Installing and using ProtonVPN for Windows

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VPN service that enables the highest level of secure communication even with a free plan

ProtonVPN Is a Swiss email / VPN provider Proton AG An open-source VPN app developed by Communication protection, by adopting a no-log policy that does not store user active logsPrivacy protection, by using an encrypted DNS server Anonymization You can access the network in a secure environment, and the free plan has no ads and unlimited data usage.

transparency

The internal processing of VPN apps is opaque, so there is a potential risk, and while it is rare for providers to publish audits of third-party organizations, ProtonVPN released the source of VPN apps ahead of other companies in January 2020. It proves the reliability of the app.
GitHub Official ProtonVPN Android app
SEC Consult Audit Report

Swiss Federal Data Protection Law

Golden frog is based in Switzerland is not a territory of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) enforced in the EU and has been amended in accordance with the GDPR Swiss Federal Data Protection Law ( FADP/ DPA ) protects personal information.

VPN-icon

Security and benefits of using VPN services

Benefits of using a VPN service and indicators when selecting a VPN provider Using a VPN service offers the benefits of secure communication, concealment of communication content, and anonymization of communication, and the location of the connection source by specifying a connection server. […]

System requirements

Version 2 Currently

OS: Windows

On March 2020, 3, ProtonVPN will update the system, and Windows 30 users will be upgraded to the latest version because ProtonVPN will stop in environments running ProtonVPN version 7 or earlier on Windows 1. necessary.

Where to get the software

ProtonVPN official site plan selection page

ProtonVPN-icon

Setting up and using ProtonVPN for Android

A free Android VPN app that enables secure communication ProtonVPN is an open-source VPN app developed by Swiss e-mail/VPN provider Proton AG.

Create a Proton Account

If you don't have a Proton account, create one before installing the app.

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Plan selection page If you want to access and use it for free, please refer to " TRY FOR FREE ", Select a subscription for paid plans.

In the free plan, connection locations and servers are limited (Japan, the Netherlands, and the United States), and functions such as P3P and Onion domain access and malicious domain blocking are not available.

Encrypted secure email ProtonMail When using at the same time Full functionality of Proton Mail and ProtonVPN Available Proton Unlimited There is also a plan. 

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A confirmation screen for the selected plan will be displayed, so click "Continue".

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Enter your user name, password, and email address.

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If you select a paid plan, select the subscription you want to use and the currency to pay.

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Confirm that the free plan is not a robot CAPTCHA Is displayed, check it and select the specified image.

hCaptcha Is a service provided by Intuition Machines that collects data such as IP addresses, so if you do not want to use it, issue an authorization code by email address or SMS.

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Once the account is created, click "Download".

Installing ProtonVPN for Windows

ProtonVPN installer does not contain adware or spyware.

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download page Click Download Proton VPN to download the installer.

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If the User Account Control dialog is displayed after starting the installer, click "Yes" to allow it.

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The language selection screen will appear, but Japanese is not supported. English As it is, "Next".

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The setup wizard will start, so click "Next".

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If you are not particular about the installation destination, the default setting is "Next".

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The installation is ready, so if there is no problem, click "Install".

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Setup is completed with "Finish".

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When ProtonVPN starts and the login screen opens, enter the registered user name and password and click "Login".

If you want to automatically connect to ProtonVPN when you start your computer Start and connect on boot Is enabled.

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A welcome message will be displayed, so click "Skip".

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Setup is complete when the world map is displayed.

Configuration

Set the automatic startup when Windows starts and the protocol to be used.

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From the hamburger button on the upper left Settings choose.

Basic settings – General

General Now, set the settings when starting ProtonVPN.

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Start Minimized Set the startup style with.

to Systray
Starts while stored in the system tray

 to Taskbar
Start in minimized state
Disabled
Normal startup

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Quick Connect Specifies the behavior of the Quick Connect button.

Fastest
Connect to the fastest server available

Random
Randomly select a connection server
You can also specify any connection destination by adding a profile.

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Windows startup settings.

Start on boot
ProtonVPN automatically starts when Windows starts
Connect on app start
Automatic connection to VPN when ProtonVPN starts
Show Notifications
Display notifications

Early Access If you enable, you can get the latest version of ProtonVPN before it is released, but it is not a stable version, so it is suitable for users who can handle problems if they occur.

Connection settings – Connection

Connection Now, set up the VPN connection.

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Protocol Automatically selects the optimal protocol (communication protocol) Smart Is the default, and you can also specify the protocol.

Smart Is fast by default wire guard And switch to another protocol depending on the environment.
wire guard
It is a protocol that uses the latest encryption technology, consumes less system resources than OpenVPN, and can be expected to improve communication speed.
OpenVPN – UDP (User Datagram Protocol)
Communication speed is faster than TCP.
OpenVPN – TCP (Transmission Control Protocol)
It is more stable than UDP.

WireGuard is said to be fast and secure but lacks anonymity, but ProtonVPN uses double-NAT to dynamically provision connections, providing the same level of anonymity as OpenVPN and IKEv2. there is

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VPN Accelerator Is a ProtonVPN proprietary technology that distributes VPN traffic using a multi-core processor and improves VPN speed, and is enabled by default.

Auto reckoning Is a function that automatically reconnects to the last connected server when the VPN connection is disconnected for some reason.Kill switchBy using in combination with DNS leakStay online while preventing.
Reconnection notifications When enabled VPN Accelerator Will notify you when you reconnect.

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Moderate NAT Enables if you have problems with online games or video conferencing when connecting to a VPNCustom DNS Server Is set when using a DNS server other than the ProtonVPN DNS server.

Moderate NAT Is only available to paid plan usersCustom DNS Server With NetShield Is not available.

ProtonVPN provides excellent privacy protection by default Strict NAT Is enabled, butStrict NAT has disadvantages such as slow connection speed and high ping rate. Moderate NAT Improvement can be expected by enabling.

Advanced Settings – Advance

Advance With the network adapter to use Split tunneling Set.

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Port forwarding Is available to paid plan users, and when enabled, the active port number is displayed on the home screen, and the port can be set for P2P such as BitTorrent and online games.

Port forwarding shortcut If you enable , you can switch to enable / disable on the home screen.

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Select a network adapter if you are using the OpenVPN protocol.

We recommend using a TUN adapter.

The TUN adapter is faster than the TAP adapter and switches to the TAP adapter if there is a connection problem.

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ProtonVPN does not use a third party DNS server,DNS queries are being processed by the connected VPN serverFor,DNS leak protection (DNS leak protection) is always enabled.

Allow Alterbative Routing (Alternative network routing) is a bypass function when Proton's site is blocked, and it is recommended to use it with the default setting.

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Hardware acceleration Enables GPU parallelism by default for items that use the feature, but disables it if it causes problems with screen rendering.

Split tunneling

Split tunneling Is a function to exclude from VPN connection, and registers applications and IP addresses that cannot be used with VPN connection.

Kill switchSplit tunneling cannot be used together.

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Split tunneling When registering apps / IP addresses to be excluded from VPN connection withExclude apps/IPs from using VPN tunnel Select andAPPS Specify the browser to be excluded from or specify the application to be excluded from "Add App +".

Adding an app to Split Tunneling will add ProtonVPN Reconnect A message will be displayed asking you to do so, but it will be reflected more reliably if you restart your computer.

How to use ProtonVPN

If you log in during setup, ProtonVPN will start logged in until you manually log out, and if you have enabled automatic connection, the VPN connection will be enabled when you start Windows.

・ Number of devices that can be used with one account: 1
・ Connection server: More than 64 units in 1800 countries
・P2P connection: Yes
・Connection to Onion domain: Yes
・Streaming services: Supports Amazon Prime, Netflix, Hulu, etc.
・Enhanced function to avoid traffic monitoring: Secure Core
・Malicious domain blocking function : NetShield
・VPN traffic block avoidance function : Not supported

China's Great Firewall blocks ProtonVPN, so if you're in China, Tor Bridge To use. 

Free plan restrictions

・ Number of devices that can be used with one account: 1
・Connection server: Japan, Holland, USA only

Streaming service, P2P connection, Onion domain connection, traffic monitoring avoidance enhancement function, and malicious domain blocking function are not available in the free plan.

Free servers in Japan have been reinforced, but the servers are often overloaded due to the large number of users.
Problems connecting to VPN

The reason why some sites are not displayed in the VPN connection is that the VPN server you are connected to may be abused and access may be restricted on the server side of the site, so temporarily disconnect the VPN or use another VPN server to use. 

VPN-icon

Security and benefits of using VPN services

Benefits of using a VPN service and indicators when selecting a VPN provider Using a VPN service offers the benefits of secure communication, concealment of communication content, and anonymization of communication, and the location of the connection source by specifying a connection server. […]

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You can connect/disconnect to VPN from the ProtonVPN icon in the task tray.

The connection destination registered in the profile can be selected from the list.

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Click "Quick Connect" on the home screen or Countries-Profiles Tab or MAP Specify any connection destination from.

The free plan can be used even on domestic servers FREE Server Limited to.

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The availability of the server is displayed in three stages, and in order to obtain a stable communication speed, select the server with the lowest load.

Green: Server load 1 ~ 49%
Yellow: Server load 50 ~ 90%
Red: Server load 90-100% 

The load factor is displayed by mouse over the icon displayed in color, but it often exceeds 50% even in green.

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P2P For compatible servers Double-headed arrow icon,Onion domain For compatible servers Onions The icon is displayed.

To the site of the onion domain Tor browser , Brave It can be accessed only with a browser that can connect to Tor.

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地球 the icon is smart routingRepresents.

smart routingis a technology that enables VPN connections in countries where physical servers may not be available.Servers that are actually in another country Works like a regular VPN connection while connected to
Kill Switch

Kill switch is a feature that blocks connections to unencrypted DNS servers to keep the system online if the VPN connection drops for any reason.

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If you use a kill switch Kill switch from the icon Kill Switch On Or Permanent Kill Switchchoose.

Kill Switch On
ProtonVPN's Auto Recconection protects the IP address when recovering the disconnected connection, and the Internet line is cut off only when the communication to the VPN server is not restored, but the VPN connection is manually disconnected. It then connects to an unprotected normal line.
Permanent Kill Switch
ProtonVPN is a feature that blocks internet connections until a VPN connection is established, so even if the user manually disconnects the VPN connection, they will not be able to connect to the internet.
NetShield

NetShield is a function that checks the domain list of malware/spyware as well as advertisements/trackers on the VPN server and blocks the relevant domains.

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If you use NetShield NetShield from the icon Block malware only Or Block malware, ads, & trackers choose.

Block malware only
Block only malware and spyware.

Block malware, ads, & trackers
Block malware, spyware, ads and trackers.
Secure Core

Secure Core is a function that secures anonymity by going through the server twice, and privacy protection is strengthened Switzerland / Sweden / Iceland Because it connects to the server in the specified country after passing through one of the servers installed in 55 countries, even if the traffic is monitored, it can only be traced to the server that passed through.

In countries where the Internet is regulated, such as China, Russia, and Turkey, and countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom, where the Internet is monitored and legally enforced by VPN providers, traffic on installed servers is monitored. There is a potential risk of losing the VPN's anonymity.

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Secure Core If enabled, connect to the specified server via the relay server.

Since it goes through the relay server, the communication speed drops.
port forwarding

ConfigurationPort forwarding shortcut When enabled, a port forwarding toggle button will appear.

A connection to a P2P/BitTorrent compatible server is required when using port forwarding.

Port forwarding is a security risk, so enable it only when necessary.

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When port forwarding is enabled, the active port number is displayed on the home screen.

Add profile

When connecting to a specific server, register it as a profile.

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In the left pane of the home screen Profiles Select the tab and click "Create Profile".

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Specify the profile name, display color, and connection server, and click "Save".

What you can use with the free plan Standard Only, the connection destination is 3 countries of Japan / Netherlands / USA, the server that can be selected is FREE Is limited to those displayed as.

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The set profile is Manage Profiles Can be re-edited from.

Server maintenance and removal

ProtonVPN is undergoing extensive maintenance on an ongoing basis, adding new servers and deleting existing servers, and it may be necessary to change the settings of the connection server if it is registered in the profile.

ProtonVPN working server list

Check for DNS leaks

Use a dedicated site to check if the IP address is properly protected when connecting to the VPN.

Split tunneling If is enabled, disable it before testing.

ipleak.net

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With a VPN connection established ipleak.net Access toYour IP address Only the server information of the destination is displayed in , or if the same country is displayed in the destination server and the DNS server, it is anonymized.

Password Reset

If you forget the password you set, you can reset and reset the password.

If you reset your password from Proton VPN, you will not be able to restore data that was encrypted when you saved it, such as Proton Mail, Calendar, and Proton Drive. 
See below for password reset and data recovery
Proton icon

Proton account password reset and data recovery

Password reset and data recovery procedures used with Proton Mail and ProtonVPN The password set in your Proton account recovers encrypted and stored data such as messages and contacts […].

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Password reset ProtonVPN app On the login screen of Need Help? から  Reset Password choose.

If you have forgotten your password and username Forgot Username Select and enter the email address you registered when setting up your account, and your user name will be sent.

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Reset Password  Select to open the browser. Enter your user name or email address and click "Next".

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Recovery email address Enter the email address you registered when you created your account in "Send code".

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Enter the reset code sent to the email address you entered and "Reset password".

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"Reset password" if you agree that all services in your Proton account will not be able to recover encrypted data.

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Enter the new password twice and click Confirm to display the dashboard when the password is updated.

ProtonVPN upgrade

Full-featured ProtonVPN for paid plans Proton VPN Plus and Proton Mail/ProtonVPN with full functionality Proton Unlimited There is.

ProtonVPN official website

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ProtonVPN official website Go to and enter your account information from "Sign in" in the upper right corner DashboardWhen you open Plans Since the plans that can be selected with are displayed, specify the plan to purchase.

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Select the subscription you want to purchase.

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Select a payment currency.

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Enter payment information and settle.

The payment method is compatible with credit cards, PayPal, Bitcoin, etc.

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Of the dashboard Billing The payment status is displayed in.

Account deletion / subscription cancellation

To delete an account or cancel a subscription Dashboard Operate from.

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To cancel your subscription, go to the left sidebar Dashboard Select Account downgrade Downgrade to a free plan at.

Within the expiration date of the subscription Downgrade Then, even if the expiration date remains, it will be downgraded to the free plan, and the unused subscription will be Refund to your account on a daily basisIs done.

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To delete the created account from the left sidebar Account Select and click "Delete your account" to execute the deletion.

ProtonMail If you are using Proton Mail, you can delete your account with Proton Mail. Configuration Operation is required from.

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