Update April 2023: The Proton VPN browser extension is no longer in beta. This article has also been updated to mention the addition of support for additional advanced features such as Secure Core, auto connect, and split tunneling.
Update October 2023: The Proton VPN browser extension is now supported on the (Firefox-based) Waterfox browser.
The Proton VPN browser extension provides a convenient and secure way to protect your privacy online.
You asked, we listened. We are excited to announce the Proton VPN browser extension, one of our most requested features. With the browser extension, you can:
- Easily protect your browser traffic with the VPN, without affecting speeds or the IP address of the other apps on your system. For example, you can browse privately without affecting the ping rates for online games. Or you can stream from another country in one browser while shopping for the best local deals in a different browser.
- Connect to different VPN servers in different browsers
- Browse privately on your work computer while connected to your company VPN
- Browse privately on devices where you don’t have the admin rights to install a full VPN app
- Protect your privacy on low-end devices that struggle to run a full VPN app
The Proton VPN browser extension is available for Chromium-based browsers (such as Google Chrome, Brave, Microsoft Edge, Chromium, Opera, and Vivaldi) and Firefox-based browsers (including Firefox itself, LibreWolf, and Waterfox).
It is a premium feature available to everyone with a paid Proton VPN plan (Proton VPN Plus, Proton Unlimited, Proton Visionary, or Proton for Business).
What is the Proton VPN browser extension?
Our browser extension provides similar protection to our full VPN app, but it only encrypts your browser’s internet connection (using HTTPS). If you want to encrypt all the connections made by your device, you still need to download our app.
You can run the extension in as many different browsers as you like, and you can connect each browser to a different VPN server. Each browser running an active VPN connection does count towards the limit of ten simultaneous VPN connections.
For example, if traveling away from home, you could run Brave with the Proton VPN browser extension connected to a nearby VPN server to secure your browsing session using the fastest available server. At the same time, you could run Firefox with the Proton VPN browser extension connected to a server in your home country, so that you can easily access your favorite geo-restricted online services.
With this VPN extension, you can:
- Quickly and easily hide your browsing history from your internet service provider (ISP) and public WiFi hosts
- Bypass censorship
- Prevent tracking from websites you visit by hiding your IP address
- Stream your favorite shows, movies, and live TV when traveling away from home
All this happens within your browser. Connections made by your device’s operating system, other apps, and browsers not running our browser extension aren’t encrypted or routed through our VPN servers.
At Proton VPN, we are always working to improve our products with additional functionality and features. The browser extension now supports many of the more advanced features found in our full VPN apps. These include:
- Secure Core VPN – Improves security and privacy by routing your VPN connection through a hardened server in a privacy-friendly country (Switzerland, Sweden, or Iceland), before connecting to the internet via a second VPN server.
- Auto connect – Ensures your browsing sessions are always protected by Proton VPN
- Split tunneling – Allows you to exclude specific websites from your VPN connection. This allows you, for example, to connect to a VPN server in one country while watching a local streaming service in another tab.
How to use the Proton VPN browser extension
1. Download the Proton VPN browser extension from the Chrome Web Store or Firefox Browser Add-ons.
2. Sign in using your Proton VPN Account details.
3. Click the Quick Connect button or choose a country or individual server.
To use the Proton VPN browser extension, you must have a paid Proton VPN plan. If you are on our Free plan, you can upgrade to access this premium feature.
The Proton VPN browser extensions are stand-alone products, and you do not need the full Proton VPN app to use them.
Please see our support article for more information on the Proton VPN browser extension.
Serving our community
We share your enthusiasm for a Proton VPN browser extension. It makes it very easy to protect your privacy, bypass censorship, and stream content in your browser with just a couple of clicks.
As always with Proton VPN, the browser extension will be made open source so that you can trust (and verify) its code. This new extension will make it even simpler for more people to enjoy the peace of mind that comes from using a no-logs VPN service that’s based in Switzerland and trusted by millions of activists, journalists, and ordinary people around the world.
