What is a VPN?
A plain-English explanation of what a virtual private network does and who benefits from one.
By VPNGuide Editorial Team · Updated 20 September 2026
A VPN, or virtual private network, creates an encrypted tunnel between your device and a server run by the VPN provider. Traffic leaving your home or mobile connection is scrambled, so your internet provider can see that you are connected to a VPN but not which websites you visit.\n\nWebsites you visit see the VPN server address rather than the address issued by your broadband provider. That changes what those websites can infer about your location.\n\nA VPN is not an anonymity tool. It shifts trust from your internet provider to the VPN company, which is why independent audits and published no-logs policies matter so much.
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