Top 5 reasons why you need a VPN on your Mac

So, you’ve heard of the best VPN services (virtual private networks) and are wondering why you need one. Although Apple Mac products pride themselves on having excellent privacy and security settings, a Mac VPN will provide you with an additional layer of security, online anonymity, and protection of your data. 

Essentially, a VPN works by creating an encrypted tunnel for your data traffic and will change your IP address to ensure the protection of your online identity and activity. However, aside from safety on the internet, there are many other advantages of using a VPN you might not be aware of such as unlocking blocked sites and accessing streaming content across the globe. Keep on reading to find out the key benefits of downloading a VPN to your Mac. 

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1. Protect your data

Data protection is one of the main functions of a VPN as it works to conceal your online activity by transferring your data through an encrypted tunnel to a secure server. What this means is that your IP address is changed and hidden from your ISP and third-party companies. 

By installing a VPN, it can prevent your ISP or any third-party from harvesting your data - whether that be browsing history, personal information, or your location - and selling it to potentially dangerous third-party organisations. 

Apple has in-built anti-virus and Mac OS software which means Mac users are fairly safe from many forms of cyber attacks or online hackers. However, we recommend using a VPN for added security when online, since any protection your Mac provides ends when you send your data into the wild.

2. Stream content 

On a brighter note, one of the best things about a VPN is being able to access streaming content in other countries. Mac users with a streaming VPN can easily switch up their location to a different country and bypass any geo-restricted content.

Netflix and other streaming services have regional blocks which prevent residents from accessing content libraries with a huge variety of shows to choose from. 

If you’re someone who spends a lot of time on the Netflix library searching for a new series, or a sports fan wanting to catch the Superbowl in the US, a quality VPN will allow you to access these streaming sites and watch the latest content. 

3. Access blocked content  

Similar to above, some schools or workplaces block content, such as social media or streaming sites, which means when you are connected to their Wi-Fi you won’t be able to access certain sites. The same goes for those in countries with strict censorship laws like China.

With a good VPN, you can gain access to blocked sites securely as the VPN changes your server location and unlocks these sites. 

So, whether you’re a college student, abroad, or find you can’t access censored content for whatever reason, a VPN is one of the easiest ways to safely overcome this issue. 

4. Avoid tracking 

Online privacy is increasingly important for everyone who uses the internet and is something that everyone has a right to have. Without a VPN, many companies such as Google, your ISP, and even the government are able to trace your internet activity.

By using a VPN, your online activity is encrypted which means the authorities and your ISP cannot track what you are up to. If online privacy is particularly important to you then having a VPN installed is a secure way to hide your activity. 

5. Torrent safely

A VPN is especially important for Mac users who torrent files. While torrents are a hugely useful way of downloading large files at speed, even if the content you’re downloading is perfectly legal your ISP may not be pleased to see you doing so. If they detect any P2P activity, you may find your connections slowing to a crawl thanks to network throttling.

Not only that, but connecting to a torrent puts you at risk of being hacked. While that risk is small, sharing P2P does expose your computer to others on the same network, and if someone targets you, without a VPN your personal info could be seriously compromised.

Finally, while we in no way condone the downloading of illegal files, when torrenting we sometimes don’t get what we expect. A torrenting VPN can put your mind at ease should you accidentally download copyrighted material, and make sure that activity isn’t linked back to you.