What's My VPN? How to Find Your Active VPN

Method 1: Check the system status bar / menu bar

The fastest way. A running VPN almost always shows a small icon:

• Mac: Look top-right for a shield, lock, or "VPN" text. Click it to see the connection name.
• Windows: Click the network icon in the system tray — "VPN" appears in the connection list when active.
• iPhone / iPad: A "VPN" badge appears in the status bar (top-left, next to the time) when connected.
• Android: A small key icon (🔑) appears in the status bar when a VPN is running.

Method 2: Open the VPN app

Press Cmd + Space (Mac) or Windows key and type the name of any VPN app you installed — NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Proton VPN, Surfshark, Mullvad, etc. The app window will show the active server, IP, and provider name.

Method 3: Check the OS VPN settings

This shows every VPN profile the device knows about, including ones you may have forgotten about:

• iPhone: Settings → General → VPN & Device Management → VPN.
• Android: Settings → Network & internet → VPN.
• Mac: System Settings → VPN in the sidebar.
• Windows: Settings → Network & internet → VPN.

How to tell if a VPN is actually working

An icon only tells you a tunnel is configured — not that traffic is flowing through it. To confirm the VPN is really on:

1. Disconnect and visit whatismyip.com — note your real IP and city.
2. Reconnect to the VPN and refresh the page.
3. If the IP and location changed, the VPN is working. If they're identical, traffic is leaking.