How To Configure Apple iOS (iPhones, iPads)

Introduction

When your VPN Server was created, an OPENVPN configuration file was also created. This file contains everything you need to connect to your VPN server and needs to be moved onto your iOS Device.

How you get the file into your iOS device depends on where you download the file.

  • If you download the file onto your desktop or laptop computer, you can use something like DROPBOX to sync the file to your iOS device.
  • If you download the file using your iOS device, you can move the file directly into the OPENVPN client application.

We’ll provide instructions for both methods.

Important: If you are in a situation where you might be concerned about your VPN being compromised, we strongly suggest you download the file directly onto your device instead of using your desktop or laptop.

Getting Started

Before you can do anything with the OPENVPN configuration file you’ll need to install the OPENVPN client application from the Apple Store. This is a free application.

  1. Open the Apple APP STORE app. By default this is on the first screen of your iOS device unless you moved it some place else. If you moved it some place else you can find it by using the SEARCH feature of the device and typing in “App Store”.
  2. Once in the APP STORE app, use the SEARCH icon in the lower right to get the search screen.
  3. In the search bar type “OPENVPN”
  4. Select the OPEN VPN CONNECT app and install it.

Using Your Desktop or Laptop To Download The OPENVPN Configuration File

This section discusses how to use the desktop or laptop to download the OPENVPN configuration file from your account screen and move it into your iOS device.

  • Log into your VPN SERVER management screen on this site
  • On that screen you will see a button called DOWNLOAD FILE or DOWNLOAD CONFIGURATION FILE. Assuming this is your first VPN server with us, there should only be one instance of this button.
  • Clicking on it will download the file to your default download location (DOWNLOADS folder or DESKTOP) or might open a FILE DIALOG window to allow you to choose where to download the file. Just make sure that you know where the file is being placed on your desktop or laptop.
  • Note: The file will have an extension of OPVN. The name of the file should include your first and last name.

Once the file is downloaded to your desktop or laptop, you need to get it moved onto the iOS device. The easiest way to do this is to use a file syncing application such as DROPBOX or something like ONEDRIVE or GOOGLE DRIVE.

The rest of these instructions will use DROPBOX as the file sharing example and assumes DROPBOX is installed on both your desktop/laptop and your iOS device.

  • Move the downloaded file into your DROPBOX (or other file sharing application) on your desktop/laptop. This should automatically make the file available in the corresponding app on your iOS device.
  • Open DROPBOX (or your file sharing application) on your iOS device and make sure that the file is showing up in there now.

Click on the three dots next to the file (see the red arrow in the image above). That will bring up a set of options.

  • Click the EXPORT option from the list. A new dialog box will show up with a list of applications.
  • Scroll all the way to the RIGHT until you see an icon with three dots labelled MORE
  • Now you should see a full list of all applications that can import files. Scroll down until you see COPY TO OPENVPN. (This will only be there if you have the OPENVPN client installed from our steps above).
  • Now, the OPENVPN client will be be opened asking you what it should do with the file. Click the ADD link
  • If everything works well, the file will be imported. But, weirdly, you have to click the ADD link again to get back to the main screen.

At the main screen you can now enable the new imported file to connect to your new VPN server. Just click on the gray slider button on the left of the file to connect to the server. If this is the first time using the OPENVPN application, it will likely be the only profile file in it.

And…that’s it. Congratulations, you should now be connected to the VPN server!

Don’t forget to delete the file from your desktop/laptop and from your sharing application. This file contains your security keys so you should not leave it lying around on multiple devices!


Using iOS Device Browser (Safari) to Download The OPENVPN Configuration File

This section discusses how to download the OPENVPN configuration file from your account screen directly to the iOS device using the iOS default Safari browser.

  • Fire up the SAFARI browser on your iOS device and log into your VPN SERVER management screen on this site
  • On that screen you will see a button called DOWNLOAD FILE or DOWNLOAD CONFIGURATION FILE. Assuming this is your first VPN server with us, there should only be one instance of this button.
  • Clicking on it will download the file to the default download location for iOS
  • After the download is complete, a little ARROW will appear in the browser bar…
  • Clicking on the arrow will bring up a drop-down that shows the file you just downloaded (see image above)
  • Click on the file name – it will show a mostly blank screen with the name of the file in the center of it.
  • On the upper right, you’ll see an UPLOAD icon – click on it (see image below to see where the icon is located)

You should now see a list of applications. Scroll to the right until you see three dots with the word MORE. Click on it.

Now you should see a full list of all applications that can import files. Scroll down until you see COPY TO OPENVPN. (This will only be there if you have the OPENVPN client installed from our steps above).

Now, the OPENVPN client will be be opened asking you what it should do with the file. Click the ADD link

If everything works well, the file will be imported. But, weirdly, you have to click the ADD link again to get back to the main screen.

At the main screen you can now enable the new imported file to connect to your new VPN server. Just click on the gray slider button on the left of the file to connect to the server. If this is the first time using the OPENVPN application, it will likely be the only profile file in it.

And…that’s it. Congratulations, you should now be connected to the VPN server!

As a security precaution you should go back to your safari browser and delete the file. It contains your security keys – there’s no need to have it lying around outside the OPENVPN app.