When you’re wondering if Surfshark VPN drains battery, the quick answer is yes, like any VPN, it can use some extra juice, but usually not as much as you might think, and there are smart ways to keep it in check. Think of it this way: a VPN is working in the background, encrypting and decrypting your data to keep you safe and private online. This constant activity requires a bit of power from your device, whether it’s your phone, tablet, or laptop. But honestly, for most modern devices and regular use, the impact from Surfshark is often quite manageable, and the security benefits you get are definitely worth that minor trade-off. We’re going to dig into why VPNs consume power, how Surfshark stacks up, and all the clever tricks you can use to make your battery last longer while staying protected.

Table of Contents

Understanding Why VPNs Use Battery

So, what’s happening under the hood that makes a VPN munch on your battery? It’s not just some random background process. there are a few key things that contribute to this energy use.

The Basics: How VPNs Work and Their Energy Footprint

When you connect to a VPN, you’re essentially creating a secure tunnel for all your internet traffic. This involves a few power-hungry steps:

Encryption and Decryption: Every piece of data going out from your device gets encrypted by the VPN, and every piece coming in gets decrypted. Imagine locking and unlocking a super secure box for every single message you send or receive online. That takes some serious brainpower from your device’s CPU. Newer phones often have special hardware to speed up this encryption, making it less of a battery hog, but older devices might struggle a bit more.
Data Transmission: Your data isn’t just going directly to the website you want to visit anymore. it’s being routed through a VPN server, often located far away. This constant back-and-forth, maintaining a connection and pushing data through that secure tunnel, demands a continuous network connection, which, you guessed it, uses energy.
Background Processes: The Surfshark app itself needs to run in the background to maintain that VPN connection. Like any app constantly running, it’s going to draw some power, even if you’re not actively using your phone.

Factors Influencing Battery Drain

It’s not a one-size-fits-all situation. several things can dial up or down how much battery your VPN uses.

Encryption Strength: The stronger the encryption, the more work your device has to do. Most VPNs, including Surfshark, use robust encryption like AES-256. While great for security, it demands more CPU cycles. You might find options to lower encryption in some VPN settings, but that’s a trade-off between security and battery life.
Protocol Choice: This is a big one! Different VPN protocols have different energy footprints. Old-school protocols like OpenVPN especially TCP are known to be more resource-intensive. On the flip side, newer, leaner protocols like WireGuard and IKEv2/IPsec are much more efficient and use less battery. Surfshark notably offers both WireGuard and IKEv2/IPsec, which is a huge plus for battery-conscious users.
Server Distance: When your data has to travel across the globe to a distant server, it can take more time and processing power, potentially leading to higher battery consumption. Connecting to a nearby server can help decrease this usage.
Device Age and Specifications: An older phone with a weaker processor or an aging battery will generally feel the impact of a VPN more than a brand-new, powerful device with a fresh battery. Modern devices are simply better equipped to handle the extra workload.
Usage Patterns: Are you just occasionally checking emails with your VPN on, or are you constantly streaming high-definition videos, downloading large files, or gaming? Heavy data usage means the VPN is constantly encrypting and decrypting, which naturally uses more battery.
Network Conditions: This is often overlooked, but a weak or unstable cellular signal can significantly increase battery drain, even without a VPN. Your device has to work harder to maintain a connection. Add a VPN on top of that, and it’s like trying to run through mud with a backpack on – it takes much more effort. Wi-Fi generally consumes less power than cellular data, so using Wi-Fi with a VPN is usually more battery-friendly.
Background Activity: Other apps running in the background can also contribute to overall battery drain, and when a VPN is also active, it can feel like a compounding effect.

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Does Surfshark Specifically Drain Your Battery?

Now, let’s talk about Surfshark itself. How does it fare when it comes to keeping your battery alive?

Surfshark’s Performance on Different Devices

Surfshark, like any VPN, will introduce some battery consumption. But the good news is that for most people, it’s often not a dramatic drain, especially with modern devices and settings.

Phones iPhone, Android: This is where people tend to notice battery drain the most, simply because phone batteries are smaller and we rely on them heavily. Surfshark conducted its own tests and found that using their VPN resulted in less than a 10% difference in battery consumption on any device. Specifically, in one test, an iPhone Xs showed a 7% difference, and an Android OneTouch 8T showed a 1% difference over a 60-minute YouTube video stream. Other tests have shown VPNs generally consume between 2-15% more battery. Reddit users have sometimes reported higher drains, with some seeing 50-60% usage attributed to Surfshark. However, it’s important to remember that battery usage percentages in device settings can sometimes be misleading, showing an app’s relative usage compared to other apps, rather than its absolute power consumption. If Surfshark is the only app running significant background activity, its percentage might look high even if the actual power draw isn’t enormous.
Laptops Windows, macOS: On laptops, the impact of a VPN on battery life is generally less noticeable because laptops have much larger batteries and more powerful hardware. Surfshark’s own tests showed a 4% difference on a Lenovo ThinkPad L13 G2 over 60 minutes of YouTube streaming. Another test showed a 23% difference on a laptop, but this can vary widely depending on background processes and usage. If you’re using Wi-Fi, the overhead on laptops is usually quite low.
Tablets iPad, Android tablets: These devices typically fall somewhere between phones and laptops. They have larger batteries than phones, so the impact might be less noticeable than on a smartphone, but the underlying mechanisms of encryption and data transfer are similar.

How Surfshark Optimizes for Battery Life

Surfshark isn’t just sitting back. they’ve implemented features and support protocols designed to be more battery-friendly:

WireGuard Protocol: This is a must for battery life. Surfshark supports WireGuard, which is known for its lean codebase and efficient performance, making it much lighter on your device’s resources compared to older protocols like OpenVPN. If you’re on iOS or Android with Surfshark, you’ll likely have this option.
IKEv2/IPsec Protocol: Another efficient protocol offered by Surfshark, IKEv2 is often recommended for mobile devices due to its stability on cellular networks and relatively low power consumption.
Bypasser Split Tunneling: This feature lets you choose which apps or websites use the VPN and which ones bypass it. By only routing essential traffic through the VPN, you reduce the workload on your device and can significantly save battery. For example, you might route your banking app through the VPN for security but let your streaming app go direct if privacy isn’t a huge concern there. Surfshark offers split tunneling on various platforms, including iOS and macOS, which is a great feature.
CleanWeb: Surfshark’s ad and malware blocker, CleanWeb, can actually help reduce battery drain. By blocking ads and trackers, it prevents your device from downloading unnecessary content, which saves data and, in turn, battery power.

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Real-World Impact: What Users Experience

we’ve talked about the technical bits and what Surfshark says. But what are people actually seeing out in the wild?

Anecdotal Evidence and Reddit Discussions

When you look at online forums like Reddit, you’ll find a mixed bag of experiences. Some users report noticeable battery drain, particularly on iPhones, with percentages sometimes appearing quite high in their battery usage settings. This can be especially true if the VPN app is running in the background for extended periods or if there’s an issue with a recent app or OS update.

However, many users also report that Surfshark’s battery drain is either negligible or well within acceptable limits for the security it provides. The key takeaway from these discussions is that individual experiences vary widely based on the device, its age, how they use the VPN, and what other apps are running. Sometimes, a high percentage in the battery usage breakdown doesn’t mean the VPN is chewing through tons of power, but rather that it’s been consistently active compared to other apps that might be used for shorter bursts.

Benchmarks and Studies

While there isn’t one universal, independent benchmark covering all VPNs and devices, various tests, including those by Surfshark itself, generally point to a “negligible to small” impact for typical usage scenarios. AVG Secure VPN vs. Surfshark: Which VPN Should You Really Pick in 2025?

Surfshark’s own experiment, playing a YouTube video for 60-73 minutes, showed a 7% difference on an iPhone Xs, a 1% difference on an Android OneTouch 8T, and a 4% difference on a Lenovo ThinkPad laptop with the VPN on versus off.
Other tests by various VPN providers and tech sites indicate a range of 0.5% to 15% additional battery consumption when a VPN is active, depending on the device, network, and VPN protocol. For instance, one test showed an iPhone 12 with a VPN on saw an increase of 3 percentage points in battery usage during active web browsing over an hour. Another test saw up to a 17.56% shorter battery life on one phone model during continuous web browsing, while others showed much less impact.

What’s clear is that simply having a VPN app installed and running in the background will consume some power, but it’s often comparable to other active background apps and not necessarily the biggest battery hog on your device.

Practical Tips to Minimize Surfshark VPN Battery Drain

If you’re noticing your battery dipping faster than you’d like while using Surfshark, don’t worry! There are plenty of practical steps you can take to get a better balance between security and battery life.

Choose the Right Protocol

This is probably one of the most impactful changes you can make. Surfshark VPN Review Australia: Your Ultimate Guide to Online Privacy Down Under

Opt for WireGuard or IKEv2: Surfshark offers WireGuard and IKEv2/IPsec, which are significantly more efficient than older protocols like OpenVPN. WireGuard, in particular, is designed to be lightweight and fast, requiring less processing power and thus less battery. Check your Surfshark app’s settings Settings > VPN Settings > Protocol and switch to WireGuard if you haven’t already.

Use Smart Connections

You don’t always need your VPN on.

Disconnect When Not In Use: This might seem obvious, but if you’re not doing anything sensitive online, or if you’re just using your phone for offline tasks, simply disconnect the VPN. This instantly stops the app from performing encryption and maintaining a connection, saving significant power.
Leverage Split Tunneling Bypasser: Surfshark’s Bypasser feature is excellent for this. It lets you decide which apps or websites use the VPN connection and which ones connect directly to the internet. If you have apps that don’t need VPN protection like certain games or local apps, exclude them from the VPN tunnel to reduce the overall workload and save battery.
Set Up Automation/Shortcuts: On iOS, you can create “shortcuts” to automatically turn the VPN on when you open specific apps and turn it off when you exit them. This is a super clever way to automate usage and save battery without constant manual toggling.

Optimize Device Settings

These general tips apply whether you’re using a VPN or not, but they’re even more helpful when you want to conserve power.

Lower Screen Brightness: Your screen is often the biggest battery consumer. Turning down the brightness or enabling adaptive brightness can make a big difference.
Enable Low Power Mode: Both iOS and Android have battery saver modes that can reduce background activity, visual effects, and fetch times, all of which save battery. Just be aware that some battery saver features might interfere with the VPN connection by trying to kill background processes. Surfshark specifically advises against enabling general battery saver features as they might kill the VPN connection. However, you can often disable battery optimization only for the Surfshark app in Android settings to prevent this conflict Settings > Battery > Battery Optimization, find Surfshark, and select “Don’t optimize”.
Close Unnecessary Background Apps: Even without a VPN, too many apps running in the background can drain your battery. Periodically closing apps you’re not actively using can free up resources.
Disable Unnecessary Notifications: Notifications wake your phone’s screen and use power. Turn off notifications for non-essential apps.

Improve Network Conditions

A stable network connection is a happy battery connection.

Use Wi-Fi Over Cellular Data: Wi-Fi generally consumes less power than cellular data, especially if you have a strong signal. When you’re on Wi-Fi, your device isn’t working as hard to maintain a connection compared to constantly searching for and switching between cellular towers.
Connect to Closer Servers: When selecting a server location in Surfshark, choose one that’s geographically closer to you. This reduces the distance data has to travel, potentially lowering latency and processing demands.
Avoid Weak Signal Areas: If you’re in an area with a notoriously bad cellular or Wi-Fi signal, your device will constantly boost its power to try and maintain a connection. This is a huge battery drain, and adding a VPN on top of it will only make it worse.

Keep Your App and OS Updated

Developers are always working on improvements.

Update Your Surfshark App: Always keep your Surfshark app updated to the latest version. Developers frequently release updates that include performance optimizations and bug fixes that can improve battery efficiency. Sometimes, an older app version might have compatibility issues with a new OS, leading to unexpected battery drain.
Update Your Device’s Operating System: Similarly, keeping your phone’s or laptop’s operating system iOS, Android, Windows, macOS up to date ensures your device is running as efficiently as possible.

Consider a VPN Router

For a truly hands-off approach at home: Is surfshark vpn free

Set up VPN on Your Router: If you mostly use your VPN at home, consider installing Surfshark directly on your Wi-Fi router. This offloads all the encryption and decryption work from your individual devices to the router. All devices connected to that router get VPN protection without needing the app running on each one, saving their individual batteries.

Why the Slight Battery Drain is Worth It

Ultimately, while Surfshark, like any VPN, will use some of your device’s battery, the benefits far outweigh this minor power consumption. You’re getting essential online security and privacy in return. A VPN encrypts your entire internet connection, protecting your sensitive data from snoopers, hackers, and even your internet service provider. It allows you to access content that might be restricted in your region, provides a layer of anonymity by hiding your real IP address, and generally gives you more control over your digital life. For many, that peace of mind and freedom is well worth making a few adjustments to manage battery life.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Surfshark drain battery on iPhone?

Yes, Surfshark, like any VPN, can cause some battery drain on iPhones because it’s constantly encrypting and decrypting data and maintaining a secure connection. Surfshark’s own tests showed a 7% difference in battery consumption on an iPhone Xs over 73 minutes of YouTube streaming with the VPN on. Some Reddit users have reported higher drains, but often this refers to the app’s relative battery usage compared to other apps, not its absolute power consumption. Using the WireGuard or IKEv2 protocol can help reduce this, as can disconnecting the VPN when not actively needed.

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Does Surfshark drain battery on Android?

Absolutely, Surfshark can drain battery on Android devices, similar to iPhones, due to the continuous encryption and network activity. However, tests often show a smaller impact on Android. Surfshark’s own experiment recorded only a 1% difference in battery consumption on an Android OneTouch 8T during a 60-minute YouTube video stream. Modern Android phones with hardware acceleration for encryption can handle VPN ciphers with minimal power cost. Choosing the WireGuard protocol and disabling battery optimization specifically for the Surfshark app can help.

Is it normal for a VPN to drain battery?

Yes, it’s completely normal for a VPN to drain battery to some extent. Any app running continuously in the background, especially one performing complex tasks like encryption, will consume power. VPNs need to encrypt outgoing data and decrypt incoming data, and maintain a constant secure connection to a server, all of which require CPU and network resources. The amount of drain varies based on the device, VPN protocol, server distance, network conditions, and overall usage.

Which VPN protocol uses the least battery?

The WireGuard protocol is generally considered the most battery-efficient VPN protocol. It’s designed to be lightweight, fast, and uses a much smaller codebase compared to older protocols like OpenVPN, which translates to less CPU usage and therefore less battery drain. IKEv2/IPsec is another efficient option that typically uses less battery than OpenVPN.

How much battery does a VPN typically use?

The typical battery drain from a VPN can vary widely, but general estimates suggest an additional 2% to 15% more battery power compared to not using a VPN. Some tests have shown as little as 0.5% more battery, while others during heavy usage scenarios might see up to a 17% shorter runtime. For many modern devices and typical usage, the impact is often on the lower end or even negligible. Factors like device age, specific VPN app, chosen protocol, and network conditions all play a significant role. NordVPN vs Surfshark: The Ultimate Showdown for Your Digital Privacy

Should I keep my VPN on all the time?

From a security and privacy perspective, yes, it’s often recommended to keep your VPN connected all the time, especially when using public Wi-Fi or when you want continuous protection. This ensures all your online traffic is encrypted and your IP address is masked. However, if battery life is a critical concern and you’re in a trusted network environment, you can choose to disconnect it. Using features like split tunneling or setting up automation to connect only for specific apps can offer a good balance between security and battery conservation.

Does Surfshark VPN slow down internet speed and affect battery?

Surfshark, like any VPN, can potentially slow down your internet speed because your data is routed through an additional server and encrypted. However, Surfshark is known for being quite fast, especially when using the WireGuard protocol and connecting to nearby servers. Slower speeds can sometimes lead to more buffering or longer loading times, which might cause you to keep your screen on longer or your device working harder, indirectly affecting battery. But generally, direct speed reduction from the VPN doesn’t directly cause more battery drain. rather, it’s the encryption/decryption and constant connection that draw power, and Surfshark optimizes these processes with efficient protocols and many servers.

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Does Surfshark VPN Drain Battery? Here’s the Real Deal