Hi everyone, I want to share with you a simple way to create a shortcut for VPN on iOS that you can access from the control center. This works with any VPN service that supports actions in the Shortcuts app (for example, Surfshark does). Here are the steps:
Make sure you have the VPN app installed and connected at least once. This will enable a hidden VPN tile in the settings app that you can use to toggle the VPN on and off.
Create a new custom Focus (I named it VPN). You don’t need to configure anything, just create it.
Create a new automation triggered by the start of the VPN Focus shortcut and another one triggered by the stop of the VPN Focus. These automations will control the activation of the VPN.
In each automation, add the corresponding action for the VPN (Surfshark has connect action and disconnect action)
Now you can tap the Focus icon in your control center to find the VPN one you created and toggle it on or off. You can also use Siri to activate or deactivate the Full Immersion shortcut.
I hope this helps someone who wants a quick way to access their VPN without opening the app every time. Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions.
It’s not control center, but you can add shortcuts to the widgets page if you scroll left from the Notification Center. I use focuses for handling notifications (I’m not getting work email notifications after hours), so I don’t want to tie the vpn to a focus. So I created a shortcut that will toggle the vpn and added it to whatever Apple calls that screen with widgets.
Side note but I use WireGuard and only really need a vpn if I’m traveling or connecting to a public WiFi network. You can set WireGuard to automatically activate based on the wireless SSID you’re connected to. I currently have it set to activate whenever I’m on a WiFi network that’s not my own. (HIGHLY discourage connecting to a public WiFi without a vpn) If you have a computer that is always on at home, it’s not hard to set up. Also allows for your favorite streaming services while traveling.
Second side note: you don’t need WireGuard to do this. You can create an iPhone automation that triggers based on WiFi connection and will call a shortcut. This is probably the better option because disabling the vpn is a pita when WireGuard has it on automatically.
Trying to do this on an iPad, but you lost me at " Create a new automation triggered by the start of the VPN Focus shortcut and another one triggered by the stop of the VPN Focus. These automations will control the activation of the VPN"
I found the shortcuts app but I’m not sure how to create an automation triggered by the start of the VPN Focus shortcut.
Or you can just create a shortcut action to turn a vpn on, another one to turn it off, and add them to the Notification Center or to the Control Center (in iOS18 and iPadOS18).
