Free VPN for Android — FreeGuard on Google Play

FreeGuard's free VPN for Android 7.0+ on Google Play or direct APK. anytls/hysteria2/trojan, quick-settings tile, DNS resolver picker, system always-on VPN support.

FreeGuard’s free VPN for Android phones and tablets is available on Google Play. Mobile Android direct APK downloads are not currently offered; Android TV uses a separate TV-only APK path.

How You Actually Install FreeGuard on Android Phones and Tablets

Use Google Play for the mobile Android app. If you are setting up Android TV or Google TV, use the separate Android TV download path instead.

  • Google Play: FreeGuard VPN on Google Play. This is the primary channel and what most users should pick.
  • No mobile direct APK today: FreeGuard does not currently publish a general Android phone APK from the website. Devices without Google Play are not supported by an official mobile APK at this time.
  • Android TV is separate: Android TV and Google TV installs use a dedicated TV build and offline APK path from the downloads page. Do not treat that TV APK as the mobile Android app.

This separation keeps phone/tablet installs aligned with Google Play while preserving the dedicated Android TV offline installer for TV-first devices.

Features That Actually Ship on Android Today

What you get: anytls/hysteria2/trojan protocols, system always-on VPN support, quick-settings tile for one-tap toggle, DNS resolver picker. What you do not get yet: per-app split tunneling exposed in the app UI.

  • Protocols: anytls, hysteria2, trojan
  • Quick-settings tile: Android shade tile (backed by TileService) to connect/disconnect without opening the app
  • Always-on VPN compatibility: works with Android’s system-level “Always-on VPN” / “Block connections without VPN” settings, which act as an OS-enforced kill switch
  • DNS resolver picker: Settings → DNS Server lets you pick among Cloudflare (1.1.1.1), Google (8.8.8.8), Quad9, OpenDNS, AdGuard. DNS is sent through the VPN tunnel
  • Network transitions: tunnel persists as the device switches between Wi-Fi and cellular

Per-app split tunneling: the underlying Android VPN API supports it, and the infrastructure exists in our native code, but the feature is not exposed in the current FreeGuard app UI. You can still use Android’s own “Always-on VPN + per-app exception” settings as a workaround.

How to Get Started

  1. Step 1: Install FreeGuard VPN from Google Play
  2. Step 2: Open the app, sign in to your free account, and approve the VPN connection permission
  3. Step 3: Tap Connect — optionally enable “Always-on VPN” in Android Settings → Network → VPN → FreeGuard for OS-level enforcement

Frequently Asked Questions

Is FreeGuard available on Google Play?

Yes. The mobile Android app is distributed through Google Play. Android TV has a separate TV-only download path.

Which Android versions are supported?

Android 7.0 (Nougat) and later. This is tied to the VPN API capabilities we rely on.

Does FreeGuard have a quick-settings tile?

Yes. Pull down the notification shade, edit the tiles, and add FreeGuard. One tap connects or disconnects.

Does FreeGuard support per-app split tunneling on Android?

Not in the app UI today. The native VPN service supports the mechanism, but there is no in-app picker to choose apps. If you need per-app exceptions, use Android’s system-level “Always-on VPN” plus per-app settings as a workaround.

Can I choose which DNS resolver FreeGuard uses?

Yes. Settings → DNS Server lists Cloudflare, Google, Quad9, OpenDNS, and AdGuard. Queries go through the VPN tunnel to the chosen provider.

Does FreeGuard work with Android’s Always-on VPN?

Yes. Turn on Always-on VPN (and optionally Block connections without VPN) under Android Settings → Network → VPN → FreeGuard. Android will enforce the tunnel at the system level.

How do I install FreeGuard without Google Play?

There is no official general-purpose mobile Android APK download today. Use Google Play for phones and tablets. For Android TV or Google TV, use the separate Android TV installer on the downloads page.

Does FreeGuard survive switching between Wi-Fi and mobile data?

Yes. The tunnel handles network transitions, and hysteria2 in particular recovers quickly when the underlying connection changes.

Last verified: 2026-05-22