Post-quantum encryption protects your VPN connection against potential quantum computer attacks. Currently, this encryption works with the NordLynx protocol only, therefore post-quantum encryption will be disabled when you use a dedicated IP, other protocols, Obfuscated servers or Meshnet..
NordVPN Post-quantum encryption is available on Linux, Windows, Android, iOS, tvOS, and Android TV.
On Linux:
To enable or disable the post-quantum protection in NordVPN on your Linux machine, run one of the following commands:
nordvpn set pq on/offor
nordvpn set post-quantum on/off
NordVPN post-quantum protection is the recommended option for connecting to NordVPN servers on your Linux device.
On Windows:
To enable the post-quantum protection on your Windows machine, follow these steps:
- Open the settings menu.
- Click on Connections.
- Scroll down to Post-quantum encryption and enable it.
After you’ve done these steps, Post-quantum encryption will be enabled on your Windows device.
On macOS:
To enable the post-quantum protection on your macOS device, follow these steps:
- Open the settings menu in the NordVPN app.
- In the general tab, enable the Post-quantum encryption toggle.
On Android:
To enable post-quantum protection on your Android device, follow these steps:
- Tap on the profile icon in the bottom navigation bar:
- Head over to the settings section:
- Tap on the Post-quantum encryption button:
- Next, enable the Post-quantum encryption toggle button:
- Afterward, press the enable encryption button:
On iOS:
To enable post-quantum protection on your iOS device, follow these steps:
- Tap on the Profile icon in the bottom navigation bar.
- Select Settings at the top right.
-
Enable the Post-quantum encryption toggle.
On tvOS:
To enable post-quantum protection on your tvOS device, follow these steps:
- Open Settings and turn on Post-quantum encryption.
On Android TV:
Enable post-quantum protection on your Android TV device by following these steps:
- Open the NordVPN application and select the cog icon located on the lower-left side to access settings:
- Next, select the Post-quantum encryption button:
- Turn on the Post-quantum encryption by turning on the toggle button:
- Click on the Enable encryption button:
Compatibility of post-quantum NordVPN
Although post-quantum encryption enhances security, there are some limits to how VPNs function:
-
OpenVPN Protocol: As of right now, post-quantum protection is only compatible with the NordLynx technology and does not support OpenVPN. If you try to enable post-quantum protection with OpenVPN, the following error will display:
"Post-quantum encryption is unavailable with OpenVPN. Switch to NordLynx to activate post-quantum protection."
-
Dedicated IPs: Dedicated IP addresses do not support post-quantum protection. If you want to connect to a dedicated IP while post-quantum protection is enabled, you will need to disable the post-quantum feature first.
-
Meshnet Feature: Meshnet, which turns on private connections across devices, is incompatible with post-quantum protection. If both features are active, the following error will display:
"Post-quantum VPN and Meshnet are not compatible. Please disable one feature to use the other."
Using post-quantum protection means taking better precautions to secure your data for the future. NordVPN will continue to develop post-quantum security functionality to allow your digital privacy to remain safe now and in the future.
