Privacy basics
Using a VPN on public Wi‑Fi: what changes?
Understand what a VPN protects on airport, café, and hotel Wi‑Fi, what HTTPS already protects, and the limits that still matter.
What does a VPN hide—and what stays visible?
A clear guide to VPN privacy: your public IP, local network visibility, signed-in accounts, HTTPS, and the information Teal keeps.
How to browse anonymously, and what a VPN does not hide
A practical guide to browsing more privately: what a VPN, a private window, tracker blocking and a privacy browser each hide, and what still identifies you.
Safe search settings on Google, Bing, YouTube and DuckDuckGo
Where the SafeSearch switch is on each search engine and YouTube, how to lock it for a child or a whole home network, and why it is a filter, not privacy.
Is my phone being monitored? Signs, what is actually possible, and what helps
What a network can see, what needs spyware on the phone, which signs mean something and which mean nothing, and the steps that lower the risk.
How to hide your location on Snapchat (Ghost Mode), and what a VPN does not change
Turn on Ghost Mode on the Snap Map, limit who sees you, switch off location access, and why a VPN changes your IP address, not your Snap Map spot.
Can a Wi-Fi owner see what sites I visit on my phone? Yes, partly
A Wi-Fi owner can see the domains your phone contacts, when, and how much data you use, but not pages, searches or passwords on HTTPS sites. What helps.
Who is my ISP? Three ways to check in under a minute
Find out who your ISP is in under a minute with an IP lookup, your bill or your router page, and learn what your provider can and cannot see about you.
Benefits of a VPN: what it does for you, and what it doesn't
What a VPN actually does for you on public Wi-Fi, at home, while traveling and for gaming, with the honest limits on speed, cost and trust.
Do I need a VPN? An honest answer for home, phone and travel
Do I need a VPN? Not always. Here is when a VPN really helps (public Wi-Fi, travel, your ISP) and when it is a waste of money, with plain dated facts.
How to turn off location on iPhone, Android, Windows and Mac
Turn off location on iPhone, Android, Windows and Mac, per app or for the whole device, and what Life360 or Find My shows after. Checked November 2026.
Where to buy a burner phone in the US (and how to pay for it)
Where to buy a burner phone in the US: Walmart, Best Buy, pharmacies and prepaid carrier stores, how to pay cash, and what still traces you afterwards.
Burner phone: what it is, what it costs, and what it does not do
A burner phone is a prepaid phone or second-number app you use briefly. What it protects, what it costs, how it gets traced, and how to set one up.
How VPNs work
Obfuscated VPN: what it is, and why Teal connects where others don’t
An obfuscated VPN looks like ordinary secure web traffic, so strict networks let it through. How it works, how Teal Secure does it, when you need it.
Does my IP address change?
When your public IP address changes and when it does not: home broadband, mobile data, a router restart, switching Wi‑Fi networks, and what a VPN changes.
Google DNS vs your provider’s DNS: what changes, and what DNS reveals
What a DNS resolver does, why people switch to Google, Cloudflare or Quad9, what each can see, how to change it on every device, and why a VPN moves DNS too.
DNS leak test: how to run one and what the result means
Run a DNS leak test in five steps, read the result line by line, and fix the usual causes that leak DNS even when your VPN says connected.
Proxy vs VPN: which one you actually need
A proxy reroutes one app and adds no encryption. A VPN encrypts everything your device sends. The real differences and when each one fits.
What a kill switch is, in a car, on a machine and in a VPN
A kill switch stops a system instantly by opening one circuit it needs. What it means in a car, on a machine and in a VPN app, with prices and a test.
Split tunneling VPN: what it is, when it helps and when it hurts
Split tunneling lets chosen apps skip the VPN tunnel. What it is, when it helps, the privacy cost, how to set it up and check it, and which VPNs offer it.
Buying a VPN
How much does a VPN cost in 2026? Real prices, renewals and the cheapest honest plan
A VPN costs $10–$16 a month, or $2–$3.50 a month on two-year plans. Real and renewal prices for NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark, Proton and more, October 2026.
Teal VPN vs Proton VPN Free
Proton VPN Free and Teal Free side by side: data, speed, locations, devices, ads, logs, apps and paid plans. Honest figures from both companies, October 2026.
Teal VPN vs Windscribe Free
Windscribe Free and Teal Free side by side: 10 GB a month against 500 MB a day, locations, ads, logs, apps and paid plans. Honest figures, October 2026.
Teal VPN vs Hotspot Shield Free
Hotspot Shield’s free plan and Teal Free side by side: ads, locations, devices, data, logs and paid plans, with figures from both companies.
How to get a VPN: pick, pay, install and check it in five minutes
How to get a VPN on a phone, PC, Mac, Chromebook, console or TV: what to check before paying, the exact install steps, and a leak test to prove it works.
How to buy a VPN: plans, payment and what to check first
How to buy a VPN without overpaying: which plan length to pick, what to check before you pay, card, PayPal or crypto, and what to do before you travel.
Best VPN in Canada: how to pick one and where Teal fits
The best VPN in Canada needs servers near you, no browsing logs and honest pricing. What roundups rank, what they skip, and how Teal VPN compares.
Canada VPN: how to get a Canadian IP address and which apps have one
A Canada VPN gives you a Canadian IP address. Compare Teal VPN, Planet VPN lite, NordVPN and Surfshark on Canada servers, cost and devices, October 2026.
VPN on a MacBook: which app, what it costs, how to set it up
Which VPN works on a MacBook Air or Pro, what it costs, how to install, turn off or change it, and how to check it is working. Checked October 2026.
VPN service: what it is, what it costs and how to pick one in 2026
What a VPN service does, how the top providers compare as of October 2026, and a 30-day test plan so you only pay for one that works for you.
VPN for China: what works in 2026 and how to set it up before you fly
Which VPN for China works in 2026, what to install before you land, and what to do when it stops connecting. Plain facts, dated, from the Teal VPN team.
No logs VPN: what the claim means and how to check it
What a no logs VPN really keeps, how to verify a policy in ten minutes, which providers back the claim with dated audits, and where Teal VPN stands.
New Zealand VPN: what works, what Teal offers, and what it does not
Looking for a New Zealand VPN? See which services list a New Zealand server, what Teal VPN offers instead, prices as of October 2026, and how to pick.
Best VPN 2027: an honest shortlist, checked November 2026
Best VPN 2027: six named services compared on renewal price, audits, apps, refund window and strict networks. Prices and apps checked November 2026.
Temporary VPN: how to get one for a day, a trip or a month
A temporary VPN for a trip, a week of hotel Wi-Fi or one task: what costs nothing, what one month costs, and how to cancel. Checked 6 November 2026.
Connection help
VPN not working on hotel Wi‑Fi? Start here.
Work through hotel Wi‑Fi login, network restrictions, and VPN connection problems on Android. A practical checklist before you change settings.
Mac VPN not connecting? Fixes in the order that works
Mac VPN not connecting? Check the VPN permission, where the app runs from, another VPN app, the Wi-Fi sign-in page and your data, in the order that works.
How to find your Wi‑Fi network name (SSID)
The SSID is the name of a Wi‑Fi network. Where to find it on Android, iPhone, Windows 11, Mac, Chromebook and the router, and what a hidden network means.
This network is blocking encrypted DNS traffic: meaning and fixes
What the iPhone and Mac warning “this network is blocking encrypted DNS traffic” means, why routers and offices do it, and the fixes we tested in October 2026.
How to reduce ping: the fixes that work, in the order to try them
Ping high in games? Here is how to reduce ping step by step: wired first, nearest server, QoS, and an honest look at whether a VPN helps.
How to lower ping: the fixes that actually work
Practical steps to lower ping on PC, Xbox, PS5 and in Fortnite, CS2, Roblox and Valorant, plus a straight answer on whether a VPN helps. As of October 2026.
How to improve ping: the fixes that work, in the order to try them
How to improve ping: cable in, nearest server, fewer devices, router restart. Good ping in ms, fixes for PS5, Xbox, PC, Valorant, and when a VPN helps.
HTTP error 502: what it means and how to fix it
HTTP error 502 means a gateway got a bad reply from the site's real server. What it means, whether it is your fault, and the fixes for visitors and admins.
Setup guides
Free VPN for MacBook Air and MacBook Pro: what you get and how to set it up
A free VPN for your MacBook Air or Pro, no card: Teal Free gives 500 MB a day, one location and 2 devices. What that covers and the 3-minute setup.
How to set up a VPN on a Mac (macOS 13 and newer), step by step
How to set up a VPN on Mac, step by step: the one-time permission in System Settings on macOS 13, 14 and 15, then Teal VPN from the installer to Connect.
How to use a VPN: install, connect, check it works
How to use a VPN in four steps on Windows, Mac, Android, TV and more, how to check it is really working, and what to do when apps stop connecting.
IP changer: how to change your IP address on any device
An IP changer swaps the public IP websites see. Compare VPN apps, extensions, proxies and router resets, then verify it with Teal VPN's leak test.
How to spoof location on iPhone, Android and PC
Spoof location means changing two signals, GPS and IP. How to do each on iPhone, Android and PC, what apps compare, and what a VPN can and cannot change.
Install Teal VPN on Android TV and Google TV
Install with the free Downloader app, sign in by scanning a code with your phone, and press Connect.