VPN for Android: install NvoVPN from Google Play in 4 steps, or use the APK

A VPN for Android from NvoVPN installs in two minutes: the app is on Google Play — install it, sign in, allow the VPN and press the shield. No Google services on your phone, or Play will not open? You can install the app as an APK file from the site — see the blue note under the steps. Below are also the settings that stop Android from "killing" the VPN in the background, plus setup on Android TV. If you are in Russia, there is a separate block.

1. 1

   Install NvoVPN from Google Play

   Open NvoVPN on Google Play and tap "Install". There will be no warnings: the store checks the app itself, and updates arrive automatically. The app itself is free — there is nothing to pay in the store.

2. 2

   Sign in

   On the first screen, choose how to sign in: "Sign in with Google" (the same mailbox as at registration), "Sign in with Apple", or email and password. No password? Tap "I have a login code" and enter the six digits from your account, Connection tab — the code lasts 10 minutes. It is the easiest way if you do not have a password.

3. 3

   Allow the VPN

   Tap the shield. The first time you connect, Android shows a system window, "Connection request": the app wants to set up a VPN connection. Tap "OK". This is the only permission, and it is asked for once — that is how Android greets any VPN.

4. 4

   Wait for the green shield

   After a few seconds the shield turns green, and a key icon appears in the status bar — traffic is going through the server. A server is chosen for you. Check it on the "What is my IP" page: it should show the server's address, not your carrier's. Tap the shield again to disconnect.

What you need

• A phone or tablet on Android 9 or later — practically any device from recent years.
• An NvoVPN account, the same one you use on the website. Do not have one? Sign up: you only need an email address, no card required.
• For the APK, about 280 MB of free space; from Google Play the app downloads in parts, so you need less space.

Android settings so the VPN does not drop

Android likes to save battery and unloads background apps. Three settings fix most complaints of "the VPN disconnected by itself":

1. Unrestricted battery use. "Settings" → "Apps" → NvoVPN → "Battery" → "Unrestricted". This matters especially on Samsung, Xiaomi, OnePlus and Huawei — their custom interfaces kill background processes more aggressively than stock Android. On Huawei, also: "Battery" → "App launch" → NvoVPN → turn off "Manage automatically" and turn on all three toggles.
2. Always-on VPN. "Settings" → "Network & internet" → "VPN" → the gear icon next to NvoVPN → turn on "Always-on VPN". The system will bring the tunnel up by itself after a restart or a network change. The option only appears once the app has connected at least once.
3. Block connections without VPN. In the same menu — this is Android's built-in kill switch: if the tunnel suddenly drops, the internet will not go through in the open. Turn it on if privacy matters more to you than uninterrupted connectivity. The app itself has a "Settings" → "Application" → "Kill Switch" item — on Android it leads to these same system settings.

Android TV and streaming boxes

On a TV, Google Play may not show the app — install the APK instead. The easiest way is the Downloader app from the TV's store: type in the address nvovpn.com/download/android, download the file, allow Downloader to install unknown apps (the TV will offer to open settings itself) and tap "Install". The other option is to copy the APK onto a USB drive and open it with a file manager. Sign in with the code from your account, so you do not have to type a password with the remote. More on TVs is in "VPN on a TV".

Manual setup with AmneziaWG

If you cannot install the app, or you want to use your own client, get a configuration in your account → "Connection" → "Manual": choose a server, name the device, tap "Create" — a QR code appears. Install the AmneziaWG app (by Amnezia) from Google Play, tap "+", scan the QR code from your computer screen and connect. Plain WireGuard also accepts this config, but without traffic obfuscation it gets throttled more often — in Russia you specifically need the AmneziaWG version.

FAQ

Is it legal to use a VPN on a phone? For an ordinary user, yes: there is no ban on using a VPN itself. The restrictions concern advertising such services and access to specific banned material.

Does a VPN drain the battery a lot? AmneziaWG encryption is light, but a constant connection keeps the radio active. On average that is a few percent a day — less than a messenger app with notifications turned on.

Why is the VPN connected, but the internet does not work? Most often it is DNS or a second VPN app. Reconnect, choose another server and check "Private DNS". More detail is in "What to do if the VPN will not connect".

Can I use the same subscription on a laptop? Yes — up to five devices at once. Guides: Windows and Mac.

How do I remove the VPN from Android? Uninstall the app as usual — the VPN connection disappears with it. If you turned on "Always-on VPN", switch it off in the VPN settings first.

Related guides: Kill Switch: what it is and how to turn it on · VPN on Huawei and Honor · How to block ads through a VPN