Two simple VPN tweaks get you way more privacy

Most people assume that turning on their VPN makes them invisible online. That's one of the biggest misconceptions there is around virtual private networks and what they can do.

After all, it encrypts your traffic and hides your IP address, right? But even the best VPNs can quietly leak data that reveals who you are — unless you enable these two simple settings that close the gap.

You're not as private as you think

It's not a magical cloak

Although VPNs do encrypt your web traffic, it's not foolproof. There are still gaps where information can slip through, especially depending on your VPN settings. At a basic level, a VPN hides your traffic from your internet provider and masks your location from websites, but it doesn't stop every type of leak by default.

• DNS leaks: Your device might still ask your internet provider to look up websites, even while the rest of your data travels through the VPN tunnel.
• IPv6 leaks: Some VPNs only route IPv4 traffic (the older internet addressing system), leaving IPv6 data exposed.
• WebRTC leaks: Browser-based technologies can reveal your real IP address when connecting to voice or video services.

However, the big problem with these leaks is that unless you know what to check for, you may never realize that your VPN is dripping fragments of your private data for others to find.

Now, choosing a VPN server and protocol is important. It greatly impacts your speed and privacy. But there is another setting you should really toggle on your VPN to actually protect yourself and your privacy.

Flip this one switch for more VPN privacy

All reputable VPN providers have this feature

It's time to go hunting for your VPN's kill switch feature. As said, if your VPN is worth its salt, it'll have a kill switch option you can enable.

Switching this on protects your data if your VPN connection drops for any reason. It instantaneously blocks all internet traffic, making sure your device isn't communicating with the internet when it should be protecting your data. Unfortunately, that brief moment where your VPN drops is enough for background apps, cloud sync tools, or even your web browser to reveal your real IP address and DNS requests, which can be enough to track your real location, data, and so on.

The feature name can differ slightly between VPN providers, but it'll always have the core "kill switch" name included.

Now, make sure this VPN privacy setting is also enabled

This combination locks all of your data down

The other VPN feature you'll want to enable is DNS leak protection. Your VPN provider should encrypt your entire connection, including your DNS requests.

Each time you enter a new website address, click on a page link, or generally interact with the internet, a DNS request is sent to find the requisite server hosting that information. The DNS system turns human-readable URLs into computer-readable IP addresses, and it's this system that forms the backbone of the internet.

But DNS requests can be easily read by your ISP or anyone else snooping on your connection, which is why it's great that your VPN encrypts this data. It means that your whole connection is secure and private. But if that connection fails and your DNS leaks, those searches can be attributed to you.

This is where DNS leak protection is vital. Without it, your ISP will receive information on the domains you visit. Like the kill switch, it's highly likely your VPN includes DNS leak protection to guard against this type of privacy breach.

I'd advise you to use an encrypted DNS provider, even when you're not using your VPN. It's a tiny privacy boost, but it's worthwhile.

Privacy is multi-pronged

It's not a one-size-fits-all solution

Your VPN isn't the be-all and end-all of privacy. It can still accidentally leak your information, and it's not guaranteed to work all of the time. But by taking a few small preventive measures and making sure these two settings are switched on, you're giving yourself a much stronger chance of staying private when it matters most.

If you're unsure about which VPN to choose, I'd always advise sticking with a VPN that guarantees not to log your data. While it's not always easy to trust no-log VPN claims, there are a few VPN providers with full third-party audits to back up the marketing, such as NordVPN, Mullvad VPN, and Proton VPN.