What can you do with a VPN? 12 practical uses you should know

Most people know that they can use a virtual private network (VPN) to mask their IP address. However, not everyone knows that a VPN can be incredibly useful for remote workers, travelers, sports enthusiasts, media content consumers, and everyday internet users.

This guide covers the best ways to use a VPN so you can make the most of this powerful technology.

What is a VPN, and why do people use it?

A VPN is an internet security and privacy tool that’s designed to encrypt your internet traffic and change your IP address. This basic functionality opens up a lot of other use cases that make VPNs worthwhile for any internet user.

What’s more, some VPN providers, ExpressVPN included, go beyond the basics and pack their products with extra features, from parental controls to reliable password managers and future-proof protections.

12 things you can do with a VPN

Here are the top things you can use a VPN for. To truly benefit from them, choose a VPN that’s both trustworthy and performs reliably.

1. Protect your online privacy

A VPN helps you secure your data online from trackers, snoops, your internet service provider (ISP), the government, cybercriminals, and anyone who may be following your web traffic. It ensures online privacy protection in the following ways:

• Encrypting your internet traffic so it’s unreadable to anyone on the outside.
• Changing your IP address to throw trackers off your scent.
• Some VPNs, like ExpressVPN, can block ads and trackers that follow you from site to site.

So, you get back some control of your data and can browse the internet with greater anonymity from anywhere.

2. Stay secure on public Wi-Fi

Public Wi-Fi networks are often unsecured, making them an easy target for cybercriminals. Fortunately, most websites today use HTTPS encryption, keeping every piece of information you share on those sites secure to a large extent.

But what happens when a cybercriminal intercepts your messages and internet requests before they get to the website? This is called a man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack, and unsecured public Wi-Fi networks make it easier for cybercriminals to intercept information such as your credit card data, personal details, and login info you share online.

But that changes once you connect to a high-quality VPN before using public Wi-Fi. The VPN encrypts your connection for a secure browsing experience. Even if the cybercriminal intercepts your internet traffic, it’ll be unreadable to them.

3. Shop online more securely

The protection a VPN offers on public or shared networks, such as in cafés, airports, or hotels, extends to online shopping, too.

A VPN encrypts your connection, helping protect sensitive information such as login credentials, billing details, and payment information while you browse and complete transactions. While the information you enter on sites is typically secured by HTTPS, a VPN can add an extra layer of security and help reduce the risk of unauthorized interception of your data.

4. Minimize tracking from advertisers and websites

Some VPNs can help you avoid website and advertiser tracking in two ways:

• Masking your IP address: A VPN assigns you another IP address whenever you connect to its servers, so websites and advertisers won’t be able to use it to link your internet activity to you.
• Ad and tracker blockers: Some VPNs, like ExpressVPN, also offer tracker and ad blocking. This goes beyond simply changing your IP address: the VPN actively blocks tracking and ad cookies, which may stay on your browser and follow you around.

5. Use Tor network securely with a VPN

The Tor network secures your IP address from everyone else you communicate with. However, your ISP can still see that you’re connecting to Tor. A VPN can help hide Tor usage from your ISP as well as bypass Tor-blocking networks.

6. Protect against ISP throttling

In countries without net neutrality, ISPs may throttle your internet connection based on your activity during peak usage hours. This is why your heavy downloads, gaming, and content streaming may sometimes feel slower than usual.

Now, a VPN won’t give you faster speeds than what your ISP promises. However, it’ll encrypt your internet activities, keeping your ISP from seeing what you’re doing online and potentially reducing speed throttling based on usage.

7. Download large files securely

When downloading large files, your internet traffic may be visible to network providers or others on the network, and your IP address can be exposed to the services you connect to.

By encrypting your internet connection and masking your IP address, a VPN adds an extra layer of privacy while you download files. This can help reduce exposure of your personal information and make your online activity more secure.

For more details, read our detailed guide to why you should hide your IP address.

8. Improve your online gaming experience

Connecting to a VPN can help improve your online gaming experience in different ways, including:

• Hiding your IP address to reduce the risk of distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks or swatting.
• Bypassing throttling attempts when streaming games or playing online for hours.

Some popular games also have servers in different hubs, allowing players to connect to their closest option. If you’re far away from even the closest server, you can connect to a VPN server in that region to reduce ping.

9. Use VoIP services securely

When using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services for calls or meetings, your internet traffic may be visible to network providers or others on the network.

VPN encryption helps add an extra layer of privacy and security when making online calls or participating in virtual meetings. This can be especially helpful when using shared or unfamiliar networks.

10. Avoid DDoS attacks while gaming or streaming

DDoS attackers swarm your IP address with more requests than it can handle, leading to service disruptions. Here’s our detailed guide to the mechanics of a denial-of-service (DoS) and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack.

Most people don’t need to worry about being directly targeted by DDoS attacks, but gamers and streamers often do.

Luckily, a VPN can help protect you in some cases. When you connect to a VPN, your real IP address is hidden and replaced with a VPN-assigned one. This means some types of attacks may target the VPN’s infrastructure instead of your device, but effectiveness can vary depending on the VPN provider and the nature of the DDoS attack.

It’s best to choose a VPN with a kill switch. That gives you extra security against IP and Domain Name System (DNS) leaks if you ever temporarily lose connection to the VPN server.

11. Save money on flights and hotels

Airlines and hotel booking platforms may adjust prices based on your location.

Your IP address plays a key role in determining what you see. It reveals your approximate location, which platforms often use to display prices in your local currency or apply regional pricing strategies. In some cases, users in higher-income regions may be shown higher prices than users elsewhere.

That’s why you can try shopping around for flight and hotel deals from different IP addresses before settling on a booking. However, note that this strategy doesn’t guarantee success: price changes are more commonly driven by availability, fare class limits, and time before departure than by targeting individual profiles.

12. Work securely from remote locations

Working outside your company’s office network introduces new security risks: home and public Wi-Fi networks are often much less secure than corporate infrastructure.

That’s where a VPN helps. Even if you’re not on a company network, it encrypts your internet connection on any Wi-Fi, keeping your data safe from snoops, hackers, and other threats while you work remotely.

VPN benefits with ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN gives you all the major benefits we’ve talked about, plus a few extras you won’t usually find with other VPNs.

Total device protection at home and on the go

ExpressVPN offers easy-to-use and intuitive apps for your smartphones and desktop computers, including:

• Android
• iOS (iPhone and iPad)
• Mac
• Windows
• Linux

You can also configure ExpressVPN on a router or set up its MediaStreamer feature to extend access to other devices:

• Gaming consoles, such as Xbox and PlayStation
• Streaming devices, such as Roku
• Smart home units, such as Amazon Echo and Google Nest Hub

ExpressVPN also offers Aircove and Aircove Go, a router and portable router with a built-in VPN that secures every connected device in your home or on the move.

Block phishing and harmful sites

ExpressVPN comes with Threat Manager that blocks malicious websites. It works by intercepting DNS requests and checking them against an extensive, regularly updated blocklist of domains known for malware, phishing, trackers, spyware, or adware. This filtering happens locally on your device (not in the cloud) and only when you’re connected to ExpressVPN using its private, encrypted DNS servers. The best part is that you don’t have to pay extra to use this tool: it’s included in ExpressVPN Advanced or Pro subscriptions.

Store and autofill passwords securely

A VPN can’t fix weak passwords, and that’s why ExpressVPN created ExpressKeys, a secure password manager included with the Advanced and Pro plans.

Why do you need ExpressKeys, though?

• It generates secure passwords for your online accounts: This reduces the chances of threat actors breaching your passwords with brute force and other common password-hacking attempts.
• It securely stores your passwords: You no longer have to worry about remembering complex passwords or losing that notebook where you wrote them all down.
• It discourages password reuse: Since you can now securely generate and store unique passwords, you don’t need to reuse passwords across multiple online accounts anymore. That helps protect you from credential stuffing attacks.
• It autofills your saved passwords: ExpressKeys makes online account access extra seamless by automatically filling your login details on saved websites.

Protect yourself against identity theft

U.S. customers also get access to the ExpressVPN Identity Defender app on Android and iOS, a privacy and security suite that helps protect against identity theft. Available features vary by plan but include:

• Data Removal: Removes your data from data brokers and people-search sites.
• ID Alerts: Monitors the dark web, public records, and financial data for signs of identity misuse and alerts you to suspicious activity.
• ID Theft Insurance*: Offers coverage for eligible losses if your identity is used by a fraudster.
• Credit Scanner: Monitors your credit activity and includes monthly Credit Reports, helping you to spot potential issues early.

*The insurance is underwritten and administered by American Bankers Insurance Company of Florida, an Assurant company, under group or blanket policies issued to Array US Inc, or its respective affiliates, for the benefit of its Members. Please refer to the actual policies for terms, conditions, and exclusions of coverage. Coverage may not be available in all jurisdictions. Review the Advanced Tier Summary of Benefits and the Pro Tier Summary of Benefits.