Many people – even competitive online gamers – aren’t aware that you can use a VPN for Xbox One, and indeed all Microsoft gaming devices. And considering the many benefits, that’s a shame which needs to be rectified.
And as our mission is to provide you with the most important coverage on everything related to eSports, VPN for Xbox – which can directly impact both your enjoyment and performance – is something we take a great deal of interest in. Keep reading to understand the easiest way to improve your online gaming experience that was right under your nose.
VPNs are typically marketed for general internet browsing, which is probably why they aren’t brought up when talking about games consoles. But make no mistake, there are huge benefits to using an Xbox One VPN (and beyond). And not just for professional gamers, but for everyone. Here are five reasons you should learn how to get VPN on Xbox today:
In order to manage the congestion on their data network, internet service providers may throttle – in other words, slow down – bandwidth. Unfortunately for gamers, this can often unfairly fall on them. But let's say you use an VPN Xbox Series X service, as an example. Suddenly your ISP cannot tell what you’re doing and is therefore unable to unfairly punish you for playing games online.
From the best VPN provider to lesser options, a key facet of what they offer remains the same – and that’s extra protection online. By encrypting your data, it means you’re less vulnerable to outside attacks. For gamers, this is particularly relevant if you’ve ever been threatened by a DDoS attack, where gamers attempt to throw you offline by overwhelming you with requests. If your IP is masked, they can’t find a connection.
Lag is the enemy of the competitive gamer. It refers to the difference in time between when a button is pressed and when that action appears on screen. In battle, an extra moment's hesitation is deadly. Much of the lag comes down to ping times, which is the time it takes for data to send and receive. A very fast Xbox VPN has the potential to help with this by allowing you to connect to a closer game server.
A VPN allows you to access the internet from the location of the server – which in the case of the best VPN for Xbox can mean many dozens of countries. This provides you access to geo-locked content, not just gaming related, but for all kinds of entertainment accessible from your console.
The best VPN for gaming is overwhelmingly what we’d recommend generally. This is great news because it means when you’ve found your ideal server, you can use it for everything.
If you’re searching for the best VPN for Xbox, it’s good to have a shortlist of things to look for. Here are some things which separate the best from the rest:
We don’t just want all the above benefits, we want them to the highest possible standards. It’s not just about how to get a VPN on Xbox, but how to get the best. We are, nonetheless, happy to say that we feel the following three have surpassed our expectations.
As mentioned earlier, you can use your Xbox VPN for all your online needs. That said, doing so is made a whole lot easier if you use a VPN which offers the ability to connect as many devices as you want for no extra cost. That’s not the only thing which makes Surfshark stand out, but it certainly doesn’t hurt.
Specifically advantageous to gamers is their protection against DDoS attacks and unlimited bandwidth, meaning you’re safe from slowdown and attacks. They also have a huge selection of servers, opening up the whole gaming universe to you.
Speed simply matters when playing online. And in our experience, there’s no Xbox One VPN – nor any for any other Microsoft product – which produces as fast responses as ExpressVPN.
They’re the priciest of the bunch here, for sure, but it’s that consistency you’re paying for. 94 countries all covered with brilliantly quick servers. They even, with ExpressVPN Aircove, have a Wi-Fi router with a built-in VPN, making how to get a VPN on Xbox even easier.
For only a few bucks a month, you can enjoy over 5,000 connections all over the world. This is great because if one is having issues or is overcrowded, you can just hop onto the next option. And the best VPN for Xbox should always be multi-faceted.
NordVPN also offers fantastic security features relevant to keeping you safe while playing online. This includes DDoS protection, split tunnelling, and CyberSec. They’re also immensely user-friendly and, considering that learning how to get VPN on Xbox requires its own extra steps, anything which makes this simpler is fine by us.
| VPN Provider | Free trial time | Minimal monthly cost |
|---|---|---|
| Surfshark | 7 days | $2.49 |
| ExpressVPN | 30 days | $8.42 |
| NordVPN | 30 days | $3.49 |
Unfortunately, right now, there’s no native support for VPNs. But that doesn’t mean you need to miss out. Here’s all you need to do to stay safe and enjoy greater access online.
Please note, this is how to get a VPN on Xbox using a Microsoft PC, and is a typical example which may differ with some VPNs and devices. Nonetheless, this should provide a correct overview for most learning how to use VPNs on Xbox.
Everyone reading this can learn how to get a VPN on Xbox, either through a Microsoft PC or even by using the Wi-Fi router offered by ExpressVPN. And if you’re interested in making the most of playing online – in terms of your access to servers, security, and in the case of the best speed – it’s well worth doing, even with the extra expenditure and effort.
The first question for our guide to using a VPN on Xbox devices is simple. Can you even do so? It’s obvious to anyone who uses an Xbox that such things aren’t advertised, but are they achievable? To learn about all the possibilities of using a VPN on Xbox, starting with those vital practicalities, be sure to check out our page dedicated to this very subject.
Usually, when people are talking about the uses of a VPN, they’re discussing more broad internet access. They mean keeping your data safe when searching or shopping online, or even the benefits of being able to access more material on Netflix. But what are the benefits of using a VPN on Xbox, if there are any and if such a thing is even possible? This not-so-secret mystery will be unveiled in our comprehensive guide to VPNs on Xbox.
It’s important not to assume anything when it comes to online applications. Using a VPN on Xbox will almost certainly be a different experience to using such services on your phone or computer. So much so that it begs the question if the same VPNs can be used for all such devices, or if specialist options are needed. For information on this, and much more, check out our VPN for Xbox guide.
