A VPN, virtual private network, is a secure tunnel between you and the internet. When you connect to a VPN app, your traffic is sent through an encrypted tunnel that shields it from your internet service provider, governments, and potential hackers.
When you use a VPN to connect to the internet, the VPN app on your device (also known as a VPN client) establishes a secure connection with a VPN server. If privacy and security are important to you, keep a VPN running in the background every time you go online.