One feature of VPNs is the ability to use Split Tunnelling to choose which apps go via a VPN and which don’t. So you can’t watch geographically locked Netflix content, for example. However, iCloud Private Relay does not allow you to choose an IP address or a region, and you won’t be able to make it look like you’re coming from another location. You may therefore be thinking that this means you don’t need a VPN to hide your location and identity. If you are a subscriber to iCloud, and only use Safari, then iCloud Private Relay will provide you with some anonymity when you are surfing the web. Read more here: iCloud+ Private Relay explained. ICloud Private Relay has some disadvantages: it only works when you are using Safari, you have to be a subscriber to iCloud, and you can’t use it to pretend to be surfing from another country in order to access content that is locked to a particular region. iCloud Private Relay solves part of the problem that Mac users have used VPNs for in the past–it mean that companies cannot build a clear picture of you on the web, thereby protecting your privacy. iCloud Private Relay acts a bit like a VPN because it encrypts your web-browsing traffic and sends it through a relay to hide your location, IP, and any information about what you were browsing. Do Mac users even need a VPN? Since Apple introduced iOS 15 and macOS Monterey in 2021 the company has offered a handy private relay service. Do Macs have a built in VPN?īefore we list our recommendations, there is a big question.

To help you sort out the right provider for you, we’ve committed to extensive research and testing of VPN services that cater to Mac owners in our guide to the top VPN services for Mac. There are a lot of VPN providers vying for your business, which can make finding the best one to suit your needs difficult. If you are looking for a VPN to protect your privacy and security online, and to grant you a way to access content as if you are in a different country, we are here to help. We offer advice about watching BBC iPlayer outside the UK and accessing U.S. rather than waiting for it to come to their country. While accessing locked content is a bit of a gray area, due to licensing agreements, we don’t blame anyone who is desperate to watch the latest season of their favourite program when it airs in the U.S.

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