What you need to know
- Google will soon make it a lot easier to use a VPN on Chromebooks.
- An upcoming Chrome OS feature will allow users to stay connected to a VPN service all the time.
- You can try out the "Always-on VPN" feature right now if you are running the latest Dev or Canary channel build on your Chromebook.
Using a VPN is one of the best ways to protect your privacy on the internet. While nearly all the best VPN services work with Chromebooks, Chrome OS doesn't allow you to stay connected to a VPN all the time. Fortunately, it looks like Google will soon make it much easier to use a VPN on the best Chromebooks.
The folks at Android Police have spotted a code in Gerrit that adds a new "Always-on VPN" feature to Chrome OS. While the feature could take a few weeks to hit the stable channel, you can enable it right now if your Chromebook is on the latest Chrome OS Dev or Canary build. To get started, however, you'll need to have a working VPN configuration.
As can be seen in the screenshot above, a new preferences section has been added under VPN in Chrome OS settings. Once you turn on the new "Always-on VPN" option, your Chromebook will automatically connect to your VPN when you log in. You will no longer have to turn on your VPN each time you reboot your device. In case you are subscribed to multiple VPN services, you can choose which service you want to be automatically connected to. You can even block Chrome browser and Android traffic when your Chromebook isn't connected to a VPN service.
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