With literally hundreds of VPN providers out there, you have probably heard the term “kill switch”, but didn’t really know what it means or does. Before you think of it as an assassin that takes out its targets with a flick of a switch, read on. Despite its fearsome name, a VPN kill switch is a lifesaver feature, and from now on we guarantee you’ll be looking for it in every VPN provider you use. In short, it keeps your anonymity and privacy intact by stopping all internet usage if you’re suddenly disconnected and your VPN protection fails.
What is a Kill Switch?
Thanks to high community demand, nowadays many VPN providers offer this so-called kill switch feature – and for very good reasons. Let’s say that you turned on your VPN to do something tricky, such as torrenting or simply browsing the web over a potentially dodgy public Wi-Fi network, when suddenly your VPN fails. In normal cases a VPN failure equals hitting an iceberg with the Titanic, but thanks to the kill switch you and your internet data and traffic are safe. In other words, the kill switch shuts down any questionable traffic until you can put on your VPN invisibility cloak again. Furthermore, if you have this feature and the option to connect automatically as soon as you start your system, you never end up being exposed again.
And before you think that being “nude” in front of everybody for a couple of seconds is not a big deal, we have some bad news: without a VPN, you are constantly monitored by your ISP, legal authorities and even governments. Doing questionable things without proper protection can, indeed, have severe consequences.
Also, because now many VPNs have a features that make them connect automatically, as soon as you start your system, with this little trick you never end up forgetting to turn on the VPN to keep safe your most private desires.
Best VPN Services of 2023
| Rank | Provider | Info | Visit |
1 | Editor's Choice 2023  | ||
2 |  | ||
3 |  |
How Does a Kill Switch Work?
The majority of VPNs offering kill switch have this feature turned on by default which, if not needed, can surely be turned off any time in the solutions’ respective clients and settings. However, keep in mind that turning your kill switch off may result in getting suddenly exposed, regardless of how careful you are, so using VPNs without kill switch is absolutely not recommended. Another good reason to use kill switch is that, like many software, VPNs are far from perfect, which manifests in the form of sudden connection drops. When this occurs, the kill switch automatically detects the problem and kicks in immediately. Furthermore, if the VPN is used on a router and it suddenly fails, the kill switch can not only hide the internet traffic and history of your computer, but those of any other device connected to the same network as well.
Recommended VPNs with Kill Switch
IPVanish
If the various features, including 500 servers in 60+ countries weren’t convincing enough that IPVanish is a top-notch provider that deserved a top spot in our VPN rankings, then the kill switch option definitely puts the icing on the cake. In order to activate your invisibility cloak, just go to the settings tab in the dashboard menu on the VPN client and find the “Enable kill switch function” checkbox next to a couple of other useful features, such as IPv6 leaking prevention. Then all you have to do is just put a check on said checkbox and enjoy invisible surfing on the internet to the extreme.
PureVPN
PureVPN is the quiet friend that prefers not to be noticed, but when you need its help, it comes and makes sure you can surf the internet without being monitored by “them”. In fact, this company – that’s been on the market for over a decade with affordable pricing, strong device support and so on – has 600+ servers in all continents, providing about 80,000+ IP addresses. These facts are already amazing, but when it comes to the kill switch feature, the company doesn’t disappoint either. However, there is one catch: even though managing this feature is easy from the client’s settings, PureVPN doesn’t allow torrenting. So if you want to enjoy the benefits of P2P, you have to look for another VPN.
Private Internet Access
U.S.-based Private Internet Access (or PIA for short) is known for being quite a torrent-friendly VPN provider, as it has over 3,340 servers in 24 countries with P2P allowed on each and every one of them. Therefore, it’s not surprising it has the kill switch which you can turn on and off very easily: just open PIA’s client, search for the kill switch check box, tick it, save the changes and bon voyage on the vast motorway that is called the internet. Furthermore, PIA’s app is constantly checking if you’re connected or not, so if your VPN drops, then the kill switch immediately kicks in. Last but not least, PIA is one of the favorite choices among Reddit users when it comes to torrenting.
Best VPN Services of 2023
| Rank | Provider | Info | Visit |
1 | Editor's Choice 2023 | ||
2 | | ||
3 | |
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