Does Windows 10 have built-in Shadowsocks VPN? How to use it

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Updated onOctober 4, 2023

updated onOctober 4, 2023

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Microsoft’s latest operating system has native support forVPNand proxy, but there are a few users wondering if Windows 10 has built-in ShadowsocksVPN. We’re here to clarify.

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What is Shadowsocks and VPN?

There’s a misconception that Shadowsocks is aVPNservice. It’s false. Shadowsocks is a secure SOCKS5proxy server, making it different from aVPN.

Although the two share some traits, they use different technologies tohide your IP address, encrypt your traffic, and make you anonymous online.

Does Windows 10 have built-in Shadowsocks VPN?

No, Windows 10 doesn’t have support for Shadowsocks, although it comes with proxy andVPNnative support.

If you want to use Shadowsocks on your Windows 10 PC, you can download and install the application directly to your PC. It’s free.

Otherwise, you can get a premiumVPNservice that allows you to use VPN and proxy together, including Shadowsocks.

How to use Shadowsocks on Windows 10

If you want to use the Shadowsocks client, you need to separately get hold of IP addresses, port numbers, and authentication modes compatible with SOCKS5.

The tool comes with a few security methods to encrypt your data, including 256-bit AES military-gradeencryption. The best part of it is that it’s free, open-source, and compatible with multiple platforms: Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Android, iOS, and OpenWRT (router firmware).

How to use Shadowsocks and VPN on Windows 10

If you want to use Shadowsocks andVPNat the same time, there’s no better way than turning toPrivate Internet Access. Made by Kape Technologies, it’s thebest VPN for Windows 10.

TheVPN changes your IP addressand geolocation, encrypts your network traffic to block hackers, defends your router from cyber-criminals, unblocks streaming services like Netflix US, and helps you defeat government censorship.

Plus, PIA is one of the fewVPNswith integrated Shadowsocksproxy, which you can use to redirect yourVPNserver to a second location. It’s similar to using doubleVPNor multi-hopVPNto stay connected to twoVPNservers at once.

What else you should know about PIA:

Private Internet Access

To conclude,Windows 10 has an integrated VPN providerand proxy server, but it doesn’t have built-in Shadowsocks.

If you want to use the secure SOCKS5 proxy server, you can directly download and install the client on your Windows 10 PC at no cost.

But we suggest resorting toPrivate Internet Accessbecause it lets you use aVPNand Shadowsocks at the same time.

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Does Windows 10 have built-in Shadowsocks VPN? How to use it#

What is Shadowsocks and VPN?#

Does Windows 10 have built-in Shadowsocks VPN?#

How to use Shadowsocks on Windows 10#

How to use Shadowsocks and VPN on Windows 10#

Private Internet Access#