With Hotspot Shield, you get access to multiple features depending on your platform. This features can vary from split-tunneling to killswitch. Please select what platforms features you want to know more about below:

Windows

Once you are signed in to the application on your Windows device, please select the on the left the gear icon and this will display your settings.

You will see the options general, Split Tunneling, advanced, and shortcuts. Each category has a different set of settings within them. Let's go over the General settings tab.

Start on launch: When you initially launch your Windows device, Hotspot Shield will be already activated in the background.

Start minimized: Once your Windows device boots up, Hotspot Shield will start minimized to the System Tray.

Auto-connect: With this enabled once you start up Hotspot Shield, the VPN will connect to the most recent virtual location you had selected prior to relaunching as soon as the app is launched.

Notifications: Enable to automatically get notified about any events in the Hotspot Shield app, such as when you connect or disconnect.

Connection Quality Feedback: If you enable this, you'll be provided with an opportunity to provide feedback on the connection quality whenever you disconnect.

VPN Special Features: This will take you to a screen displaying some of the great features provided by Hotspot Shield.

Language: Here you can set the language the Hotspot Shield app will use.

Split Tunneling

With the Split Tunneling feature, also known as Smart VPN, you can choose which apps to bypass the VPN tunnel, providing security and privacy to apps you choose.

Bypass VPN: With Bypass VPN, any apps or websites you add will bypass the VPN connection. This means that all of the apps and websites on your computer will use the VPN, except for the ones you select. The apps or websites you add to the list will instead bypass the VPN and use your normal internet connection.

Route via VPN: With Route via VPN, only the websites you select will go through the VPN. All other websites will use your normal VPN connection.

Protocols

You can easily change your protocols from this section which can help solve issues with connections or access. We highly suggest changing your protocol whenever you have a technical issue with our application. You can choose from 3 different protocols.

Automatic (Recommended)

This is automatically turned on when you connect to a virtual location. When this protocol is selected, we will pick the fastest and most secure protocol to connect to for your network or area.

Hydra

This is our company-developed protocol. It only can be found with us. This unique protocol is the fastest in the VPN industry and faster than our other protocols. It is the most secure of our protocols, so whenever you have a technical problem, please try changing to Hydra.

IKEv2 (IPSec)

While being less secure than the other protocols, this is one of the fastest protocols available. If not at par with Hydra, this is still a reliable protocol that may help with certain technical issues.

WireGuard

Our newest VPN protocol. WireGuard is designed to be fast and easy to use. While it is not entirely recommended, it is a very easy to use protocol with a good balance between speed and security.

Advanced

Moving on to the advanced section, we have 4 settings that can protect you while being connected or if you happen to disconnect.

Kill switch: If Hotspot Shield suddenly disconnects, enabling this feature will stop the data flow, protecting you by not allowing the internet traffic to run in the background once the VPN disconnects.

Prevent IP leak: Allowing this will prevent your IP from being detected while connected to the VPN. Once connected to Hotspot Shield your public IP has already changed, but this feature can prevent any sites, cache or cookies from leaking your IP.

Local network: Enables access to your local network under VPN.

Auto-protect: Once you connect to a public network such as Starbucks, libraries, etc. With this feature Hotspot Shield will start running automatically once connected to that type of Wi-Fi environment.

Android

Once you are signed in to the application on your Android device, please select person icon on the bottom right and navigate to settings.

We have a few categories we have to go over. The following is a brief explanation of what these settings mean, and how they can enhance your privacy.

Connection Center

Connection on startup: With this option enabled, the VPN will automatically connect once your device turns on if it was ever powered down.

Connect on app launch: When enabled, the VPN will automatically connect whenever you start the Hotspot Shield app.

Disconnect on sleep: With this option enabled, Hotspot Shield will disconnect if your device goes to sleep. This is useful if you want to preserve your device battery.

Network: Under Network, you have three additional options. These options all control when the Hotspot Shield app should automatically connect to the VPN.

Unsecure WiFi: With this enabled, you will automatically connect to the VPN whenever your phone connects to an unsecure WiFi. Unsecure WiFi are public WiFi locations, such as at your local Starbucks.

Secured WiFi: Enable this option if you want to automatically connect to the VPN if your phone connects to a secured WiFi. Secured WiFi are networks like your home network.

Cellular networks: With Cellular Networks enabled, your phone will automatically connect to the VPN whenever you are roaming over cellular networks (LTE, 4G or 5G).

Split Tunneling

Similar to Windows, Android also has a Split Tunneling feature.

Bypass VPN: With Bypass VPN, any apps or websites you add will bypass the VPN connection. This means that all of the apps and websites on your Android will use the VPN, except for the ones you select. The apps or websites you add to the list will instead bypass the VPN and use your normal internet connection.

Route via VPN: With Route via VPN, only the websites or apps you select will go through the VPN. All other websites or apps will use your normal VPN connection.

VPN Protocol

Automatic (Recommended)

This is automatically turned on when you connect to a virtual location. When this protocol is selected, we will pick the fastest and most secure protocol to connect to for your network or area.

Hydra

Wireguard

Our newest VPN protocol. WireGuard is designed to be fast and easy to use. While it is not entirely recommended, it is a fast protocol with a good balance between speed and security.

Always-on VPN

With this setting enabled, the VPN will automatically try to reconnect if the VPN connection fails.

Internet Killswitch

Protect yourself even further with this feature enabled. Once toggled on, your internet connection will be blocked while you are disconnected from the VPN. This prevents your data from leaking. Having this enabled will not allow your internet traffic to run in the background once the VPN disconnects.

iOS

Once you are signed in to the application on your iOS device, please select the person icon on the bottom right and navigate to settings.

VPN Protocol

Automatic (Recommended)

This is automatically turned on when you connect to a virtual location. When this protocol is selected, we will pick the fastest and most secure protocol to connect to for your network or area.

Hydra

Wireguard

Our newest VPN protocol. WireGuard is designed to be fast and easy to use. While it is not entirely recommended, it is an easy-to-use protocol with a good balance between speed and security.

IKEv2 (IPSec)

While being less secure than the other protocols, this is one of our very fast protocols under our belt. If not at par with Hydra, this is still a reliable protocol that may help with certain technical issues.

Split tunneling

Hotspot Shield on iOS has a Split Tunneling feature which allows you to selectively use the VPN for websites. On iOS it offers two settings:

Bypass VPN: With Bypass VPN, any websites you add will bypass the VPN connection. This means that all of the websites you visit will use the VPN, except for the ones you select. The websites you add to the list will instead bypass the VPN and use your normal internet connection.

Route via VPN: With Route via VPN, only the websites you select will go through the VPN. All other websites will use your normal VPN connection.

Re-install VPN Profile

If you find yourself unable to connect, it is possible that the app has lost its ability to create a VPN profile on yur phone. If that is the case, clicking on Re-install VPN profile in the settings will re-authenticate the Hotspot Shield app, and allow it to add a VPN profile.

Always-on VPN

This feature cannot turn off, and for your security, it stays on. This setting will help reestablish the VPN connection automatically if the VPN somehow gets disconnected.

Kill Switch

This setting will help make everything more secure as it will automatically disable your internet connection if the VPN connection drops.

Mac

Once you are signed in to the application on your Mac device, please select the person icon on the bottom right and navigate to settings.

From the main screen, you will see the first setting option you can toggle. It is called VPN Protocol. This can also be found in the advanced settings in the Hotspot Shield Preferences.

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VPN Protocol

Automatic (Recommended)

This is automatically turned on when you connect to a virtual location. When this protocol is selected, we will pick the fastest and most secure protocol to connect to for your network or area.

Hydra

This is our company-developed protocol. This unique protocol is the fastest in the industry and is faster than our other protocols. It is the most secure of our protocols, so whenever you have a technical problem, please try changing to Hydra.

IKEv2 (IPSec)

Wireguard

This protocol has been designed for ease of use. While it is not entirely recommended, it is a good protocol with a a good balande between speed and security.

Screen_Shot_2023-01-19_at_11.37.03_AM.png

These settings shown above can be found in Hotspot Shield preferences. Let's go through each one.

Start on Launch: With this option enabled, the Hotspot Shield app will automatically launch once your device powers on.

Auto-connect: Enable this option and the VPN will automatically connect to the most recent Virtual location whenever the app is launched.

Always-on VPN: With this setting enabled, the VPN will automatically try to reconnect if the VPN connection fails.

Notify on public WiFi: Enable to notify you when the VPN is connected to a public Wi-Fi that is not as secure as private Wi-Fi.

Appearance: Choose whether the app should appear in the dock, the menu, or even through both the menu and dock.

Restore Purchase: Click here to restore your most recent purchase to activate your Premium status, if the app believes you are not premium.

Split-Tunneling

Hotspot Shield on Mac has a Bypass feature which can bypass specific websites. Once you manually add a site to this feature, the VPN will automatically connect to that app once it has been opened. To add an app or site, click the check mark next to bypass and click the add option.

You can also Route VPN access which will exclusively connect to the VPN always when the VPN is on. You can add apps to this feature by toggling it on via the check box, and clicking add next.

To disconnect the VPN once you have closed that site, you will need to go back into the Hotspot Shield application and disconnect it manually for both Bypass VPN and Route VPN.