Struggling to cancel your VPN subscription? I get it, sometimes it feels like these services make it intentionally tricky to leave! But don’t worry, canceling your private VPN subscription is usually pretty straightforward once you know where to look. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the exact steps to end your VPN service, focusing on popular providers like Private Internet Access PIA, PrivateVPN, and PrivadoVPN. We’ll also cover those sometimes confusing “private browsing” modes on your devices, showing you how to turn them off on your iPhone, Android, and desktop browsers.

Life happens, and sometimes a VPN service just isn’t the right fit anymore. Maybe you found a better deal, your needs changed, or you just realized you weren’t using it as much as you thought. Whatever your reason, getting out of a subscription or switching off private modes shouldn’t be a headache. We’ll make sure you have all the insider tips to navigate the cancellation process, claim any potential refunds, and get back to browsing exactly how you want. This guide is packed with all the details, so let’s get you sorted!

Table of Contents

How to Cancel Your Private Internet Access PIA Subscription

Private Internet Access, or PIA, is a pretty popular VPN, and thankfully, canceling your subscription isn’t too complicated. The process can vary a tiny bit depending on whether you signed up through their website or an app store, so let’s break it down.

Via the PIA Website Desktop

If you bought your PIA subscription directly from their website, this is usually the easiest way to cancel.

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Here’s what you need to do:

Log In: Head over to the Private Internet Access website and log in to your Client Control Panel using your account details.
Find Subscription Settings: Once you’re in, look for your “Subscription Overview” page. This is where all your subscription settings live.
Turn Off Auto-Renewal: You’ll want to find the option to “Turn off auto-renewal.” Sometimes it’s right there, or you might need to hover over some three dots next to your subscription details to find it.
Confirm Cancellation: PIA might try to offer you a better deal or ask why you’re leaving. Just follow the prompts to continue with the cancellation. You’ll likely need to select a reason from a list and then confirm you want to “Continue with cancellation” or “Turn off auto-renewal” one last time.
Look for Confirmation: You should see a confirmation message right on the screen saying that auto-renewal has been successfully turned off. This means you won’t be charged again.

Via the PIA App iOS/Android

If you subscribed to PIA through the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, the cancellation needs to happen through your device’s settings, not the PIA website directly.

Here’s how you typically do it: How to Cancel Your PG&E Service, Payments, and More Like a Pro

Open Your Device Settings: Go to the Settings app on your iPhone or Android device.
Navigate to Subscriptions:
- On iOS: Tap on your name Apple ID at the top, then go to “Subscriptions.”
- On Android: Open the Google Play Store app. Tap on your profile picture usually top right, then go to “Payments & subscriptions” and then “Subscriptions”.
Find PIA: In your list of subscriptions, find Private Internet Access and tap on it.
Cancel Subscription: You should see an option to “Cancel Subscription.” Tap that and follow any on-screen prompts to confirm.

Keep in mind that if you cancel this way, you’re stopping future payments. You’ll still have access to the VPN until the end of your current billing cycle.

Important: Requesting a Refund for PIA

Canceling your subscription doesn’t automatically mean you’ll get a refund. PIA offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on all its plans, which is pretty standard in the VPN world. But you have to actively request it within those 30 days of your initial purchase.

Here’s how to ensure you get your money back if you’re eligible:

Cancel Your Subscription First: Follow the steps above to cancel your auto-renewal, either through the website or your app store.
Contact Customer Support: This is crucial! You need to submit a refund request by contacting PIA’s customer support team.
- Via Support Ticket/Email: You can usually find a “Contact Us” or “Support Portal” link on their website. You’ll need to fill out a form, sometimes requiring your order ID or the email address you used for registration.
- Via Live Chat: Many people find the live chat option the quickest way to get a refund. It’s often available 24/7.
Verify Your Request: The support team will likely ask you to confirm your account details like your email and order number and possibly the reason for cancellation. They might also send a confirmation email that you need to respond to.
Await Your Refund: Once your request is processed and approved, you should typically receive your money back within 5-10 business days.
- Note for App Store Purchases: If you bought PIA through the Apple App Store, PIA’s money-back guarantee might not directly apply. You might need to contact Apple’s Support Team to request a refund, as they handle refunds for in-app purchases according to their own policies. Similarly, for Google Play, you might request the refund through Google Play itself after canceling the subscription.

How to Cancel Other Popular VPN Subscriptions

While PIA is a big one, many of you might be using other VPN services. The good news is that the cancellation process often follows a similar pattern. Let’s look at a couple more and then some general tips. How to Cancel Your StrongVPN Subscription (The Right Way!)

PrivateVPN

PrivateVPN has a slightly different approach to refunds and cancellations. They don’t always offer a direct cancellation button within your account dashboard.

Here’s the typical process for PrivateVPN:

Log In to Your Account: Go to the PrivateVPN official website and log in with your credentials.
Contact Customer Support: Unlike some VPNs, you generally need to contact their customer support directly to cancel and request a refund. Look for a “Contact Us” or “Support” button on their website.
Fill Out a Form: You’ll usually find an email form or support ticket system. Fill it out, explaining that you want to cancel your subscription and request a refund. Be clear about your reason.
Confirm Request: PrivateVPN usually sends a confirmation email within 24 hours. You might need to reply to this email to confirm your request.
Refund Conditions: Keep in mind that PrivateVPN also has a 30-day money-back guarantee. However, they’re a bit unique because they sometimes have a condition about data usage – you might only be eligible for a refund if you’ve consumed less than 100 GB of data during that 30-day period.
App Store Purchases: If you purchased PrivateVPN via the App Store or Google Play, you’d cancel it directly through those app stores first, similar to PIA, and then contact PrivateVPN support for the refund if eligible.

PrivadoVPN

PrivadoVPN is another service that offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, and their cancellation process is also straightforward.

Here’s how to do it:

Visit Their Website: Go to the PrivadoVPN website and sign in to your account.
Locate “Cancel Account”: In your admin panel or account dashboard, look for an option like “Cancel Account”. It’s often found at the bottom of the page.
Follow Prompts: Click on it, and then proceed with “Continue Cancellation”.
Provide Reason and Confirm: You might be asked to provide a reason for canceling. After that, click “Cancel Subscription” and confirm your cancellation in the final steps.
Request Refund: After canceling, make sure to contact their customer support team to request your refund within the 30-day money-back period.

General Steps for Most VPNs

Even if your VPN isn’t listed above, the process often follows these general steps if you subscribed directly from the provider’s website: How to Cancel Panda VPN Subscription: Your Complete Guide

Log In to Your Account: This is always the first step. Go to your VPN provider’s official website and log in to your user dashboard or client control panel.
Find Subscription or Billing Settings: Look for sections labeled “My Account,” “Subscription,” “Billing,” “Manage Subscription,” or “Services & Subscriptions”.
Disable Auto-Renewal/Cancel: Within these settings, find the option to “Turn off auto-renewal” or “Cancel Subscription”. This prevents you from being charged for the next billing cycle.
Follow Confirmation Steps: The VPN provider might ask you to confirm your decision, provide feedback, or try to offer incentives to stay. Just follow the prompts to complete the cancellation.
Check for Confirmation: You should receive an email confirmation of your cancellation. Keep this for your records.

Canceling Through App Stores Google Play/Apple App Store

If you purchased any VPN subscription not just PIA through a mobile app store, the cancellation process is handled by Apple or Google, not the VPN provider’s website.

For iOS Apple App Store:

Go to your iPhone’s “Settings” app.
Tap on your name/Apple ID at the very top.
Tap “Subscriptions”.
Find the VPN subscription you want to cancel and tap it.
Tap “Cancel Subscription” and confirm.

For Android Google Play Store:

Open the Google Play Store app on your device.
Tap on your profile picture usually in the top right corner.
Select “Payments & subscriptions,” then “Subscriptions”.
Find your VPN subscription in the list and tap it.
Tap “Cancel Subscription” and follow the prompts to confirm.

Pro Tip: Subscriptions purchased via app stores often auto-renew automatically. It’s smart to cancel the auto-renewal beforehand if you know you won’t continue, so you don’t have to worry about canceling the entire subscription once it expires.

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Understanding VPN Refund Policies

Most reputable VPN providers offer a money-back guarantee, often 30 days, to let you try their service risk-free. This is super helpful, but there are a few things you should know.

General Refund Timelines and Conditions

Time Limit is Key: The 30-day window or whatever period your VPN offers is strict. You must cancel and request your refund within this timeframe from your initial purchase. If you miss it, you’re usually out of luck.
Direct Contact Needed: As we saw with PIA and PrivadoVPN, simply canceling auto-renewal usually isn’t enough to trigger a refund. You almost always need to contact their customer support to explicitly request it.
Proof of Purchase: Have your order ID or payment subscription identification ready, along with the email address you used for registration. This helps them verify your account quickly.
Processing Time: Once approved, refunds typically take 5-10 business days to hit your account, though this can vary depending on your payment method and bank.

Non-Refundable Scenarios

App Store Purchases Sometimes: As mentioned, if you bought through Apple’s App Store, VPN providers usually can’t process the refund directly. You’ll need to go through Apple’s support. Google Play Store refunds can sometimes be processed by the VPN provider, but it’s often a two-step process of canceling on Google Play and then contacting the VPN.
Gift Cards: If you paid for your subscription using a gift card, it’s generally non-refundable.
Beyond the Guarantee Period: If you’re past the money-back guarantee period, you typically won’t be eligible for a refund, even if you cancel your subscription early in a longer term plan e.g., canceling a yearly plan after 6 months. You’ll usually have access until your current billing cycle ends, but you won’t get money back for the unused portion.
Data Usage Limits: Some VPNs, like PrivateVPN, might have specific conditions, such as a data usage limit e.g., less than 100 GB within the refund period to be eligible.

Beyond VPNs: Disabling Private Browsing Modes

Sometimes when people talk about “private VPN” or “private mode,” they’re actually referring to the incognito or private browsing features built into web browsers, not a full VPN service. These features are different from a VPN. A VPN encrypts your entire internet connection and routes it through a server in another location, hiding your IP address from websites you visit. Private browsing, on the other hand, mostly stops your browser from saving your local browsing history, cookies, and site data. It doesn’t hide your IP address from websites or your internet service provider ISP.

Let’s look at how to turn off these private browsing modes on common devices and browsers.

How to Turn Off Private Browsing on iPhone Safari

If you’re using Safari on your iPhone, turning off private browsing is super simple. How to Cancel Your VPN Subscription (and Get Your Money Back!)

Temporarily Exiting Private Mode

Open Safari: Launch the Safari app on your iPhone or iPad.
Tap Tabs Icon: Look for the two overlapping squares icon in the lower-right corner of the screen and tap it. This shows you all your open tabs.
Switch from “Private”: At the bottom of the screen, you’ll see a section that says “Private” it might be highlighted blue or gray. Tap on the “Private” label to switch out of private browsing.
Select Regular Tabs: You’ll then be able to choose from your regular open tabs, or tap “Start Page” or the plus icon to open a new, non-private tab.
- Heads up: Any tabs you had open in Private Browsing will remain open there, separate from your regular tabs. You’ll need to close them manually if you don’t want them there.

Permanently Disabling Private Browsing using Screen Time

If you want to prevent private browsing from being used at all, you can do this through your iPhone’s Screen Time settings. This is often used for parental controls.

Open Settings: Go to your iPhone’s “Settings” app.
Go to Screen Time: Scroll down and tap on “Screen Time”.
Content & Privacy Restrictions: Tap “Content & Privacy Restrictions”. If it’s off, you’ll need to turn it on. You might also need to enter a Screen Time passcode if one is set.
Content Restrictions: Tap on “Content Restrictions”.
Web Content: Tap “Web Content”.
Limit Adult Websites: Select “Limit Adult Websites”. Once this is enabled, the “Private” option in Safari will no longer be available, effectively disabling private browsing.
- Important Note: This setting will also prevent access to most websites with adult content.

How to Turn Off Private Browsing/Incognito Mode on Android Chrome

On Android, private browsing is typically called “Incognito mode” in Google Chrome.

Temporarily Exiting Incognito Mode

Open Chrome: Launch the Chrome app on your Android device.
Tap Tabs Icon: Look for the square icon with a number inside representing your open tabs in the upper-right corner of the screen and tap it.
Switch to Regular Tabs: You’ll see your Incognito tabs, often with a hat and glasses icon. To exit, tap on your regular tabs they might just say a number, like “3 tabs” at the top of the page.
Close Incognito Tabs Optional: You can also manually close individual Incognito tabs by tapping the “X” on each tab. Or, if you have multiple Incognito tabs open, you might see an option to “Close all Incognito tabs”.

Disabling Incognito Mode via device settings/restrictions

Permanently disabling Incognito mode on Android Chrome isn’t as straightforward as on iOS, as Chrome doesn’t have a built-in toggle for it on mobile. However, you can use features like Google Family Link for parental controls to manage browser access, or on some devices, you might find options under “Users & accounts” to disable the “multiple users” feature, which can sometimes impact incognito access.

Another option is to lock Incognito tabs when you exit Chrome, which means anyone trying to access them will need your device’s password.

Open Chrome Settings: In Chrome, tap the three dots More in the top right, then “Settings”.
Privacy and Security: Tap on “Privacy and security”.
Lock Incognito tabs: Look for “Lock Incognito tabs when you leave Chrome” and turn it on. You’ll need to verify your screen lock PIN, fingerprint, etc..

How to Turn Off Private Browsing/Incognito Mode on Desktop

Desktop browsers also offer private modes. Here’s how to turn them off. How to Cancel Your Proton VPN Subscription (and What You Need to Know)

Google Chrome Desktop

Close Incognito Windows: If you’re in Incognito mode, your browser window will typically be dark gray or black. The simplest way to exit is to close all Incognito windows. Just click the “X” button at the top right Windows or top left Mac of each Incognito window.
Open New Regular Window: Once all Incognito windows are closed, open a new regular Chrome window.

Permanently Disabling Advanced – Windows/Mac:

Windows: You can use a Command Prompt command run as administrator to modify the registry: REG ADD HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome /v IncognitoModeAvailability /t REG_DWORD /d 1. Press Enter to run this.
Mac: Quit Chrome completely, then open Terminal from Finder > Utilities. Type the following and press Enter: defaults write com.google.chrome IncognitoModeAvailability -integer 1. Then type killall cfprefsd and press Enter.
- Warning: These are advanced steps that modify system settings. Only do this if you’re comfortable with it.

Safari Mac

Close Private Window: If you’re in a private Safari window, it will likely be darker in appearance or indicate “Private Browsing.” Simply close the private Safari window.
Open New Regular Window: Go to “File” in the top menu bar and select “New Window” to open a non-private window.

Firefox Desktop

In Firefox, the private browsing mode is called “Private Browsing.”

Close Private Window: Close any open Private Browsing windows. These usually have a purple mask icon in the title bar.
Check Settings Optional – to ensure it’s not always on: If you’re concerned Firefox might be set to always use private browsing, you can check:
- Go to Firefox Settings three horizontal lines menu.
- Select “Privacy & Security.”
- Under “History,” make sure the dropdown menu is set to “Remember history” or “Use custom settings for history” with “Always use private browsing mode” unchecked.

What Happens After You Cancel Your VPN?

So, you’ve gone through the steps and successfully canceled your VPN. What’s next?

Service Continues Until Billing Cycle Ends: Even after you cancel auto-renewal, you usually get to keep using the VPN service until the very last day of your current paid subscription period. For example, if you pay monthly and cancel halfway through, you can still use it for the remaining two weeks. You won’t be charged for the next period.
No More Automatic Charges: The biggest relief! Your payment method won’t be billed again for that VPN service.
Data Protection Ends: Once your subscription officially expires, your internet traffic will no longer be encrypted or routed through the VPN server. This means your ISP can see your online activity, and your real IP address will be visible to websites you visit.
Consider Alternatives if you still need a VPN: If your reason for canceling was simply to switch providers or if you realized you still need online privacy, it’s a good idea to have a new VPN lined up. Many people choose to switch to providers known for different features, like faster speeds or a larger server network.

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Why Do People Cancel VPN Subscriptions?

There are tons of reasons why someone might decide to part ways with their VPN. It’s not always because the service is bad. sometimes, circumstances just change!

Here are some common reasons:

Cost: VPNs are an ongoing expense. If budgets get tight or a cheaper alternative pops up, people might switch or cancel.
Performance Issues: Sometimes a VPN just doesn’t live up to expectations. Slow speeds, frequent disconnections, or issues accessing certain content can be deal-breakers.
Found a Better Alternative: The VPN market is always changing. New providers emerge, and existing ones improve their features or offer better deals, tempting users to switch.
No Longer Needed: Maybe someone used a VPN for a specific, temporary reason – like traveling or accessing geo-restricted content for a short period – and now they simply don’t need it anymore.
Ease of Use: Some VPNs can be a bit clunky or hard to navigate. If a user finds a VPN too complicated, they might look for something more user-friendly.
Security Concerns: While VPNs are meant to enhance security, sometimes news about a provider’s logging policies or a security breach can make users lose trust and cancel.
Trial Period Expiration: Many users sign up for a VPN’s money-back guarantee period to test it out. If they’re not fully satisfied, they’ll cancel before the trial ends to get a refund.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between canceling a VPN subscription and turning off private browsing?

Canceling a VPN subscription means you’re ending a paid service that encrypts your entire internet connection and hides your IP address. Turning off private browsing like Incognito mode in Chrome or Private window in Safari only stops your browser from saving your local history, cookies, and temporary files. it doesn’t hide your IP address or encrypt your connection from your ISP or the websites you visit. They serve different privacy needs.

Can I get a full refund if I cancel my VPN subscription?

Many VPN providers, like Private Internet Access and PrivadoVPN, offer a money-back guarantee, typically 30 days, from your initial purchase. To get a refund, you must usually cancel your subscription and explicitly contact their customer support within that specified timeframe to request it. Simply canceling auto-renewal doesn’t automatically trigger a refund. How to Unsubscribe from a VPN (Your Complete Guide!)

What information do I need to cancel my VPN and get a refund?

You’ll generally need the email address you used to register for the VPN service and your order ID or payment subscription identification number. This helps the customer support team verify your account and process the cancellation and refund request efficiently.

How long does it take for a VPN refund to process?

Once your refund request is approved by the VPN provider, it typically takes about 5 to 10 business days for the money to be credited back to your original payment method. However, this can sometimes vary depending on your bank or payment processor.

What if I bought my VPN subscription through an app store Google Play or Apple App Store?

If you purchased your VPN through Google Play or the Apple App Store, you’ll need to cancel the subscription directly through your device’s app store settings, not the VPN provider’s website. For refunds on Apple App Store purchases, you might need to contact Apple Support directly, as VPN providers often can’t process those refunds themselves. For Google Play, you might cancel there and then contact the VPN’s support for the refund.

Will my internet speed slow down after canceling my VPN?

Potentially, yes, but not necessarily in a bad way. A VPN can sometimes introduce a slight speed reduction due to the encryption and routing of your traffic. After canceling, your internet speed will revert to your normal ISP speed, which might feel faster if your VPN was causing noticeable slowdowns, or it could feel the same if your VPN had minimal impact on speed.

Can I just delete the VPN app to cancel my subscription?

No, simply deleting the VPN app from your device usually does not cancel your subscription. The subscription remains active and you’ll continue to be billed. You must follow the proper cancellation steps either through the VPN provider’s website or your device’s app store settings to officially end your subscription. How to Cancel Your NM MVD Appointment Without a Headache

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How to Easily Cancel Your Private VPN Subscription and Ditch Private Browsing