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// CopVPN FOR iOS

iOS VPN

On the App Store for iPhone and iPad. On-demand rules keep it connected automatically — and two features that exist on other platforms do not exist here, because iOS does not allow them.

Download on the App Store

App Store · iOS 15+

Distributed and signed through the App Store. Apple reviews and verifies every build.

Included with every plan. One account works on up to 20 devices, with 5 connected at once, so the same subscription runs on every other platform too.

CopVPN on a phone, connected and protected

[ 01 / This build ]

What the iOS build supports

iOS is the most restricted of the four platforms. Two features are genuinely absent rather than reduced, and we would rather say so here than let you find out after paying.

Feature availability in the CopVPN app for iOS
Feature On iOS What that means here
Kill switch On iOS Limited What that means here Approximated with on-demand rules. iOS gives no app a true traffic block. See the note below.
Split tunneling On iOS Not available What that means here iOS has no per-app routing API. No VPN app on iOS has this.
Auto-connect On iOS Supported What that means here On-demand rules reconnect whenever you join a network not on your trusted list.
Always-on On iOS Limited What that means here Effectively yes through on-demand rules, with a short gap while reconnecting.
Start after reboot On iOS Supported What that means here On-demand rules survive a restart and re-establish the tunnel.
Multi-hop On iOS Supported What that means here Two servers in different countries.
Protocols On iOS Limited What that means here WireGuard only. OpenVPN is not offered — Apple restricts it in-app.
Custom DNS On iOS Limited What that means here Applies inside the tunnel. iOS reserves some system lookups regardless.
LAN access On iOS Not available What that means here iOS does not expose the routing control this needs.
Widget and Shortcuts On iOS Supported What that means here Home-screen widget, plus Shortcuts actions for automation.

iOS provides no API for per-app routing and no way for an app to block traffic when its own tunnel is down. On-demand rules get close to always-on behaviour by asking iOS to re-establish the tunnel whenever a matching network appears, but there is a brief window during reconnection, and no app on iOS can close it.

[ 02 / Requirements ]

What you need to run it

The App Store checks compatibility before it offers the install. One app covers iPhone and iPad.

Operating system
iOS 15 or later
iPadOS 15 or later on iPad. iOS 14 and earlier are no longer supported.
Devices
iPhone 6s or later, iPad
One universal app. Also runs on Apple silicon Macs from the App Store.
Storage
90 MB free
Includes the offline server list.
Memory
2 GB RAM
Managed entirely by iOS; nothing to configure.
Permissions
VPN configuration
Granted once, with Face ID or your passcode.
Network
Wi-Fi or cellular
Hands over between the two without dropping.

[ 03 / Install ] About 1 minute

Installing on iOS

  2. This dialog is Apple’s and its wording is fixed by iOS. It appears once, and the configuration then shows in Settings › General › VPN.

The CopVPN app on iOS, connected

[ 04 / If something goes wrong ]

Setup help for iOS

The problems people actually hit on this platform.

  • Getting as close to always-on as iOS allows

    How on-demand rules work, what they cover, and the gap they cannot close.

  • iCloud Private Relay conflicts

    Private Relay and a VPN overlap on Safari traffic. Which to keep.

  • Automating it with Shortcuts

    Connect on opening a particular app, or on arriving somewhere.

  • Removing the VPN configuration

    Deleting the app leaves the profile behind. Where to find and remove it.

[ 05 / FAQ ]

iOS questions

Why is there no split tunneling on iPhone?

Because iOS does not provide an API for it. Apple gives VPN apps no supported way to route one app’s traffic differently from another’s, so no VPN on iOS has this feature. Anyone advertising per-app split tunneling on iOS is describing something else, usually a domain-based exclusion.

Is there a real kill switch?

Not in the sense Windows and Android have one. iOS does not let an app block system traffic when its tunnel drops. What CopVPN uses instead is on-demand rules, which tell iOS to bring the tunnel back up immediately whenever a matching network appears. It closes most of the gap, not all of it, and we would rather say that plainly.

Is this the same as the Mac app?

No. This is the iPhone and iPad app from the App Store. The macOS app is a separate download from copvpn.com, and installing the iOS app will not give you a Mac app. The Mac page has the right file.

Why can I not choose OpenVPN?

Apple restricts which VPN protocols an App Store app may implement in-app. CopVPN runs on WireGuard on iOS, which covers speed and mobile handover well. It is the default and is the right choice for almost everyone.

Does it work on cellular as well as Wi-Fi?

Yes, and it hands over between the two without dropping. On-demand rules can be set to cover Wi-Fi only, cellular only, or both.

Does it drain the battery?

Noticeably less than older protocols. WireGuard idles cheaply and iOS manages the extension’s wake time, so a full day of normal use costs a few percent. Leaving it connected is the intended way to run it.

[ 06 / Every other device ]

Same account, every device

Install it on up to 20 devices at no extra charge, with 5 connected at once.

Android TV, Linux, routers and the browser extension are covered on the main download page.

All downloads

30-day money-back guarantee

Try CopVPN risk free. Unsatisfied? Contact us within 30 days of purchase for a full refund — every plan, every term. Manual wire and crypto payments are the one exception.

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