Privacy

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Blocking app access to the internet (lemm.ee)

submitted 10 months ago by starlord@lemm.ee to c/privacy@lemmy.ml

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Question for the group on a problem I'm trying to solve: How can I block internet access for some apps on standard, OOTB Android?

My current set-up is to use Proton VPN with the Android settings "Always-on VPN" and "Block connections without VPN" and then use Proton VPN's Split-tunneling to exclude certain apps from using the VPN. This has the desired effect of blocking certain apps from having access to the internet.

However, I now find that I need to use certain Apps without the VPN but with internet access. In the past, I'd used something like NetGuard to control which apps have internet access, but, as Android only allows one VPN slot, this would require me to swap out Proton VPN.

So my problem statement: I'd like to be able to continue to use Proton VPN, exclude some apps from using that VPN but still have access to the internet, and block still other apps from the internet entirely. I'm struggling to find a way to do this.

Any suggestions are welcome!

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[–] Steve 5 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

The apps you want to block entirely, you can go into Android settings for each of them individually, and turn off all their Mobile Data & WiFi access options.

Apps that you want to allow outside Proton VPN, you can add to the Split Tunneling list in Proton VPN. But you have to turn off the Block Without VPN option.

It sounds like that'll get you what you want.

[–] starlord@lemm.ee 3 points 10 months ago

Yeah, I've seen this before but I just apparently don't have that option. All I have is "Mobile Data" which appears to leak a little despite being turned off...