How to use NordVPN | NordVPN tutorial for 2023

Okay, today I’ve got a full and thorough NordVPN tutorial, and when I say thorough, (chuckles) I mean thorough because I’m gonna show you how to install the app, how to use NordVPN features and then sprinkle in some other tips and tricks that other tutorials often forget to mention. Okay, so the very first part to this NordVPN setup tutorial is to just pick a plan. And honestly, I’d suggest the Plus and Complete plans since you’re probably gonna want their password manager. Otherwise, sure, the basic plan covers every NordVPN feature and the pricing is very reasonable. But just a quick note here, keep in mind that you can get an additional discount with the link in the description and in the comments and I always keep those updated with the best and latest deals out there. All right, once you have an account, the easiest way to download NordVPN is straight from their website. Installation is very clear too, a bunch of Next and Agree buttons. You know, the standard process for just about any app. And well, that’s all of the advice I have for the setup part at least. So let’s go ahead and dive right into the app itself. Now, I have the Windows version here, but I will mention the main differences between the apps in just a little bit. First things first, is NordVPN easy to use? Hell, yeah, it is. To connect to a server, I can just move around the map or choose a country from this dropdown list, press it, wait for a second, and it’s done, you’re protected. And speaking of those servers, well, there are a whopping 5,500 of them, at least there were when we started recording this VPN tutorial. For beginners, I recommend not overthinking it and simply using the Quick Connect button. It will automatically pick the closest and fastest server. So yeah, that’s great for most daily activities. Now, if you ask me, is NordVPN easy to us, I’m gonna say you bet your sweet butt it is. Let’s go through some essential configuration steps first so you can see what I mean. One of the first things you should check is the tunneling protocol. On Windows, that’s gonna be right here in Settings in the Connection tab. Here, I always recommend choosing NordLynx. It comes with the new and modern XChaCha20 encryption, and overall, NordLynx does deliver the fastest performance. Not just in NordVPN standards, but when compared to other providers too. That means no endlessly loading Windows when browsing and no buffering when you’re streaming geoblocked content. And on that note, NordVPN is actually a very reliable choice for that geoblocked streaming. In my latest testing, I was actually able to unblock pretty much any library I wanted, from Netflix Japan to UK’s BBC iPlayer, and many other different streaming services in between. But back to business, here you can also find the Auto-connect feature. And this is a must-have, at least it is for me since I sometimes work for my local coffee shop. Public networks are not safe these days, so I figure better safe than sorry. Now, I added a couple of trusted networks here since I don’t need an automatic VPN connection 24/7, especially if I’m at home. The rest of the connection settings here are up to your preferences or maybe just to make your life life a little bit easier. I won’t dive too deep into it since there’s always NordVPN guide explanations out there, you know, like ours. Now, if we go to General Settings, well, those settings are also mostly up to whatever you prefer. But quick little word of advice though, if you’re planning on using the VPN daily, you might want to keep the auto launch enabled. It’s gonna save you some time. Oh, and here’s a quick NordVPN Mac tutorial on this. The General tab is where you’re gonna find the Protocol settings. But the more important part is turning on the Kill Switch. There are two types on Windows PC. Make sure to turn one of them on to avoid any data leaks. If you’re a NordVPN iPhone or Mac user, well, you don’t have to do anything ’cause the Kill Switch is automatically implemented, whoo-hoo. But something Apple users won’t see is the split tunneling, which is very useful if you want certain apps to use the VPN connection, but have others go around it. You know, sometimes you just need to exclude a few of them when you’re connected to NordVPN. How to use this feature? Well, just turn this on, select the type and add some apps. There you go. The setup is now complete. So let’s tackle the specialty servers. In the main window, you’re gonna see a few of them from the dropdown menu. Here’s Double VPN, which chains two VPN servers together to add an extra layer of encryption. That’s a great additional security step. Especially useful for you journalists, activists, and dedicated privacy enthusiasts out there. There are also P2P servers, optimized for torrenting. And if you have a dedicated IP subscription, this is where you’re gonna see it as well. Now, these two are a bit more hardcore, but they’re great in the face of censorship or heavy internet restrictions. Okay, let’s continue this NordVPN tutorial with a feature overview. If you head to this shield icon, you can access Threat Protection. This feature’s gonna safeguard you from ads, malicious websites, and even detect harmful files. That’s even realtime protection like most antiviruses have
And even if NordVPN is, well, a VPN and not an anti-virus, from what I gathered in my own testing, it’s actually very effective. That’s why I just keep it on at all times. And a quick, but important note to Mac users, the App Store version of the NordVPN app only has Threat Protection Lite. If you want the full set of capabilities, you’re gonna have to download the app from Nord’s official website. Got it? Good. The icon below Threat Protection is for Meshnet. It’s great for hosting and securing virtual LAN parties or connecting to remote devices. Now, this feature is a bit more extensive, but, hey, there are directions and explanations through every step. I like that even the more advanced features are so easy to set up, and that’s just one reason why I often recommend NordVPN for beginners. Still, Meshnet is kind of a specific feature, you either need it or you don’t. But the Dark Web Monitor is something every one of us needs and can appreciate. Again, in learning how to use NordVPN, well, it’s, come on, very easy. You can activate it with just a click. If the monitor detects any leaks, it’s gonna alert you right away. Now, an easy way to check if you turned on most of the essential features is in the Security score tab. You can access it from the sidebar. By the way, if you’re enjoying this NordVPN guide, you should probably let us know by clicking the like and subscribe buttons. I would much appreciate it. And what if something doesn’t work? Well, then you can just reach out to Support straight from the app, fill in the questions in the popup window, and bam. Yeah, it’s that convenient.Now, as you probably noticed, not all the features are available for Mac users, but Macs happen to have their own exclusive features that you’re not gonna see in a NordVPN desktop tutorial. One of them is actually a preset. Now, there are a couple of pre-existing presets here, but personally, I mostly use this function to watch “Dr Who” on BBC iPlayer. I can just set this up to quickly access and then connect to any website. Okay, so we’ve mostly covered PC and MAC things, but the question becomes how to use NordVPN on phone. Does it differ that much? Not really. I mean, sure, the layout is adjusted to a mobile device, but the apps are still very similar. I already mentioned a couple of differences, but here’s a quick NordVPN Android or NordVPN iPhone tutorial. Both apps have the standard features and they’re quite similar in terms of looks and functionality. The two main differences that I found are these, only Android has split tunneling, and it also happens to be the only app who offers a 7-day free trial. That’s if you purchase through the Google Play Store. Now, you’re gonna see a lot more stuff on the apps, like a refer a friend to get a free month or some settings for customizing the look of the app. But you’re probably already familiar with all these main features anyway, right? Okay, now look, listening to me is not the same as just using the app for yourself, so I’m gonna suggest you play a round a little and check all those nooks and crannies for yourself. In general, I’ll just say that NordVPN does a great job of balancing security and ease of use. Not only do I enjoy using the app for my personal data protection, Nord also doesn’t make the process complicated. And heck, it is delivering fast performance on top of all that. And that is why I recommend trying it out. You can use the link in the description or click this box in the corner to grab a discount. Thanks for watching and I’m gonna see you in the next one.