How To Use hide.me Free VPN Proxy Guide
In this guide, I’ll explain about free hide.me proxy and VPN services and also provide answers to frequently asked questions.
Before we dive in, lets get to know what is a VPN all about.
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What Is VPN & How It works?
In a simple term, VPN stands for Virtual Private Networks. When you connect to a VPN service, your connection will be encrypted and routed through a secure service which allows you to be safe online.
Look at the video explanation below on how a VPN works.
hide.me Proxy Vs VPN Service
VPNs & Proxies are not the same. In a simple term, a proxy service does not provide the security like a VPN service does.
Check out the video below for comparison.
Should I Use A Proxy or VPN service?
If you are just looking to access blocked sites, you can use a proxy service. However, if security is what you need and to stay safe online, VPN is what you need.
hide.me Products
They offers three kind of free products and they are as per below:
1. hide.me Proxy Browser
If you don’t want to install any app and just want to access blocked websites, you can use hide.me free proxy browser.
To do so, go to hide.me proxy browser page, enter the website address you want to access and click on Go.
2. hide.me Web Extensions
hide.me offers free web browser extensions for Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome. This extension takes care of your privacy and prevents unwanted WebRTC leaks on your browser.
To use this, install web extension for your browser. Once you’ve installed, click on the (1) hide.me logo next to your address bar and (2) turn the slider to your right to enable it.
3. hide.me VPN
If you want your connection to be encrypted and hide your real IP address (anonymous browsing), a VPN service is what you will need to stay safe online.
Is Registration Required To Use hide.me VPN App?
hide.me requires you to register for an account if you want to;
- Use their paid service
- Use it on mobile devices (iOS & Android)
- Setup the VPN manually using in-built/third-party VPN client(s).
The only personal detail they collect is your email address. For free users on Windows/macOS systems, no registration is required.
How Do I Use hide.me VPN For Free?
You can download hide.me VPN client app from the link below and install it on your device.
Once you’ve installed, launch their app, login/choose Free plan and click on Enable VPN button to get connected.
hide.me VPN For Older Version of macOS
If you’re on macOS version 10.12 – 10.14, you will need to use their standalone app. They can be downloaded from the link below:
hide.me VPN older macOS system
Note: For macOS 10.11, you will need to setup the VPN manually as the app is not compatible.
How To Check If hide.me VPN Is Working?
Go to hide.me IP check page and if you’re seeing the green banner as per below, the VPN is working and you can now browse the Internet safely.
Is hide.me VPN Any Good?
Yes, they are. Over the years I’ve used many providers and hide.me stands number 1 in my top VPN provider’s list.
This is because they offer;
- 99.99% Uptime
- Blazing Fast Speeds
- Guaranteed Privacy
More reasons why hide.me VPN is better than others.
| Features of the Best VPNs | hide.me VPN |
|---|---|
 Geographically diverse VPN network | 1900+ servers in 75 locations |
 Privacy Protection | Zero activity logs |
 Multiple VPN protocols | IKEv2, OpenVPN, SoftEther & SSTP |
 Strong encryption | AES-256 bit encryption with 8192 bit keys |
 Unlimited data transfer limit | Unlimited data transfer with Premium Plan |
 Compatible with various operating systems | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux, Routers, Consoles and Smart TVs |
 Multiple simultaneous logins | 10 simultaneous logins with the Premium Plan |
 IP leak protection | Complete protection against any kind of leaks (DNS, IPv4, IPv6, WebRTC) |
 Port forwarding | Dynamic Port Forwarding with paid plan |
 Unlimited server switching | Unlimited server switching; no extra charges |
 Affordable pricing | Lifetime free VPN and 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee for paid plans |
 Customer support | 24/7 customer support |
hide.me VPN Features
Zero Log Policy
They have designed a strong privacy oriented policy with no activity logs saved on any of their servers. Below is what it says on their site.
We are the only VPN provider who has been audited by independent security analysts, like Leon Juranic, who have certified us to be completely log free.
Stealth Guard
Depending on the Stealth Guard configuration, the app has a firewall to limit Internet connectivity for applications.
Split Tunneling
You can set which applications on your device to use the VPN connection. This is a great feature to split the VPN connection and you can learn more about it here.
Kill Switch
Whenever your VPN connection drops, hide.me app would block your Internet connection so your real IP address is not leaked.
The connection will be restored once the VPN is re-connected automatically.
IP Leak Protection
With the high security features available, your IP would not be leaked to unwanted third-parties.
DNS Leak Protection
By default, the app protects against DNS leaks and uses hide.me’s own DNS servers.
Auto Server
hide.me app automatically pick the fastest location for you. If you want to connect to a specific server location, you can change it within the app.
One-Click Connect
If you have set favourite server(s) location, the app offers one-click options to connect without the need of changing the connection manually.
Auto Connect on Startup
hide.me app automatically launches on startup and and can be set to connect automatically too. This way, you are always protected with peace of mind.
Can I Stream Geo-Restricted TV Channels From Abroad?
Yes, you can if you’re on their paid plan. They officially supports the following TV region’s channels.
France
- Netflix FR
Germany
- DAZN
- Netflix DE
Italy
- DAZN
- Disney+
- Netflix ITA
- RAI
United Kingdom
- BBC iPlayer
- Disney+
- Netflix UK
United States
- Netflix US
- Disney+
- Hulu
- Amazon Prime
- ESPN
- HBO
To access geo-restricted channels, you will need to connect to hide.me’s streaming server.
To do so, click on the settings icon on the app followed by the Steaming tab.
You can then click on the server location which supports the TV channels you want to access and choose Connect.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is VPN Legal?
Absolutely! It is your right to protect and encrypt your Internet connection and not to leave traces at every corner of the Internet.
hide.me Premium (Paid) Vs Free Plans?
| Premium (Paid) Plan | Mobile (Paid) Plan | Free Plan | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data traffic | Unlimited | Unlimited | 10 GB per month |
| Available Locations | 75 Locations / 1900 Servers | 75 Locations / 1900 Servers | 5 Locations |
| Number of devices | 10 Simultaneous connections | 1 Connection | 1 Connection |
| Dynamic Port Forwarding | Yes | Yes | No |
| Fixed IP Address | Yes | Yes | No |
| TV Streaming Support | Yes | Yes | No |
| Keep Logs? | No | No | No |
| Ads? | No | No | No |
Please note the free service is free forever but you will need to renew it every month using the app.
As for security, both free and paid service provides the same level of protection.
How Many Devices Can I Use hide.me Using A Single account?
You can install hide.me on any number of devices but the connection would be limited based on the plan you’re on;
FREE plan: Only one device.
MOBILE plan: If you purchase it from Google Play Store (Android) or Apple App Store (iOS), you can only use it on one device.
PREMIUM plan: If you purchase it from their website, you can connect on up to 10 different devices (including Mobile devices) simultaneously.
hide.me VPN servers locations
With the free plan, you have a choice of 5 server locations and they are;
- Germany
- Canada
- Netherlands
- US East
- US West
For their paid plan, you can connect to all the servers they have.
How Much Is hide me VPN?
You can check this on their pricing page. You can enjoy greater discount if you subscribe to their longer term.
Will hide.me VPN Slow Down My Connection?
No! All of their servers are capable of handling 1000Mbps connection but please note there are numerous factors that influence a VPN speed. For more information, please click here.
Does hide.me keep logs?
Whether you’re on paid or free plan, hide.me has zero-log policy and they don’t track/keep log of their users activities. This is to ensure they protect your privacy.
I did ask them what if local authorities asked for their user’s data? They said since they are not keeping any logs, there is nothing for them to provide.
This is a plus point for me as I know many other VPN services do keep some sort of logs especially when I get a DMCA complaint about downloading torrents!
Does hide.me Allow P2P/Torrents?
hide.me isn’t blocking or throttling any type of traffic. All of their servers are torrent-friendly.
I have used hide.me to download torrents and it works really well but you will first need to follow their guide on how securely torrent over VPN.
How Can I Fix My IP?
For paid users, you can set the VPN app to provide you the same IP address whenever you connect. To do so, follow the instructions in this article.
Does hide.me Offer Static/Dedicated IP service?
No, they don’t. This is because all of their users are behind shared IP addresses which further their anonymity since all of the traffic is mixed and there are no logs.
Does hide.me provides IP Rotation Service?
No, they don’t. Your device will be assigned with a random IP address automatically and you may get the same server IP when you reconnect.
However, if the load is high on a server, you will be connected to the least busy server by their load balancer system.
Since everything is automated, there is no option for you to get a new IP address whenever you connect.
hide.me Supported VPN Protocols
- WireGuard® (Paid plan only)
- IKEv2
- SSTP
- OpenVPN
- SoftEther
How Do I Remove hide.me?
To remove hide.me app from your device, please go to their knowledgebase, choose your system and follow the instructions.
Can I Use A VPN Service As A Hotspot?
Unfortunately, it is not possible to run a device using the VPN as a hotspot. The VPN tunnel by definition blocks any external connections from the tunnel, such that other device on the network will not be able to connect to it.
Where Is hide.me VPN Located?
hide.me VPN is a product of eVenture Ltd, a Malaysian based IT Security Company. Their team comprises people who have worked with well-known IT Corporations.
They know-how companies and ISPs, under the law, are forced to monitor and keep a record of your online activities. Not to be bound by such circumstances, They choose Labuan, Malaysia to be the headquarter for hide.me VPN.
- There are no Third Parties Involved
- No alliance or association with “Five Eyes” Countries
- Keep absolutely no record of their users’ online activities
Conclusion
The Internet can be scary and Data theft is a growing phenomenon these days especially when you’re connected to a public network.
I am sure you don’t want people stealing your data especially if you have sensitive information on your device/computer.
With hide.me VPN, I am confident that I’m protected whilst being online and they have great support team that you can rely on.
How was your experience with hide.me? did you like it? if you used another better provider, please let us know?
Other Related Articles
- What Is UPnP Port Forwarding?
- Change hide.me VPN server location
- Improving VPN Connection Speed?
- How Do I Activate Dynamic Port Forwarding?
- How to Prevent DNS Leaks?
Disclaimer: All the information gathered here is from our personal experience of using hide.me VPN and also from hide.me support. If there are any discrepancies, you should always refer to hide.me website.
