Split tunneling lets you decide which traffic goes through the VPN and which uses your normal internet connection directly. By default, all traffic on your device is routed through the VPN when you are connected. With split tunneling you can make exceptions — either by specifying apps that should bypass the VPN, or by specifying IP addresses and locations that should be excluded from the tunnel.Documentation Index
Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/ProtonVPN/android-app/llms.txt
Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
Modes
Split tunneling supports two modes: Standard (exclude only) — All traffic goes through the VPN by default. Apps and IPs you add to the exclusion list bypass the VPN. Inverse (include only) — All traffic bypasses the VPN by default. Only the apps and IPs you add to the list are routed through the VPN tunnel. You can switch modes at any time. A confirmation dialog appears when you change modes to prevent accidental changes.Configuration options
When split tunneling is enabled, you can manage two types of exclusions:Apps
Add specific apps to route outside the VPN (standard mode) or through the VPN (inverse mode). For example:- Your banking app, if it blocks connections from VPN IP addresses
- A local streaming service that only works on your home network
- Smart home control apps that need to communicate with devices on your local network
- A gaming app where routing through VPN increases latency
IPs and IP ranges
Add specific IP addresses or CIDR ranges. For example:- Your home network’s subnet (
192.168.1.0/24) to keep access to local devices - A corporate server that requires connections from your actual IP address
How to configure split tunneling
Tap Split tunneling
Find Split tunneling in the settings list and tap it to open the split tunneling screen.
Select a mode
Tap Mode to choose between Standard (exclude selected) and Inverse (include selected only). Standard mode is the most common choice.
Add apps
Tap Excluded apps (or Included apps in inverse mode) to select which apps bypass or use the VPN.
Use cases
Banking and financial apps
Banking and financial apps
Some banking apps block or flag connections from known VPN IP ranges. Adding your banking app to the split tunnel exclusion list lets it connect through your regular IP address, while all other traffic stays protected by the VPN.
Local network devices
Local network devices
Printers, NAS drives, smart TVs, and other devices on your home network are not reachable through the VPN tunnel by default. Excluding your home subnet allows your device to communicate with local network resources while still routing general internet traffic through the VPN.
Geo-restricted local streaming
Geo-restricted local streaming
Some regional streaming services only work from within a specific country or ISP. Excluding the streaming app lets it see your real location while other apps remain protected.
Low-latency gaming
Low-latency gaming
Online games are sensitive to latency. Excluding a game from the VPN lets it connect directly, while chat, browser, and other apps continue to use the encrypted tunnel.
Limitations
Split tunneling is not available in all configurations. If you have Always-on VPN with Block connections without VPN enabled in Android’s system settings (the kill switch), excluded apps and IPs may still be blocked because Android’s network block applies to all non-VPN traffic at the OS level, not just traffic that Proton VPN routes.