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IPVanish VPN Status Indicator – New Feature
IPVanish has released a new feature called VPN Status Indicator. Once this feature is enabled you will see a dot on your screen notifying you whether your VPN is connected or not. Due to the fact that IPVanish doesn’t offer a working kill switch for Fire TV and Android TV devices, this is a welcome addition.
What good is a VPN if there is no kill switch or we don’t know whether it’s connected or not?
As of this post, the only VPN service that we know is capable of running a working kill switch on Fire TV and Android TV is Surfshark VPN. Sure, most VPN services offer a kill switch on phones, tablets, and computers but Surfshark is the only one that has figured out how to make this work on Fire TV and Android TV devices.
See Why Surfshark is #1 Ranked TROYPOINT VPN
This is the first time we’ve seen a VPN application incorporate this feature. Hats off to IPVanish for being the first VPN to offer this tool!
There are standalone apps that provide the same functionality such as VPN Monitor Dot and VPNSafetyDot. If you’re running a VPN other than IPVanish or Surfshark, we suggest using VPN Montior Dot as its features are head and shoulders above the others.
For a long time, the most popular VPN monitor application was VPNSafetyDot but they started charging users in 2022. Once this happened, clones of the app hit the scene and many cord-cutters abandoned VPNSafetyDot for the free alternatives.
If your VPN offers a working kill switch for Firestick and Android TV like Surfshark, there’s really no reason to use a VPN monitor app. A kill switch will terminate your Internet connection if your VPN is ever disconnected.
Below you will find a tutorial for enabling the VPN Status Indicator feature on a Firestick and Android TV devices. Due to the limitations of Fire TV systems, we must issue an ADB command to make this work properly. Android TV devices offer this customization so it’s easier to use this feature on those devices.
It’s important to note that not all Fire TV devices have this updated IPVanish app available. In the video below, I’m using an Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max which is running Fire OS 7. Please tell us in the comments below which Fire TV device you are running and whether or not this feature is currently available.
IPVanish VPN Status Indicator Firestick / Fire TV Cube Tutorial
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GM4VEx55arM[/embedyt]
ADB Command to Draw Over Apps Referenced in Above Video
pm grant com.ixolit.ipvanish android.permission.SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW
VPN Status Indicator Android TV Instructions
Fortunately, Android TV users don’t need to issue an ADB command.
1. Go into IPVanish Settings and click VPN Status Indicator.
2. Click Open Settings.
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3. Turn on Allow display over other apps for IPVanish.
4. Go back into IPVanish VPN Settings and turn on VPN Status Indicator.
VPN Status Indicator Transparency Settings
Users can adjust the transparency of the dot that appears on the screen when IPVanish VPN is connected.
As of this post, the dot should be green but it is gray on Fire TV / Android TV devices. Hopefully, this will be fixed in a future IPVanish update.
Hide On Connect Setting
The Hide On Connect Setting allows users to hide the dot when the VPN is connected. This is a great feature due to the fact that most people won’t want a dot on their screen when they are trying to watch a movie or TV show. Those using VPN Monitor Dot can achieve the same effect by changing transparency to zero for when the VPN is connected.
IPVanish VPN is a great VPN and it’s nice to see this new added feature. It would be nice if they could figure out how to implement a working kill switch on Fire TV / Android TV systems but until then, this tool should help.
Tell us in the comments section what you think of this new IPVanish feature.
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Trying to install the IP Vaninsh on a fire TV. Cannot figure out where the settings are to allow permission. HELP!!’
VPN status indicator is not in my settings on IPvanish.
Do I need to download a new version of the app? Version 4.0.5.159088-atv fire cube 1st gen
I am using a 2nd generation fire stick. I do not have the VPN Status Indicator.
Troy I don’t see this feature on my 4k firestick, but on my s20 fe phone there is a kill switch. I’m confused ?
Not available on my IPVanish. Is there an updated version?
How can you get the up date for ipvanish because it’s not on the fire tv stick 4k and although I have my settings set to update ipvanish, I haven’t received an update yet. So I will continue to use the vpn safety dot, it works well.
Same here!
I’m running a MeCool KM2 with IPVanish 4.0.1.0.148999-gtv and it doesn’t have the VPN Status Indicator option. Is there a newer version that has it ?
I followed all instructions in video to enable the VPN monitor indicator in IPVanish. I had to perform a restart for the menu option to appear in IPVanish. Thank you for the excellent tutorial.
Vyprvpn and Wevpn also have a built in killswitch on their android tv apps.
I’m using the Amazon firestick 4k. It isn’t available on it.
Nvidia shied, no go
IPVanish VPN Status Indicator Button is available on my Amazon firestick 4k.
But it won’t allow me to Turn on Allow display over other apps for IPVanish.
I found the video instructions to turn on the option right before the instructions. Thanks!!
Same