Google’sPixel 7andPixel 7 Proare some of thebest Android phonesaround, and are getting even better with somenew updates. Though the devices aren’t perfect, both have received pretty decent reviews overall. And now Google has included a built-in VPN through Google One, for free, right on your Pixel 7 device.
Difficulty
What You Need
A Google Pixel 7 or Pixel 7 Pro
The Google One app
But are you a little lost on how to enable it? After all, it’s not in the usual Settings app. Don’t worry; here’s how to use your Google Pixel 7’s VPN features.
How to use the Pixel 7’s free VPN
While you may think that the built-in VPN is enabled through the device settings, it’s actually all done through the Google One app, which you should already have on your Pixel 7. But don’t confuseGoogle One with Google Drive, because these are two separate services.
Step 1:Open theGoogle Oneapp on your Pixel 7 or Pixel 7 Pro.
Step 2:Scroll down and selectVPN, then selectGot iton the on-screen prompt.
Step 3:Select the toggle forUse VPNtoON.
Step 4:On initial setup, make sure toAllowtheConnection requestandNotificationprompts when they appear.
Step 5:When you are done with the VPN, go back to the Google One app and turn the toggle toOFF.
How to add Pixel 7 VPN to Quick Settings
If don’t want to go into the Google One app each time to manage the VPN, you can also control it from the Quick Settings panel. But first, you need to add it.
Step 1:Swipe down twice from your Pixel 7 screen to bring up theQuick Settingspanel.
Step 2:Select theEditbutton (it looks like a small pencil) under your current tiles.
Step 3:Scroll down to the bottom and thenhold and dragtheVPN by Google Onetile (it may be all the way at the bottom) to a more prominent position.
Step 4:Now when you access theQuick Settingspanel, you can turn the VPN on and off with ease.
Can I use the Pixel 7 VPN to change my location?
Unfortunately, the VPN by Google One is very barebones, and it’s kind of similar to Apple’s ownPrivate Relayfeature iniCloud+. The Google One VPN will reduce online tracking by hiding your IP address, protect you from hackers on unprotected Wi-Fi networks, and give you a secure and private connection when browsing the web.
You can manage the VPN in the Google One app, but there aren’t any settings at the moment besides allowing certain apps to bypass the VPN. So if you are looking for a way to select a VPN server in another country, there’s no way to do that with the Google Pixel 7 VPN. That means you won’t be able to bypass location-restricted content in apps and websites, such asNetflixorDisney+.
As you can see, the Google Pixel 7 VPN is pretty basic, but it’s also free. It does a decent job if all you want is to hide your IP address, secure an unprotected connection from hackers, and just need a secure and private data connection. If you are looking for more advanced VPN services that let you do things like pick specific servers to bypass location-restricted content, then check out ourtop VPN picks.
