Public Wi-Fi -- at airports, cafes, hotels and universities -- may not be as dangerous as some exaggerated VPN marketing lingo suggests. But a virtual private network can still be a useful privacy tool when you're on an unsecured network. It encrypts your internet traffic, hides your public IP address and can help shield you from certain risks if a network is ever compromised.

However, even if you want that extra layer of protection, actually remembering to turn on your VPN every time you join a public Wi-Fi network is another story. When you're rushing through an airport or constantly switching between home Wi-Fi and public hotspots, it’s easy to hop online without your VPN running, which can leave your browsing exposed in ways you might not intend.

The good news? Many of the best VPN services offer an auto-connect feature that detects public Wi-Fi and switches on automatically. Plus, major devices -- including Android, iOS, Mac and Windows -- also include built-in settings that let you set your VPN to activate automatically on untrusted networks.

Getting your VPN to auto-connect on public Wi-Fi is surprisingly simple. Let’s explore how to set it up, depending on the VPN or device you use.

Do you need a VPN on public Wi-Fi?

Whether or not you need a VPN on public Wi-Fi depends on your expectations. A VPN is a handy privacy tool because it prevents the network administrator and your internet provider from seeing which websites you visit. It could also mitigate certain threats, like an adversary-in-the-middle attack. A VPN also helps you:

• Hide your internet activity: A VPN may prevent snooping ISPs, government agencies and cybercriminals from tracking your online location and activities. You don’t have to worry about leaving an identifiable trail behind you, online profiling or being pestered with targeted ads.
• Unblock geo-restricted content: Services like Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, iPlayer or CBC Gem may not be available abroad the same way they are at home. The best travel VPNs let you connect to a server in your home country and help you access your usual content library while traveling.
• Bypass throttling restrictions: Public Wi-Fi hotspots may slow down your traffic, especially if they detect heavy usage, like streaming or torrenting. Since a VPN prevents network administrators from seeing what you're doing, it can help protect you from throttling restrictions.
• Circumvent censorship restrictions: Governments often limit internet freedom by blocking access to everyday apps like WhatsApp, Facebook or news outlets. A VPN can help you bypass these restrictions. Some VPNs also offer obfuscated servers to bolster privacy, which simply try to hide the fact that you're using a VPN.

A VPN is great for privacy, but has limits

However, a VPN doesn’t completely anonymize you online, nor is it a full-fledged security solution. For instance, a VPN doesn't hide the websites or apps you log in to using your real credentials from companies like Google, Meta or your bank, since you're signing in with your actual account info. 

Also, while some top VPNs like ExpressVPN, NordVPN and Surfshark offer extras such as ad or pop-up blockers, a VPN by definition doesn’t protect you from cookies, trackers or broader browser tracking.

Used with the right expectations, a VPN offers meaningful privacy on public Wi-Fi, and without much effort -- especially when you use the auto-connect option.

How to make your VPN auto-connect only on public Wi-Fi

You have two options for making your VPN auto-connect on public Wi-Fi. The most functional approach is to use your VPN provider’s app -- assuming it offers this feature. The settings are clearly labeled, the app knows how to trigger auto-connect based on network type and you can customize preferences like location, trusted networks or server selection directly within the app.

You can also set up auto-connection through your device’s system settings. This is worth considering if your VPN doesn’t offer Wi-Fi-specific auto-connect options or if you prefer a system-level toggle that keeps the VPN active across all apps and networks -- though many VPN apps also offer this.

Keep in mind that no VPN or device can directly detect what counts as “public Wi-Fi.” That’s why top VPNs let you add your home Wi-Fi or mobile network to a list of trusted networks. Once you do that, the VPN simply auto-connects on every network not on that list. 

In other words, enabling auto-connect on public Wi-Fi is really a reverse process: You identify the networks you trust, and the VPN activates automatically on everything else -- which effectively includes public hotspots.

It’s also worth noting that a similar “trusted networks” system is not available in any device’s built-in VPN settings, so this level of control is only possible when using your VPN provider’s app.

Setting up auto-connect on public Wi-Fi with the most popular VPNs

Let’s dive into how the major VPN apps let you set up auto-connect on public Wi-Fi.

NordVPN

• Open the NordVPN app and tap the Profile icon. 
• Tap or click Settings.
• Go to Auto-connect (this may be under Connection and security, depending on your device), and turn on auto-connect on Wi-Fi. You can also select Always/All networks, Wi-Fi networks or Mobile networks -- though the mobile networks option isn’t available on iOS or Mac.
• By default, NordVPN will connect you to the fastest available server, but you can tap the Fastest server option and choose the country or server you prefer.
• To ensure auto-connect activates only on public Wi-Fi, add your current network -- such as your home Wi-Fi -- to the Trusted networks list so NordVPN won’t auto-connect there.

On Mac, the options are slightly different. After going into Auto-connect, you’ll need to toggle When using untrusted network, since macOS doesn’t offer separate choices for mobile networks, Ethernet or Wi-Fi networks. Everything else works the same as on other devices.

Surfshark

Surfshark offers the most consistent auto-connect experience across devices of all the VPN providers we've tested.

• Go to the Surfshark app’s Settings > VPN settings.
• Find the Auto-connect option and toggle it on.
• Open Preferences, go to Trusted networks and add your current Wi-Fi or mobile network so Surfshark doesn’t automatically connect while you’re on a network you trust.
• In the same menu, select Preferred auto-connect location, tap Fastest location and choose the server you'd like Surfshark to connect to automatically.
• You’ll have several options when selecting a server: a specific location, the fastest location, the nearest country, a static IP or Surfshark’s MultiHop servers.

Proton VPN

Proton VPN does not have public Wi-Fi–specific auto-connect settings. All you can really do is enable its Always-on VPN option, which keeps the VPN active 24/7 regardless of the network you’re on, giving you blanket protection.

The good thing, however, is that turning on Always-on VPN with Proton VPN is fairly straightforward.

• On iOS, open the Proton VPN app, go to Settings, scroll down to Always-on VPN and toggle it on.
• On Mac and Windows, go to the VPN app’s settings, then General, select Auto startup and toggle the Auto-connect button on.
• On Android, the process is slightly different. Unlike ExpressVPN, NordVPN or Surfshark, Proton VPN doesn’t have an in-app Always-on VPN toggle. You’ll have to open your device’s built-in VPN settings, tap the gear icon next to Proton VPN and enable Always-on VPN.

Setting up auto-connect on different devices

Before we begin, it’s worth reiterating that your device’s built-in VPN settings can’t distinguish between trusted and untrusted Wi-Fi networks. They don’t let you exclude specific networks the way VPN apps do, so the only option is to enable 24/7 VPN protection at the system level, or use an automation app, like Shortcuts on iOS.

Android

Because of how many different Android devices from various manufacturers exist, the specific steps you’ll take might differ. But generally, you’ll open Settings on your Android device and go to “Network & internet.” Then, select VPN, find your VPN provider and tap the gear icon next to it. You’ll see two toggles: Always-on VPN and Block connections without VPN. 

Turning both on keeps your VPN active at all times, whether you’re on a home or public Wi-Fi network. Plus, if the VPN disconnects, your internet access is blocked -- effectively acting as a kill switch and keeping your browsing private.

iOS

The only way to auto-connect your VPN when you join a Wi-Fi network is by creating an automation in the Shortcuts app. Automations on iOS let you create a series of "if this, then that" statements, so you can manually configure your VPN to launch on networks other than trusted Wi-Fi. 

For instance, you can set up an automation to get your Wi-Fi network's name, recognize if it's a certain network and connect to your VPN if not. There are multiple ways to set an automation in iOS to automatically secure your connection, so you can play around with various if this, then that conditions.

A VPN is only one part of your cybersecurity toolkit

A VPN can certainly improve your digital privacy, but it’s not the be-all and end-all of cybersecurity. 

For broader protection against online threats, consider supplementing your VPN with other tools -- such as antivirus software to detect malware, ransomware and phishing attacks, a password manager to store logins and create strong passwords and services like cloud storage, end-to-end encrypted email or identity protection.

Bundling these cybersecurity tools with a VPN is ultimately up to you. Remember, bundling alone doesn’t automatically mean better protection. What matters most is weighing the features and quality of the tools included in a VPN bundle against their standalone counterparts and choosing what best fits your needs.