Here’s the tutorial about removing the key icon from your Android device. It is the most common issue among all the issues of VPNs.
When using the VPN or when the VPN is connected to any server, Android notifies that the user is using the VPN service and has access to the internet with other IPs.
But what if it is stuck on the notification, and the VPN icon keeps showing even when you are not using the VPN anymore?
This is the most common issue on Samsung Android devices. However, this tutorial can be super helpful if you suffer from this.
So, there could be two reasons to see this: first, you are using the VPN and don’t want the VPN icon on the top, or second, you have disconnected the VPN, but still, the VPN icon is showing on the Android notification bar.
What Is The Key Icon On My Android Phone?
The key icon on your phone indicates that a Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection is active. When you enable a VPN, it creates a secure and encrypted connection to a remote server, protecting your online activities and masking your IP address.
This icon serves as a visual reminder that your internet traffic is routed through the VPN’s secure tunnel. Once you disconnect the VPN, the key icon will disappear from the notification bar. VPNs enhance privacy and security, access geo-restricted content, and bypass internet censorship.
When any VPN wants to set up a VPN connection to monitor network traffic. Only accept if you trust the source.
🔑 appears at the top of your screen when VPN is active.
Step-by-step Guide to Remove the Key (VPN) Icon
Below, I’m sharing all the steps that need to be followed by you.
1. Open the mobile settings.
2. Select the connection from the settings.
3. Tap on More Connection Settings.
4. Then select VPN from the given options.
5. Tap on the settings icon on the right side of Samsung Max.
6. Lastly, delete the VPN profile.
Understanding the Key Icons on Android Phones
The VPN Key icon indicates that the VPN connection is working correctly. This is an important visual cue for users who must keep their online activities private and secure.
Some VPN services use different icons or notifications to indicate an active connection, but the Key icon is commonly used on Android devices. It is important to note that the appearance of the Key VPN icon may vary depending on the Android device and the version of the operating system.
To summarize, here are the steps to remove the key (VPN) icon on an Android phone:
- Open the mobile settings.
- Select “Connections” or “Network & Internet” from the settings.
- Tap on “More connection settings” or a similar option.
- Select “VPN” from the given options.
- Tap the settings icon (usually represented by three dots or a gear icon) next to the VPN you want to remove.
- Finally, delete the VPN profile or disconnect the VPN connection.
1. Turn Off the VPN Connection
To turn off the VPN connection on your Android phone, follow these steps:
- Open your phone’s Settings app.
- Scroll down and select “Network & Internet.”
- Select “VPN.”
- Find the VPN connection you want to turn off and tap on it.
- Tap the “Disconnect” button to turn off the VPN connection.
Alternatively, if you have a VPN app installed, you can turn off the VPN connection by opening the app and tapping the “Disconnect” button. The location of this button may vary depending on the VPN app you are using.
If you cannot turn off the VPN connection using these methods, you can try restarting your phone or contacting your VPN provider for assistance.
2. Clear VPN App Cache
To clear the VPN app cache on your Android phone, follow these steps:
- Open your phone’s Settings” app.
- Scroll down and select “Apps & Notifications.”
- Find the VPN app causing the issue and tap on it.
- Tap on “Storage.”
- Tap on “Clear Cache.”
This will clear the cache for the app, which may help resolve any issues causing the Key icon to appear on your Android phone.
3. Contact VPN Provider
To contact your VPN provider for assistance, follow these steps:
- Locate your VPN provider’s contact information. This may be available on their website, app, or account settings.
- Choose the method of contact that works best for you. This may include email, phone, live chat, or a support ticket system.
- Explain the issue you are experiencing and provide any relevant details, such as the type of phone you are using and the version of the operating system.
- Follow any instructions or troubleshooting steps provided by the VPN provider to try to resolve the issue.
- If the issue persists, continue to work with the VPN provider to find a solution.
Not all VPN providers offer the same level of customer support, so you may need to research to find the best way to contact your provider. Additionally, some providers may offer self-help resources, such as online knowledge bases or forums, to help you troubleshoot issues independently.
Additionally, the tutorial mentions some other methods to troubleshoot and remove the VPN key icon:
- Restart your phone.
- Disable the VPN connection.
- Clear the VPN app cache.
- Check for updates for your phone’s operating system and the VPN app.
- Remove recently installed apps, especially if the VPN icon appears after installing a new app.
- Disable and re-enable airplane mode.
- Reset network settings.
- Perform a factory reset as a last resort (note that this will erase all data on your phone, so make sure to back up important files).
How to Remove VPN (key symbol) without Disconnecting VPN
Similarly, when you disconnect the VPN or turn it off, the key icon will disappear from the notification bar, indicating that the VPN is no longer active and your device uses the regular internet connection provided by your network carrier or Wi-Fi.
Now, here’s something that most users usually suffer with The VPN app shows the key symbol on the notification bar, but most users want the symbol and hide it.
That’s why I’ll share some unique methods to hide VPN keys on Android below.
Before you start, make sure you have started the VPN app/service on your smartphone.
- Open the smartphone settings.
- Enable the developer mode and get into it.
- Find and select demo mode.
- Finally, enable it.
It will hide the lock icon from the top notification bar.
What is demo mode?
When a user buys a new device, the demo mode is pre-default enabled, which shows how the notification panel would look when the Wi-Fi, Internet, and Bluetooth are connected.
If demo mode is enabled, the key/lock icon indicating the VPN is running will be hidden and not shown anywhere on the quick panel and notification bar.
The best way to get rid of the VPN icon is to enable the demo mode from the Android developer mode.
The key symbol on your phone represents an active Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection, ensuring secure and encrypted internet browsing.
As mentioned earlier, the key icon continues to serve the same purpose on Samsung and other Android devices. It appears in the notification bar whenever a VPN connection is active. The key icon is a standard symbol representing an active VPN connection on Android devices, including Samsung phones.
The key icon in the context of a VPN (Virtual Private Network) usually represents the status of the VPN connection on your Android device. This icon shows if your device is currently connected to a VPN server. The appearance of the key icon may change depending on the version of Android and the manufacturer’s user interface.
If you see a key icon in your Android’s status bar or notifications area, it usually means that your VPN connection is active and your internet traffic is routed through a secure and private network provided by the VPN service.
If you are using a VPN app on your Android device, you can often find more detailed information about your VPN connection, such as the server location you are connected to, within the VPN app. Keep in mind that the specific appearance and behavior of the key icon may change based on updates to Android and the design choices of the device manufacturer or the VPN app developer.
Conclusion
In Today’s article, I showed you how to hide the VPN icon or the key symbol. Also, I shared what the demo mode is and where the VPN icon is shown. So, this question is being asked by Jakab, who emailed us and told us to provide a solution.
If you have any queries, be open to asking in the comments. Also, you can ask any of your queries about it and then email us.
