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We may <a href="/about/how-we-make-money/">earn commissions</a> if you buy a VPN via our links.</p></div><div class="jsx-1557524140 container-row"><h1 class="jsx-1557524140 heading-1">What Can You Do with a VPN?</h1><div class="jsx-3130565390 author-header"><div class="jsx-3130565390 date-wtu-container"><time dateTime="2024-07-17T16:10:00.000Z" class="jsx-3130565390 author-updated"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" class="jsx-3130565390 icon-tick"><use xlink:href="#svg-tick" class="jsx-3130565390"></use></svg><span class="jsx-3130565390">Updated Jul 17, 2024</span></time></div><div class="jsx-3130565390 authors-grid"><div class="jsx-3130565390 main-author"><div class="jsx-3130565390 author-photo"><img alt="Simon Migliano" data-slug="simonmigliano" width="32" height="32" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" style="color:transparent" srcSet="/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2019%2F05%2Fsimon-migliano-headshot.jpg&w=32&q=75 1x, /_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2019%2F05%2Fsimon-migliano-headshot.jpg&w=64&q=75 2x" src="/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2019%2F05%2Fsimon-migliano-headshot.jpg&w=64&q=75"/></div><div class="jsx-3130565390 author-name"><strong class="jsx-3130565390">Simon Migliano</strong></div><button aria-label="About authors" class="jsx-3130565390 author-toggle"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" class="jsx-3130565390 icon-chevron-down"><use xlink:href="#svg-chevron" class="jsx-3130565390"></use></svg></button></div><div class="jsx-3130565390 author-bio"><p class="jsx-3130565390 bio-authors">Simon Migliano is a recognized world expert in VPNs. He's tested hundreds of VPN services and his research has featured on the BBC, The New York Times and more. <a href="/about/vpn-experts/simonmigliano/">Read full bio</a></p></div><p class="jsx-3130565390 supporting-authors"><span class="jsx-3130565390">Fact-checked by <a href="/about/vpn-experts/callumtennent/">Callum Tennent</a></span></p></div></div></div></div><div class="jsx-2532098028 container-row"><div class="jsx-912259115 breadcrumbs"><ol itemscope="" itemType="https://schema.org/BreadcrumbList" class="jsx-912259115 "><li itemProp="itemListElement" itemscope="" itemType="https://schema.org/ListItem" class="jsx-912259115"><meta itemProp="position" content="1" class="jsx-912259115"/><a itemProp="item" class="bc-logo" href="https://www.top10vpn.com/"><meta itemProp="name" content="Home" class="jsx-912259115"/><img src="/static/images/logo-simplified-dark-1x1_ratio.svg" width="16" height="16" alt="Top10VPN" class="jsx-912259115"/></a></li><li itemProp="itemListElement" itemscope="" itemType="https://schema.org/ListItem" class="jsx-912259115 inner-slice"><meta itemProp="position" content="2" class="jsx-912259115"/><a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/vpn-explained/" itemProp="item" class="jsx-912259115"><span itemProp="name" class="jsx-912259115">What Is a VPN?</span></a></li><li itemProp="itemListElement" itemscope="" itemType="https://schema.org/ListItem" class="jsx-912259115"><a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/what-is-a-vpn/what-are-vpns-used-for/" itemProp="item" class="jsx-912259115"><span itemProp="name" class="jsx-912259115">What Are VPNs Used For?</span></a><meta itemProp="position" content="3" class="jsx-912259115"/></li></ol></div></div><div class="jsx-2532098028 ut-content-jumplink-wrapper"><div class="jsx-2532098028 container-row ut-wrapper"><div class="jsx-2532098028 ut-tldr ut-row"><div class="jsx-2532098028 ut-tldr-header"><h2 class="heading-4">Overview</h2><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 136 10" width="130" preserveAspectRatio="none" fill="none" class="jsx-2532098028"><path fill-rule="evenodd" clip-rule="evenodd" d="M25.2 7.9c-1 .9-1.7-.3-2.6.1h-1c-1-.3-1.4 0-4.4.4l-.7-.1-6.7.2c-.8.4-1.1 0-3 .4-.8.1-1.6.4-2.4.2-.3-.1-2.3.3-2.9.7C.2 10.8.6 7.3.1 5c-.3-1.1.2-2 1-1.8 1.4.3 33.2-1.8 65.5-2.5C82.7.4 99 .2 111.4.2 124 .2 132.7.2 134 0c.3 0 1.2 0 1.7.8 1 2-.2 3.6-.2 4.1-.2 1.3-1 1-4.2.9-.4 0-1 .3-1.2-.2-.3-.6-12.4-.2-13-.2-1.6.1-2-.3-4.3-.2-2.6.3-.8.5-2.2.2-1.4-.2-.3-.3-1.7-.2l-7 .5c-7 .4-3.9.4-7 .3-3 0-3.2.2-8 0-.3 0-.2-.5-1-.2-.6.3-1.3.2-2.5.2-3 .1-2.8-.6-3.5 0h-.6c-3.2 0-3.4 0-3.8-.4-.6-.7-.6.8-2 .5h-.2c-1.8.8-7.4-.2-11.2.4-.3 0-.5.1-.8 0-1-.1-1.9.1-2.8.2-1.2 0-1-.6-2-.2-1.1.4-.8-.1-1.5 0-1.6.4-.8 0-1.7.2a7 7 0 0 1-3 0l-1.9.3c-1.9-.1-1.2-.5-2.4 0h-.5l-1.5.2h-1l-.4.1c-.8.3-1.4.1-1.7.2-1.2.3-2-.6-3-.2-1 .5-1 0-3.4.3-2.2.3-1.3-.2-3.3-.1-1 0-1.8-.1-2.7.2-1.2.5-1.6.1-2 .3-.7.2-.7.2-1.2-.1Z" fill="var(--blue-50)" class="jsx-2532098028"></path></svg></div><div class="jsx-2580530280 block-text"><div><p>Virtual private networks (VPNs) hide your IP address and encrypt your web traffic. VPNs are primarily used to protect your internet privacy, browse safely on public WiFi networks, and access streaming content blocked or restricted in your geographic location.</p> </div></div></div></div><div class="jsx-2532098028 ut-jumplink"><aside class="jsx-2362454086"><div class="jsx-2362454086 jumplinks"><div class="jsx-2362454086 toc-mobile"><button class="jsx-2362454086"><span class="jsx-2362454086">Table of Contents</span><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" class="jsx-2362454086 icon-chevron-down"><use xlink:href="#svg-chevron" class="jsx-2362454086"></use></svg></button></div><ol class="jsx-2362454086 main-list"><li class="jsx-2362454086 "><a href="#what-can-you-do-with-a-vpn" class="jsx-2362454086 ">What Can You Do with a VPN?</a></li><li class="jsx-2362454086 "><a href="#what-does-a-vpn-not-protect-you-from" class="jsx-2362454086 ">What Does a VPN Not Protect You From?</a></li></ol></div></aside></div><div class="jsx-2532098028 container-row ut-wrapper"><div class="jsx-2532098028 ut-row"><picture class="jsx-2532098028"><source srcSet="https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2021/05/What-Is-a-VPN-Used-For.jpg" media="(min-width: 834px)" width="1180" height="815" class="jsx-2532098028"/><source srcSet="/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2021%2F05%2FWhat-Is-a-VPN-Used-For.jpg&w=1024&q=60 1x" media="(max-width: 833px)" width="833" height="471" class="jsx-2532098028"/><img src="https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2021/05/What-Is-a-VPN-Used-For.jpg" alt="What Is a VPN Used For?" loading="eager" class="jsx-2532098028 main-image"/></picture></div><section class="jsx-2580530280 block-text ut-row"><div><p>People around the world use <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/vpn-explained/">VPN services</a> for a variety of reasons and purposes.</p> <p>Almost a third of internet users worldwide use a VPN to secure their internet activity. This includes web browsing, torrenting files, and online shopping.</p> <p>Based on our VPN usage research, over 50% of all VPN users use a VPN to protect their personal data transfers on public WiFi networks.</p> <p>Many users also want to browse the web anonymously, and at least a third use a VPN to access video content and websites blocked in their region.</p> <p>In this guide, we’ll explain <b>exactly what VPNs</b> do and <b>why people use them</b>.</p> <p>In the chart below, you can see the most common reasons people give for using a VPN:</p> <div id="attachment_128611" style="width: 1190px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-128611" loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2020/05/why-use-a-vpn-2020.png" alt="The reasons people use a VPN" width="1180" height="586" class="size-full wp-image-128611"><p id="caption-attachment-128611" class="wp-caption-text">Data taken from our <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/research/global-vpn-usage-statistics/">Global VPN Usage Report</a>.</p></div> <p>The statistics above relate to the use of personal VPNs. However, keep in mind that there are <a href="/what-is-a-vpn/vpn-types/">various types of VPNs</a> available, including remote access and business VPNs.</p> </div><div id="why-trust-us" class="jsx-1962843399 why-trust-us"><svg class="handshake" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" fill="none" viewBox="0 0 49 62"><defs><clipPath id="handshakeclippath"><path fill="#fff" d="M.1 0h48.7v62H.1z"></path></clipPath></defs><g clip-path="url(#handshakeclippath)"><path fill="#1AA198" d="M38.6 20h-.4a30.5 30.5 0 0 1-13.6-1.5H24.3A30.8 30.8 0 0 1 10.7 20h-.4v3c0 2.1 0 4.8.2 6.1v.2l2.3 1c.4.3.7.6.8 1 .2.5.1 1-.1 1.5l-.6 1.1 2 1a2 2 0 0 0 1.1.2l1.3-.2c1.1-.2 2.6-.5 3.5-.5h.6c.6 0 1.6.6 2.3 1l1 .4H25c1.2-1 2.5-1.4 3.6-1.4l1.2.1 4 1 .6.1c.6 0 1-.2 1.5-.5l.5-.2-.1-.3-.3-.7c-.4-.7-.9-1.5-.6-2 0-.5.4-.9.8-1l2.1-1.1v-.2c.3-1.6.3-4.4.3-6.7v-3Z"></path><path fill="#096962" d="m7 29.7.5-.5a1.8 1.8 0 0 1 1.7-.4l.5.1v-.5c-.2-1.1-.1-5.1-.1-7.5v-1.3c0-.2.2-.4.4-.4a30 30 0 0 0 14.7-1.5A29.8 29.8 0 0 0 39 19.2c.3 0 .5.2.5.4v1.2l-.1 8v.6l.4-.1.5-.1c.5 0 .9.1 1.2.4l.5.4.1-.6c.2-1.5.2-5.8.1-9.3V16l-3.6.5a27 27 0 0 1-14-1.7h-.2a27.3 27.3 0 0 1-14 1.7L6.8 16v12.9l.1.8Z"></path><path fill="#000" d="M42.6 31.5c.5-2.4.4-7.5.4-11.6v-4.5c0-.2-.2-.4-.4-.4l-4 .6a26.5 26.5 0 0 1-12.7-1.3l-.4-.2-1.1-.3a26.6 26.6 0 0 1-14 1.8l-4-.5c-.2 0-.4.2-.4.4V19c0 4-.1 9.6.3 12v.1l-6 12.6c-.2.3-.2.8 0 1.2 0 .5.4.8.8 1l3.4 1.6.7.1c.6 0 1.2-.3 1.4-1l.6-1 1.6.8c.6.3 1 .8 1 1.5l.2 1.3-1.1 1.9c-.5.7-.5 1.7 0 2.5.4.9 1.3 1.4 2.1 1.4h.7v.4c-.3.8-.1 1.5.4 2.2.5.6 1.3 1 2.1 1 .5 0 1-.1 1.4-.4l.4-.3.2.4c.3 1 1.3 1.6 2.3 1.6.4 0 .7 0 1-.2l.3-.2.1.4c.3 1.4 1.6 2 2.6 2s1.8-.5 2.3-1.3l.9-1.6 2.4 1.4c.4.3.7.4 1.1.4.7 0 1.4-.3 1.8-.8.5-.5.7-1 .7-1.7V58h.4l.4.1c.7 0 1.4-.3 1.9-.9.4-.5.6-1.2.6-1.8l-.1-.5h.5c.7 0 1.3-.3 1.8-1 .4-.5.6-1.2.4-1.8l-.1-.4.4-.1c.7 0 1.3-.5 1.7-1.2.4-.7.4-1.5 0-2.1l-.1-.4 2.6-1.1.1.3a1.7 1.7 0 0 0 2.3.9l3.4-1.6c.3-.2.7-.5.8-1 .2-.3.2-.8 0-1.2l-6.1-12.7ZM6.8 18.4V16l3.6.5a27.5 27.5 0 0 0 14-1.7l.1-.1h.1a27.4 27.4 0 0 0 14 1.8l3.7-.5V20c0 3.5 0 7.8-.2 9.3v.6l-.6-.4a1.8 1.8 0 0 0-1.7-.4l-.5.2v-.5c.2-1.4.2-5.8.2-8.1v-1.2c0-.2-.2-.4-.5-.4a30.2 30.2 0 0 1-14.6-1.6A29.8 29.8 0 0 1 10 19.2c-.2 0-.4.2-.4.4v9.3l-.4-.1a1.7 1.7 0 0 0-1.7.4l-.6.4V18.4ZM38.6 23c0 2.3 0 5.1-.2 6.7v.2l-2.2 1c-.4.2-.7.6-.8 1-.3.6.2 1.5.6 2.2l.3.6.1.3-.5.3c-.4.2-1 .5-1.5.5l-.6-.1-4-1c-.3-.2-.8-.2-1.2-.2-1.1 0-2.4.4-3.6 1.4h-.4l-.9-.4a9 9 0 0 0-2.3-1h-.6a22.1 22.1 0 0 0-4.8.7h-.2a2 2 0 0 1-.8-.1l-2.1-1 .6-1.2c.2-.5.3-1 .1-1.4-.1-.5-.4-.8-.8-1l-2.3-1v-.3a59 59 0 0 1-.2-6.1V20h.4a29.7 29.7 0 0 0 13.6-1.5h.2A29.9 29.9 0 0 0 38.3 20h.4V23ZM7.2 44 6 46.5c-.1.3-.4.5-.8.5a1 1 0 0 1-.3 0l-3.4-1.6a.9.9 0 0 1-.4-1.2 680.9 680.9 0 0 1 6.7-14c.2-.4.5-.6.8-.6H9l3.3 1.6c.3.1.4.3.5.5v.7L7.2 44.1Zm4 10.3c-.3 0-.6 0-.9-.2-.4-.2-.7-.6-.8-1.1-.1-.5 0-1 .2-1.4l1.2-2 .9-1.7c.3-.5.7-.8 1.1-.8l.5-.1c.6 0 1.2.4 1.5 1 .4.5.3 1.2 0 1.7l-.7 1.3-1.4 2.4c-.4.6-1 1-1.6 1Zm5.1 1.8-.3.5-.2.5c-.4.6-1 1-1.5 1a2 2 0 0 1-1.7-1c-.3-.5-.3-1.2 0-1.8l1.1-2 1.8-3c.4-.3.8-.5 1.3-.5.6 0 1.1.3 1.5.7.3.4.4 1 .3 1.5 0 .3-.3.7-.6 1.1l-.2.4-.1.2-1.4 2.4Zm3.8 2.2c-.3.6-.9.9-1.5.9s-1.2-.3-1.5-.8c-.4-.5-.4-1-.2-1.6l1.6-3 .3-.3.7-1.2c.3-.3.7-.4 1.2-.4 1 0 1.8.8 1.8 1.8a50.7 50.7 0 0 1-2.4 4.6Zm4 2c-.3.6-.9 1-1.5 1-.5 0-1-.2-1.4-.6-.3-.3-.5-.8-.5-1.2 0-.4.1-.7.3-1l.7-1.2 1.7-2.8c.3-.4.7-.5 1.2-.5.7 0 1.3.3 1.6.9.3.5.3 1.2 0 1.8l-2.1 3.7Zm6.6-1c-.3.5-.8.8-1.4.8-.2 0-.5 0-.7-.2L26 58.5l.2-.4s0-.2.2-.3c.3-.5.7-1.2.7-1.7v-.9l.6.6.5.3c.5.3.8.4.9.6l.9.5c.3.2.6.5.7.9.2.4.1.8 0 1.3Zm8.2-9.2a1.6 1.6 0 0 1-2.1.6 192.7 192.7 0 0 1-6.9-4c-.2 0-.3.2-.4.3 0 .2 0 .3.2.5l5 3 1.4.8c.7.4 1 1 .7 1.8-.2.7-.8 1.2-1.5 1.2l-.8-.2a425.6 425.6 0 0 1-6.9-4.3c-.2 0-.3.2-.4.3 0 .1 0 .3.2.5l6 3.7c.6.4 1 1 .7 1.8-.2.7-.8 1.3-1.5 1.3l-.8-.2-2.2-1.3-2.8-1.6v-.1c-.4-.7-1.3-1-2.1-1h-1l-.3.3-.1-.5a2.6 2.6 0 0 0-3.4-1.8l-.4.2V51a2.7 2.7 0 0 0-3-2H16v-.4a2.6 2.6 0 0 0-4.8-1.3l-.4.5-.2-.6c-.3-.7-.8-1.2-1.4-1.5L7.6 45l.1-.3 4.7-9.7.2-.3.3.1.6.4c.8.4 1.6.8 2.3.8h.4l4-.7h.5c.5 0 1 0 1.5.3l1.8.9-6.2 4.2c-.4.2-.7.7-.7 1.3 0 .6.1 1 .6 1.4l.7.6c.6.5 1.4.8 2.2.8l1-.1 6.5-1.9a2.2 2.2 0 0 1 1.8.3l8.5 4.8.1.2c.6.5.8 1.4.4 2Zm.2-2.7-8.8-5c-.6-.3-1-.4-1.5-.4-.6 0-3.7.9-5.6 1.4a40.2 40.2 0 0 1-2.6.6c-.6 0-1.2-.2-1.6-.6l-.8-.6a.9.9 0 0 1-.3-.7c0-.3.2-.6.4-.7l7.4-5 .6-.4c.7-.4 1.5-.7 2.3-.7.4 0 .7 0 1 .2l4 1 .8.1c.6 0 1.3-.2 2-.6l.4-.2 5 10.4-2.7 1.2Zm9-2.2-.5.5-3.4 1.6a1 1 0 0 1-.4 0c-.6 0-.8-.5-1-1v-.2c-.5-.7-6.5-13.2-6.6-13.3-.1-.5 0-1 .5-1.2L40 30h.4l.5.1c.2.1.4.4.9 1.6v.1l6.3 12.8v.5Z"></path><path stroke="#096962" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-miterlimit="10" stroke-width="1.6" d="m10.9 3 3.3 5.4M37.6 3l-3.4 5.4M24 .8v6.1"></path></g></svg><div class="jsx-1962843399 text"><h3 class="heading-5">Why Trust Us?</h3><div class="jsx-1962843399"><p>We’re fully independent and have been reviewing VPNs since 2016. Our advice is based on our own testing results and is unaffected by financial incentives. Learn <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/about/">who we are</a> and <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/about/how-we-review-vpns/">how we test VPNs</a>.</p> </div></div></div><div></div></section></div><div class="jsx-2532098028 container-row ut-wrapper"><section id="what-can-you-do-with-a-vpn" class="jsx-2580530280 block-text ut-row"><h2 class="heading-2">What Can You Do with a VPN?</h2><div><p>A VPN serves two main purposes: <b>hiding your IP address</b> and <b>encrypting your web browsing data</b>. </p> <p>These two functions can open up a world of possibilities for improving your privacy, security, and freedom on the internet. </p> <p>If you want to learn about the technical aspects of VPN software, read our explanation of <a href="/what-is-a-vpn/how-does-a-vpn-work/">how a VPN works</a>.</p> <div class="block-highlighted block-highlighted--light"> <p><span class="heading-5">Quick Summary: 8 Popular Uses of VPNs</span></p> <ol> <li><a href="#protect-privacy">To safeguard your privacy online</a>. A VPN stops ISPs, governments and, websites from monitoring you.</li> <li><a href="#stream-content">Unblock ‘hidden’ streaming content</a>. Use a VPN to spoof your location and access streaming content from other countries.</li> <li><a href="#public-wifi">Stay safe on public WiFi networks</a>. VPN encryption stops criminals hacking you and stealing your personal information on public WiFi networks.</li> <li><a href="#censorship">Circumvent government censorship</a>. Use a VPN to unblock websites and access the free internet in highly-censored countries, like China.</li> <li><a href="#torrenting">Torrent files securely</a>. Protect your activity and hide your identity when downloading and uploading torrent files.</li> <li><a href="#throttling">Avoid bandwidth throttling</a>. Use a VPN to stop your ISP from deliberately slowing down your internet connection.</li> <li><a href="#online-shopping">Save money shopping online</a>. You can access cheaper regional prices on e-commerce sites, like travel agencies and airlines.</li> <li><a href="#office-network">Safely connect to the office</a>. Use a business VPN to create a securely, remote connection into your office’s internal network. </li></ol> </div> <p>Below is a detailed list of all the things you can do with a VPN:</p> <p id="protect-privacy"> </p><h3>1. Protect Your Online Privacy</h3> <p>Without a VPN, <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/can-your-isp-see-your-browsing-history/">your Internet Service Provider (ISP) can see all of the websites you visit</a> and will almost certainly be recording that information.</p> <p>In some countries, ISPs are required by law to collect and store your browsing data for long periods of time.</p> <p>Governments can then access this information whenever they like. This is the case in the US, UK, Australia, and much of Europe.</p> <p>Often, these countries are also members of international agreements like the <a href="/what-is-a-vpn/vpn-jurisdictions/">Five Eyes Alliance</a>, which are designed to collect mass surveillance data and share it among themselves.</p> <p><picture><source media="(max-width: 768px)" srcset="https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2020/02/Five-Eyes-Countries_m.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2020/02/Five-Eyes-Countries.png" alt="The Five Eyes countries." width="1180" height="420" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-114175"></picture></p> <p><a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/what-is-a-vpn/what-does-a-vpn-hide/">A VPN hides your web traffic</a> by encrypting your data from your device to a private server. This makes it much harder for websites, governments, and ISPs to spy on your online activity.</p> <p>Even if someone does get their hands on your browsing data, the information they collect will be almost impossible to decode.</p> <p>A VPN also changes your <a href="/tools/what-is-my-ip/">IP address</a> and replaces it with an IP address belonging to the VPN server.</p> <p>This means the websites you visit will see the VPN server’s IP address and will therefore find it much harder to identify you. It also prevents other potentially dangerous <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/what-can-people-do-with-your-ip-address/">things that people can do with your IP address</a>.</p> <div class="block-highlighted block-highlighted--green"> <p><span style="color:#083D3A"><b>SUMMARY:</b></span> A good VPN hides your IP address and replaces it with an anonymous one, which makes it much harder for websites to identify you. </p> <p>A VPN also encrypts your browsing data, meaning your Internet Service Provider (ISP) is unable to see the websites you visit.</p> </div> <p id="stream-content"> </p><h3>2. Stream Content Only Available in Other Countries</h3> <p>Streaming services like <b>Netflix</b> and <b>Amazon Prime Video</b> have different content libraries depending on your location.</p> <p>In other words, the movies and TV shows you’re able to watch will depend on the country you’re connecting from.</p> <p>That’s where a VPN comes in, allowing you to change your geolocation and unblock geo-restricted videos.</p> <p>Streaming websites use your IP address to determine your physical location. A VPN masks your <b>personal IP address</b> and replaces it with an IP address in a country of your choice.</p> <p>Therefore, you can ‘trick’ streaming websites into giving you access to thousands of TV shows that are blocked in your country. </p> <p>Some VPN services even have dedicated servers for each streaming platform.</p> <p>If you connect to a VPN server in the US, for example, you’ll be able to access the US Netflix library, which has many more movies and TV shows than any other country. </p> <div id="attachment_186098" style="width: 710px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-186098" loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2021/06/expressvpn-streaming-netflix.jpg" alt="Using ExpressVPN with Netflix" width="700" height="473" class="size-full wp-image-186098"><p id="caption-attachment-186098" class="wp-caption-text">ExpressVPN worked with US Netflix in all of our tests.</p></div> <p>Finding a VPN that unblocks many streaming platforms can be difficult. Luckily, our list of <a href="/best-vpn/streaming/">the best streaming VPNs</a> is a great starting point to find VPNs that easily bypass streaming geo-restrictions.</p> <div class="block-highlighted block-highlighted--green"> <p><span style="color:#083D3A"><b>SUMMARY:</b></span> You can use a VPN to hide your IP address and replace it with one in a country of your choice. You can therefore use a VPN to bypass geographic restrictions and <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/how-to-change-netflix-region/">unblock ‘hidden’ streaming content on Netflix</a>, Amazon Prime Video, and many other streaming platforms.</p> </div> <p id="public-wifi"> </p><h3>3. Stay Safe on Public WiFi Networks</h3> <p>Exploiting public WiFi networks to gather data is simple and incredibly cheap. Criminals can take advantage of open and unencrypted networks to <b>steal important data</b> like your bank details, credit cards, photos, and other personal information.</p> <p>When you use the public WiFi connection in a café, hotel, or airport you are putting your sensitive personal data at risk.</p> <p>Hackers are increasingly targeting hotels and shopping malls in pursuit of high-value targets. This is made easier with cheap equipment that gives almost anyone the ability to take advantage of public WiFi networks for under <span data-dollar-value="99.00">$99.00</span>.</p> <p>A VPN can be used to protect yourself from this kind of threat. It will encrypt your internet traffic and make it almost impossible for hackers to understand and exploit your data. It will also <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/can-wifi-owner-see-internet-history/">stop the owner of the WiFi network from monitoring your activity</a>.</p> <p>For this reason, a VPN is an <b>invaluable tool if you travel frequently</b> and regularly use open WiFi networks. ExpressVPN is the <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/public-wifi-vpn/">best VPN for free WiFi hotspots</a> because it has strong encryption, a private logging policy, and its easy to use.</p> <p>Unprotected networks at home are also a risk. As remote work becomes more common, criminals are turning their attention towards vulnerable home networks – a practice known as wardriving.</p> <p>If you’re concerned about your security on public networks, read our guide to <a href="/guides/public-wifi-security-tips/">staying safe on public WiFi</a>.</p> <div class="block-highlighted block-highlighted--green"> <p><span style="color:#083D3A"><b>SUMMARY:</b></span> VPN services encrypt all the traffic leaving your device. This means you can use a VPN to protect your sensitive data on unprotected WiFi networks. If an attacker intercepts your connection, they will only see strings of unintelligible letters and numbers.</p> </div> <p id="censorship"> </p><h3>4. Unblock Websites and Avoid Government Censorship</h3> <p>Authoritarian governments around the world choose to block certain websites in order to limit their citizens’ access to information.</p> <p>Our latest research shows that this kind of intentional “internet shutdown” <a href="/research/cost-of-internet-shutdowns/">cost the world economy up to $4B</a> in 2020 alone.</p> <p>China, for example, uses its infamous “Great Firewall” to prevent people from accessing popular websites like Google, Facebook, and YouTube. You can find out exactly which websites are blocked using our <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/tools/blocked-in-china/">China Firewall test</a>.</p> <p>During times of political turmoil, other countries like Algeria, India, and Chad have also blocked access to social media and messaging apps like WhatsApp and Twitter.</p> <p>Citizens (and tourists) in countries affected by <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/what-is-a-vpn/what-are-vpns-used-for/">internet censorship</a> can use a VPN to <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/bypass-internet-censorship/">bypass website restrictions</a> and access the global internet.</p> <p>That’s because a VPN encrypts your traffic and masks your IP address, hiding your identity and activity from internet censors.</p> <p>Some VPN services also offer obfuscation technology, which helps evade more sophisticated systems of censorship. <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/vpn-obfuscation/">Obfuscation disguises your VPN traffic</a>, making it appear like normal browsing data.</p> <p>For journalists, activists, and whistleblowers, VPNs are a vital resource for safely speaking out against governments that limit freedom of speech and freedom of the press.</p> <p>For everyday people living under censorship, VPNs can also be an essential way to access information and services that are otherwise blocked.</p> <div class="block-highlighted block-highlighted--green"> <p><span style="color:#083D3A"><b>SUMMARY:</b></span> Some governments monitor internet use and block access to certain websites. A VPN will encrypt your connection and spoof your IP address, allowing you to unblock websites and access the global internet without being detected by government censors.</p> </div> <p id="torrenting"> </p><h3>5. Torrent Files Securely</h3> <p>Torrenting files with software like uTorrent or BitTorrent can be risky. Your IP address is visible to other peers in the swarm, and <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/tools/who-is-my-isp/">your Internet Service Provider</a> can see all of the files you’re seeding and downloading.</p> <p>Without a VPN, your IP address – and therefore your identity – is visible to other users, content owners, and copyright trolls. Your ISP can also identify your activity and work with authorities to <b>issue legal notices for copyright infringement.</b></p> <p>In most countries, users found downloading copyrighted material can face fines or even imprisonment.</p> <p>Powerful media companies also monitor P2P traffic to collect the IP addresses of torrenters. They then pay law companies called ‘copyright trolls’ to find and prosecute any users they can find.</p> <p>We don’t condone downloading copyrighted material, but if you’re torrenting legal files then a VPN is vital to encrypt your P2P activity and keep it safe from prying eyes.</p> <p>Some VPN services are tailored to torrenting more than others, though – you can find an <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/best-vpn/torrenting-vpn/">updated list of VPNs for torrenting</a> here.</p> <div class="block-highlighted block-highlighted--green"> <p><span style="color:#083D3A"><b>SUMMARY:</b></span> VPNs protect your identity and activity while torrenting by encrypting your P2P traffic and masking your public IP address. This prevents your internet service provider (ISP), copyright holders, and other peers in the swarm from spying on your activity.</p> </div> <p id="throttling"> </p><h3>6. Avoid Bandwidth Throttling</h3> <p>We’ve explained that your ISP almost certainly monitors your online activity.</p> <p>If you live in a country without strong net neutrality laws, your ISP can also <b>deliberately slow down your internet connection</b>. This is called bandwidth throttling.</p> <p>ISPs usually choose to throttle your internet connection when you perform bandwidth-heavy activities like downloading large files, streaming, or torrenting.</p> <p>Bandwidth throttling is typically used to minimize network congestion and help regulate traffic at busy times. However, some ISPs have also been accused of throttling connection speeds <b>purely for their own business interests</b>.</p> <p><a href="/what-is-a-vpn/how-does-a-vpn-work/">VPN encryption</a> can stop ISPs from throttling your connection because it prevents them from seeing what you’re doing.</p> <p>In fact, installing a VPN is <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/how-to-stop-internet-throttling/">the best way to stop internet throttling</a> by your ISP. </p> <p>Without access to your internet activity, it’s much harder for your ISP to know when to slow down your connection. This means you can enjoy faster and more reliable speeds for downloading files, gaming, and streaming.</p> <div class="block-highlighted block-highlighted--green"> <p><span style="color:#083D3A"><b>SUMMARY:</b></span> Some Internet Service Providers (ISPs) deliberately slow down your internet connection to avoid network congestion. You can use a VPN to encrypt your browsing activity, which prevents your ISP from throttling your internet speeds based on the websites you visit.</p> </div> <p id="online-shopping"> </p><h3>7. Save Money Shopping Online</h3> <p>E-Commerce websites like travel agencies, car rental companies, and airlines often use your IP address to determine your location. Once they know where you are, they can change their fares accordingly.</p> <p>For example, the booking cost of a flight for a customer in the US may be higher than the price of the same flight when booking in India. </p> <p>It’s also common for this type of website to use cookies and tracking scripts to target you with specific advertisements.</p> <p>Companies then use this type of tracking information to <b>manipulate the price of the products</b> they advertise. The more interested a potential customer seems in a product, the higher they hike the price.</p> <p>You can use a VPN to avoid this kind of targeting advertising and price manipulation.</p> <p>By hiding your IP address and spoofing your location, you can ‘trick’ a website into offering you lower prices based on the country you’re buying from.</p> <p>Aside from getting better prices, it’s also a good idea to use a VPN for safe online shopping. </p> <p>Shopping transactions typically involve sensitive information like your name, address, and banking details, which VPN encryption can help protect. </p> <div class="block-highlighted block-highlighted--green"> <p><span style="color:#083D3A"><b>SUMMARY:</b></span> Online retailers can use your IP address and targeted advertising to change the price of their products based on your location. As well as protecting your payment information, you can use a VPN to spoof your location and find the cheapest prices available.</p> </div> <p id="office-network"> </p><h3>8. Connect to an Office Network</h3> <p>VPN software comes in many forms. The first <a href="/what-is-a-vpn/vpn-protocols/">VPN protocol</a> was called Point-to-Point Tunneling (PPTP), and it was designed to help people work effectively and securely from home.</p> <p>VPNs are now used for much more than just remote working. However, some VPN services are still specifically designed to help you safely connect to a company’s internal network.</p> <p>The type of VPN we refer to in this guide and our <a href="/reviews/">VPN reviews</a> is called a ‘consumer VPN’. These services connect your device to a server that is owned by the VPN company, allowing you to browse the public internet with all of the benefits that we’ve mentioned above.</p> <p>The type of VPN that your company might use for remote work is called a ‘business VPN’. These services connect authorized users to a <b>shared server in a certain location</b>, usually an office or headquarters. </p> <p>Business VPNs give employees secure access to applications and files that are only available on the office’s internal network.</p> <p>The purpose of the VPN is to prevent sensitive business data from being sent unprotected over the ‘open’ web.</p> <div class="block-highlighted block-highlighted--green"> <p><span style="color:#083D3A"><b>SUMMARY:</b></span> There are many different types of VPNs available. You can use a ‘business VPN’ to connect your device directly to your company’s internal network, giving you secure access to files and applications that are only available to authorized users.</p> </div> </div></section></div><div class="jsx-2532098028 container-row ut-wrapper"><section id="what-does-a-vpn-not-protect-you-from" class="jsx-2580530280 block-text ut-row"><h2 class="heading-2">What Does a VPN Not Protect You From?</h2><div><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2021/02/how-to-protect-your-phone-from-spyware.jpg" alt="" width="1180" height="416" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-168338"></p> <p>Using a VPN makes your online activity much more private than using the internet without one. However, a VPN <b>doesn’t make you completely anonymous</b>.</p> <p>Encrypting your data and hiding your IP address is a great start, but your IP address is just one way you can be identified online.</p> <p>A VPN <b>doesn’t protect you</b> from:</p> <ul> <li> <p><b>Cookies and Trackers.</b> Cookies and web trackers are tiny files used by websites and advertisers to customize their services to specific users. They store information — such as your name, gender, location, and sometimes browsing habits — that can be used to identify you even when you use a VPN.</p> </li> <li> <p><b>Browser Fingerprinting.</b> Your device provides the websites you visit with detailed information about your operating system, browser, and hardware. The sum of this information forms <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/browser-fingerprinting/">a unique ‘fingerprint’</a> that can be used to track and identify you.</p> </li> <li> <p><b>IP, DNS and WebRTC Leaks.</b> A poor-quality VPN can expose your identity by leaking information like your true IP address or DNS requests. You can test for this type of vulnerability using our VPN leak test.</p> </li> <li> <p><b>Traffic Fingerprinting.</b> When you use a VPN, your ISP can still see that data is being passed between your device and a VPN server — it just can’t see the content or destination of that data. It’s sometimes possible to identify the type of data being transmitted (e.g. web browsing, streaming, P2P) through the analysis of timing and density. This is known as “traffic fingerprinting.”</p> </li> <li> <p><b>Social Media Accounts.</b> If you’re signed into personal accounts such as Facebook and Google while browsing the internet, it doesn’t matter if you’re using a VPN. These companies will be able to monitor your activity and link it to the IP address of your VPN server.</p> </li> </ul> <p>Our guide to <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/best-private-browsers/">the best private browsers</a> explores a number of ways you can keep your activity private and free from tracking, which extend beyond using a VPN.</p> <p>If you’re looking for complete anonymity, you might consider using the Tor Browser.</p> <p>The Tor Network differs from a VPN service in a number of important ways, and not all of them are positive. You can learn about these differences in our <a href="/guides/tor-vs-vpn/">comparison of Tor vs VPN</a>.</p> </div></section></div><div class="jsx-2532098028 container-row ut-wrapper"><div class="feedback-wrapper ut-row"><div style="height:27.5px;margin:0 auto calc(var(--base-unit) * 30)"></div></div></div></div><hr class="jsx-2532098028"/><div class="jsx-2532098028 container-row ut-wrapper"><section class="jsx-2580530280 block-text"></section><div data-swiftype-index="false" class="jsx-2532098028 related-articles"><h2 class="heading-4">Related guides</h2><ul class="jsx-2532098028"><li class="jsx-2532098028"><img alt="How does a VPN work illustration" loading="lazy" width="279" height="189" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" style="color:transparent" srcSet="/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2024%2F07%2FHow-Does-a-VPN-Work-768x475.webp&w=320&q=75 1x, /_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2024%2F07%2FHow-Does-a-VPN-Work-768x475.webp&w=768&q=75 2x" src="/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2024%2F07%2FHow-Does-a-VPN-Work-768x475.webp&w=768&q=75"/><p class="jsx-2532098028 heading-5"><a href="/what-is-a-vpn/how-does-a-vpn-work/" class="jsx-2532098028">How Does a VPN Work?</a></p></li><li class="jsx-2532098028"><img alt="illustration of a man purchasing a VPN from a computer screen that is designed like a vending machine" loading="lazy" width="279" height="189" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" style="color:transparent" srcSet="/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2021%2F01%2FHow-Much-Does-a-VPN-Cost-768x495.jpg&w=320&q=75 1x, /_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2021%2F01%2FHow-Much-Does-a-VPN-Cost-768x495.jpg&w=768&q=75 2x" src="/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2021%2F01%2FHow-Much-Does-a-VPN-Cost-768x495.jpg&w=768&q=75"/><p class="jsx-2532098028 heading-5"><a href="/what-is-a-vpn/vpn-cost/" class="jsx-2532098028">How Much Does a VPN Cost?</a></p></li><li class="jsx-2532098028"><img alt="Illustration showing countries where VPNs are illegal and legal" loading="lazy" width="279" height="189" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" style="color:transparent" srcSet="/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2019%2F11%2FVPN_Legal_Engagemt_Header-map-768x521.jpg&w=320&q=75 1x, /_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2019%2F11%2FVPN_Legal_Engagemt_Header-map-768x521.jpg&w=768&q=75 2x" src="/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2019%2F11%2FVPN_Legal_Engagemt_Header-map-768x521.jpg&w=768&q=75"/><p class="jsx-2532098028 heading-5"><a href="/what-is-a-vpn/are-vpns-legal/" class="jsx-2532098028">Are VPNs Legal?</a></p></li></ul></div></div><span class="jsx-2378246354 jsx-3313091859 tooltip-toast-group"><span class="jsx-2378246354 jsx-3313091859 tooltip-toast large"><i class="jsx-2378246354 jsx-3313091859 arrow"></i><span class="jsx-2378246354 jsx-3313091859 tooltip-toast-wrapper"><span class="jsx-2378246354 jsx-3313091859 flex no-header"><span class="jsx-2378246354 jsx-3313091859 tooltip-toast-content"></span><button aria-label="Close" class="jsx-2378246354 jsx-3313091859 button-text"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" class="jsx-2378246354 jsx-3313091859 icon-cross"><use xlink:href="#svg-cross" class="jsx-2378246354 jsx-3313091859"></use></svg></button></span></span></span></span><script type="application/ld+json">{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Article","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.top10vpn.com/what-is-a-vpn/what-are-vpns-used-for/"},"headline":"What Can You Do with a VPN?","image":["https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2021/05/What-Is-a-VPN-Used-For.jpg"],"datePublished":"2021-03-30T09:05:17.000Z","dateModified":"2024-07-17T16:10:00.000Z","author":[{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Person","name":"Simon Migliano","url":"https://www.top10vpn.com/about/vpn-experts/simonmigliano/","sameAs":[],"image":"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2019/05/simon-migliano-headshot.jpg"},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Person","name":"Callum Tennent","url":"https://www.top10vpn.com/about/vpn-experts/callumtennent/","sameAs":[]}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Top10VPN","publishingPrinciples":"https://www.top10vpn.com/about/how-we-review-vpns/","logo":"https://www.top10vpn.com/static/images/logo-raster.png"},"description":"People around the world use VPN services for a variety of reasons and purposes.\nAlmost a third of internet users worldwide use a VPN to secure their internet activity. This includes web browsing, torrenting files, and online shopping.\nBased on our VPN usage research, over 50% of all VPN users use a VPN to protect their personal data transfers on public WiFi networks.\nMany users also want to browse the web anonymously, and at least a third use a VPN to access video content and websites blocked in their region.\nIn this guide, we’ll explain exactly what VPNs do and why people use them.\nIn the chart below, you can see the most common reasons people give for using a VPN:\nData taken from our Global VPN Usage Report.\nThe statistics above relate to the use of personal VPNs. 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Find out exactly what a VPN can and can't do in this guide.","canonical":"","twitter":{"title":"What Is a VPN Used For? 8 Things You Can Do with a VPN","image":"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2021/05/What-Is-a-VPN-Used-For.jpg","description":"VPNs are mainly used to protect your privacy, unblock content, and stay safe on public networks. Find out exactly what a VPN can and can't do in this guide."},"opengraph":{"title":"What Is a VPN Used For? 8 Things You Can Do with a VPN","image":"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2021/05/What-Is-a-VPN-Used-For.jpg","description":"VPNs are mainly used to protect your privacy, unblock content, and stay safe on public networks. Find out exactly what a VPN can and can't do in this guide."},"robots":{"noindex":false,"nofollow":false},"hreflang":[{"lang":"en","href":"/what-is-a-vpn/what-are-vpns-used-for/"},{"lang":"x-default","href":"/what-is-a-vpn/what-are-vpns-used-for/"},{"lang":"es","href":"/es/que-es-una-vpn/vpn-usos/"},{"lang":"nl","href":"/nl/wat-is-een-vpn/wat-kun-je-doen-met-een-vpn/"},{"lang":"it","href":"/it/cosa-e-una-vpn/a-cosa-serve-una-vpn/"},{"lang":"pl","href":"/pl/vpn-co-to-jest/do-czego-sluzy-vpn/"},{"lang":"sv","href":"/sv/vad-ar-en-vpn/vad-anvands-vpn-till/"},{"lang":"fr","href":"/fr/cest-quoi-un-vpn/a-quoi-sert-un-vpn/"},{"lang":"pt","href":"/pt/o-que-e-uma-vpn/para-que-serve-vpn/"},{"lang":"de","href":"/de/was-ist-ein-vpn/wofur-ist-ein-vpn/"},{"lang":"ko","href":"/ko/what-is-a-vpn/what-are-vpns-used-for/"}]},"xr_data":{"config":{"primary":"USD","additional":["GBP","AUD","CAD","EUR","SGD"]},"content":{"body":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"/currency-conversions/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"\u003eConverted price\u003c/a\u003e in other popular currencies:\u003c/p\u003e\n"},"rates":[{"currency":"AUD","rate":1.541455},{"currency":"CAD","rate":1.406662},{"currency":"EUR","rate":0.951576},{"currency":"GBP","rate":0.789047},{"currency":"SGD","rate":1.34469},{"currency":"USD","rate":1}]},"authors":{"main_author":{"first_name":"Simon","last_name":"Migliano","display_format":"{{fe_forename}} {{fe_surname}}","photo":{"url":"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2019/05/simon-migliano-headshot.jpg","alt":"Simon Migliano"},"slug":"simonmigliano","expert":{"is_expert":true,"snippet_clean":"Simon Migliano is a recognized world expert in VPNs. He's tested hundreds of VPN services and his research has featured on the BBC, The New York Times and more."}},"additional_authors":[],"supporting_authors":[{"author":{"first_name":"Callum","last_name":"Tennent","display_format":"{{fe_forename}} {{fe_surname}}","slug":"callumtennent","expert":{"is_expert":true,"snippet_clean":"Callum Tennent oversees how we test and review VPN services. He's a member of the IAPP, and his VPN advice has featured in Forbes and the Internet Society."}},"type":"fact"}]},"chapters":[{"__typename":"UT_Chapters_Type_DefaultChapter","chapter_jumplinks":{"label":"What Can You Do with a VPN?","show_jumplink":true},"content":"\u003cp\u003eA VPN serves two main purposes: \u003cb\u003ehiding your IP address\u003c/b\u003e and \u003cb\u003eencrypting your web browsing data\u003c/b\u003e. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese two functions can open up a world of possibilities for improving your privacy, security, and freedom on the internet. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you want to learn about the technical aspects of VPN software, read our explanation of \u003ca href=\"/what-is-a-vpn/how-does-a-vpn-work/\"\u003ehow a VPN works\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"block-highlighted block-highlighted--light\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"heading-5\"\u003eQuick Summary: 8 Popular Uses of VPNs\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=#protect-privacy\u003eTo safeguard your privacy online\u003c/a\u003e. A VPN stops ISPs, governments and, websites from monitoring you.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=#stream-content\u003eUnblock \u0026#8216;hidden\u0026#8217; streaming content\u003c/a\u003e. Use a VPN to spoof your location and access streaming content from other countries.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=#public-wifi\u003eStay safe on public WiFi networks\u003c/a\u003e. VPN encryption stops criminals hacking you and stealing your personal information on public WiFi networks.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=#censorship\u003eCircumvent government censorship\u003c/a\u003e. Use a VPN to unblock websites and access the free internet in highly-censored countries, like China.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=#torrenting\u003eTorrent files securely\u003c/a\u003e. Protect your activity and hide your identity when downloading and uploading torrent files.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=#throttling\u003eAvoid bandwidth throttling\u003c/a\u003e. Use a VPN to stop your ISP from deliberately slowing down your internet connection.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=#online-shopping\u003eSave money shopping online\u003c/a\u003e. You can access cheaper regional prices on e-commerce sites, like travel agencies and airlines.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=#office-network\u003eSafely connect to the office\u003c/a\u003e. Use a business VPN to create a securely, remote connection into your office\u0026#8217;s internal network.\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBelow is a detailed list of all the things you can do with a VPN:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp id=protect-privacy\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e1. Protect Your Online Privacy\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWithout a VPN, \u003ca href=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/can-your-isp-see-your-browsing-history/\"\u003eyour Internet Service Provider (ISP) can see all of the websites you visit\u003c/a\u003e and will almost certainly be recording that information.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn some countries, ISPs are required by law to collect and store your browsing data for long periods of time.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGovernments can then access this information whenever they like. This is the case in the US, UK, Australia, and much of Europe.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOften, these countries are also members of international agreements like the \u003ca href=\"/what-is-a-vpn/vpn-jurisdictions/\"\u003eFive Eyes Alliance\u003c/a\u003e, which are designed to collect mass surveillance data and share it among themselves.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cpicture\u003e\u003csource media=\"(max-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2020/02/Five-Eyes-Countries_m.png\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2020/02/Five-Eyes-Countries.png\" alt=\"The Five Eyes countries.\" width=\"1180\" height=\"420\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-114175\" /\u003e\u003c/picture\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/what-is-a-vpn/what-does-a-vpn-hide/\"\u003eA VPN hides your web traffic\u003c/a\u003e by encrypting your data from your device to a private server. This makes it much harder for websites, governments, and ISPs to spy on your online activity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven if someone does get their hands on your browsing data, the information they collect will be almost impossible to decode.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA VPN also changes your \u003ca href=\"/tools/what-is-my-ip/\"\u003eIP address\u003c/a\u003e and replaces it with an IP address belonging to the VPN server.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis means the websites you visit will see the VPN server\u0026#8217;s IP address and will therefore find it much harder to identify you. It also prevents other potentially dangerous \u003ca href=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/what-can-people-do-with-your-ip-address/\"\u003ethings that people can do with your IP address\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"block-highlighted block-highlighted--green\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#083D3A\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSUMMARY:\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e A good VPN hides your IP address and replaces it with an anonymous one, which makes it much harder for websites to identify you. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA VPN also encrypts your browsing data, meaning your Internet Service Provider (ISP) is unable to see the websites you visit.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp id=stream-content\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e2. Stream Content Only Available in Other Countries\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStreaming services like \u003cb\u003eNetflix\u003c/b\u003e and \u003cb\u003eAmazon Prime Video\u003c/b\u003e have different content libraries depending on your location.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn other words, the movies and TV shows you’re able to watch will depend on the country you’re connecting from.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat’s where a VPN comes in, allowing you to change your geolocation and unblock geo-restricted videos.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStreaming websites use your IP address to determine your physical location. A VPN masks your \u003cb\u003epersonal IP address\u003c/b\u003e and replaces it with an IP address in a country of your choice.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTherefore, you can ‘trick’ streaming websites into giving you access to thousands of TV shows that are blocked in your country. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSome VPN services even have dedicated servers for each streaming platform.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you connect to a VPN server in the US, for example, you’ll be able to access the US Netflix library, which has many more movies and TV shows than any other country. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"attachment_186098\" style=\"width: 710px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"\u003e\u003cimg aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-186098\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2021/06/expressvpn-streaming-netflix.jpg\" alt=\"Using ExpressVPN with Netflix\" width=\"700\" height=\"473\" class=\"size-full wp-image-186098\" /\u003e\u003cp id=\"caption-attachment-186098\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"\u003eExpressVPN worked with US Netflix in all of our tests.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinding a VPN that unblocks many streaming platforms can be difficult. Luckily, our list of \u003ca href=\"/best-vpn/streaming/\"\u003ethe best streaming VPNs\u003c/a\u003e is a great starting point to find VPNs that easily bypass streaming geo-restrictions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"block-highlighted block-highlighted--green\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#083D3A\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSUMMARY:\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e You can use a VPN to hide your IP address and replace it with one in a country of your choice. You can therefore use a VPN to bypass geographic restrictions and \u003ca href=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/how-to-change-netflix-region/\"\u003eunblock ‘hidden’ streaming content on Netflix\u003c/a\u003e, Amazon Prime Video, and many other streaming platforms.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp id=public-wifi\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e3. Stay Safe on Public WiFi Networks\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExploiting public WiFi networks to gather data is simple and incredibly cheap. Criminals can take advantage of open and unencrypted networks to \u003cb\u003esteal important data\u003c/b\u003e like your bank details, credit cards, photos, and other personal information.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen you use the public WiFi connection in a café, hotel, or airport you are putting your sensitive personal data at risk.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHackers are increasingly targeting hotels and shopping malls in pursuit of high-value targets. This is made easier with cheap equipment that gives almost anyone the ability to take advantage of public WiFi networks for under $99.00.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA VPN can be used to protect yourself from this kind of threat. It will encrypt your internet traffic and make it almost impossible for hackers to understand and exploit your data. It will also \u003ca href=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/can-wifi-owner-see-internet-history/\"\u003estop the owner of the WiFi network from monitoring your activity\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor this reason, a VPN is an \u003cb\u003einvaluable tool if you travel frequently\u003c/b\u003e and regularly use open WiFi networks. ExpressVPN is the \u003ca href=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/public-wifi-vpn/\"\u003ebest VPN for free WiFi hotspots\u003c/a\u003e because it has strong encryption, a private logging policy, and its easy to use.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnprotected networks at home are also a risk. As remote work becomes more common, criminals are turning their attention towards vulnerable home networks – a practice known as wardriving.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you’re concerned about your security on public networks, read our guide to \u003ca href=\"/guides/public-wifi-security-tips/\"\u003estaying safe on public WiFi\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"block-highlighted block-highlighted--green\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#083D3A\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSUMMARY:\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e VPN services encrypt all the traffic leaving your device. This means you can use a VPN to protect your sensitive data on unprotected WiFi networks. If an attacker intercepts your connection, they will only see strings of unintelligible letters and numbers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp id=censorship\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e4. Unblock Websites and Avoid Government Censorship\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAuthoritarian governments around the world choose to block certain websites in order to limit their citizens’ access to information.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur latest research shows that this kind of intentional “internet shutdown” \u003ca href=\"/research/cost-of-internet-shutdowns/\"\u003ecost the world economy up to $4B\u003c/a\u003e in 2020 alone.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChina, for example, uses its infamous “Great Firewall” to prevent people from accessing popular websites like Google, Facebook, and YouTube. You can find out exactly which websites are blocked using our \u003ca href=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/tools/blocked-in-china/\"\u003eChina Firewall test\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuring times of political turmoil, other countries like Algeria, India, and Chad have also blocked access to social media and messaging apps like WhatsApp and Twitter.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCitizens (and tourists) in countries affected by \u003ca href=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/what-is-a-vpn/what-are-vpns-used-for/\"\u003einternet censorship\u003c/a\u003e can use a VPN to \u003ca href=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/bypass-internet-censorship/\"\u003ebypass website restrictions\u003c/a\u003e and access the global internet.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat’s because a VPN encrypts your traffic and masks your IP address, hiding your identity and activity from internet censors.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSome VPN services also offer obfuscation technology, which helps evade more sophisticated systems of censorship. \u003ca href=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/vpn-obfuscation/\"\u003eObfuscation disguises your VPN traffic\u003c/a\u003e, making it appear like normal browsing data.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor journalists, activists, and whistleblowers, VPNs are a vital resource for safely speaking out against governments that limit freedom of speech and freedom of the press.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor everyday people living under censorship, VPNs can also be an essential way to access information and services that are otherwise blocked.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"block-highlighted block-highlighted--green\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#083D3A\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSUMMARY:\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e Some governments monitor internet use and block access to certain websites. A VPN will encrypt your connection and spoof your IP address, allowing you to unblock websites and access the global internet without being detected by government censors.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp id=torrenting\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e5. Torrent Files Securely\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTorrenting files with software like uTorrent or BitTorrent can be risky. Your IP address is visible to other peers in the swarm, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/tools/who-is-my-isp/\"\u003eyour Internet Service Provider\u003c/a\u003e can see all of the files you’re seeding and downloading.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWithout a VPN, your IP address – and therefore your identity – is visible to other users, content owners, and copyright trolls. Your ISP can also identify your activity and work with authorities to \u003cb\u003eissue legal notices for copyright infringement.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn most countries, users found downloading copyrighted material can face fines or even imprisonment.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePowerful media companies also monitor P2P traffic to collect the IP addresses of torrenters. They then pay law companies called ‘copyright trolls’ to find and prosecute any users they can find.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe don’t condone downloading copyrighted material, but if you’re torrenting legal files then a VPN is vital to encrypt your P2P activity and keep it safe from prying eyes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSome VPN services are tailored to torrenting more than others, though – you can find an \u003ca href=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/best-vpn/torrenting-vpn/\"\u003eupdated list of VPNs for torrenting\u003c/a\u003e here.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"block-highlighted block-highlighted--green\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#083D3A\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSUMMARY:\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e VPNs protect your identity and activity while torrenting by encrypting your P2P traffic and masking your public IP address. This prevents your internet service provider (ISP), copyright holders, and other peers in the swarm from spying on your activity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp id=throttling\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e6. Avoid Bandwidth Throttling\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe’ve explained that your ISP almost certainly monitors your online activity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you live in a country without strong net neutrality laws, your ISP can also \u003cb\u003edeliberately slow down your internet connection\u003c/b\u003e. This is called bandwidth throttling.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eISPs usually choose to throttle your internet connection when you perform bandwidth-heavy activities like downloading large files, streaming, or torrenting.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBandwidth throttling is typically used to minimize network congestion and help regulate traffic at busy times. However, some ISPs have also been accused of throttling connection speeds \u003cb\u003epurely for their own business interests\u003c/b\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"/what-is-a-vpn/how-does-a-vpn-work/\"\u003eVPN encryption\u003c/a\u003e can stop ISPs from throttling your connection because it prevents them from seeing what you’re doing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn fact, installing a VPN is \u003ca href=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/how-to-stop-internet-throttling/\"\u003ethe best way to stop internet throttling\u003c/a\u003e by your ISP. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWithout access to your internet activity, it’s much harder for your ISP to know when to slow down your connection. This means you can enjoy faster and more reliable speeds for downloading files, gaming, and streaming.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"block-highlighted block-highlighted--green\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#083D3A\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSUMMARY:\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e Some Internet Service Providers (ISPs) deliberately slow down your internet connection to avoid network congestion. You can use a VPN to encrypt your browsing activity, which prevents your ISP from throttling your internet speeds based on the websites you visit.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp id=online-shopping\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e7. Save Money Shopping Online\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eE-Commerce websites like travel agencies, car rental companies, and airlines often use your IP address to determine your location. Once they know where you are, they can change their fares accordingly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor example, the booking cost of a flight for a customer in the US may be higher than the price of the same flight when booking in India. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s also common for this type of website to use cookies and tracking scripts to target you with specific advertisements.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCompanies then use this type of tracking information to \u003cb\u003emanipulate the price of the products\u003c/b\u003e they advertise. The more interested a potential customer seems in a product, the higher they hike the price.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can use a VPN to avoid this kind of targeting advertising and price manipulation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy hiding your IP address and spoofing your location, you can ‘trick’ a website into offering you lower prices based on the country you’re buying from.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAside from getting better prices, it’s also a good idea to use a VPN for safe online shopping. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShopping transactions typically involve sensitive information like your name, address, and banking details, which VPN encryption can help protect. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"block-highlighted block-highlighted--green\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#083D3A\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSUMMARY:\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e Online retailers can use your IP address and targeted advertising to change the price of their products based on your location. As well as protecting your payment information, you can use a VPN to spoof your location and find the cheapest prices available.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp id=office-network\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e8. Connect to an Office Network\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVPN software comes in many forms. The first \u003ca href=\"/what-is-a-vpn/vpn-protocols/\"\u003eVPN protocol\u003c/a\u003e was called Point-to-Point Tunneling (PPTP), and it was designed to help people work effectively and securely from home.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVPNs are now used for much more than just remote working. However, some VPN services are still specifically designed to help you safely connect to a company’s internal network.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe type of VPN we refer to in this guide and our \u003ca href=\"/reviews/\"\u003eVPN reviews\u003c/a\u003e is called a ‘consumer VPN’. These services connect your device to a server that is owned by the VPN company, allowing you to browse the public internet with all of the benefits that we’ve mentioned above.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe type of VPN that your company might use for remote work is called a ‘business VPN’. These services connect authorized users to a \u003cb\u003eshared server in a certain location\u003c/b\u003e, usually an office or headquarters. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBusiness VPNs give employees secure access to applications and files that are only available on the office’s internal network.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe purpose of the VPN is to prevent sensitive business data from being sent unprotected over the ‘open’ web.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"block-highlighted block-highlighted--green\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#083D3A\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSUMMARY:\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e There are many different types of VPNs available. You can use a ‘business VPN’ to connect your device directly to your company’s internal network, giving you secure access to files and applications that are only available to authorized users.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","heading_settings":{"content":"What Can You Do with a VPN?","level":2,"looks_like":2,"custom_id":""},"highlight_chapter":false,"type":"chapter"},{"__typename":"UT_Chapters_Type_DefaultChapter","chapter_jumplinks":{"label":"What Does a VPN Not Protect You From?","show_jumplink":true},"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2021/02/how-to-protect-your-phone-from-spyware.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1180\" height=\"416\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-168338\" /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUsing a VPN makes your online activity much more private than using the internet without one. However, a VPN \u003cb\u003edoesn\u0026#8217;t make you completely anonymous\u003c/b\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEncrypting your data and hiding your IP address is a great start, but your IP address is just one way you can be identified online.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA VPN \u003cb\u003edoesn\u0026#8217;t protect you\u003c/b\u003e from:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCookies and Trackers.\u003c/b\u003e Cookies and web trackers are tiny files used by websites and advertisers to customize their services to specific users. They store information — such as your name, gender, location, and sometimes browsing habits — that can be used to identify you even when you use a VPN.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBrowser Fingerprinting.\u003c/b\u003e Your device provides the websites you visit with detailed information about your operating system, browser, and hardware. The sum of this information forms \u003ca href=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/browser-fingerprinting/\"\u003ea unique ‘fingerprint’\u003c/a\u003e that can be used to track and identify you.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eIP, DNS and WebRTC Leaks.\u003c/b\u003e A poor-quality VPN can expose your identity by leaking information like your true IP address or DNS requests. You can test for this type of vulnerability using our VPN leak test.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTraffic Fingerprinting.\u003c/b\u003e When you use a VPN, your ISP can still see that data is being passed between your device and a VPN server — it just can’t see the content or destination of that data. It’s sometimes possible to identify the type of data being transmitted (e.g. web browsing, streaming, P2P) through the analysis of timing and density. This is known as “traffic fingerprinting.”\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSocial Media Accounts.\u003c/b\u003e If you’re signed into personal accounts such as Facebook and Google while browsing the internet, it doesn’t matter if you’re using a VPN. These companies will be able to monitor your activity and link it to the IP address of your VPN server.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur guide to \u003ca href=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/best-private-browsers/\"\u003ethe best private browsers\u003c/a\u003e explores a number of ways you can keep your activity private and free from tracking, which extend beyond using a VPN.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you’re looking for complete anonymity, you might consider using the Tor Browser.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Tor Network differs from a VPN service in a number of important ways, and not all of them are positive. You can learn about these differences in our \u003ca href=\"/guides/tor-vs-vpn/\"\u003ecomparison of Tor vs VPN\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n","heading_settings":{"content":"What Does a VPN Not Protect You From?","level":2,"looks_like":2,"custom_id":""},"highlight_chapter":false,"type":"chapter"}],"colour_scheme":"B8C6FC","components_data":{"box_cta":[],"video":null,"guide_links":[],"hub_cards":null,"tableSheets":[],"collapsible_content":null,"why_trust_us":{"title":"Why Trust Us?","content":"\u003cp\u003eWe\u0026#8217;re fully independent and have been reviewing VPNs since 2016. Our advice is based on our own testing results and is unaffected by financial incentives. Learn \u003ca href=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/about/\"\u003ewho we are\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/about/how-we-review-vpns/\"\u003ehow we test VPNs\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n","show_stats":false,"stats":[{"name":"REMOVE","value":""},{"name":"REMOVE","value":""},{"name":"REMOVE","value":""}]}},"external_utils":{"load_hotjar":false,"load_oim":false,"oim_campaign":"","oim_campaign_mobile":""},"intro_chapter":{"heading":"","content":"\u003cp\u003ePeople around the world use \u003ca href=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/vpn-explained/\"\u003eVPN services\u003c/a\u003e for a variety of reasons and purposes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlmost a third of internet users worldwide use a VPN to secure their internet activity. This includes web browsing, torrenting files, and online shopping.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBased on our VPN usage research, over 50% of all VPN users use a VPN to protect their personal data transfers on public WiFi networks.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMany users also want to browse the web anonymously, and at least a third use a VPN to access video content and websites blocked in their region.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this guide, we\u0026#8217;ll explain \u003cb\u003eexactly what VPNs\u003c/b\u003e do and \u003cb\u003ewhy people use them\u003c/b\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the chart below, you can see the most common reasons people give for using a VPN:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"attachment_128611\" style=\"width: 1190px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"\u003e\u003cimg aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-128611\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2020/05/why-use-a-vpn-2020.png\" alt=\"The reasons people use a VPN\" width=\"1180\" height=\"586\" class=\"size-full wp-image-128611\" /\u003e\u003cp id=\"caption-attachment-128611\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"\u003eData taken from our \u003ca href=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/research/global-vpn-usage-statistics/\"\u003eGlobal VPN Usage Report\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe statistics above relate to the use of personal VPNs. However, keep in mind that there are \u003ca href=\"/what-is-a-vpn/vpn-types/\"\u003evarious types of VPNs\u003c/a\u003e available, including remote access and business VPNs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-why-trust-us-stats=\"\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n","chapter_jumplinks":{"label":"","show_jumplink":false}},"main_image":{"show_image":true,"image":{"url":"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2021/05/What-Is-a-VPN-Used-For.jpg","alt":"What Is a VPN Used For?","width":1180,"height":815}},"references":"","related_articles":[{"title":"How Does a VPN Work?","url":"/what-is-a-vpn/how-does-a-vpn-work/","image":{"url":"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2024/07/How-Does-a-VPN-Work-768x475.webp","alt":"How does a VPN work illustration","width":768,"height":475}},{"title":"How Much Does a VPN Cost?","url":"/what-is-a-vpn/vpn-cost/","image":{"url":"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2021/01/How-Much-Does-a-VPN-Cost-768x495.jpg","alt":"illustration of a man purchasing a VPN from a computer screen that is designed like a vending machine","width":768,"height":495}},{"title":"Are VPNs Legal?","url":"/what-is-a-vpn/are-vpns-legal/","image":{"url":"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2019/11/VPN_Legal_Engagemt_Header-map-768x521.jpg","alt":"Illustration showing countries where VPNs are illegal and legal","width":768,"height":521}}],"title":"What Can You Do with a VPN?","tldr":{"heading":"Overview","content":"\u003cp\u003eVirtual private networks (VPNs) hide your IP address and encrypt your web traffic. VPNs are primarily used to protect your internet privacy, browse safely on public WiFi networks, and access streaming content blocked or restricted in your geographic location.\u003c/p\u003e\n"},"updated_date":"2024-07-17T16:10:00.000Z","published_date":"2021-03-30T09:05:17.000Z","view_password":"","recaptchaSiteKeyV3":"6Ld6xwAVAAAAAJFsy3_JH2x9-p2xrLHhrVsepqTW","slug":"what-are-vpns-used-for"}},"url":{"route":"/what-is-a-vpn/[slug]","pathname":"/what-is-a-vpn/[slug]","query":{"slug":"what-are-vpns-used-for"},"asPath":"/what-is-a-vpn/what-are-vpns-used-for/","isFallback":false,"basePath":"","locale":"en","locales":["en","es","it","pl","pt","sv","fr","nl","de","ko"],"defaultLocale":"en","isReady":true,"isPreview":false,"isLocaleDomain":false},"showBanner":false,"vFlag":false,"variant":false,"GA4":"G-4F248Z2SQ6","fpTestsPercentage":"0","__N_SSP":true},"page":"/what-is-a-vpn/[slug]","query":{"slug":"what-are-vpns-used-for"},"buildId":"190771ecf3913267d347bb3ed2afd088e5367312","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"gssp":true,"appGip":true,"locale":"en","locales":["en","es","it","pl","pt","sv","fr","nl","de","ko"],"defaultLocale":"en","scriptLoader":[]}</script><script defer="" src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-4F248Z2SQ6"></script><script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('set', 'url_passthrough', true); gtag('consent', 'default', { 'ad_storage': 'granted', 'ad_user_data': 'granted', 'ad_personalization': 'granted', 'analytics_storage': 'granted', 'security_storage': 'granted', }); gtag('config','AW-951368176'); gtag('config','G-J4RT6V6VSW'); gtag('config','G-4F248Z2SQ6'); // TEMP: Collecting data on dark mode preference if (window.matchMedia && window.matchMedia('(prefers-color-scheme: dark)').matches) { window.gtag("event", "dark_mode_preference", { value: "dark", send_to: "G-4F248Z2SQ6", }); } else if (window.matchMedia && window.matchMedia('(prefers-color-scheme: light)').matches) { window.gtag("event", "dark_mode_preference", { value: "light", send_to: "G-4F248Z2SQ6", }); } else { window.gtag("event", "dark_mode_preference", { value: "no-preference", send_to: "G-4F248Z2SQ6", }); } // End TEMP </script><noscript><div style="display:inline"><img height="1" width="1" style="display:none" alt="" src="//googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/viewthroughconversion/951368176/?guid=ON&script=0"/></div></noscript></body></html>