Scam and phishing protection Always mode not working on iOS 27: how to fix it

Problem

You notice that ads, trackers, or malicious websites are loading on your iPhone or iPad even though "Scam and phishing protection" is turned on and set to "Always" in the NordVPN app. This happens on iOS 27 without an active VPN connection.

Why this happens

Scam and phishing protection in "Always" mode works by filtering your DNS traffic, without requiring a full VPN connection. This lightweight approach has always come with trade-offs: without a full VPN tunnel, we can't show you what we blocked, let you manage a block list, or explain why we flagged a specific site.

On iOS 27, this limitation becomes more visible because of a new Apple feature called "Connectivity Assist". It automatically switches your device to cellular data whenever it thinks your Wi-Fi connection is having trouble. When "Scam and phishing protection" blocks a site, iOS misreads this as a Wi-Fi issue and makes the switch, which means your device is no longer using our filtering, so the blocked site, ad, or tracker loads anyway.

This affects only Scam and Phishing Protection when you set it to work without an active VPN connection (“Always” mode). If you connect to a NordVPN server, this issue does not occur.

For the most reliable protection, we recommend using "Scam and phishing protection" together with an active VPN connection.

Common symptoms

Ads, trackers, or known malicious websites load even though "Scam and phishing protection" shows as enabled.
You notice the issue only when you are not connected to a NordVPN server.
You set "Scam and phishing protection" to "Always" rather than "Only with VPN".
The problem is inconsistent; sometimes blocking works, and sometimes it does not, especially when switching between Wi-Fi and cellular.
You are using an iPhone or iPad on iOS 27.

Troubleshooting

NOTE: Pick one of the two options below; you do not need to do both.

Option A: Switch to "Only with VPN" mode (recommended for the most reliable protection).
1. Open the NordVPN app.
2. Tap the shield icon at the bottom of the screen.
3. Select "Only with VPN" instead of "Always".
4. Connect to a NordVPN server to stay protected.
Option B: Keep "Always" mode, but turn off "Connectivity Assist".
1. Open the "Settings" app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap "Wi-Fi".
3. Scroll down and turn off "Connectivity Assist". This stops your device from silently switching to cellular data when "Scam and phishing protection" blocks a site over Wi-Fi.

If ads, trackers, or malicious sites still load after trying one of the options above, contact NordVPN Support and let them know which mode you have set and whether "Connectivity Assist" is on or off.

Additional tips

"Scam and phishing protection" in "Always" mode is a lightweight, DNS-based filter and does not offer the same visibility (such as viewing blocked items or managing a block list) as filtering through an active VPN connection.
For the most reliable blocking on iOS 27, connect to a NordVPN server whenever possible instead of relying solely on "Always" mode.
Be aware that iPhone enables "Connectivity Assist" by default, so this behavior affects most users unless they manually disable it.
Keep both iOS and the NordVPN app updated, as future updates may change how "Connectivity Assist" and DNS-based filtering interact.

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