Check your Pixel 7 or Pixel 7 Pro now—the free VPN from Google has begun rolling out.
One of the extra perks that comes with the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro is a free subscription to the Google One VPN. Usually only accessible through the 2TB Google One cloud account, it wasn’t immediately available when the phones launched but is rolling out now. You should check your phone to see if you can claim it.
Claim Your Free Google One VPN Now
You can claim the free VPN offer through the Google One app so you’ll need to install that if you haven’t already got it.
To check if the deal is available to you, open the app and tap Benefits, where you should see the message saying, “Your Pixel comes with VPN by Google One”. Then just follow the on-screen instructions to claim it and set it up.
Among the options on offer is the ability to add the VPN to your Quick Settings panel. That will make it easier to turn it on and off as needed if you don’t need to leave it on all the time.
You should get access to the Google One VPN for five years, as the company says that the offer is available for as long as the phone continues to get security updates.
What Does the Google One VPN Log?
A VPN helps to protect your privacy by encrypting your connection to the internet and hiding your IP address. This makes it harder for your internet service provider to see what sites or services you’re using, and for those services to track you.
Many VPNs also allow you to virtually change the location of your device to bypass geo-blocking on sites. You can’t do that on Google’s VPN, so if you want to access another country’s Netflix catalog you’ll need to choose a different service.
The VPN itself still gets to see this information, though, and Google promises it “will never use your VPN connection to track, collect or sell your online activity.” Still, some have concerns about whether a Google VPN can be trusted, given that the company’s entire business is based on tracking users, and that it is tied to your existing Google account.
A Google VPN white paper gives more detail on exactly what information the service logs.
Another Bonus for the Pixel 7
The addition of the Google VPN is another welcome bonus for Pixel 7 users. And that isn’t the only one you’ll get. The phones also get Pixel Feature Drops every three months, which very often add more—and welcome—features. The next Feature Drop will launch in December.
