Can my employer see I'm using a VPN?

If you're concerned about keeping your data safe online, chances are you've at least considered using one of the best VPNs to encrypt your connection and keep your info away from prying eyes.

A lot of workplaces use VPNs to help their employees to connect their own devices, protect company data, and allow people to work remotely. But it can also allow you to use the internet while you’re at work in a way you wouldn’t want your employer to see by hiding your activity. But can your employer see if you’re using a VPN at work?

In this article, we’ll talk you through the benefits of using a VPN at work and explain whether or not your employer will know if you connect to a VPN.

What is a VPN?

A VPN is a digital security tool that masks your IP address and encrypts your data to allow you to browse anonymously and unblock restricted content. It’s an incredibly useful business tool because it keeps sensitive data safe from those who may attempt to snoop on it, especially if you're using insecure or public Wi-Fi networks. Better still, VPNs can allow employees to access their company’s network remotely and on their own devices, so it can be a good way of helping employees to work from home.

The best business VPNs give employees secure access to a company’s intranet or internal network. Aside from this, VPNs for businesses tend to offer much greater security than you’d get from a personal VPN since they usually offer dedicated IP addresses rather than shared IP addresses, which is something you’re far more likely to find with a personal VPN service.

Another difference you might notice is that business VPNs tend to offer server locations that are optimized for reliability, privacy, and performance. The locations can be tailored to the company’s needs so that you can choose servers in the same place as your company headquarters, or where your target audience is based.

Given that corporate VPNs are created for business use, they’re a lot more useful and cost-effective for most companies than using a personal VPN. However, if your company doesn’t provide a VPN or you’d rather use your own, you’d be best off opting for a personal VPN subscription from a premium provider, such as ExpressVPN , Surfshark , or NordVPN .

The best personal VPN: NordVPN

NordVPN has come out on top in our testing as the best personal VPN on the market thanks to it's excellent speeds, unblocking capabilities and security credentials.

On top of this, NordVPN offers a range of cybersecurity tools to keep you safe online beyond the use of a VPN.

Prices start from just $3.09 per month, and it also has a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can try it without risking a penny. View Deal

Should I use a VPN for work?

A VPN could help you a lot at work. For one thing, it’ll keep your traffic safe from hackers, competitors, and even government bodies. So you can rest assured that your sensitive online information, including customer data, business plans, and banking details, will remain completely hidden.

A large number of companies use a business VPN for this very reason. However, if your company doesn’t and you handle sensitive data, it’s a good idea to use a secure VPN with robust encryption to keep your information secure.

It will even protect your traffic if you use public Wi-Fi , which will give you peace of mind if you have to travel for work. Speaking of which, a VPN will also help you to access sites and services from back home if you’re away. So you can use it to catch up on work or to stream your favorite TV shows from your hotel room.

A lot of companies now use VPNs to give employees access to their internal network or intranet. So you can work, download documents, or check your online payslips from anywhere in the world and on any device you want.

On the flip side, many companies block certain sites and services in a bid to improve cybersecurity and increase employee productivity. However, the list of sites that are blocked can often be too restrictive and can sometimes even prevent employees from doing their work.

A VPN would help you get around any firewalls or web filters your company has in place so you can access the content you want. With this being said, if you are browsing blocked sites at work and are discovered, this may have a serious impact on your employment.

Can my employer see that I'm using a VPN?

Whether your employer can see if you're using a VPN entirely depends on which VPN you’re using. Some VPNs are great at covering their tracks so you can use one without your employer ever knowing, while others can be easily detected. As a general rule, you tend to get what you pay for. So even if you use one of the best free VPNs , you’re likely to get found out. But a premium VPN, such as NordVPN, Surfshark, or ExpressVPN, can usually go unnoticed.

It also depends on whether or not you’re using a corporate VPN to access your company’s internal network. If you’re connected to your company’s network or business VPN, your employer will be able to see your internet activity while you’re connected, including any websites you visit, apps you use, or files you access. They will also be able to see if you log into another VPN while you’re on their network. But they won’t be able to see any more than this.

So provided your device doesn’t have any monitoring software installed on it and you use a VPN with strong security, the connection between your device and the VPN server should be encrypted and therefore hidden from your employer. So, they won’t be able to see what websites you’re visiting or what apps or files you’re accessing.

The only way you can use a commercial VPN without your employer knowing is if the service you’re using doesn’t have any tracking software on it. This will ensure your VPN use can’t be detected, even if you’re on your company’s network. But even then, if your employer uses VPN detection techniques, such as Deep Packet Inspection , your VPN traffic may be discovered. The only way to get around this is if you use a VPN that employs anti-detection techniques, such as obfuscated servers .

Having said all this, network administrators will still be able to see the amount of data you’ve uploaded and downloaded on your work device. So if you’re using a suspicious amount of bandwidth, they might suspect that you’re streaming video content and you may be penalized for this.