When people talk about VPNs (Virtual Private Networks), the conversation almost always centers on laptops, smartphones, and sometimes smart TVs. But as our lives get increasingly tied to wearables—like Apple Watch, Samsung Galaxy Watch, Fitbit, or even niche fitness trackers—one question pops up: Do smartwatches need a VPN?
At first glance, it might feel like overkill. After all, your smartwatch isn’t exactly where you’re doing banking transactions or streaming geo-restricted Netflix shows, right? Well… not so fast. The truth is, wearables are tiny data collectors strapped to your wrist 24/7, and many people don’t realize just how much personal information they’re giving away.
In this article, we’ll break down what a VPN can do for wearables, whether it’s necessary, and the pros and cons of protecting your smartwatch with one.
Image Credit: Pixabay under Creative Commons
Why Smartwatches Are a Bigger Privacy Concern Than You Think
A smartwatch may look harmless, but think about what it actually knows about you:
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Health & fitness data: heart rate, sleep cycles, workout habits, even oxygen levels.
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Location data: GPS tracking for runs, commutes, or just daily movements.
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Communication data: some watches let you take calls, reply to texts, or use apps like WhatsApp directly.
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Payment details: Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay linked to your wrist.
That’s a goldmine of data. And not just for hackers—it’s valuable for advertisers, insurers, and in some cases, even governments.
The problem? Many smartwatches send this data to their paired smartphone or directly to cloud servers, often without encryption strong enough to keep snoopers away. If you connect your smartwatch to a public Wi-Fi network (say at a gym or airport), it’s potentially exposed.
Where a VPN Comes In
A VPN works by creating an encrypted tunnel between your device and the internet. Instead of your traffic flowing openly through your ISP or a public network, it gets scrambled so outsiders can’t read it.
For wearables, a VPN can help in three main ways:
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Protecting personal health data from being intercepted during syncing or app connections.
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Masking location tracking, since many watches constantly ping your location for apps and services.
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Securing transactions, especially if you use NFC payments from your wrist.
Sounds good, but here’s the catch—most wearables don’t natively support VPN apps.
The Reality: Can You Even Install a VPN on a Smartwatch?
Here’s where things get tricky. Unlike your phone, you can’t just hop into an app store, download ExpressVPN or NordVPN, and run it directly on most smartwatches.
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Apple Watch: No direct VPN apps. The watch depends on the iPhone’s network connection. If your iPhone has a VPN running, the traffic is usually protected.
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Samsung Galaxy Watch (WearOS): Some VPN apps exist for WearOS, but functionality is limited compared to phones.
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Fitbit, Garmin, Amazfit: No direct VPN capability at all. These rely almost entirely on paired phones for data syncing.
So in most cases, a smartwatch’s data is only as secure as the phone it connects to. Which means if you’re running a VPN on your smartphone, a large chunk of your smartwatch’s traffic is automatically protected.
Do You Need a VPN for Wearables?
Here’s the honest answer: maybe, but not always.
You Probably Do If:
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You use a smartwatch with LTE/4G/5G connectivity (independent internet connection without a phone).
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You often connect your devices to public Wi-Fi at gyms, cafes, or airports.
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You rely on your watch for payments or messaging apps.
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You’re concerned about location tracking and privacy leaks.
You Might Not Need One If:
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Your smartwatch doesn’t have independent internet access.
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You only use it for fitness tracking, synced through your phone’s VPN-protected connection.
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You’re not overly worried about advertisers or data collection (though you probably should be).
So, it’s not a one-size-fits-all answer. For many people, running a VPN on their smartphone already covers most smartwatch risks.
Workarounds: How to Protect a Smartwatch with a VPN
If you can’t install a VPN directly on your watch, here are some practical solutions:
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Always keep a VPN running on your paired phone.
This way, whenever the watch syncs data through the phone, it’s encrypted. -
Use a VPN-enabled router.
Some VPN services let you install their software on your home router. That way, any device connected to your Wi-Fi—including your smartwatch—goes through the VPN tunnel automatically. -
Choose WearOS devices with VPN app support.
If you’re serious about security, a WearOS watch might give you more flexibility compared to Apple or Fitbit. -
Manually limit permissions.
Even with a VPN, it’s smart to reduce what data your watch collects and shares. Disable GPS tracking when unnecessary, review app permissions, and unlink unused payment apps.
The Downsides of Using VPN on Wearables
As much as VPNs can boost security, they’re not without drawbacks on small devices:
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Battery drain: Encryption requires processing power, which can reduce battery life on already limited devices.
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Compatibility issues: Some smartwatch apps may not work correctly with a VPN connection.
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Complex setup: Installing VPN on a router or configuring WearOS isn’t as plug-and-play as on a phone.
For casual users, this hassle might outweigh the benefits.
Future of VPNs on Wearables
The wearable market is still relatively young, and right now, privacy often takes a back seat to fitness tracking and convenience. But as more people use smartwatches for payments, healthcare monitoring, and even workplace security, VPN providers will likely start offering better solutions for wearables.
Some early steps are already happening: lightweight VPN apps for WearOS, VPN support baked into mobile ecosystems, and VPN router compatibility becoming mainstream. It wouldn’t be surprising if within a few years, Apple or Google adds VPN toggles directly into their watch OS.
So, Do Smartwatches Need VPNs?
Here’s the bottom line:
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If your smartwatch connects to the internet directly (via cellular or Wi-Fi), yes, a VPN is a smart idea—though setup may be tricky.
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If your watch only works through your phone, then running a VPN on your phone already covers most of the risk.
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For maximum security, combine a phone VPN with a VPN-enabled router for blanket protection.
Ultimately, smartwatches are only going to become more powerful and more data-hungry. Ignoring privacy on them today might seem fine, but it’s a little like ignoring antivirus back in the early 2000s—by the time you realize you needed it, the damage could already be done.
So while it’s not as urgent as securing your laptop or phone, keeping your wearables in the privacy loop is definitely worth thinking about now, before it becomes the norm.
