Desktop app · Windows 11
Free VPN for Windows, in one app.
PublicVPNList selects an available public VPN server and checks your exit IP and Google access through the tunnel. Connect from the app window or system tray.
Test release: no trusted publisher signature. This installer uses a self-signed test certificate. Windows or your security software may warn or block installation. The certificate does not establish a verified publisher. Do not disable security software or install a test root certificate.
Installation guide · Requirements and testing · Linux version
Windows requirements and testing
Windows 11 x64
Requires an Intel or AMD 64-bit computer, a graphical desktop and administrator approval for installation. Windows 10, ARM, 32-bit Windows and Windows Server are not supported by this release.
Actual connection tests
Tested in a Windows 11 Enterprise LTSC 2024 virtual machine with Secure Boot and TPM enabled. A VLESS + REALITY connection changed the system exit IP; Google and TikTok video playback worked through the VPN.
Beta limitations
Server availability and speed vary. Only VLESS + REALITY has completed live Windows connection testing. Other included protocol capabilities are not a promise of working servers. OpenVPN is not used as a hidden fallback.
Network protection runs in the Windows service. It can keep traffic blocked after a connection or service failure until you disconnect or explicitly restore internet access. This release does not provide protection before Windows filtering services start. See the testing status and known limits.
Install and connect
Download and install
Download the EXE from this page. Check the SHA-256 below, open the installer and review the administrator prompt. If your security policy blocks an untrusted publisher, stop rather than weakening that policy. Close and disconnect an existing installation before updating.
Open PublicVPNList
Start PublicVPNList from the Windows Start menu as your normal user. The included system service handles the tunnel with administrator privileges. Setup authorizes one desktop account on the computer; installing the app does not connect it automatically.
Connect and check
Click Connect and wait for Connected, a verified exit IP and a successful Google check. Then open your browser. Closing the app window hides it in the system tray; click Disconnect to stop the VPN.
Verify the installer
In PowerShell, open the download folder and run:
Get-FileHash .\PublicVPNList-0.2.0-Windows-x64-TEST.exe -Algorithm SHA256The expected SHA-256 is:
69c618db2c500f10ba1b514f9007891655f86ee62d2edbfa771973eba1756a27A matching checksum detects corruption; it does not turn the self-signed certificate into a trusted publisher. The full checksum list covers the accompanying release files. Its Ed25519 signature is separate from Windows publisher trust; on first download, trust in the public key relies on HTTPS.
Troubleshooting and removal
Connecting, paused, or no internet access
Wait for the connection check to finish. If it remains paused, click Disconnect. If disconnection cannot be confirmed, select Restore internet in the app and review the administrator prompt. Recovery stops the app's service and releases its network protection, restoring your direct connection. Reopen the app before trying again.
Windows warns about the publisher
The beta installer has a self-signed test signature and no publicly trusted publisher certificate. A download warning is possible even when its checksum matches. Do not import a test certificate into trusted roots or disable Windows security features.
Update or uninstall
Disconnect first and quit PublicVPNList through its tray menu. To remove it, use Windows Settings → Apps → Installed apps → PublicVPNList → Uninstall. Removal and updating are refused while protection is active or its state cannot be verified. Use Restore internet first if the connection is stuck.
Public servers and privacy
This is a free beta client for public VPN servers. Operators may keep logs, limit traffic or take a server offline. Masking is not a guarantee against blocking, and a successful connection check does not establish anonymity or trust in an operator.
The app contacts the PublicVPNList API for device registration and server selection. Connection checks contact Google and IP/DNS verification services, which can see technical connection data. Read the Privacy Policy and public VPN risks. For another platform, use the Linux app.
Release files, source code and licenses
PublicVPNList uses sing-box and Flutter and is not an official product of their developers. Third-party components retain their original licenses.