How To Turn OFF VPN (iPhone,macOS,Android and Windows)


When to turn off VPN

While it is recommended to use a VPN at all times, there are some scenarios when you may want to disable it for a while. This includes:

  • Accessing content available only at your physical location;
  • troubleshooting network problems;
  • Establishing internet connection for the first time.

When you Turn OFF VPN, there is always a chance that you will forget to turn it back on, making you more likely to become a victim of cyberattacks. Fortunately, NordVPN has a special feature that allows you to pause your VPN connection on Windows and Android devices for up to an hour. After that, the VPN connection will be restored automatically.

Because it's so easy to turn NordVPN on and off using the app, we'll cover how to turn off a VPN configured using your system's built-in VPN client.

How to Turn off VPN on iPhone

How to Turn off VPN on iPhone

Disabling VPN on your iPhone is straightforward and requires only a few Clicks. You can easily turn it off your VPN and then turn it back on:

  1. Go to Settings > General.
  2. Tap VPN.
  3. Toggle off the VPN status to Not Connected.

How to Turn off VPN on Android

You can turn off your VPN either directly in the VPN app or From your smartphone's settings. like this:

  1. Go to Settings > Network & internet.
  2. Tap on VPN.
  3. Toggle off VPN.

How to Turn off VPN on macOS

How to Turn off VPN on macOS


You can disable your VPN connection directly From the VPN app or in the macOS network settings. Here’s how to do that:

  1. Go to System Preferences > Network.
  2. Select your VPN connection from the left panel.
  3. Click Disconnect.

How to Turn off VPN on Windows 10, 7, and other versions

Disabling VPN on Windows also takes no more than a few seconds. The steps may vary a little depending on the version, but the basic principle is the same:

  1. Go to Settings > Network & Internet.
  2. Select VPN in the left-side menu.
  3. Select the VPN connection you want to disable.
  4. Click Disconnect.

Disabling a VPN Using Third-Party Software

Most VPNs come with a software program or app and apps let you manage the VPN. If you’re using a Windows, Mac, Android, or iOS VPN, simply launch the VPN software and click, tap, or toggle the same button you used to enable it. 

The button might Say Disconnect, Turn Off, or Stop, or it might just be a power icon. Whatever it is, the objective is the same.

For Linux VPNs, those that have a graphical user interface (GUI) follow the same procedure. However, the command-line interface (CLI) ones are slightly different.

To disable Linux VPN using the CLI, you should defer to the documentation of the software and look for the command line code that disables the VPN. Simply enter the code in the terminal, and you are ready to go.

How to Permanently Disable a VPN

If you temporarily disable a VPN, you can still turn it back on at any time. If for some reason you want to remove a VPN permanently, there are two ways to do it. 

  1. Firstly, you can uninstall the VPN app or software from your device, Simple.
  2. Second, you can do the manual process and remove the VPN from your device’s settings,

Simply disable the VPN first following the instructions above, and then do these extra steps:

  • On Windows: Once disconnected, click the Remove button that appears below the VPN name
  • On Mac: Select VPN again from the left panel and then click the minus button at the bottom of the panel.
  • On Android: Select the VPN and then tap on the Delete VPN profile.
  • On iPhone:  Next to the VPN name, tap the Information button, and then select Delete VPN.