Is Private Relay for iCloud Plus users a VPN or not?
Do you have an iCloud Plus subscription? Then you can use Private Relay (Private Relay in English). Many people refer to the function as a VPN, but is that really true?
Read on after the ad.
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Private Relay Looks Like a VPN (But Isn’t)
Private Relay is a feature Apple announced during its iOS 15 presentation. The feature is currently in a testing phase, but you can already use Private Relay. You need an iCloud Plus subscription for this.
Private Relay has some important similarities to a VPN. The most important is that all your internet traffic is not directly traceable to you. However, that doesn’t apply in all situations – we’ll explain it to you.
The feature only works in Safari
Private Relay only functions as a VPN when using Apple’s own Safari browser. In that case, your internet traffic is encrypted and redirected via so-called proxies. Others will then not find out which pages on the internet you visit. So you have complete privacy. Your IP address (the ‘home address’ of your internet connection), your browsing history and your location are no longer visible to the outside world.
A regular VPN works for every browser you use. So you can also surf the internet anonymously via Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Microsoft Edge. Since Private Relay forces you to use Safari, the feature is relatively limited. Not every website works optimally in Safari. There are also, for example, all kinds of handy Chrome extensions that you can only use in combination with Google Chrome.
Also read: iCloud Plus: these are the extra features you get
Setting a foreign location is not possible
VPNs are regularly used to watch Netflix offerings from the United States. The streaming service offers different films and series in every country. Very frustrating, because the American offer is many times larger (and perhaps a bit better) than the Dutch offer. With a VPN you can change your internet location, making Netflix think you are in a different country. This way you get access to a different film and series offer.
Unfortunately Private Relay does not offer this option. The new IP address assigned to you by Apple is still associated with your region. You can’t adjust this yourself either. So you are anonymous, but you have no control over your own anonymity.
Both a VPN and Private Relay provide more online privacy
Ultimately, both a VPN and Apple’s Private Relay provide more online privacy. Private transfer also comes bundled with iCloud Plus, so you don’t really have to do anything for this. You already have an iCloud Plus subscription from 1 euro per month. This makes Private Relay cheaper than most VPNs. However, you also sacrifice functionality.
Already have an iCloud Plus subscription and want to use Private Relay? You can manually turn this on and off via the settings app on your iPhone. It goes like this:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad;
- Tap your name;
- Go to the ‘iCloud’ heading and tap on it;
- Look for the heading ‘Private transfer’ and follow the steps.
Since Private Relay is still a beta feature at the time of writing, it doesn’t work flawlessly yet. For example, you cannot log in with your DigiD if you have Private Transfer turned on.
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