1. Overview
PremierVPN for iPhone and iPad encrypts your connection in one tap. It offers seven connection methods, from fast WireGuard® to options for networks that interrupt or slow down standard VPN connections, and an Auto mode that picks the one that works for you.
| Latest version | 2.4.0 |
| Works on | iPhone and iPad with iOS 17.6 or later |
| You need | A PremierVPN plan. Subscribe in the app, or sign in with your premiervpn.net account. One account works on all your devices |
New in 2.4.0
- Widgets for the Home Screen and Lock Screen: see at a glance whether you're protected, and connect or disconnect with one tap.
- Control Centre toggle on iOS 18 and later. You can also add it to the Lock Screen or the Action button.
- The app now remembers your last location.
Recent releases
| Version | What changed |
|---|---|
| 2.4.0 | Widgets, Control Centre toggle, remembers your last location |
| 2.3.1 | Fixed AmneziaWG not connecting on iOS 26 and earlier |
| 2.3 | AmneziaWG, VLESS (REALITY, xHTTP, CDN), Auto mode, Dedicated IP in the app, new Glass and Signal styles |
2. Getting started
The first time you open the app, the Welcome screen offers Create account or Sign in.
Creating an account
- Tap Create account, then enter your email address and a password. A meter shows how strong the password is.
- Choose a plan, monthly or annual. Plans are billed through your Apple ID and renew automatically until you cancel.
- Confirm with Face ID, Touch ID or your Apple ID password. Your account is created and you're signed in.
Account creation can take up to a minute while the subscription is confirmed, so keep the app open. If it's interrupted, signing in with the same email finishes the set-up.
Signing in
- Tap Sign in and enter your premiervpn.net email and password.
- If two-factor authentication is on, enter the 6-digit code from your authenticator app. Pasting the code works too.
- If your account has no active plan, the Plans screen appears. Restore purchases recovers a subscription you bought earlier with the same Apple ID.
Forgot password? on the Sign in screen opens the password reset page. If you've lost access to your authenticator app, sign in with one of your recovery codes, or contact support.
First-run setup
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1. VPN permission | iOS asks to add a VPN configuration. Tap Allow and confirm with Face ID or your passcode. The app can't connect without this |
| 2. Notifications | Optional. PremierVPN only notifies you when it matters: the connection drops, your IP address changes, or your plan is about to renew. Tap Not now to skip |
| 3. Style | Choose Glass or Signal (see section 8). Both have the same features, and you can switch any time |
3. The Home screen
Home shows whether you're protected and which location you're using, and connects in one tap. The app has four tabs: Home, Locations (called Servers in the Signal style), Security and Settings.
| Style | To connect | To disconnect |
|---|---|---|
| Glass | Tap the large round button, or Connect | Tap Disconnect |
| Signal | Tap Connect | Press and hold Hold to disconnect until the bar fills, so you can't disconnect by accident |
To change location, tap the location row on Home or pick one in Locations. If you're already connected, the app switches straight to the new location.
Connection states
| Glass shows | Signal shows | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Not protected | Exposed. | Not connected. Your normal IP address is visible |
| Connecting… | Connecting. | Setting up the connection. In Auto, the line underneath shows which protocol is being tried |
| Protected | Secure. | Connected. Your traffic is encrypted |
| Reconnecting… | Rerouting. | The connection dropped, for example moving from Wi-Fi to mobile data, and is being restored. With the kill switch on, traffic is held until it's back |
| Disconnecting… | Closing. | Closing the connection |
| Couldn't connect | Blocked. | The connection failed. A message explains why, with a button to try another way |
Also on Home
- Protocol selector: Auto · WireGuard · Stealth. Tapping Stealth opens a list of AmneziaWG, REALITY, xHTTP, CDN and Stealth relay (section 4).
- Status chips when connected: the protocol in use and the kill switch state.
- Signal style adds rows for server, protocol, encryption, time connected and kill switch, plus live download and upload speeds with a chart.
- When a connection fails: Find a working connection (or Try Auto) switches to Auto and tries every protocol in turn. Try again retries the same way.
4. Protocols
A protocol is the method the app uses to carry your traffic to the VPN server. Most people should leave this on Auto. Choose a protocol on Home (Auto · WireGuard · Stealth) or in Settings › Protocol. Changing protocol while connected reconnects the VPN.
| Protocol | What it is | Best for | Kill switch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auto (default) | Tries the protocols in turn, fastest first, and keeps the first one that works. Remembers what worked on each network | Everyone | Yes, unless it lands on REALITY, xHTTP or CDN |
| WireGuard® | A modern, fast VPN protocol | Most networks. The fastest option | Yes |
| AmneziaWG | WireGuard® tuned for networks that interrupt standard VPN connections. Nearly as fast | Networks where WireGuard® won't connect or keeps dropping | Yes |
| REALITY | A VLESS protocol that works like an ordinary secure website connection | Networks with strict traffic policies. The fastest VLESS option | No |
| xHTTP | A VLESS protocol that copes with networks that cut long connections | Mobile networks and networks that drop long sessions | No |
| CDN | A VLESS protocol carried through a content delivery network | The most restrictive networks. Slower | No |
| Stealth relay | WireGuard® carried inside an encrypted web connection | Networks with strict traffic policies, when you also want the kill switch | Yes |
Good to know
- When a protocol works on a network, Auto tries it first the next time you're on that network.
- Not every location offers AmneziaWG yet. Auto skips it there, and the app tells you if you've chosen it yourself.
- The kill switch doesn't apply to REALITY, xHTTP or CDN. The app shows Not used for the kill switch while one of these is connected.
5. Locations
The Locations tab (Servers in the Signal style) lists every place you can connect to. Tap a location to connect. If you're already connected, the app switches to it.
| Tab | What it lists |
|---|---|
| All | Every standard location, grouped by region: Europe & Middle East, Americas, Asia-Pacific |
| Direct | The same locations, reached by the server's IP address. Use these if a location won't connect on your network |
| Favourites | Locations you've starred. Tap the star on any location to add or remove it |
| Dedicated IP | Your dedicated IP addresses, plus the option to add one (section 6) |
| VLESS | Servers for REALITY, xHTTP and CDN, grouped by type. Tapping one connects to it and sets that type as your protocol |
Searching and refreshing
- Type in the search box to filter by city, country or two-letter country code. On the VLESS tab you can also search by type, for example "cdn".
- Press Return in the search box to connect to the top result.
- Pull down on the list to refresh it.
How your protocol affects Locations
- With Auto, WireGuard®, AmneziaWG or Stealth relay, tapping a location in All, Direct or Favourites connects to that location.
- With REALITY, xHTTP or CDN chosen, tapping a location in those tabs connects to the nearest server of that type in the same country. A note at the top of the list says so.
- Dedicated IPs always connect with WireGuard®, whatever protocol you've chosen.
6. Dedicated IP
A dedicated IP is a static IP address that's yours alone. Add it to allow-lists for work systems and servers, and see fewer verification checks than on a shared address.
- Open Locations › Dedicated IP and tap Get a dedicated IP, or go to Settings › Account & plan.
- Choose a location, then a monthly or annual add-on. It's added to your current plan and renews automatically.
- Your dedicated IP is set up within 24 hours, and we email you when it's ready. It then appears at the top of Locations and on the Dedicated IP tab.
Good to know
- A dedicated IP needs an active PremierVPN plan.
- It always connects with WireGuard®, with Stealth relay if that's switched on.
- Dedicated IPs bought on premiervpn.net appear in the app automatically.
- Manage or cancel an App Store add-on in iOS Settings › your name › Subscriptions.
7. Security
The Security tab runs live checks on your device and shows whether everything has passed.
| Check | Passes when | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Your IP | Hidden | Your current public IP address. When you're connected, it's the VPN server's address, not yours |
| Kill switch | Armed | Traffic is blocked if the connection drops. Shows Standby when you're disconnected, Off if you've turned it off, and Not used on REALITY, xHTTP and CDN |
| DNS | In tunnel | Your website lookups go through the VPN, not your internet provider |
| Encryption | ChaCha20 or TLS 1.3 | ChaCha20-Poly1305 for WireGuard®, AmneziaWG and Stealth relay; TLS 1.3 for the VLESS protocols |
Speed test: tap Run (Glass) or Run speed test (Signal) to measure latency, download and upload speed through your current connection. It's also in Settings › Diagnostics.
8. Settings
Connection
| Setting | What it does | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Protocol | Choose Auto, WireGuard®, or one of the Stealth options: AmneziaWG, REALITY, xHTTP, CDN or Stealth relay (section 4) | Auto |
| Kill switch | Blocks all internet traffic if the VPN drops, so nothing goes out unprotected. Works with WireGuard®, AmneziaWG and Stealth relay. Applies the next time you connect | On |
| Auto-connect | Never: connect only when you choose to. Always: iOS starts the VPN whenever your device uses the network, even with the app closed. Plus three switches: Connect when the app opens, Reconnect after a drop, and Reconnect when the network changes (for example, Wi-Fi to mobile data) | Never, with Reconnect after a drop on |
| DNS | DNS leak protection keeps every lookup inside the VPN. Ad blocker blocks ads and trackers. Resolver: PremierVPN, Google, Cloudflare, Quad9 or AdGuard. Applies the next time you connect | Leak protection on, ad blocker off, PremierVPN resolver |
Appearance
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| Style | Glass: soft and rounded, with a large connect button. Signal: sharp and data-led, with live connection details. Style only changes the look; everything stays in the same place |
| Accent | Frost, Teal or Snow: the highlight colour used across the app |
Account and help
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| Account & plan | Your plan, dedicated IPs, sign out and account deletion (section 10) |
| Diagnostics | App version, the protocol and server in use, DNS status, the last error, the speed test and connection logs. Logs show connection events and errors only: no websites, no traffic, no DNS lookups. Tap View to read them or Export logs to send them to support. Keep connection logs turns them on or off |
| Help & support | Opens the PremierVPN help centre |
| Privacy policy, Terms of service | Our policies, opened in the app |
9. Widgets and Control Centre
New in 2.4.0: check or change your VPN without opening the app.
| Where | What it shows | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
| Home Screen (small and medium) | Protected or not, your location, protocol and time connected | Tap Connect or Disconnect |
| Lock Screen (round, rectangular, inline) | Protected or not, and your location | Tap to open the app |
| Control Centre (iOS 18 and later) | VPN on or off | Tap to connect or disconnect. Can also go on the Lock Screen or the Action button |
Adding them
- Home Screen: press and hold an empty area, tap Edit › Add Widget, search for PremierVPN and choose a size.
- Lock Screen: press and hold the Lock Screen, tap Customise › Lock Screen, tap the widget area and choose PremierVPN.
- Control Centre: open Control Centre, press and hold an empty area, tap Add a Control and search for PremierVPN.
Good to know
- Connect uses your last location and the protocol chosen in the app, and works without opening the app.
- The widget updates when the VPN changes, including when you turn it off in iOS Settings.
- If you're signed out, the widget shows Signed out. Open the app to sign in.
10. Account & plan
Open Settings › Account & plan to see and manage your account.
| Item | What it shows or does |
|---|---|
| Plan | Your current plan and its status. Manage plan opens your subscription. App Store subscriptions are managed in your Apple ID settings |
| Dedicated IPs | Your dedicated IP addresses. Tap an address to copy it |
| Two-factor authentication | Whether two-factor sign-in is on for your account |
| VPN username | The username for setting up PremierVPN manually on other devices. Tap to copy |
| Sign out | Disconnects the VPN, removes the app's VPN configurations and makes this device forget your account |
| Delete account… | Starts account deletion, which you confirm on premiervpn.net. Deleting your account doesn't cancel an App Store subscription, so cancel that first under Manage plan so you aren't charged again |
If your plan ends, the app shows Your plan has ended, with options to renew, restore a purchase or sign out.
11. iPad and iOS VPN settings
iPad. In full screen or a large Split View, the app uses a wider layout. In Slide Over and narrow Split View it uses the iPhone layout.
- Glass: a sidebar with Overview, Locations, Dedicated IP, Security and Settings, plus your favourites and an account card.
- Signal: a top bar with section tabs, connection status and Connect/Disconnect, with live connection details and a speed chart.
VPN entries in iOS Settings. The app can add up to three entries under iOS Settings › VPN. iOS asks to add each one the first time you use it.
| Name in iOS Settings | Used for |
|---|---|
| PremierVPN | WireGuard® and Stealth relay |
| PremierVPN AmneziaWG | AmneziaWG |
| PremierVPN Stealth | REALITY, xHTTP and CDN |
Only one runs at a time, and the app switches between them for you, so there's nothing to change in iOS Settings. If you turn the VPN off in iOS Settings, the app shows you as disconnected and doesn't reconnect.
12. Recommended settings
The defaults suit most people. These setups cover the common cases.
| If you want… | Use |
|---|---|
| The best all-round setup | Protocol Auto, Kill switch On, Reconnect after a drop On, DNS leak protection On |
| Always protected, without thinking about it | The above, plus Auto-connect Always. Add the Home Screen widget to see your status at a glance |
| The fastest speeds | Protocol WireGuard® and the location nearest to you. Use the speed test on the Security tab to compare locations |
| Fewer ads and trackers | DNS › Ad blocker on |
| Reliable connections on public Wi-Fi | Auto-connect Always, with Reconnect when the network changes on |
| To connect on a network that interrupts VPNs | Protocol Auto. If you choose by hand, try AmneziaWG, then REALITY, xHTTP and CDN. If you need the kill switch, use Stealth relay |
| A fixed IP address for work systems | A Dedicated IP (section 6) |
13. Troubleshooting
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
| The app can't connect on this network | Tap Find a working connection to switch to Auto, which tries every protocol. If you choose by hand, try AmneziaWG, then REALITY, xHTTP and CDN. Trying another location, or the Direct tab, can also help |
| It connects but websites don't load | Try another location or protocol. If you use a different resolver or the ad blocker, switch DNS back to PremierVPN in Settings › DNS |
| AmneziaWG won't start ("error 14") | Update the app from the App Store. Version 2.3.1 fixed this on iOS 26 and earlier |
| A location says it doesn't offer AmneziaWG | Not every location has AmneziaWG yet. Pick another location, or use Auto |
| iOS asked me to add another VPN configuration | That's expected the first time you use AmneziaWG or a VLESS protocol. Tap Allow (section 11) |
| No internet after disconnecting | Make sure the VPN is off in the app. If the kill switch is on and iOS still shows a VPN connecting in Settings › VPN, turn that VPN off there |
| The VPN turns itself back on | Auto-connect is set to Always. Set it to Never in Settings |
| The kill switch says "Not used" | You're connected with REALITY, xHTTP or CDN, which don't support it. Use Auto, WireGuard®, AmneziaWG or Stealth relay if you need it |
| Slow speeds | Run the speed test on the Security tab, then try a location nearer to you or WireGuard® |
| My dedicated IP doesn't appear | Dedicated IPs are set up within 24 hours of purchase. Pull down on the Locations list to refresh |
| The widget shows the wrong status | Open the app once and the widget updates. If it doesn't, remove the widget and add it again |
| Support asked for my logs | Go to Settings › Diagnostics › Export logs and send the file. Logs contain connection events and errors only, never your browsing |
Still stuck? Go to Settings › Help & support to contact our UK-based support team, available 24/7.
Something out of date or unclear? Let us know.