How to Turn Off a VPN on iPhone

The quickest way to disable a VPN on iPhone:

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone
2. Tap General
3. Tap VPN & Device Management (on iOS 18) or VPN (on iOS 19)
4. Toggle the VPN switch to OFF

This disconnects the active VPN connection without removing the configuration. You can re-enable it later by tapping the same toggle. The status indicator at the top of your iPhone screen will no longer show 'VPN'.

Faster shortcut: On iOS 18 and 19, the main Settings screen also shows a VPN row near the top when a VPN is active. You can tap the toggle there directly without navigating into General first.

Most VPN apps include a prominent disconnect button:

1. Open your VPN app (NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark, etc.)
2. Tap the large Connected or Disconnect button on the home screen
3. Wait 1-2 seconds for the connection to close

This method is preferable when you want the VPN app to record the disconnect (for usage statistics) and properly release the iOS network extension. Using the in-app button also lets the app remember your last server selection for faster reconnection later.

Tip: Most VPN apps also support iOS Shortcuts. You can create a Siri Shortcut like 'Hey Siri, disconnect VPN' to toggle your VPN with voice commands.

If your VPN keeps reconnecting automatically when you join Wi-Fi networks, you have auto-connect enabled. To stop this behavior:

1. Open your VPN app
2. Go to Settings or Preferences within the app
3. Look for Auto-Connect, Trusted Networks, or Wi-Fi Protection
4. Disable the auto-connect toggle, OR add your current Wi-Fi network to the Trusted Networks list

Adding a network to the trusted list is usually preferable to fully disabling auto-connect — you maintain protection on unknown public Wi-Fi while skipping the VPN at home or the office.

In iOS 18 and 19, you can also check Settings > General > VPN > [your VPN profile] > Connect On Demand and toggle it off. This prevents the iOS-level VPN profile from auto-activating.

If you want to remove the VPN from iPhone completely:

1. Open Settings
2. Tap General
3. Tap VPN & Device Management (iOS 18) or VPN (iOS 19)
4. Tap the (i) info icon next to the VPN profile
5. Scroll down and tap Delete VPN
6. Confirm the deletion

This removes the VPN configuration from iOS but does NOT uninstall the VPN app itself. To fully remove the VPN, also delete the app:

1. Long-press the VPN app icon on your home screen
2. Tap Remove App
3. Tap Delete App to confirm

Deleting the configuration is useful when switching VPN providers — leftover configurations from old VPN apps can sometimes interfere with new installations.

There are legitimate reasons to temporarily turn off a VPN:

• Banking apps that block VPNs — Some US banks flag logins from VPN IPs as suspicious. Disable the VPN, log in, then reconnect
• Streaming a service that requires your real location — Local content (like regional news apps) may need your true IP
• Wi-Fi captive portals — Coffee shop and hotel Wi-Fi 'sign-in' pages often fail to load with a VPN active. Connect to Wi-Fi, sign in, then enable VPN
• Apple's Find My network — Works better with the VPN off in some cases
• Troubleshooting slow speeds — Quickly compare speeds with and without the VPN to identify the bottleneck
• Voice/video call quality issues — Disable VPN temporarily if calls are choppy

When you should KEEP the VPN running:

• On any public or untrusted Wi-Fi — Coffee shops, airports, hotels, conferences. The risk of credential theft on open networks is documented and significant
• When traveling internationally — Maintain access to your home accounts and avoid surveillance in some jurisdictions
• When your ISP is known to throttle traffic — Comcast, Verizon, and other US ISPs have been documented throttling specific traffic types
• For sensitive browsing — Healthcare research, legal queries, financial planning

A good rule: disable the VPN only as long as needed, then reconnect. Most modern VPN apps make this a 2-tap process.

If toggling the VPN off doesn't work, try these steps in order:

• Force-quit the VPN app — Swipe up from the bottom of the screen, find the VPN app, swipe up to close
• Toggle Airplane Mode — Enable it for 10 seconds, then disable. This resets all network connections
• Restart your iPhone — Hold the power button + volume button until the slider appears, then power off and back on
• Check for a 'kill switch' or 'always-on' setting — Some VPN apps include an always-on feature that prevents the toggle from working until disabled in app settings
• Look for an MDM profile — If your iPhone is managed by an employer or school, the VPN may be enforced by an MDM (Mobile Device Management) profile. Check Settings > General > VPN & Device Management > Profiles
• Reset network settings (last resort) — Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings. This deletes all Wi-Fi passwords and VPN configurations. Use only if nothing else works

If the VPN still won't disconnect after these steps, the issue is likely an MDM profile installed by an organization. Contact your IT department to remove the enforcement.