How to Remove Key Icon On Android phone

Here's a tutorial to remove the key icon from an Android phone. A step-by-step tutorial. Includes all the screenshots and videos.
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Here’s the tutorial about removing the key icon from your Android device. It is the most common issue among all the issues of VPNs.

When using the VPN or when the VPN is connected to any server, Android notifies that the user is using the VPN service and has access to the internet with other IPs.

But what if it is stuck on the notification, and the VPN icon keeps showing even when you are not using VPN anymore?

This is the most common issue on Samsung android devices. However, this tutorial can be super helpful if you suffer from this.

thumbnail to remove the key icon on android

So, there could be two reasons to see this: first, you are using the VPN and don’t want the VPN icon on the top, or second, you have disconnected the VPN, but still, the VPN icon is showing on the Android notification bar.

What Is The Key Icon On My Android Phone?

The key icon on android means that VPN is running in the background and the VPN has access to some other server and IPs. Whenever the VPN is turned on, the user might see a key or lock icon on the top bar.

connecting vpn dialouge box

The VPN Key icon on an Android phone typically indicates that a VPN (Virtual Private Network) connection is active. When you connect to a VPN, your device creates a secure and encrypted connection to a remote server, which masks your IP address and encrypts your internet traffic.

Understanding the Key Icons on Android Phones

The VPN Key icon indicates that the VPN connection is working correctly. This is an important visual cue for users who must keep their online activities private and secure.

Some VPN services use different icons or notifications to indicate an active connection, but the Key icon is commonly used on Android devices. It is important to note that the appearance of the Key VPN icon may vary depending on the Android device and the version of the operating system.

When any VPN wants to set up a VPN connection to monitor network traffic. Only accept if you trust the source.

🔑 appears at the top of your screen when VPN is active.

Step-by-step procedure to remove the Key (VPN) Icon

Below I’m sharing all the steps that are needed to be followed by you.

1. Open the mobile settings.

Smartphone Settings icon highlighted with yellow and teal color

2. Select the connection from the settings.

connection menu in mobile settings

3. Tap on More connection settings.

more connection settings pointed in connection menu

4. Then select VPN from the given options.

VPN option in more connection settings

5. Tap on the settings icon on the right side of Samsung Max.

samsung max vpn in settings VPN Profile

6. Lastly, delete the VPN profile.

delete vpn profile image with a red arrow pointing on it

10 Ways to Get Rid of VPN Key Icon

Here are ten ways to remove the Key icon on an Android phone:

  1. Restart your phone: Sometimes, restarting your phone can remove the icon.
  2. Disable the VPN: If you’re using a VPN, disable it to see if the VPN icon disappears.
  3. Clear the VPN app cache: Go to your phone’s settings, select “Apps,” find the VPN app causing the issue, and tap “Storage.” Then, tap on “Clear Cache.”
  4. Check for updates: Ensure your phone’s operating system and VPN app are current.
  5. Remove recently installed apps: If the VPN icon appears after installing a new one, try uninstalling it to see if it removes the icon.
  6. Disable and re-enable airplane mode: Turn on airplane mode, wait a few seconds, and then turn it off to see if the Key symbol disappears.
  7. Reset network settings: Go to your phone’s settings, select “System,” then “Reset options,” and tap on “Reset Wi-Fi, mobile & Bluetooth.”
  8. Perform a factory reset: If all else fails, perform a factory reset on your phone. Note that this will erase all data on your phone, so back up important files before doing so.
  9. Contact the VPN provider: If it persists, contact your provider for further assistance.
  10. Contact the manufacturer or carrier: If the VPN icon still appears, contact the manufacturer or carrier for further assistance.

1. Turn Off VPN Connection

Turn it off gif

To turn off the VPN connection on your Android phone, follow these steps:

  1. Open your phone’s “Settings” app.
  2. Scroll down and select “Network & internet.”
  3. Select “VPN.”
  4. Find the VPN connection you want to turn off and tap on it.
  5. Tap the “Disconnect” button to turn off the VPN connection.

Alternatively, if you have a VPN app installed, you can turn off the VPN connection by opening the app and tapping the “Disconnect” button. The location of this button may vary depending on the VPN app you are using.

If you cannot turn off the VPN connection using these methods, you can try restarting your phone or contacting your VPN provider for assistance.

vpn is searched on the google play store

2. Clear VPN App Cache

To clear the VPN app cache on your Android phone, follow these steps:

Clearning cache vector or illustrator
  1. Open your phone’s “Settings” app.
  2. Scroll down and select “Apps & notifications.”
  3. Find the VPN app causing the issue and tap on it.
  4. Tap on “Storage.”
  5. Tap on “Clear Cache.”

This will clear the cache for the VPN app, which may help resolve any issues causing the Key icon to appear on your Android phone.

3. Contact VPN Provider

To contact your VPN provider for assistance, follow these steps:

showing an example of contacting vpn provider using play store
  1. Locate your VPN provider’s contact information. This may be available on their website, app, or account settings.
  2. Choose the method of contact that works best for you. This may include email, phone, live chat, or a support ticket system.
  3. Explain the issue you are experiencing and provide any relevant details, such as the type of phone you are using and the version of the operating system.
  4. Follow any instructions or troubleshooting steps provided by the VPN provider to try to resolve the issue.
  5. If the issue persists, continue to work with the VPN provider to find a solution.

Not all VPN providers offer the same level of customer support, so you may need to research to find the best way to contact your provider. Additionally, some providers may offer self-help resources, such as online knowledge bases or forums, to help you troubleshoot issues independently.

How to Remove VPN (key symbol) without Disconnecting VPN

Now, here’s something that most users usually suffer with: The VPN app shows the key symbol on the notification bar, but most users want the symbol and hide it.

That’s why below, I’ll share some unique methods to hide VPN keys on android.

Before you start, make sure you have started the VPN app/service on your smartphone.

  1. Open the smartphone settings.
  2. Enable the developer mode and get into it.
  3. Find and select demo mode.
  4. Finally, enable it.

It will hide the lock icon from the top notification bar.

What is demo mode?

When a user buys a new device, the demo mode is pre-default enabled, which shows how the notification panel would look when the Wi-Fi, Internet, and Bluetooth are connected.

If demo mode is enabled, the key/lock icon indicating VPN is running will be hidden and not shown anywhere on the quick panel and notification bar.

The best way to get rid of the VPN icon is to enable the demo mode from the android developer mode.

Conclusion

In Today’s article, I showed you how to hide the VPN icon or the key symbol. Also shared what the demo mode is and where the VPN icon is shown. So, this question is being asked by Jakab, who emailed us and told us to provide a solution.

If you have any queries, be open to asking in the comments. Also, you can ask any of your queries about it and then email us.

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Kunal Kashyap

Kunal Kashyap

Hey, It’s Kunal; I'm a professional writer and problem solver. I mainly write about Android OS, apps or games, or even tutorials to troubleshoot your errors and games. I’ve been making content since 2017. I started as a YouTuber now I’m a Blogger.

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