uTorrent is the world's most popular torrent client, but it's not a bulletproof solution that can make your torrenting activities as private and as smooth as possible. That's because uTorrent makes your IP visible to other P2P users and agencies after copyright infringers.
Also, uTorrent can't help with other issues outside of its reach. For example, ISPs block torrent sites and impose selective throttling, making your P2P downloads all but grind to a halt. However, there is a single solution to those issues, and that would be a VPN.
Once you start to use uTorrent with a VPN, you'll hide your IP address, as well as make sure no one sees what you do online. VPNs also give you access to blocked torrent sites, help you fight against ISP-induced throttling, and allow you to evade copyright infringement notices.
In this guide, we'll discuss how to use uTorrent with a VPN, explain why you need a VPN, help you find the best VPN for uTorrent, guide you in choosing the best option based on your needs, and finish with a round of helpful FAQs.
To use uTorrent with a VPN, you need to sign up, download, and install your chosen VPN. Then, enable its data privacy features and connect to a P2P-friendly server. Here's how to set up uTorrent with a VPN:
As you can see, using a VPN with uTorrent means using those two applications side-by-side. So, ensure to set up a VPN on uTorrent properly and use uTorrent only while your VPN is active. That's how you'll avoid data leaks. Learn more in our guide on how to set up NordVPN on uTorrent.
You need to use a VPN with uTorrent to protect your privacy while torrenting, gain access to uTorrent from any country, and unblock torrent sites. Here's everything you need to know:
When you pair uTorrent with a VPN, you get complete protection for all your torrenting activities. That means everything you do in uTorrent will be anonymized, which is more than enough to prevent your ISP from seeing your data or copyright agencies from charging you for infringement.
So, no matter if you wish to download movies with uTorrent, or perhaps you're after books, software, or games, ensure you have proper protection with a robust VPN. We'll remind you that we recommend NordVPN, as it offers high-end security and privacy alongside a vast P2P server network.
In this segment, we'll give you detailed instructions on how to set up uTorrent with a VPN, including which uTorrent VPN settings to use for the best possible torrenting experience. Let's dive in.
First and foremost, pick a VPN that’s optimized for P2P traffic. Many VPNs don’t allow P2P traffic on their servers, or they might not be optimized for that kind of Web data flow. So, you need to be very careful when picking a VPN you can trust.
Based on in-depth testing, the best option you have right now is NordVPN. With this VPN, you get over 6,000 servers worldwide, most of which support P2P traffic. Of course, plenty more features await, so go ahead and read our review of NordVPN.
Next, you need to set up your chosen VPN software. Keep in mind that you need to have an active VPN session in the background each time you open uTorrent and download P2P files. In other words, your VPN needs to run on your device locally (preferably as a native application).
Since our #1 recommendation is NordVPN, we offer a dedicated guide on how to set up NordVPN - covering dozens of devices and platforms.
We can’t talk about how to configure uTorrent for a VPN without instructing you to create a leak-free environment. That’s precisely what VPNs offer, so you need to ensure that your VPN connection doesn’t leak any DNS or IPv6 information.
Before you start downloading P2P files, make sure to take a very good look at your VPN app’s settings. Check if there are any specific options to prevent DNS, IP, or WebRTC leaks. However, also keep in mind that most VPNs implement data leak protection automatically in the background.
To learn how to check if your VPN works, click on the provided link. You’ll find a 5-step guide instructing you to check for IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaks. Once your VPN passes those tests, you’ll be well on your way toward downloading P2P files anonymously.
When using uTorrent with a VPN, make sure to have a kill switch enabled from the get-go. That is what will keep you safe if your VPN connection drops unexpectedly (which can happen at any moment). To learn more, here's what to know about a VPN kill switch. And, of course, make sure to use the best VPN with a kill switch you can find.
Enabling your VPN’s kill switch is done via its settings/preferences. For example, NordVPN gives you access to this option via Settings > Kill Switch. This is where you can pick uTorrent by clicking on "+" and instruct NordVPN to shut down the app if your VPN connection drops.
You should think twice before connecting to a VPN server. That’s because (in most cases) not all servers are optimized for P2P traffic, so find the one with a symbol indicating that it works with P2P. If there’s no such symbol present in your VPN’s interface, it either supports P2P via all of its servers or doesn’t support P2P at all.
Besides that, we recommend using a country with more relaxed P2P-related laws, such as the Netherlands, Switzerland, Mexico, or Spain. Of course, use servers in those countries only if your VPN offers P2P-optimized servers there.
By default, you can use uTorrent with a VPN without tinkering with the torrent client’s settings. However, changing a few things there can go a long way. So, do the following:
If you need more tips, we've prepared a separate guide for you - on how to configure uTorrent. Besides that, here are our best tips on how to make uTorrent faster.Â
You are now ready to start downloading torrent files. However, make sure to connect to a VPN server first. So, use your VPN’s interface to pick a server to initialize a VPN session.
If you'd like some suggestions on where to find torrent files, we have some recommendations for you. Here are the best torrent sites overall. And if you'd like to expand your reach, learn about the torrent search engines. We can also help you navigate to specific types of torrent files. Here's how you can download movies, music, and games using uTorrent.
To find the best VPN for uTorrent, you need to follow the same criteria that establish the best torrenting VPN in general. In other words, ensure you get a VPN with plenty of P2P-compatible servers, which need to be distributed evenly. You also want a sizable global server network.
In terms of the features you should focus on, prioritize obfuscation, a kill switch, and split tunneling. Also, you'll want a no-logs policy (an audited one, preferably), solid VPN protocols, and robust encryption. Give extra points for any additional features like ad-blocking and anti-malware scanning.
We're talking about using a VPN for uTorrent here, so performance and speed are crucial, helping you avoid massive throttling when downloading P2P files. Lastly, your chosen VPN should offer a fair price, plenty of value, generous money-back guarantees, as well as 24/7 live chat support.
Following the criteria established above, these are the 3 best VPNs for uTorrent in 2024:
NordVPN is the best VPN for uTorrent, managing to bring a network of 5,100+ P2P servers in 55+ countries. Aside from that, this VPN offers 6,000+ servers in 60+ countries in total, which means that most of its network is optimized for P2P traffic.
Also, most of its servers support obfuscation, helping you evade anti-VPN systems. With no surprise, you'll find a kill switch here, as well as split tunneling. In terms of privacy protection, you'll be kept safe thanks to this uTorrent VPN's no-logs policy (audited many times in the past).
This VPN is powered by OpenVPN, NordLynx (WireGuard), and IKEv2/IPsec, paired with encryption such as OpenVPN-256 and ChaCha20. It has tons of advanced features as well, so when you use NordVPN on uTorrent, you'll get to block ads, scan smaller files for malware, fight against trackers, and more.
It's also one of the fastest VPNs on the global market. Better even, it's priced at only $3.39/month for its 2-year plan, which comes backed by 30-day money-back guarantees. And should you ever need help, you'll get to rely on NordVPN's 24/7 live chat support.
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Surfshark is a speedy uTorrent VPN that offers plenty of server locations. It offers 3,200+ servers in 100 countries, and most of those servers are P2P-optimized. Just type in "P2P" in the app's search box, and Surfshark will present an endless list of possible locations to use.
You'll find obfuscation, which is called 'NoBorders' mode in this case. Surfshark has a kill switch as well, so you don't have to worry about data leaks. Split tunneling will help you create multiple data tunnels, and you can also count on Surfshark's bulletproof no-logs policy.
In terms of the available protocols, you get OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2/IPsec. Based on your chosen protocol, you'll get AES-256 or ChaCha20 encryption. Furthermore, this VPN offers a handy ad-blocking feature, and there's even a dedicated antivirus app for Windows.
When you use a VPN with uTorrent, you should care about speed. That said, know that Surfshark brings ultra-fast performance. You can become a user for only $2.29/month if you pick its long-term plan. Also, you'll get to its 30-day money-back policy, in addition to Surfshark's excellent 24/7 live chat support.
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ExpressVPN is a highly reputable VPN provider that lets you use uTorrent privately. Its network has 3,000+ servers in 105 countries - and yes, all those servers are P2P-ready. You get an endless array of possibilities, meaning you can choose from nearby and remote servers.
Another huge benefit is that ExpressVPN's entire network is obfuscated. You also get a system-level kill switch ('Network Lock') that keeps you safe from data leaks. Of course, split tunneling is part of its offer as well. ExpressVPN also has an audited no-logs policy.
As you use ExpressVPN with uTorrent, your data will be handled by protocols like OpenVPN, Lightway, and IKEv2/IPsec, paired with AES-256 encryption. This VPN now offers ad blocking, which is a newly introduced feature. It doesn't scan for malware but can prevent you from visiting malicious sites.
In terms of performance, ExpressVPN is on par with the fastest VPNs out there. To get started with it, you'll need to pay $6.67/month for its annual plan, which comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. As you'd expect, ExpressVPN offers 24/7 live chat support as well.
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To choose the best uTorrent VPN, you need to make sure it has plenty of P2P servers, fast connection speeds, and high-end data privacy features. Here's what to keep in mind:
Even though uTorrent is the best torrent client out there, it's not a bulletproof solution. Like other clients, it exposes your IP address, doesn't scan files for malware, and can't help you with blocked torrent sites. So, you need to be proactive about data privacy while torrenting. There's no better solution to torrenting anonymously than to use a VPN for uTorrent.
We recommend NordVPN as the best VPN to use with uTorrent because it's simply the most powerful option available. Thanks to its army of P2P servers, high-end encryption, audited no-logs policy, and apps for any device, NordVPN helps you secure your P2P traffic, unblock websites, and even battle against ISP throttling - all at once.
That would be all on how to use uTorrent with a VPN in 2024. If you have any questions on your mind, let us know via the comments section below. Finally, thank you for reading!