What is a VPN kill switch?

A kill switch is an important feature to look out for when purchasing a VPN, especially if it’s important that your IP address remains anonymous. 

But what exactly is a kill switch, and how can it help keep your sensitive data away from prying eyes? We’ve created this comprehensive guide to explain the VPN feature, and where you can find it. 

What is a VPN kill switch?

A kill switch is a feature that, when enabled, will automatically disconnect your devices from the internet whenever you lose connection to a VPN. 

Without a kill switch, your IP address will be exposed as soon as your VPN connection drops out, leaving you more vulnerable to potential data breaches.

VPNs such as NordVPN give you the ability to turn a kill switch on or off. It even allows you to set up even more specific settings, choosing whether the kill switch comes into effect for just unexpected VPN dropouts, or for manual disconnections too. 

NordVPN also offers the option to set a kill switch for select apps, so you can set the likes of Gmail and Spotify to automatically shut down whenever you lose connection to a VPN’s server. 

There are a number of scenarios where you could lose connection to a VPN. For example, switching between VPN servers can sometimes see a short gap where you’re unprotected. You may also set up a new firewall, but forget to enable your VPN to bypass it. For whichever reason that your VPN connection is lost, a kill switch will ensure that you’re not connected to the internet with your IP address exposed.

Not every kill switch offers the same level of reliability though. One of the VPNs that offers a great kill switch, among other features, is NordVPN. You can check out the latest offer via the deals widget below.