How can I tell if Mozilla VPN is connected?

Revision Information
  • Revision id: 254314
  • Created:
  • Creator: Lucas Siebert
  • Comment: Added instructions for performing an additional test to confirm that the user's original IP and location are masqueraded by the VPN.
  • Reviewed: No
  • Ready for localization: No
Revision Source
Revision Content

Mozilla VPN displays visual indicators of its current status both in the toolbar and the application's home screen, making it easy to know whether your online activity is protected or not. These status indicators allow you to confirm when your navigation is private and secure.

VPN is on: secure and private

This status indicates that your VPN is up and running, and your online activity is protected.

  • Tray/Toolbar icon:
    VPN status icon is on
    Note:Tray/Toolbar status indication icons are only available on desktop.
  • Application:
    VPN is on

VPN is on: no signal – check connection

This status indicates that even though your VPN is turned on, there is currently no connection between your device and our encrypted servers. To troubleshoot connection issues, check this article.

  • Tray/Toolbar icon:
    VPN is on - check connection
    Note: Tray/Toolbar status indication icons are only available on desktop.
  • Application:
    VPN is on - check

VPN is on: unstable – check connection

This status indicates the connection between your device and the VPN is unstable. To troubleshoot connection issues, check this article.

  • Tray/Toolbar icon:
    VPN application is on - unstable
    Note: Tray/Toolbar status indication icons are only available on desktop.
  • Application:
    VPN is on_unstable

VPN is off

This status indicates your VPN is disabled and your online activity is not protected.

  • Tray/Toolbar icon:
    VPN is off
    Note: Tray/Toolbar status indication icons are only available on desktop.
  • Application:
    VPN is disabled

Perform an additional test

Performing this additional test helps you confirm that your original IP address and location remain private when accessing the Internet. Mozilla VPN creates an encrypted tunnel between your device and our servers, letting you use the server's IP address and location to masquerade yourself. That will throw off data collectors who profile you based on your location and help protect the privacy of your online activity.

  1. Turn Mozilla VPN off to stop masking your original IP address.
  2. Access https://mullvad.net/en/check/.
  3. Click the red collapsible tile on the top left and note your current IP address and location.
  4. Launch Mozilla VPN and make sure it's connected. This will mask your original IP address.
  5. Refresh the page you visited in step 2.
  6. Click the green collapsible tile on the top left (having the tile change from red to green means that you're connected to a VPN). Your new IP address and location will reflect the server selected on the Mozilla VPN settings, ensuring that your actual IP address and location remain private.
Note: The consistency of the location tracking may vary depending on the tracking service you're using.

Related articles

Learn more