What Split Tunneling Is
Split tunneling lets you decide which apps or websites use the VPN connection and which use your regular internet connection directly. Without split tunneling, all your traffic goes through the VPN -- your local network printer becomes unreachable, your internet speed is capped by the VPN server, and services that block VPN IPs (some banking apps, local streaming services) stop working. Split tunneling solves these problems by letting you route selectively.
Two Modes of Split Tunneling
App-based split tunneling: you specify which applications use the VPN. Everything else uses your regular connection. Example: your BitTorrent client goes through the VPN; your browser, streaming apps, and work software go through your normal connection. This is the most common implementation. URL/domain-based split tunneling: you specify which websites use the VPN. Everything else is direct. Example: you route your company's internal tools through a work VPN while all other browsing goes direct. This requires DNS-level control and is more complex to implement -- not all VPNs support it.
Use Cases Where Split Tunneling Helps
Working from home with a work VPN: you need the work VPN for internal resources but want to stream Netflix or use local services at full speed. Route only the work-network traffic through the VPN. Local network access: printers, NAS drives, and smart home devices on your local network often become unreachable when all traffic goes through a VPN. Split tunneling lets you keep local network access while VPN-routing internet traffic. Banking and financial apps: some apps actively block or restrict VPN connections. Route them directly while protecting your other browsing through the VPN. Speed-sensitive applications: gaming, video calls, or large file downloads benefit from direct connections without VPN overhead. Route these directly while your general browsing stays protected.
How to Configure It
Most major VPN apps support split tunneling in their settings, typically under 'Split Tunneling', 'Traffic Splitting', or 'Per-App VPN.' In Mullvad: Settings > Split tunneling -- add apps to the exclusion list (these go direct) or inclusion list (only these go through VPN). In ExpressVPN: Options > General > Manage Connection > Split tunneling. In NordVPN: Settings > Split tunneling on desktop. On mobile: iOS has OS-level VPN per-app configuration (requires a VPN profile), which some apps support; Android has per-app VPN in developer settings that some VPN apps expose.
Security Consideration
Split tunneling reduces privacy for the traffic that goes direct. If you are using a VPN specifically to hide all your activity from your ISP or network, split tunneling defeats that purpose for the excluded traffic. Use it only when the convenience trade-off is worth it. For full privacy protection, keep all traffic in the VPN.