A VPN service creates a digital tunnel between your device and the VPN server, which secures all the data you send and receive through the application of various encryption protocols.

When you access the internet, every piece of data you send or receive is first split into packets. The VPN service encapsulates each of these packets with a second, outer packet, which is then encrypted. This outer packet is what VPNs use to keep your data safe on its journey through the encrypted tunnel to and from their server.

When accessing a website through a VPN, your device will send out encrypted information through the tunnel to the VPN server. The server decrypts this information and hides your IP address before sending it onto the server of the website you are accessing.

The web server will then send information back to the VPN server, which will again encrypt it before sending it to you through your ISP (internet service provider), meaning they are unable to track or store the data passing through. When the encrypted information reaches your device, the VPN will decrypt it, and you can access the website as normal.

Without the VPN in this equation, your unencrypted info would go directly to the website’s server, and back to you through your ISP. This means you have little control over who can access, track, store or sell your information.

When your device is connected to a VPN, all your data will be sent through the VPN server. When this happens, your IP address will be hidden, and you will instead appear to have the IP address of the VPN server you are connected to.

If you wanted to access content from abroad - for example, a TV show which has not yet been released in your country - you would simply connect to a VPN which has an IP address located in a country where the show is accessible.