Is Public Wi-Fi Safe on Your Phone?
Public Wi-Fi networks in coffee shops, hotels, and airports are shared with strangers and frequently unsecured. Anyone on the same network can potentially intercept data sent between your phone and the internet.
The short answer: most browsing is low-risk on modern HTTPS sites, but banking, email, and anything involving a login is best done on your mobile data connection instead. Here is what you need to know and do.
Be careful on public Wi-Fi on your phone
Know which activities are safe on public Wi-Fi and which to avoid — and when to switch to mobile data instead. A practical guide for cafés, hotels, and airports.
iPhone & AndroidUse a VPN on public Wi-Fi
A VPN encrypts your phone connection so your data cannot be read in transit. The best protection for anyone who regularly uses public Wi-Fi for work or banking.
iPhone & AndroidQuick rules for public Wi-Fi
- ✓General browsing, news, and social media — generally fine on HTTPS sites
- ✓Streaming music or video — fine
- ✗Banking apps or online banking — use mobile data instead
- ✗Logging in to email or important accounts — use mobile data instead
- ✗Making payments — use mobile data instead
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