perceptible drop.

You might see where this is going. If a VPN doesn't reduce your download speeds at all, there's a chance it's not actually encrypting your traffic. To check, test your speed before connecting to the VPN, then connect to the fastest available server and check again. You can even be extra scientific by running a second simultaneous test on another device without a VPN.

In general, a VPN will drop unprotected speeds by between 3 and 10 percent on a server with 300 miles of you. Get more than 10 and the VPN may be too slow to use regularly; get less than three and the VPN may be mistakenly sending your traffic outside an encrypted tunnel, which leaves you less safe.

The streaming test

This one is extremely simple. You might already know that international streaming services list different shows and movies depending on where you are in the world, and that a VPN can change your virtual location to get you in on the action. You can use this as a final double-check for whether your VPN is leaking.

All you need to do is connect to a server outside your country, then connect to a streaming service that's available in more than one nation, such as Netflix. If your VPN is working, you should see at least a little content that you don't usually get. Netflix is my favorite site to check because it has a section that lists the top movies for the country it thinks you're in — you can scroll right down there to see if it's working.

Note that if the streaming site blocks you because it detected you using a VPN, that does not necessarily mean your VPN is leaking. It just means the streamer has figured out that you're on an IP address belonging to a VPN — which your real home IP address definitely isn't. Though it's frustrating, hitting a VPN error message on Netflix paradoxically means your VPN security is airtight.

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