Using a VPN is the best way to keep yourself safe online.

A VPN makes your traffic unreadable and prevents anyone from seeing what youre doing online.

There are many other benefits of using a VPN.

ExpressVPN

Getting a VPN is easy, even if youre not that tech-savvy.

It takes less than 5 minutes if you follow my simple guide below.

On Android, iOS, Windows, and macOS devices, youll only need a couple of minutes.

ExpressVPN

This takes a bit more time, but no more than 1015 minutes.

Click it to proceed.

Choose the plan that works best for you.

ExpressVPN

Longer-term plans usually provide better value.

Most top VPNs accept credit/debit cards, PayPal, and cryptocurrencies.

Find the correct app for your machine and press the download button.

ExpressVPN

Most VPNs, like ExpressVPN, redirect you to their app page immediately after you buy a subscription.

Go back to the VPNs official site and download any other app you need.

ExpressVPN has dedicated apps for Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux, and Apple TV.

ExpressVPN

Select a server location from the server list in the app and click or tap on the Connect button.

you might enjoy safe connections on all of your devices.

Then, tap the download button.

ExpressVPN

Sign in to your account on your phone and connect to a VPN server.

All of your online activities are now private and secure.

You should be able to find this information on your providers website.

ExpressVPN

If its not there, you could always reach out to your VPNs customer support team.

Once youre finished configuring the VPN on your router, see if its working.

And you dont have the privacy you want to have.

How to Download, Install, and Set Up a VPN On Your Devices (Step-By-Step Guides)

VPNs prevent this by encrypting your entire internet traffic, so that its unreadable by others.

VPNs also make it very hard for anyone to figure out your location.

Many top VPNs also come with an ad, tracker, and malware blocker.

How to Download, Install, and Set Up a VPN On Your Devices (Step-By-Step Guides)

This makes ad-heavy websites like social media sites less obnoxious to navigate and load faster.

It also prevents advertisers from gathering information about your browsing habits and serving you with annoying targeted ads.

Gaming

A VPN protects you from distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks.

How to Download, Install, and Set Up a VPN On Your Devices (Step-By-Step Guides)

These are attempts to disrupt your internet service by flooding your IP address with requests.

Since a VPN hides your IP address, threat actors wont be able to target you directly.

Last but not least, a VPN can help you evade unjust bans or suspensions.

How to Download, Install, and Set Up a VPN On Your Devices (Step-By-Step Guides)

It also lets you visit torrent sites in places where theyre restricted.

just confirm that using a VPN and visiting torrent sites is legal in your current location before doing so.

Avoid torrenting copyrighted content and check your local laws to verify its safe to torrent.

Reasons Why You Need a VPN

VPNs can also help you bypass restrictions on your school or workplace networks.

I would advise against using a free VPN.

And Im not a huge fan of free plans either.

Reasons Why You Need a VPN

Additionally, most free VPNs dont have good streaming support and rarely support torrenting.

I would get an affordable paid VPN instead.

Its a small investment for significant gains in security, privacy, and peace of mind.

Reasons Why You Need a VPN

VPNs keep your online activity private by encrypting your data.

Most top VPNs use 256-bit AES encryption, which is very strong encryption used by banks and militaries.

Most top VPNs will also have a strict no-logs policy.

Private Internet Access

The best VPNs also have their no-logs policies audited and confirmed by an independent third party.

And a lot of good VPNs, including allVPNs I recommend, come with a tracker blocker.

This information often goes to advertising and marketing companies who use it to target you with ads.

CyberGhost

Its also sometimes used by governments who want to know what you do online.

Is It Illegal to Use a VPN?

VPNs are legal in most countries.

ExpressVPN

Its what you do with the VPN that matters.

Pirating copyrighted content, for example, is still illegal whether you use a VPN or not.

Do VPNs Come With Any Drawbacks?

Private Internet Access

Yes, there are some potential drawbacks you should be aware of.

Overall though, its still worth using a VPN.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it really necessary to have a VPN?

CyberGhost

Yes, if you value your online privacy and security.

They can find out roughly where youre located, what websites you visit, and what files you download.

Is there a downside to always using a VPN?

Some websites and services also block traffic from known VPN servers.

Whats the best free VPN?

I dont recommend using a free VPNbecause theyre usually very restrictive.

Free VPNs also rarely support streaming and torrenting and dont come with a lot of extra features.

Free VPNs arent very secure either, which defeats the point of using a VPN in the first place!

In fact, some VPNs actively collect and sell user data to third parties.

I strongly recommend getting an affordable paid VPN instead, likeany of the VPNs on my list.

Yes, in most countries, using a VPN is legal.

Best VPNs in 2025 Final Score: