What Is Split Tunneling
Split tunneling is a VPN feature that lets you route some of your internet traffic through the VPN while other traffic goes directly through your regular internet connection. Without split tunneling: all traffic -- every website, every app -- goes through the VPN server. With split tunneling: you can specify that Netflix goes directly (to avoid geo-detection and for speed), while your browser and email go through the VPN for privacy.
How It Works Technically
Split tunneling works by modifying the routing table on your device. Normally, a VPN adds a route that sends all traffic (0.0.0.0/0) to the VPN tunnel. With split tunneling, the VPN client installs more specific routes: certain IP ranges or applications route through the VPN tunnel, everything else uses the default gateway (your ISP). There are two main types of split tunneling: application-based (specific apps go through/bypass the VPN) and URL/IP-based (specific destinations bypass the VPN). Most consumer VPNs offer application-based split tunneling.
When to Use Split Tunneling
Route through VPN: banking and financial services, privacy-sensitive browsing, accessing corporate resources, avoiding ISP tracking. Route directly (bypass VPN): streaming services that block VPN IPs (Netflix home region works without VPN), online gaming (lower latency without VPN hop), bandwidth-intensive downloads you don't need to hide, local network devices (printers, NAS). The most practical use: route your browser through the VPN, but let streaming apps and gaming bypass it. This way you get privacy for browsing without the speed penalty for bandwidth-heavy applications.
VPNs That Support Split Tunneling in 2026
ExpressVPN: app-based split tunneling on Windows, Mac, Android, and routers. NordVPN: called 'Split Tunneling' on Windows and Android (not available on Mac/iOS due to platform restrictions). ProtonVPN: available on Windows and Android. Mullvad: IP-based exclusions. NordVPN and ExpressVPN have the most user-friendly implementations for most home users.
Platform Limitations
iOS and macOS have system-level VPN restrictions that prevent true split tunneling for most third-party VPN apps -- Apple controls how VPN traffic is handled at the OS level. This means split tunneling on iPhones is limited or unavailable on most VPN apps. Workarounds: use a router-level VPN with per-device routing, or configure your Mac's network settings manually.