ProtonVPN

About this release

ProtonVPN is a client for routing your traffic through an encrypted tunnel to a server somewhere else before it reaches the wider network. What that gets you is that the network you are sitting on, whether that is a hotel, an airport, a shared office or a home connection, sees an encrypted stream rather than a list of where you are going. The server list spans a wide set of countries, and connecting is a matter of picking one or letting the client choose the fastest.

The client is more configurable than the category usually is. Protocol selection covers the modern fast options and the more resistant ones that survive networks which actively interfere with tunnels. Multi hop routing sends traffic through two servers in different jurisdictions rather than one. Split tunnelling lets specific applications bypass the tunnel entirely, which matters when something on your machine refuses to work through one. Port forwarding is available for the applications that need an inbound path.

The kill switch is the feature that separates a serious client from a decorative one. If the tunnel drops for any reason, network access is blocked entirely rather than silently falling back to your normal connection, and the permanent mode keeps that block in place even across a reboot until you deliberately turn it off. Alongside that there is DNS handled inside the tunnel, an automatic connect on untrusted networks option, and a profile system for saving specific server and protocol combinations.

What it does

• Encrypted tunnel client with servers across a wide country list
• Protocol selection including resistant options for restrictive networks
• Multi hop routing through two servers in different jurisdictions
• Kill switch blocking all traffic if the tunnel drops, with a permanent mode
• Split tunnelling to exclude specific applications from the tunnel
• Port forwarding for applications that need an inbound path
• DNS resolution handled inside the tunnel rather than by the local network
• Automatic connection when joining an untrusted network
• Saved profiles combining server, country and protocol choices
• Connection statistics with throughput and server load reporting

Changes in this version

• Faster connection establishment on the modern protocol
• Improved reconnection behaviour after a laptop wakes from sleep
• Reworked server list with better filtering and load display
• Better split tunnelling reliability on applications with child processes
• Reduced idle resource use while connected

What the package contains

• ProtonVPN full installer
• Tunnel driver components for the supported protocols
• All interface languages
• Default profile set for common use cases
• Readme with the install order written out step by step

Installation notes

Follow these in order. Most reports of a failed install come from skipping a step rather than from the package itself.

1. Disconnect any other tunnel client before installing, two drivers will conflict.
2. Extract the archive to any folder, the package is small.
3. Run the installer as administrator and allow the network driver components to install.
4. Apply the included activation step before first launch.
5. Open it once, connect to confirm it works, then set your kill switch preference.
6. Restart the machine so the driver components load cleanly.

System requirements

Things worth knowing

• Running two tunnel clients at once causes driver conflicts, remove the other one rather than hoping they coexist.
• The permanent kill switch survives a reboot, which means no network at all until you turn it off, so know where that setting is.
• Multi hop routing costs throughput and latency by design, use it when you need it rather than by default.

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Listing information

This entry is catalogued under Security & Privacy and carries the tags below. Language coverage is Multilingual, 18 interface languages, and the supported platform list is Windows 10, Windows 11. Version 5.1.5 is the current catalogued build, last checked 2 days ago, and the entry has been in the index since it was added 3 years ago.