Trend Micro VPN: For Peace of Mind with All Your Devices

Technology and cyber threats change daily, and sometimes even hourly, but the one thing that remains the same is that devices need protection from those threats. The Trend Micro VPN suite gives you AI-powered protection against malware, helps protect your identity, and even gives you a powerful VPN for safer browsing.

This is a sponsored article and was made possible by Trend Micro VPN. The actual contents and opinions are the sole views of the author, who maintains editorial independence even when a post is sponsored.

Maximum Security Features For Desktop and Mobile

Many antivirus suites only give you protection from malware, then you have to buy everything else. Trend Micro VPN is an all-in-one security suite that goes beyond viruses and considers all your online risks.

It’s compatible with most platforms, including:

• Windows
• macOS
• iOS
• Android
• Chromebook

Essentially, it’s four main products in one, which include:

• Antivirus – virus, malware, and ransomware protection, along with secure online banking and shopping portal
• VPN Proxy One Pro – VPN to access sites securely, even over public Wi-Fi
• ID Security – get alerts when your info is found on the dark web, ID theft restoration services, and up to $1 million fraud insurance
• Password Manager – keep track of all your passwords with a single master password

You also get access to premium customer support. It’s available 24/7 and includes one PC security health check and one remote virus removal. According to Trend Micro’s site, the premium support alone is usually $39.95, if purchased separately.

What impressed me even more is that the suite includes protection for up to 10 devices under the same plan. Most only cover two to five devices.

Most features are available for desktop and mobile, but ID security alerts are only available for mobile. Also, Chromebooks don’t get access to the password manager and VPN.

Easy-to-Configure Virus Protection

Trend Micro VPN isn’t difficult to set up. Simply download the app for your device, which you are guided to immediately after purchase. You’re also prompted to download the mobile app after you install the desktop app.

Overall, it’s easy to get started. Activate your subscription, and jump right into scanning. It took about five minutes to fully install and autoconfigure. This included two restarts for my Windows 11 PC. I was then taken to the main dashboard to start scanning and other tasks.

Set up three types of scans: custom, full, and quick. Obviously, the scan time varies greatly based on the device and number of files. For me, it seemed to take about the same amount of time as comparable antivirus apps to perform a full scan.

You can also get a security report by clicking the pie chart beside the Scan button. From here, you can see details about any security threats that have been found, perform a PC health check, set up parental controls, and manage browser passwords.

The main dashboard also includes four other sections, including:

• Device
• Privacy
• Data
• Family

Device lets you configure security settings, mute non-critical notifications while you’re busy, and even add protection for other devices.

The Privacy tab lets you set up and manage the Privacy Scanner (for social media and browsers), Social Networking Protection (view if links are safe or not while on social media), Pay Guard (a secure browser for online shopping and banking), and Data Theft Protection (helps prevent hackers from stealing identity info).

The Data tab offers some extremely nice features, such as Folder Shield, Secure Erase, and Password Manager. Folder Shield blocks any folder you specify from being taken during a ransomware attack. With Secure Erase, fully delete files and folders so that they can’t be recovered later. And, of course, Password Manager lets you use a single password to manage all your passwords. This is also a separate app for your desktop and mobile devices.

Finally, the Family tab is all about parental controls. Set up time limits, block sites and apps, see exactly what your kids do online, and much more.

The more you use Trend Micro VPN, the better it protects you. With AI-powered protection, it learns to recognize threats and block even more attacks.

Protecting Mobile Devices With Trend Micro VPN

I’m impressed with how many features are included in the Trend Micro VPN mobile app. It’s not just an app scanner. It also:

• Protects you from fraudulent and malicious messaging app scams
• Checks Wi-Fi security
• Protects payment details
• Keeps you safe while browsing
• Manages apps
• Helps you find your device when lost
• Allows you to set up parental controls
• Checks your social media privacy

I did a scan for my Android device, and the only real issue it found was that the FedEx app should be removed, as it can read my clipboard data. But I know I have quite a few other apps that can read the clipboard, so I’m not sure why that one was singled out.

Protecting Your Browser

Part of the Trend Micro VPN installation is adding the browser extension/plugin to your browser(s). By default, only Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome are listed. However, protection is also available for Firefox and Safari. I prefer using Brave and found the extension in the Chrome Web Store.

I did set it up for Microsoft Edge during the initial installation just to see how it works. The extension includes:

• Web threat protection
• Email defender (must log in to a Yahoo, Gmail, or Outlook email)
• Ad block
• Privacy scanner
• Pay Guard (opens a secure portal for online banking and shopping)

Impressive Identity Theft Protection

While scanning the dark web for your information is included for free with many other services, such as credit bureaus and credit cards, ID theft restoration usually costs extra. Trend Micro VPN includes 24/7 access to resolution experts, along with identity theft insurance.

They’ll help you freeze credit reports so that nothing new can be opened in your name, communicate with creditors and law enforcement, and even guide you if you lose your wallet.

Browse Without Worry With a VPN

Anytime you’re using public Wi-Fi, you need a VPN. It’s just not safe otherwise, especially if you’re transmitting any sensitive information. Sure, you could buy a separate VPN, but the VPN Proxy One Pro is included.

I downloaded it to try on Windows. You can also buy this separately if you want.

It works simply enough. Choose a location (only 21 available), and connect. I like that you can set it up to automatically turn on if public or unsecured Wi-Fi is detected. I tried it in several locations and did a browser check to ensure my location changed. My location was effectively masked. I also tried viewing local TV networks on the opposite coast in the U.S. (usually geo-restricted). It worked perfectly!

I only noticed a slight lag, which is normal when using a VPN. But overall, it worked well.

A Few Issues Along the Way

Overall, Trend Micro VPN works well and offers an impressive feature set to keep you protected. However, I ran into two big issues.

First, when I installed Trend Micro VPN, it deleted everything on my desktop. I usually have a workflow of files and shortcuts to folders/files I need frequently. All of it was gone the moment I restarted my PC. Luckily, everything was in the Recycle Bin. But I don’t appreciate my desktop being wiped clean without my permission.

Second, I noticed the dashboard freeze multiple times when I was exploring features and running scans. For instance, when performing a PC Health Check, I had to finally exit the entire Trend Micro VPN suite and restart it before I could complete the check. It only froze once during a scan, but be aware that it could freeze at any time, which could affect your protection.

Full-Featured Protection at an Affordable Price

Trend Micro VPN gives you four main tools in one, along with premium customer support. It also protects up to 10 devices on one account, including mobile devices. Plus, it comes with a VPN and password manager. Overall, it’s a strong security suite that features everything you need for peace of mind online. There’s just those issues of my hard drive being wiped out and the freezing that are hard to look past. You can start your first-year subscription for just $54.95.