Everyday connections
WireGuard · UDP
Fast, efficient options for networks that allow a direct connection. A useful starting point for browsing, calls and everyday apps.
More ways to connect
VPN protocols that adapt to your network.
16 protocol options. One less thing to figure out.
From everyday Wi-Fi to heavily restricted networks, Horizon gives you established protocols and custom-built connection methods. Leave it on Auto to find a suitable option for your country and network.
Available methods vary by app, server and network.
- 16 protocol options
- Country-aware Auto
- Connection Compatibility
See it in the app
More possibilities.
Less guesswork.
See the protocol picker, Auto and Connection Compatibility in the Horizon VPN app. Follow the English narration with subtitles in five languages.
Real app views and English narration. Use the player’s subtitle menu to choose your language.
Read the video guide
Getting connected shouldn’t mean guessing which protocol will work. Horizon VPN gives you sixteen protocol options, including our own custom-built protocols. Just leave it on Auto. Horizon uses your country and network conditions to choose the best available connection method. For tougher restrictions, stealth and web-style connections give you more ways through.
Need to fine-tune it? Open Settings, then Connection Compatibility. Leave it on Automatic, or choose an available region to help Auto adapt to the network you’re using. That changes how you connect. Your VPN server location is still your choice. More ways to connect. Less guesswork. Horizon VPN. There’s always a way.
Start here
Which VPN protocol is best?
Let your network decide.
The best VPN protocol for home Wi-Fi may be a poor fit for a hotel, a mobile provider or a filtered network. Auto brings the available choices together and selects a suitable method for the connection you are making.
Horizon considers country-specific preferences, connection health and server availability. You get a practical starting point without testing every protocol yourself.
Fine-tune AutoYour connection context
Your country
Network conditions
Connection health
AutoA suitable available connection method
The choices adapt to availability; an individual picker can show fewer than 16 methods.
The protocol toolkit
Different networks.
Different ways in.
Horizon’s 16-option catalog combines established protocols with our own connection methods. These examples show how the choices fit different situations. Your app displays the currently available options.
Steady alternatives
TCP · TLS
Alternative ways to establish a connection when a network limits other traffic. Try an available option if your usual method will not connect.
Custom connection methods
WireGuard-2 · TCP-2 · HTTP
Traffic-shaping and web-style options built for more demanding networks. Horizon combines its own methods with established protocols to give Auto more choices.
Choose by how well a method works on your connection. Your current app and server determine which options you can use.
Built for tougher networks
When one way is blocked,
have another option.
Restricted networks can treat different types of traffic differently. A connection method that works on one provider may be limited on another, even in the same country.
Horizon’s traffic-shaping, stealth and web-style methods are designed for these harder conditions. Auto can choose among eligible options; Connection Compatibility helps guide that choice for your local network.
If a connection still needs attention, our support team can review your device, provider and exact error to help you find the next step.
Explore obfuscated connectionsA better fit for your network
Connection Compatibility.
Your network, understood.
Find it in the Horizon app under Settings → Connection Compatibility. Keep Automatic to use your current network conditions. If you need to fine-tune Auto, choose from the regions available in the picker.
This setting guides how the app connects. Choose your VPN destination separately in Locations. You can adapt the method to your local network while keeping the destination you want.
Follow the setup stepsGet connected
Set it once. Keep your options open.
Start with the automatic choices. Use the manual controls when your network needs a different approach.
- 01
Start with Auto
Open the protocol picker in the Horizon VPN app and choose Auto. It selects from the methods available to your account, device and destination.
- 02
Check Connection Compatibility
Open Settings, then Connection Compatibility. Keep Automatic for your current network, or choose an available region when you need to fine-tune the selection.
- 03
Choose your VPN destination
Use Locations to choose the server country you want to connect through. Your destination and your local network’s compatibility are separate choices.
- 04
Connect and check your app
Open the app or website you need. Reconnect after changing the protocol preference; it applies to new connections. If an issue remains, send the exact error to support.
Still not connecting?
Tell us your device, country, internet provider and the error you see. Our team can help review the available connection methods.
Your VPN protocol questions, answered.
What is a VPN protocol?
A VPN protocol is the method your device uses to establish and carry its connection to a VPN server. The method affects compatibility, connection overhead and how the connection behaves on different networks. Horizon’s protocol menu combines established protocols with custom-built connection methods.
Which VPN protocol should I use?
Start with Auto. It chooses from the options available to your device and account, using your country, network conditions and connection health. A method that works well on home Wi-Fi may behave differently on mobile data, public Wi-Fi or a restricted network. Try a manual option when troubleshooting a specific connection.
Does every device show all 16 protocols?
The 16-option catalog includes established protocols and Horizon’s own connection methods. Your app shows the options currently available for its version, your account and the selected server. Availability varies; an individual protocol picker may show fewer than 16 options.
What does Connection Compatibility do?
Connection Compatibility helps Auto select a suitable connection method for your local network. Keep Automatic to use the current network conditions, or select an available region in Settings. The regions offered are managed by Horizon and may change. Your VPN server location remains a separate choice.
Will changing Connection Compatibility change my VPN country?
Your selected VPN server determines your connection’s exit location. Connection Compatibility changes the network context used to choose a connection method. To use a different VPN destination, choose it in Locations; to adapt how you connect from your current network, use Connection Compatibility.
Can another protocol help when my VPN will not connect?
Yes. A network may restrict one type of connection while allowing another. Start with Auto and an up-to-date Horizon app. Check Connection Compatibility, then reconnect. If needed, try an available alternative and contact support with your device, country, internet provider and the exact error.
Will changing the protocol improve speed or gaming ping?
The connection method can affect overhead and reachability. Speed and latency also depend on your internet provider, server distance and current network conditions. Compare options on the same network and destination, and use the method that gives your application a stable connection.
Are these the same controls as the browser extension?
This guide covers the Horizon VPN app and its protocol controls. The Horizon browser extensions provide browser-only proxy access and have their own connection options. Use the VPN app when you need a connection for applications beyond your browser.
Horizon VPN
There’s always a way.
More connection methods. Country-aware Auto. Help when you need it.