How to Change Your Password in a VPN Client

If you’re reading this, I assume you’re already using a VPN client. That’s pretty cool, since the purpose of this article is to teach you a simple but effective way to change your password without having to contact customer service. It’s a common issue, so let’s dive in.

The Anatomy Of A VPN Client

Above the fold, you’ll see the default Windows 10 login screen. On the left side, you’ve got your account settings. Above that is your Lock Screen. In the top-right corner is your VPN client icon:

• Start Menu
• Account Settings
• Accessibility
• Privacy
• System
• Time & Date

Every VPN client is a little different, but the above is pretty close to what you’ll see in most cases. Let’s dive in and take a closer look at how each part of the client works.

The Lock Screen

The lock screen is only shown when you’re actively using the device, so it might not be there when you log in. When it is, it greets you with a picture of your current logged-in user’s head and a simple message. In the screenshot, you can see that I have Computer 1 and Computer 2 open in Parallels, along with the Reminders app open in the background. When you’re working remotely, it can be nice to have all your apps open in front of you so you don’t have to keep switching between them. Since the main function of the lock screen is to protect your device from potential intruders, there aren’t any complexities involved in changing or setting your password here. To change your password, just touch the circle in the bottom-right corner and a menu will appear with the option to change your password. It’s that easy!

Account Settings

When you click your account settings, you’ll be presented with a menu full of options that allow you to manage your account settings. In the screenshot above, you can see that I have my device set to auto-lock after 10 minutes of inactivity. Next to that, I have my social media logins enabled, along with my email and other account settings. Touch the plus button next to My Account and you’ll see four options appear. From top to bottom, they are:

• Sign-in Options
• Update Account Settings
• Password
• Privacy Policy (Optional)

As we’ve established, the main function of the account settings is to control your account configuration, and changing your password is pretty much as simple as it gets. Simply touch the circle in the top-right corner of the Password option and a menu will appear with the option to change your password. As mentioned, it’s the simplest option and the one you’ll use most often. In addition to changing your password, you can enable two-factor authentication, which we’ll discuss next.

Privacy Policy (Optional)

The Privacy Policy is an optional, short document that allows you to set guidelines for how your personal data will be used and shared by the company you’re doing business with. In some cases, you might want to set a time limit on how long your data will be stored. You can change your privacy policy at any time by opening the menu and finding the option to update your policy. In the screenshot above, you can see that I have opted-out of marketing emails because I feel they’re an invasion of privacy. In addition to that, I’ve set a limit of two weeks for how long my email address will be stored.

System

The system settings control various system-related features, such as how apps are allowed to access your device and the amount of storage space they’re given. Since the main function of the system settings is to control how your device behaves, it might not have any direct relation to your password or identity. For example, you could change your storage space without needing to worry about your password. That’s why we have the Account Settings and Password options available for easy access when needed.

Accessibility

The accessibility settings determine your device’s accessibility features, such as magnification tools, screen readers and text-to-speech functionality. To change your accessibility settings, go to the system settings and find the Accessibility option. From there, you can set your preferred screen reader, increase the amount of times you want text to be read aloud and change various other aspects of the accessibility experience. In the screenshot above, you can see that I have opted-in for text-to-speech and have the screen reader set to be opened by clicking or tapping. In addition, I have the Magnification setting set to Large Print so I can easily read whatever I’m looking at on my device.

Time & Date

The time and date settings control when your device’s display will turn on and off and how the date and time will appear. To change these settings, go to the system settings and find the Time & Date option. There, you can set how long the display will stay on before turning off and setting the time and date of your device. In addition to that, you can create an alarm that will go off at the specified time, so you don’t need to keep checking the time on your device manually.

The Menu

When you’re finished making changes and want to confirm them, touch the menu button in the bottom-right corner and a menu will appear. From there, you can find options related to your changes. In the screenshot above, you can see that I have confirmed my change regarding the storage space for my apps. In addition to that, I have also chosen to archive all my photos and videos from my phone. So, even though we have only changed a couple of settings here, we have actually made quite a lot of changes without having to contact customer service!

That’s it! Now that you know how to change your password in a VPN client, you can protect your privacy and avoid having to type in long, cryptic passwords whenever you need to access your accounts. Instead, you can use your favorite password manager and just input the letters on the keypad whenever you want to log in to one of your accounts. You can also use the keypad to input characters when you’re using the email or social media apps to verify your identity. Changing your password in this way is a lot easier and faster than trying to remember complex passcodes or trying to input them whenever you need to access your accounts. In addition, since passcodes are now case-sensitive, using a password manager will help protect you from accidental typos when entering your password.

If you’re worried about losing your phone or having it stolen, setting a lock screen with a passcode is also a good idea. So, even if your device is technically compromised (i.e. someone has access to your login details), they won’t be able to get into your personal files without entering the correct passcode.

In some instances, a VPN client can become sluggish or unstable after a period of time, especially if you’re using it on older devices with less powerful processors. In the event of such a scenario, it’s a good idea to reset the VPN client on a regular basis (i.e. every month or two) to ensure that it’s always running at its optimum performance level.