VPN split tunnelling lets users choose which traffic gets protected
WIRED’s guide explains how the feature can preserve VPN routing for selected traffic while leaving other apps or sites outside it.
WIRED has published a guide to VPN split tunnelling, a feature that lets users decide which apps, websites or other traffic pass through a VPN. The settings can help balance privacy protections with speed, local access and compatibility with devices on a home network.
Traffic routed through a VPN uses its encrypted connection. Traffic excluded through split tunnelling does not receive that protection. Users can, for example, leave online games outside the VPN to avoid potential speed compromises, or exclude ticketing apps that rely on their actual location for local showtimes.
App-based controls are the most common consumer option. Some services also allow rules based on website domains. Route-based and policy-based tunnelling are less common in consumer VPN software, WIRED says.
Setup depends on the service and platform. The guide gives Windows examples for ProtonVPN and NordVPN, where users can choose apps to include in or exclude from VPN protection. Availability is not universal and may depend on the VPN package.
On iPhones, options are typically more limited than on Android and desktop platforms, with users generally selecting websites or IP addresses to exclude rather than individual apps. WIRED notes that the feature can be configured as a set-and-forget choice, though settings remain adjustable.
