Setting up a VPN on Windows takes about five minutes. Most of that time goes on two prompts Windows shows for any new network app, a SmartScreen warning and a firewall question, which confuse people more than the VPN itself. Here is the whole process, including what those prompts mean.
What you need
- A PC running Windows 10 or Windows 11 (64-bit)
- An administrator account, because a VPN installs a network adapter
- A VPN subscription, or a plan to start one
Step 1. Download the installer from the provider's own site
Get the installer from the VPN provider's website, not from a download portal or a link in a forum. Re-packaged installers on third-party sites are a common way malware spreads, and a VPN sees all your traffic, so this is the one app you most want to be genuine.
If the provider publishes a checksum (a SHA-256 file next to the installer), you can confirm the download matches. Open PowerShell in your Downloads folder and run:
Get-FileHash .\Installer-name.exe -Algorithm SHA256
The long string it prints should match the one on the site.
Step 2. Run the installer
Double-click the file. Two things may appear.
SmartScreen: "Windows protected your PC". Windows shows this for apps that have not yet built a download reputation with Microsoft, which includes most new or smaller apps. It does not mean the file is infected. If you downloaded it from the provider's own site, click More info, check the app name, then click Run anyway.
User Account Control: "Do you want to allow this app to make changes?" Click Yes. The VPN needs administrator rights once, to install its network adapter.
Follow the installer to the end and launch the app.
Step 3. Allow it through the firewall
The first time the VPN connects, Windows Defender Firewall may ask whether to allow the app on private and public networks. Allow both. If you only allow private networks, the VPN may fail on exactly the networks where you need it, such as hotel and café Wi-Fi, which Windows treats as public.
Step 4. Sign in and connect
Activate your subscription in the app, choose a server, and click connect. A sensible default is the nearest server for speed, or a server in your home country for banking and local services.
Step 5. Turn on the useful settings
Look through the settings once. The ones worth enabling on a PC:
- Launch at startup. So the VPN is running before you open a browser.
- Auto-connect. Ideally only on untrusted Wi-Fi, or always if you prefer.
- Stealth or obfuscation mode, if your office, school, hotel or country blocks standard VPN protocols.
- Kill switch, if your VPN offers one, so nothing leaks while the tunnel reconnects.
Step 6. Check that it works
A "Connected" label is not proof. Spend a minute on these:
- IP check. Search "what is my IP" with the VPN off, then on. The address and location should change.
- DNS leak test. You should see the VPN's DNS servers, not your internet provider's.
- WebRTC test in your browser. Only the VPN's address should appear.
Our full guide covers each check: how to tell if your VPN is working.
If it will not connect
Work through these in order:
- Check your internet without the VPN. If nothing loads, the problem is the connection, not the VPN.
- Try another server.
- Turn on stealth mode. Corporate and hotel networks often block standard VPN protocols.
- Close other VPNs and proxies. Two VPN adapters fight over the routing table. Also check Settings → Network & internet → Proxy and switch off any manual proxy.
- Check third-party antivirus. Some security suites block new network adapters. Add the VPN as an exception rather than turning protection off.
- Restart the PC. It resets the network stack and the VPN adapter.
- Reinstall the app if the adapter appears to be missing.
Windows' built-in VPN settings
Windows has its own VPN menu under Settings → Network & internet → VPN. It is for manual connections to corporate servers using protocols such as IKEv2 or L2TP. You do not need it for a consumer VPN app, which manages its own connection, and adding an entry there will not make the app work better.
Uninstalling
Use Settings → Apps → Installed apps, find the VPN and click Uninstall. A proper uninstaller removes the network adapter too. Cancel the subscription separately, wherever you paid for it.
Korp VPN on Windows
Korp VPN has a Windows app alongside iPhone and Android, with a stealth protocol that makes the tunnel look like ordinary HTTPS, so it connects on networks that block standard VPNs. It has unlimited data, built-in DNS and WebRTC leak tests, and a strict no-logs policy on RAM-only servers. Download the installer from korpvpn.com. Because the app is new, expect the SmartScreen prompt described above. Plans are $4.99 for three months or $17.99 a year.