Google One shut down as it was announced a few months ago in April. End of the thread: users no longer have access to VPNs through Google One.
Google introduced Google One VPN back in October 2020; it was initially a perk for the $9.99/month plan. Later, in March 2023, it became accessible to all Google One plans, even the cheapest, at $1.99 per month. Google made it available through the Google One app on Android and iOS, whereas Google also released dedicated Mac and Windows clients.
Google One’s VPN focused on adding an extra layer of online security, not location switching. To ensure transparency and trust, the brand published a white paper, had an independent audit, and even made the VPN’s code accessible for public review. In discontinuing the VPN, Google says “people simply weren’t using it” and that the deprecation will let it “support more in-demand features.”
That could be about Fitbit Premium and Nest Aware, which are only available for UK subscribers at the moment. Notably, the owners of the Pixel 7 series, Pixel 8 series, Pixel 7a, and Pixel 8a still have access to a Pixel VPN by Google as a part of their premium phone purchase. Access to that has rolled out through the Play Store and Android 14 QPR3, but two features are not listed in its list, which are mentioned below:
- The feature to use a broader IP address region, such as a country-level IP address versus a city-level or state-level, isn’t available in VPNs by Google.
- The feature to block the internet if the VPN gets disconnected is not available in VPN by Google.
Now opening the Google One mobile app reveals a “VPN by Google One is no longer available” message, with the VPN tile no longer shown after the latest Android update with version number 1.223.x.
Apart from this, Google recommends that users delete the app on Mac and Windows by following these steps:
Mac users can follow these instructions: Open Finder >> In the sidebar, tap Applications and drag VPN by Google One to the trash.
Windows users take these steps: go to the Start menu >> Settings >> Apps >> Within ‘apps & features’, search for VPN by Google One. Tap VPN in Google One >> Uninstall.
