On Android, including Pixel phones, a key in the status bar indicates an active VPN connection. On iPhone, the VPN status icon indicates a VPN connection.
Identify the connected VPN, then disconnect it or use its pause option if available. Turning it off also stops the protection that connection provides. Remove its profile or app only if you no longer need it. Consult your organization before changing a work or school VPN.
Start with the VPN setting
On Android, open Settings, go to Network & internet, then open VPN. Tap Settings next to the connected VPN, then turn that VPN off.
If your phone uses different menu names, open Settings and search for VPN. Open the VPN result, then use the active VPN’s Settings control to turn it off.
If the key comes back after you turn the VPN off, check Always-on VPN next.
Turn off Always-on VPN
Check Always-on VPN if the VPN reconnects automatically after you disconnect.
Open Settings.
Go to Network & internet.
Open VPN.
Tap Settings next to the VPN you want to change.
Turn Always-on VPN off.
Tap Save if your phone asks for it.
If the VPN came from an app, Always-on VPN may appear here and work normally, appear but be unavailable to change, or not appear at all, depending on the app. If you cannot turn it off here, open the VPN app and check its connection settings or the provider’s instructions.
Check Pixel VPN by Google
On Pixel 7 and later phones, VPN by Google is one VPN to check. It is available in supported countries and requires an eligible Google Account.
Open Settings, go to Network & internet, then open VPN. Tap VPN by Google, then turn off Use VPN.
For a temporary break on the current network, tap Pause VPN in the connection status panel. You can also add the VPN by Google tile to Quick Settings for faster access.
To pause it on one Wi-Fi network, open VPN by Google, tap Pause VPN on selected networks, then tap Add next to that network.
Find Samsung Galaxy VPN controls
On Samsung Galaxy phones, swipe down from the top of the screen, tap the Settings icon, open Connections, tap More connection settings, then tap VPN.
Use the active VPN’s controls to turn it off or forget it. Samsung screens and labels can vary by carrier, software version, and model.
Secure Wi-Fi encrypts internet traffic on supported Galaxy phones. To review it, open Settings, then Security and privacy, then More security settings, then Secure Wi-Fi. Not all Galaxy models include it. Check which service is connected in the VPN screen before changing protection settings.
Remove an Android VPN profile or app
Disconnect the VPN for a temporary break. Use Forget for a saved VPN you no longer need, or uninstall its app if you no longer want to use it.
For a manual VPN profile, open Settings, go to Network & internet, then open VPN. Tap Settings next to the VPN, then tap Forget.
To uninstall a VPN app, open the Google Play Store, tap the Profile icon, then open Manage apps & devices and Manage. Select the VPN app, then tap Uninstall.
If the VPN profile reappears, check the VPN app, work profile, or device management settings next.
Remove iPhone VPN profiles and settings
On iPhone, the VPN status icon means the phone is connected to a network using VPN. Open Settings, swipe down to search, then search for VPN, profile, firewall, and filter.
If the result is not required by an organization, turn it off, change it, or delete it. For a VPN installed by a configuration profile, go to Settings, General, VPN & Device Management, select the profile, then tap Remove Profile. Deleting a profile also deletes all of the settings, apps, and data associated with that profile, so check with your school or employer first if the profile came from them.
Consider a network reset only if connection problems persist after checking the VPN app and settings and restarting your iPhone. This clears network settings and is unnecessary just to hide a status icon. To remove VPN settings that were not installed by a profile or mobile device management, go to Settings, General, Transfer or Reset iPhone, Reset, then Reset Network Settings. This removes previously used networks and VPN settings that were not installed by a configuration profile or MDM. Treat it as a broad network reset rather than a VPN-only step: all network settings are removed, the device name in Settings, General, About resets to iPhone, manually trusted certificates become untrusted, cellular data roaming may be turned off, and Wi-Fi turns off and back on, which disconnects the phone from its current network. No data or media are deleted.
Delete the VPN app on iPhone
Touch and hold the VPN app.
Tap Remove App.
Tap Delete App.
Tap Delete to confirm.
If the apps are jiggling, tap the Remove icon in the upper-left corner of the app, tap Delete App, tap Delete, then tap Done.
Deleting a VPN app does not cancel an in-app subscription.
Handle work or school management
A work or school profile can keep VPN turned on or block removal. Contact your organization before changing a required VPN or removing management.
- 1.On iPhone, open Settings, then General, then VPN & Device Management.
- 2.Look for a profile under Mobile Device Management.
- 3.Tap the management entry and use Remove Management only if you intend to unenroll and removal is allowed. This also removes the other settings and certificates that the MDM service installed.
- 4.On Android, open Settings, then Passwords and accounts, then the Work tab.
- 5.Use Remove Work Profile only if you own the phone, or your organization has relinquished ownership, and you intend to remove the work profile. This deletes all apps and local data in that profile. Tap Delete only after reviewing that consequence.
- 6.Contact your organization if the VPN still cannot be removed.
Skip old VPN removal advice
This prevents wasted time on settings paths that no longer match current controls.
Skip old iPhone paths such as Settings, General, VPN, or Settings, General, Profiles.
Use Settings, General, and VPN & Device Management for profiles and management.
For persistent connection problems after simpler checks, you can consider Settings, General, Transfer or Reset iPhone, Reset, then Reset Network Settings. This removes non-profile VPN settings along with other network settings. Review the consequences above before using it.
Skip Google One VPN app instructions. Use VPN by Google, Google Fi VPN settings, Android’s VPN screen, or uninstall the relevant VPN app.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the key symbol mean my phone was hacked?
Not by itself. On Android, the key indicates an active VPN connection; on iPhone, the VPN status icon indicates a VPN connection. Check your VPN settings to identify the connected service if you do not recognize it.
Why does the key symbol come back after I turn VPN off?
Always-on VPN may be enabled, a VPN app may reconnect automatically, or a work or school profile may be enforcing the connection.
Can I hide the key symbol without turning off VPN?
Check your phone’s supported icon controls. Samsung’s QuickStar, a Good Lock add-on installed from the Galaxy Store rather than a setting built into the phone, can hide status-bar indicator icons, with features varying by model and software version; check whether your version includes the VPN icon. Disconnecting or removing the VPN stops the connection.
Will resetting iPhone network settings remove every VPN?
No. It removes VPN settings that were not installed by a configuration profile or mobile device management. Profile or MDM VPN settings must be removed from VPN & Device Management when allowed.
