Can a VPN really hide all of your torrent activity?

Nowadays, it can seem like an impossible task to keep your online activity private and even more so while you torrent. This form of file sharing is heavily frowned upon by both ISPs, who might throttle your internet speeds if you’re caught, and government agencies who are watching out for copyright violations. 

So what is the answer if you still want to torrent? A VPN, or virtual private network. Not only does a VPN hide your traffic inside a private tunnel so nosey outsiders can’t track you, but in doing so it encrypts your data for added protection. Below I’ll talk about how torrents work, if a VPN really hides your torrent activity, and if using a VPN to torrent is right for you.

If you’re looking for recommendations, check out my list of the best VPNs for torrenting for proven services.

What is torrenting?

Torrenting is a means of file sharing through a decentralized, peer-to-peer (P2P) network. Rather than directly downloading an entire file from a single source, a torrent file will be broken up into “packets” and downloaded/uploaded from different sources on the network at the same time. This method reduces network load and speeds up the download process.

Torrenting is a great way to efficiently share and download files. However, this decentralization can also have drawbacks. As a rule, internet service providers (ISP) prohibit torrenting because it’s often used for sharing pirated content, which creates a liability for the ISP; and torrenting can use a lot of bandwidth on the ISP’s network.

Furthermore, downloading and sharing files from multiple sources through torrents can expose you to a greater risk from malware and viruses. It’s important when you torrent to not only have a good VPN, but also strong antivirus software to help mitigate these risks.

Some top services such as NordVPN, my pick for best VPN for torrenting, not only come with all of the privacy features you need to torrent from a VPN, but also added threat protection to guard you against the accidental download of malicious files. On their own, though, these are just basic protections and should not be viewed as a comparable substitute for full antivirus software.

First, I don’t in any way condone the torrenting of pirated content. Torrents are a convenient way of distributing any large files, such as open-source software packages. That being said, a VPN is the single best way to keep your torrent activity private. It does this in a few ways.

When using your normal home internet connection, your ISP can see everything you’re doing online. As noted, ISPs are not too fond of torrenting (regardless of what you’re downloading), and may throttle your internet if you frequently torrent.

If you happen to download something you shouldn’t, your ISP can see that and may report your activity to government officials—potentially resulting in you receiving a DMCA violation notice with a hefty fine. It just goes to show how carefully this kind of activity is being watched.

By using a VPN, all of your traffic will be rerouted through the VPNs private servers, as opposed to your ISP’s, meaning your ISP won’t be able to snoop on your activity while connected. 

The VPN creates a private tunnel for data using encryption. Most VPNs use the military-grade AES-256 encryption protocol or similar for all data passing through its servers. This makes it unreadable to outside entities and so adds an extra layer of security, especially while downloading torrent files.

Finally, because your traffic is moving through a VPN’s servers, the IP address assigned to your computer by your ISP is changed to that of the VPN’s servers, so your activity will not be traceable back to your home.

Plus, if your VPN has a verified no-logs policy, which it should, then no record of your activity will ever be collected or stored for anyone to examine in the future. (This is important, since requests for information regarding DMCA violations are the most common type of data sharing request that VPN providers receive from law enforcement.)

Should you use a VPN to torrent?

Yes, absolutely. Without a VPN, all of your internet browsing and activity is fully visible to your ISP, as well as other monitoring entities.

If you don’t wish to have your online activity unnecessarily scrutinized, or potentially intercepted, it’s imperative that you protect yourself. A VPN is one of the best ways to keep your online activities private and hidden from outside parties. Along with downloading your torrent files from reputable sources and always using a trusty antivirus, a VPN is an essential tool to ensure safe and anonymous torrenting.

Author: Sam Singleton, Assistant Editor, PCWorld