Should I use a VPN?

A VPN is genuinely useful on public Wi-Fi because it encrypts the connection and hides browsing from the internet provider.

A VPN encrypts your connection on public Wi-Fi and hides browsing from your internet provider, which is useful when traveling or using coffee-shop Wi-Fi. It does not make you anonymous or replace antivirus and strong passwords.

What a VPN really does

A VPN builds an encrypted tunnel between your device and a company’s server, so the coffee-shop network — and your internet provider at home — cannot see what you do inside it. Notice what that means: you are moving trust, not removing it. The VPN company can see your traffic instead, which is why choosing an honest one matters, and why a VPN cannot make you anonymous.

When and how to use one, step by step

1. Use it on public Wi-Fi — cafés, airports, hotels — especially before banking, email, or anything with a password.
2. Choose a well-established paid provider. Free VPNs need to make money somehow, and too often the product is your browsing data.
3. Install the app only from the official app store or the provider’s own site — fake VPN apps are a real scam category.
4. Connect the VPN as soon as you join a public network, before browsing.
5. Turn on the app’s “kill switch” if it offers one: it blocks all traffic if the VPN drops, instead of silently continuing unprotected.
6. Know the limits: a VPN will not stop viruses, phishing, or websites tracking your logged-in account — and it usually costs a little speed.