Download vpn.now for Chromebook
Protect your whole Chromebook. Our ChromeOS app sets up a native tunnel connection from your account, so every app on the device is covered, not just the browser.
9 KB · works with your free vpn.now account.
Two ways to protect a Chromebook
There are two vpn.now products for ChromeOS, and they protect different things. Pick the one that matches what you need.
| vpn.now for Chromebook (this app) | Chrome extension | |
|---|---|---|
| What it protects | Whole device | Browser only |
| How it works | Native ChromeOS VPN tunnel | Encrypted browser proxy |
| Setup | Import a config file once | One click |
| Best for | Everything on the device | Quick browser privacy |
Want browser-only coverage with a single click? The vpn.now Chrome extension may be the better fit. This page covers the whole-device app.
Why this app sets up ChromeOS's own VPN
ChromeOS has a built-in VPN client for our protocol. It arrived in ChromeOS 105. That client is what actually moves and encrypts your traffic, and it covers the whole device.
A web app cannot do that job itself. ChromeOS does not let a web app open the low-level sockets a VPN data path needs. So instead of pretending to be the tunnel, this app does the safe thing. It signs you in, builds your settings from your account, and hands them to ChromeOS to run.
In short, the app creates a ChromeOS config file, called an ONC file, that you import once in Settings. ChromeOS then runs the tunnel natively. This is the supported, secure path, and there is no custom encryption to trust. If you want the background, read how VPNs work.
What you get
- Whole-device protection using ChromeOS's built-in tunnel client.
- One-tap config creation from your account; no manual key copying.
- The same account works across every vpn.now app.
No account yet? Create a free one in about a minute. No card needed.
Set it up
Five short steps, from the download to the moment ChromeOS turns the VPN on.
1. Add the app
Unzip the download. Open chrome://extensions, turn on Developer mode, and choose Load unpacked. Once the app is on the Chrome Web Store, this step becomes one click.
2. Sign in
Open vpn.now and enter your account email and password. Only a sign-in token is stored on the device, never your password.
3. Create my Chromebook config
Press the button. The app builds your settings from your account and saves a vpn.now.onc file to your Downloads. No keys to copy by hand.
4. Import in ChromeOS settings
The app opens ChromeOS network settings. Choose Add connection, then Import ONC file, and pick vpn.now.onc. ChromeOS reads your new VPN.
5. Turn the vpn.now VPN on
Flip the new vpn.now VPN to on. ChromeOS runs the tunnel and your whole device is covered. Turn it off the same way any time.
Prefer to do it by hand?
You can build the config yourself with the manual setup guide. The result is the same native ChromeOS tunnel.
You need ChromeOS 105 or newer
The built-in VPN client for our protocol arrived in ChromeOS 105, so the app needs that version or later. To check, open Settings, then About ChromeOS, and select Check for updates. Restart if an update installs.
On an older Chromebook that cannot update? Use the Chrome extension for browser protection instead. It does not need the built-in client. You can also protect a Linux box on your network with the same account.
| A Chromebook on ChromeOS 105 or newer (for the built-in tunnel client). |
| A vpn.now account (the free plan works). |
| Developer mode to load the app, until it is on the Chrome Web Store. |
Verify your download
Every official build ships with its SHA-256 checksum. Matching the hash of your file against the value below confirms you have the genuine, untampered build and not a repackaged copy from anywhere else.
Check it with shasum -a 256 vpn.now-chromebook.zip on macOS or Linux, or certutil -hashfile vpn.now-chromebook.zip SHA256 on Windows.
Chromebook questions
Does this protect the whole Chromebook or just Chrome?
The whole Chromebook. It configures ChromeOS's native tunnel VPN, so every app is covered. If you only want browser protection, the Chrome extension is a lighter option.
Why does it not run the VPN itself?
ChromeOS does not let a web app open the low-level sockets a VPN data path needs. The supported, secure path is to configure the tunnel client built into ChromeOS, which is exactly what this app does.
I do not see the tunnel option on my Chromebook.
Built-in tunnel support arrived in ChromeOS 105. Update ChromeOS from Settings, then try again. On older devices, use the Chrome extension for browser protection instead.
Get the Chrome extension · Download for Linux · How VPNs work
vpn.now on your other devices
One account covers them all.
See every option on the vpn.now apps overview, or set up by hand with the manual setup guide.