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Google does not currently have a standalone VPN service. VPN by Google One, which had come bundled with the cloud storage subscription since 2020, was shut down in June 2024. All that remains is the "VPN by Google" feature built into Pixel 7 and newer phones, and even that is not available in every country: Russia is not on the list of supported regions. Extensions named "Google VPN" in the Chrome Web Store are made by third-party developers. Below: what exactly was shut down, what is left, and how Google's built-in VPN differs from a regular service.
Yes, but only as a feature of Pixel smartphones. It is called VPN by Google, is turned on in the network settings, and is free for owners of the Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7a, Pixel Fold, and newer models.
A standalone "Google VPN" app for any phone or computer no longer exists. Anything by that name in app and extension stores has nothing to do with Google, so check the developer's name.
Google shut it down in June 2024. The company gave the reason plainly: "people simply weren't using it," and the team would shift to more in-demand features.
A short history of the service:
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| October 2020 | The VPN appeared in the Google One subscription, at first only on the Premium plan with 2 TB for $9.99 a month |
| November 2022 | Pixel 7 and 7 Pro owners got free access to the VPN without a subscription |
| March 2023 | The VPN was opened to all Google One plans, including the basic one at $1.99 |
| April 2024 | Google announced the shutdown; before that the service had been renamed Pixel VPN by Google |
| June 2024 | VPN by Google One stopped working; on the Pixel 7 it was replaced by the built-in feature |
There were apps for Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac. Google suggested that subscribers who used the service move to third-party solutions.
It is a traffic encryption feature built into the system on Pixel 7 and newer phones. When the Pixel 7 was announced, Google promised to support it for five years. It is not officially available in Russia.
Google's support page lists the regions where the service worked: Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. If the account's home region is on the list, the VPN keeps working when you travel. If not, the feature will not turn on.
For a Pixel owner with a Russian account, this means Google's built-in VPN is not something to count on.
It solves one problem: it encrypts the connection on networks you don't control. You cannot choose the server country, so it is not designed for changing your region.
| VPN by Google (Pixel) | Regular VPN service | |
|---|---|---|
| Devices | Pixel 7 and newer only | Phones, computers, TVs, routers |
| Choice of server country | No | Yes |
| Price | Free, included with the phone | Usually by subscription |
| Availability | 22 regions, Russia not included | Depends on the service |
| Main purpose | Protection on open Wi-Fi networks | Protection and choice of server location |
There is also the question of trust. All VPN traffic passes through its owner, so everyone decides for themselves whether they are willing to add their network connections to the data Google already has. What a VPN owner can see in general is covered in the article does a VPN keep logs.
There is no official VPN extension from Google. People searching for a "Google VPN extension" find third-party extensions in the Chrome Web Store, some of which simply use the word Google in their name.
An extension works only inside the browser: the other apps on the device go online directly. It also gets access to the content of open pages, so it matters who its author is. How an extension differs from an app, and when each option makes sense, is in the article VPN extension or app.
There is similar confusion around the query "VPN Google Play." Google Play is a store that hosts VPN apps from various developers, not a service from Google itself.
For people who were looking for "Google VPN" as a simple built-in option, a service with its own app is a good fit: install, sign in, connect. The selection criteria are a clearly identified owner, apps for your devices, and the ability to choose the server country.
We recommend BessyConnect: the VLESS + Reality protocol, sign-in with Apple, Google, or email, and no limit on the number of devices. The apps:
Step-by-step installation on a phone is described in the guide how to set up a VPN on Android.
Only for Pixel 7 and newer phones, and only in the 22 supported regions. Russia is not among them. A standalone free Google VPN app does not exist.
According to Google, too few people used the service. It stopped working in June 2024.
No. The feature encrypts traffic but does not let you choose the server location.
No. Google does not release VPN extensions; third-party developers publish under that name.
Officially, no: the feature turns on only when the account's home region is on the supported list. A service with its own app can serve as a replacement, for example BessyConnect for Android.
An honest BessyConnect review: a VLESS+Reality VPN with 100+ servers in 15 countries, apps for iOS, Android and Android TV, and no browsing logs kept. More
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