- Proton VPN Android app now lets users exclude specific cities and countries
- It allows to automatically avoid being connected to certain regions
- "Excluded locations" is available via the "Connection Preferences" menu
Using a VPN usually involves a trade-off between convenience and control. We all love hitting that big "Quick Connect" button to get the best speeds instantly, but we don’t always love where we end up. For privacy-conscious users, landing on a server in a jurisdiction with invasive data retention laws, or simply a country with poor peering, can be a dealbreaker.
Proton VPN has just solved this headache with a subtle but powerful update to its Android VPN app. Announced by General Manager David Peterson on X, the new "Exclude locations" feature allows users to blacklist specific cities and countries from the automatic server selection pool. This means you can continue to use the "Fastest" or "Random" connection modes without fear of being routed through a location you deem unsafe or slow.
The update is currently rolling out to users on Android, giving them unprecedented granularity over their automated connections.
How to use 'Exclude locations' on Proton VPN for Android
This feature is designed for those who want the speed of automation but the safety of manual selection. If you have ever used "Quick Connect" only to find yourself routed through a server in the UK or the US, nations that are part of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, you will immediately see the value here.
To set it up, you need to navigate to the app's connection settings:
- Open the Proton VPN Android app.
- Go to Settings and locate Connection Preferences.
- Tap on Exclude locations.
From here, you can select specific countries (e.g., "United States") or drill down to specific cities (e.g., "Texas" or "London") to ensure the app never automatically assigns you an IP address from those regions.
This level of control is rare. While many of the best VPN services allow you to "Favorite" servers, very few allow you to explicitly "Block" them from algorithmic selection. This is particularly useful for users in restrictive regimes who might want to avoid servers in neighboring countries with similar censorship laws, or for sports fans trying to avoid local blackouts while still using the fastest available connection.
We know that sometimes when you are quickly connecting to @ProtonVPN, there are some cities and countries you might want to avoid. So Proton VPN for Android now has the "Exclude locations" setting to give you greater control over your "Fastest country" connections. pic.twitter.com/PuDtA5YZrcFebruary 9, 2026
A win for ‘quality of life’
While headline-grabbing features like "Stealth Protocol" or new encryption standards often steal the spotlight, it is these quality-of-life updates that keep users loyal.
In our Proton VPN review, we have consistently praised the Swiss provider for its transparency and security-first approach. However, the inability to filter "Smart" connections was a minor annoyance for power users. By adding exclusions, Proton acknowledges that "Fastest" doesn't always mean "Best."
Users often rely on the "Random" connection feature to obscure their traffic patterns, but true randomness carries risk if it routes traffic through a compromised or hostile network environment. By applying a negative filter, telling the app "Anywhere but here", users can maintain the benefits of randomization while mitigating the geopolitical risks associated with specific territories.
Currently, this appears to be an Android-focused update. As is common with Proton's development cycle, features often debut on one platform before migrating to iOS or Windows, though no official timeline has been confirmed for other devices.
For now, if you are an Android user who wants to ensure your "Random" hop never lands you in a jurisdiction you don't trust, it is time to check your app for an update.
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