Free Per-App Split Tunneling on Android: Choose Which Apps Use FreeGuard
FreeGuard’s free App proxy filter gives you per-app VPN control on Android: choose which apps use the VPN. Send only Netflix and your browser through FreeGuard, or keep your banking app and home printer on your regular connection.
Three Modes, One Screen
In FreeGuard for Android, open Network Settings and tap App proxy filter. Pick a mode, choose your apps and save.
The App proxy filter gives you three modes:
- All apps: every app follows FreeGuard’s normal routing. This is the default.
- Only selected apps: the apps you pick use the VPN, and every other app connects directly.
- Bypass selected apps: the apps you pick connect directly, and every other app uses the VPN.
Search the list by app name or package name, tick the apps you want and tap Save settings. Your new rule applies the next time you connect, and your current connection keeps running as it is.
What You Can Do With It
- Stream without slowing everything else: choose Only selected apps and pick Netflix or your browser. Video goes through FreeGuard while games, calls and downloads use your direct connection.
- Keep banking apps working: some banking and payment apps refuse to work over a VPN. Add them under Bypass selected apps and the rest of your phone stays on FreeGuard.
- Reach devices at home: bypass your printer, NAS or smart-home app so it can find devices on your local network.
- Give one app a different location: send only the app that needs another country’s IP address through FreeGuard and leave everything else local.
Per-App Proxy by Platform
Choosing individual apps is an Android feature. Every other FreeGuard platform has its own routing controls.
| Platform | Per-app proxy | Routing options |
|---|---|---|
| Android | Yes, free (App proxy filter) | All apps, only selected apps, or bypass selected apps |
| iPhone and iPad | No: Apple does not allow it | Every app uses FreeGuard while connected |
| Windows and Mac (direct download) | No | GeoIP Region sends one region’s traffic direct |
| Mac App Store version | No | Whole-Mac VPN via Network Extension, without GeoIP Region |
| Linux (command line) | No | Custom routing rules and GeoIP region routing |
| Chrome extension | No | Proxies Chrome’s own traffic only |
Region routing on desktop works differently from per-app proxy: it decides by where traffic is going, not by which app sent it. In the Windows and Mac apps you download from freeguardvpn.com, pick a GeoIP Region (CN, US, JP, KR, RU, IR, ID or AE) in Settings, and traffic to that region goes direct while everything else stays on the VPN.
How to Set Up Per-App Proxy on Android
- Step 1: Install FreeGuard from Google Play or the official APK, or update to the latest version
- Step 2: Open Network Settings and tap App proxy filter
- Step 3: Choose Only selected apps or Bypass selected apps, tick your apps, tap Save settings and connect
Frequently Asked Questions
Is per-app split tunneling free on Android?
Yes. App proxy filter is free in FreeGuard for Android, on free and paid accounts alike. Many VPNs put split tunneling behind a paid plan.
Can I choose which apps use the VPN on iPhone or iPad?
No. Apple does not allow this kind of VPN to choose individual apps, so every app on your iPhone or iPad uses FreeGuard while you are connected. To pick apps one by one, use FreeGuard on an Android phone or tablet.
How is per-app proxy different from GeoIP region routing?
Per-app proxy decides by app: each app either uses FreeGuard or connects directly. GeoIP region routing decides by destination: traffic to the region you pick goes direct, and everything else stays on the VPN. Per-app proxy is on Android; GeoIP region routing is in the Windows and Mac apps from freeguardvpn.com and in the Linux command-line client.
Why can’t a bypassed app connect?
Apps that bypass FreeGuard use your regular connection. If Android’s Block connections without VPN setting is on for FreeGuard, Android blocks those apps too. Turn that setting off, or move the app back to the VPN.
Is traffic from bypassed apps encrypted?
No. Bypassed apps connect directly, so FreeGuard does not encrypt their traffic. Keep email, messaging and other sensitive apps on the VPN, and bypass only apps you trust on the network you are using.
When do my changes take effect?
The next time you connect. Tap Save settings, then disconnect and connect again to switch right away. Until then, your current connection keeps its previous rule.
Does the kill switch still work when I use per-app proxy?
Yes, for the apps that use the VPN: if the connection drops, their connections fail instead of switching to your regular network until FreeGuard reconnects. Bypassed apps never use the VPN, so they keep using your regular connection.