Your privacy and data are always safe with Surfshark. You never want things to go wrong, and the Kill Switch has got your back if they do.
When connected to a VPN, your data is protected by industry-leading encryption and security protocols. If your VPN connection drops, a kill switch shuts off your internet connection.
That way, you don’t stay online without the protection of a VPN and don’t leak any sensitive data.
Once activated, the feature works quietly in the background — no user input is needed.
The internet’s software and the devices that connect to it aren’t always reliable. Protect your sensitive data in case your VPN connection drops with a kill switch feature.
A VPN encrypts all traffic from your device, keeping it safe from prying eyes. If your connection suddenly drops, a kill switch won’t allow you to connect to the internet without VPN protection.
Your internet protocol (IP) address is like the online equivalent of your home address. Connecting via a VPN server hides it, and a kill switch makes sure that it doesn’t get exposed, even if your VPN connection drops.
If your country is restricting your online rights and you’re using a VPN service to skirt the blocks, losing your VPN protection could be dangerous. But with a kill switch, if your VPN protection goes down, so does your internet connection, keeping your data and IP hidden.
Peer-to-peer technologies rely on people sharing the files constantly — this exposes your IP address to everyone. With a VPN and a reliable kill switch feature, you can share it all and remain hidden from prying eyes.
We’re not always around the most reliable internet connections, and our devices aren’t that great at reconnecting to networks. But even these issues won’t diminish your safety if your VPN has a kill switch function.
A kill switch monitors whether you’re connected to a VPN server and shuts down the internet connection if you aren’t.
1. A kill switch monitors your connection
2. A kill switch notices that you're no longer connected to a VPN server
3. A kill switch kills the internet connection
4. As soon as you reconnect to a VPN server, things go back to normal
Log in to your Surfshark account, or sign up if you’re new.
Go to Settings and toggle the Kill Switch button.
Done! Your data will be safe with our industry-leading encryption at all times.
VPN disconnections are quite rare, but they still do happen. Here are the most common reasons why:
An unstable internet connection is probably the most common reason for VPN connectivity issues. You can’t be connected to a VPN server if you don’t have internet. So your VPN connection shuts down every time your internet connection drops.
Your firewall or antivirus software settings may clash with your VPN. If you lose connection frequently, try adding your VPN app to your firewall’s list of exceptions.
Surfshark has built a solid infrastructure of its servers, so downtime is uncommon. However, it’s not impossible. There might be times when your VPN connection drops because of server issues.
If a network experiences heavy use, it may be subject to ISP throttling, which sometimes leads to connection loss.
You should turn on your VPN kill switch as it is an additional security feature. It keeps you safer in case the VPN connection drops unexpectedly.
To turn off a VPN kill switch on Surfshark:
Go to the VPN settings of your Surfshark app and check if the Kill Switch feature is active. If it is, your connection is protected.
Your kill switch feature might be turned off on your VPN app. Open your VPN settings and make sure that it is enabled.
If your VPN connection is stable, a kill switch feature does nothing. As soon as your VPN connection drops, a kill switch turns off your internet connection to make sure that you don’t leak any unprotected data.
When activated, a kill switch shuts down your internet connection as soon as your VPN connection drops. As soon as your VPN connection is back on, a kill switch deactivates and restores your internet connection.
Visit the home screen of the Surfshark app to check if you are connected to a VPN. If it says “Connected,” you are safe. If you get a warning message that says “Unprotected! Connect to stay safe,” you need to connect to a VPN server to secure your connection.
You need to turn on the kill switch feature in your VPN settings. If you are not sure if it’s active, you can check the same settings to make sure.
