Apple products, both Mac and iPhones, are considered secure as compared to other operating systems. They have a reputation for their sleek appearance and excellent security. Despite all these, MacBooks also come with vulnerabilities and security issues. One can never be 100% secure on Apple devices.
If you are a Mac user, a virtual private network (VPN) can definitely boost your device security and privacy. Owing to strong encryption and IP masking technology, a VPN offers a lot of benefits to mac users – be it online privacy and anonymity. Apart from security, a VPN also offers other advantages like streaming.
In this article, we will discuss the key benefits of using a VPN on your Mac devices. Remember, if you are new to VPNs and don’t want to spend too much on these nifty tools, there are plenty of the best free VPN for Mac that you can try without spending a penny.
1. Keep your internet connection private
One of the major benefits of using a VPN is that it hides your IP address when you are using the internet. It passes all your internet traffic through an encrypted tunnel and reroutes your traffic through a third-party secure server. This way, your real location and IP address are hidden.
By hiding your IP address, a VPN keeps your internet connection private, and not even your ISP (Internet Service Provider) can see your online activities. A VPN also protects your data from snoopers, cybercriminals, and third-party trackers. This way, no one can see your browsing habits, websites you visit, and location.
Apple offers great security infrastructure, especially the security features built into your Mac. However, with a VPN, you can further boost your data security.
2. Access geo-restricted content
If you are a regular streamer, you must be well aware of the fact that most streaming services are geo-blocked and can only be accessed from a specific region only. Some popular examples are Hulu, HBO Max, YouTube TV, Sling TV, ESPN+, Hotstar and many more.
Even if we talk about Netflix, you probably would have noticed that some titles are not available in your region. When you search for a title and results show up all the related movies and shows. This is due to geo-blocking that is done by services in order to follow content licensing agreements.
The good news is that you can easily sidestep these geo-restrictions using a VPN. VPNs offer multiple server locations all across the world, so you can connect to any server you want and it will assign you a different IP address. This way, you can trick streaming services into thinking you are trying to watch it from within an approved country or region.
Although it might go against the streaming service’s terms of service, it is perfectly legal to access streaming platforms using a VPN.
3. Bypass ISP bandwidth throttling
A few online activities such as downloading torrents, streaming, and online gaming can consume a lot of bandwidth. If you are consuming more bandwidth than required, your ISP might reduce your connection speed. This is called bandwidth throttling and is done to avoid network congestion.
It might cause issues like buffering, extensive lags, and more. However, you can easily bypass ISP throttling on your Mac using a virtual private network (VPN). A VPN encrypts your online traffic and masks your IP address, keeping everything, you do online hidden from your ISP. As a result, you can enjoy fast connection speeds and engage in data-intensive tasks without issues.
4. Securely Access Public Wi-Fi
If you are working remotely, or enjoy working in a cafe during your break time, then a VPN is a necessary tool for you. Public Wi-Fi in hotels, cafes, airports, and other public places is not safe. These networks are highly unsecured and are hotspots for hackers and snoopers to steal your information such as passwords.
Hackers also create fake public Wi-Fi networks with legitimate names like “Terminal 1,” or “Starbucks.” When you connect to these Wi-Fi hotspots, they steal all your data.
When you connect to a VPN before accessing public Wi-Fi, it secures your connection. All incoming and outgoing traffic on your Mac is encrypted making your online activities private.
5. Secure Online Banking
Today more and more people are doing online shopping and banking. The process involves sharing sensitive information like credit card numbers and more. Although banking apps have multiple layers of security to protect users’ sensitive data, one can never be too sure.
Also, if you are banking on the go using public Wi-Fi, a VPN is a must. When you are using online banking apps and websites, make sure to always connect to a VPN. It will encrypt your data, so even if hackers manage to compromise your data, it cannot be decrypted; thus, it is of no use for them.
Similarly, if you are shopping online, make sure to use a VPN even if the website you are visiting is secured by HTTPS.
Conclusion
These are some of the key benefits of using a VPN for Mac. Even though Macbooks are considered secure as compared to other PCs, there are still a few vulnerabilities that can be patched using a VPN service. If you are considering using a VPN for your Mac, you can also try free VPN services that offer required encryption for data protection.
