Proton VPN Battery Drain Issue [5 Solutions]

So, Proton VPN is consuming a big portion of your battery. And, your phone runs out of battery way too quicker than before? Well, many iOS and Windows users have been complaining about the battery drain issue with Proton VPN. Before you uninstall it and switch to a different VPN, try these effective solutions to reduce the battery drain.

One of the primary reasons for the Proton VPN battery drain issue is background activity. Even when your device is not connected to a VPN server, Proton VPN may be running in the background and keep consuming battery. You should be only running it when in use.

On Windows, the VPN may start automatically when you turn on your PC. This is another reason why the battery is draining fast. VPN protocols can also be responsible for this. Try switching between the available protocols to see which one works best on your device.

Also Read: How to Increase Download Speed in Opera GX [6 Tips]

5 Ways to Fix Proton VPN Battery Drain Issue

First things first, you must check if Proton VPN is actually causing battery drain or if any other app is responsible. For this, you need to check the battery usage.

On Android and iPhones, go to Settings > Battery and check the battery usage. For Windows, open Settings and go to System > Power & battery > Battery usage. If the battery usage for Proton VPN is high (above 30%), you must take the necessary steps we have detailed below.

1. Force Stop the App

If Proton VPN is taking a lot of battery, it means the app is running in the background for a long period. You must stop the app when not in use. Not just it will improve the battery life, but your device performance also gets a quick boost.

[On Android]

1. Open Settings and tap on Apps.
2. Find Proton VPN and tap on it.
3. Click Force stop.
4. Tap OK to close the app.

[On iPhone]

1. From the home screen, swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause for a moment until the App Switcher opens.
2. Swipe right or left to find Proton VPN.
3. Swipe up to close Proton VPN.

[On Windows]

1. Press Windows + X buttons and select Task Manager.
2. Go to the Processes tab.
3. Right-click on Proton VPN and select End task.

2. Disable Startup Apps

Proton VPN may be launching as soon as you start your computer. It will keep consuming storage, CPU, and battery. If you occasionally use the VPN, it’s better to disable Proton VPN as a startup app.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Press Windows + X and select Task Manager.
2. Go to the Startup apps tab.
3. Check the Status tab for Proton VPN. If it’s set to Enabled, right-click on it and select Disable.

Now, Proton VPN will not turn on automatically on Windows startup.

3. Try a Different VPN Protocol

VPN protocols are nothing but a set of rules and encryption methods that determines data transmission between your device and the VPN server. Some protocols are resource-intensive and can have a bad impact on the battery.

Some of the most popular VPN protocol includes OpenVPN, WireGuard, Stealth, and IKEv2. OpenVPN features robust security but it may consume more battery. Among the available option in Proton VPN, the one we’d recommend is WireGuard. It’s a relatively newer protocol designed for efficiency and speed.

4. Turn Off Always-on VPN & Kill Switch

On smartphones, Proton VPN has an Always-on & kill switch option to keep the device connected to VPN all the time. If you don’t need a VPN connection all the time, you should not enable the option.

To turn it off, launch the Proton VPN app on your phone, tap on three horizontal lines (hamburger menu) in the top-left corner, and select Settings. Tap on Always-on VPN & kill switch and turn it off (if enabled).

5. Switch to a Better VPN

If the above solutions did not help, you can switch to a different VPN service. We recommend Nord VPN and ExpressVPN.

Wrapping It Up

Proton VPN is one of the best-rated VPN services, but it has its own share of problems. If the battery drain issue is troubling you a lot, try the solutions we’ve mentioned in this article. Lastly, you can switch to a better VPN service.

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