On a computer, a VPN app sends your internet traffic through an encrypted connection to the VPN company's server. Your internet provider and the Wi-Fi network you're on see a connection to that server, and the websites you visit see the server's IP address instead of yours. It won't stop sites tracking you once you sign in to them, and it doesn't replace antivirus software or care around phishing emails. The quickest way to use one is the provider's own app. Windows and macOS also have a VPN client built in, for when your provider or employer gives you manual settings.

The steps below use Surfshark's apps as the worked example because its help center documents each screen. NordVPN, ExpressVPN and other providers follow the same pattern. Everything here was checked against the providers', Microsoft's and Apple's help pages on November 4, 2026.

What to check before you pay

Most paid VPNs share the same basics, so compare the details that change how you use them.

  • Protocols. Current apps use WireGuard (or a provider's own protocol built on it, such as NordVPN's NordLynx), OpenVPN or IKEv2. Avoid any service that still leans on PPTP. NordVPN stopped supporting PPTP and L2TP/IPsec on its servers in December 2018.
  • A kill switch, which cuts your internet connection if the VPN drops, so your traffic doesn't leak onto the open network while the app reconnects.
  • How many devices one subscription covers. Surfshark allows unlimited devices. NordVPN allows 10 at the same time. Proton VPN's paid plans cover up to 10, and its free plan covers one device with no data limit.
  • What the company keeps about you. Every provider holds account and payment details. Read the privacy policy for what it says about connection and activity logs, and look for an independent audit of that claim.
  • Refund terms. Surfshark's 30-day money-back guarantee covers your first purchase on its website and doesn't apply once a subscription has renewed. Check your provider's terms before you buy.

Install a VPN app on Windows

Surfshark's Windows app runs on Windows 7 or later, with a separate Legacy app for Windows 7 and 8 and a separate download for ARM64 processors. Microsoft ended support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, so check that your VPN still supports your version of Windows before you buy.

  1. Buy a plan on the provider's website, or create an account in the app.
  2. Download the Windows app from the provider's website and open the installer from your Downloads folder. For Surfshark it's called Surfshark.Setup.
  3. Click Yes when Windows asks whether the app can make changes to your device. The installer finishes on its own and opens the app.
  4. Click Log in and enter the email and password you signed up with. If you turned on two-factor authentication, enter the code and click Verify.
  5. Click Quick-connect to join the fastest available server, or pick a country from the location list.

The connection status appears at the top of the app, with buttons to disconnect or pause. Surfshark's Windows app also has a speed and latency test under Settings, then VPN settings, then Speed test, which helps if one server feels slow.

Install a VPN app on a Mac

Surfshark's Mac app needs macOS 12 or later and installs from the Mac App Store. Some providers also offer the Mac app as a download from their own websites.

  1. Open the App Store on your Mac, search for the VPN by name and click Get. The app installs on its own; click Open when it finishes.
  2. Choose your login method, or Create account if you're new.
  3. Click Connect to join the fastest server, or pick a location from the list.
  4. The first time, macOS asks you to allow the VPN. Surfshark's prompt sends you to Login Items & Extensions in System Settings; follow the steps on screen.

When the app shows Connected, your traffic is going through the VPN.

Settings to change after you connect

Open the app's settings once it's working. In Surfshark's apps these are under Settings, then VPN settings, on both Windows and Mac.

  • Turn on the kill switch.
  • Turn on auto-connect if you often use public Wi-Fi. Surfshark's Mac app can connect when the app starts or when you join an unsecured network.
  • Leave the protocol on the app's default unless you have a reason to change it. One reason is sharing your connection with another device over a Windows hotspot, which NordVPN and Surfshark both say needs OpenVPN rather than WireGuard.

Set up a VPN manually on Windows

Use this when your employer or provider gives you server details instead of an app. VPN providers that support manual setups give you separate service credentials for it. NordVPN's are under Manual setup in the Nord Account dashboard, and they're different from the email and password you sign in with.

  1. On Windows 11, open Settings, then Network & internet, then VPN, and select Add VPN.
  2. Set VPN provider to Windows (built-in).
  3. Give the connection a name you'll recognize and enter the server name or address.
  4. Choose the VPN type your provider or employer uses, then the type of sign-in info: username and password, one-time password, certificate or smart card.
  5. Enter your username and password if they're needed, and select Save.

To connect, select the Network, Volume and Battery icons on the taskbar and use the VPN quick setting, or go back to Settings, then Network & internet, then VPN, and select Connect. Windows shows the connection as Connected and puts a blue shield on the taskbar. On Windows 10 the same form is under Start, then Settings, then Network & Internet, then VPN, then Add a VPN connection.

Set up a VPN manually on a Mac

If your provider or employer sent you a VPN settings file, double-click it. Otherwise:

  1. Choose Apple menu, then System Settings, and click Network in the sidebar.
  2. Click the Action pop-up menu, choose Add VPN Configuration, then pick the type: L2TP over IPSec, Cisco IPSec or IKEv2.
  3. Enter a display name and the settings you were given, such as the server address, account name, password and authentication method.
  4. Click Create.

Use the VPN status menu in the menu bar to connect and to switch between VPN configurations.

Check that it works

Run an IP leak test and a DNS leak test with the VPN connected. Surfshark hosts both on its website, and other providers publish their own. The IP address should belong to the VPN server and the DNS servers should belong to the VPN provider, not your internet provider.

Share your PC's VPN with other devices

A Roku, a game console or an older smart TV can't run a VPN app. A Windows PC can share its VPN connection with them as a Wi-Fi hotspot, or over an Ethernet cable if the PC has a second port free. Surfshark says it can't share a VPN this way from a phone's hotspot on standard Android or iOS, only from Windows. Our guide to using a VPN with Roku walks through the Windows hotspot steps.

Which VPN to use on a PC

The steps above work with any provider that has a Windows or Mac app. Choose by how many devices you need to cover and whether you want a free plan to start. Our guide to the best VPN software compares current prices, and our step-by-step guides to installing Surfshark and installing NordVPN cover each app on every device.