What is a VPN kill switch?
A kill switch automatically blocks your internet connection the moment the VPN unexpectedly drops. That prevents your traffic from traveling unprotected for even a second. Every serious VPN has one; make sure it is enabled in settings.
A VPN connection can always hiccup: weak Wi-Fi, a server switch, or your laptop waking from sleep. Without a kill switch, your device quietly falls back to the regular, unencrypted connection. You will not notice a thing, but your real IP address and traffic are exposed in that moment.
The kill switch is the safety net for exactly that scenario: if the tunnel drops, your internet access locks down until the VPN is re-established. If you use a VPN precisely in the moments that matter, on public Wi-Fi or while downloading, this is the single most important setting in the app.
Most providers ship with the kill switch enabled these days, but verify it in the settings, especially on your phone. Every service in our shortlist has one.