Windows 11 now has a VPN status indicator on the taskbar
Windows 11 will soon display a system tray indicator that informs you when your computer has been connected to a VPN. This allows users to surf anonymously and ensures they are connected.
Many users now use VPN services to conceal their identities while surfing the internet, downloading files, and streaming movies.
Your Internet connections will be routed through the VPN server’s IP addresses. This prevents your home IP address being seen by any website or online service.
If you use a VPN to download files or browse sites, it may disconnect suddenly. You could then continue surfing the internet without realizing, potentially exposing your IP address.
Status of VPN in Windows 11 System Tray
Neowin first reported that Windows 11 Dev’ build 25247 contains a hidden feature that displays a shield icon above the Network system tray icon, when it is enabled.
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The above image has been increased in size. In practice, the shield is quite small. We should expect that the shield will be more prominent if it makes it to production.
These images have been magnified. The shield in the actual image is quite small. If it makes it to production, we can expect it to be more prominent.
Unfortunately, the new feature has some limitations. It only works with VPNs that are configured using Windows 11 Client. WiFi is not supported.
PhantomOcean3 tweeted that the feature “seems” to work only if the VPN is connected from the quick settings or Network & Internet > VPN page in Settings.
The feature is not available when the client is connected to commercial VPN services.
Bleeping Computer tested both NordVPN as well as ProtonVPN to determine if the indicator is showing when the VPN connection is established.
This feature is still in development and unannounced. It is therefore unfinished and in the beginning stages.
This is an extremely useful feature. However, Microsoft has already disclosed that some features in Windows Insider builds may not make it to production.
How to enable VPN indicator in Windows 11
You can test the new Windows 11 VPN indicator by joining the Windows Insider program. The current Windows 11 build (build 25047) or later is available for download.
This build can only be obtained by joining the Windows Insider channel ‘Dev’.
After you have installed the latest Windows 11 Insider build, follow these steps to activate the Task Manager.
- Download ViveTool to unlock hidden developer features in Windows 10 or Windows 11. Extract the zip file once downloaded.
- Navigate to the ViveTool folder that you have extracted by opening an Elevated command prompt
- Enter each command by typing it. These commands are not all necessary but they are all part of the new feature.
vivetool /enable/id:38113452
ViveTool will respond to your command by saying “Successfully configured feature configuration.”
After you’re done testing, disable the hidden feature using the ViveTool commands.
vivetool /disable/id:38113452
It is recommended that ViveTool be used to enable hidden features. You can test this on a virtual machine.
