Contact Support
Our support team is here to help with any question about your account, subscription, or the Ciphra VPN apps. Email us and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.
CIPHRA SOFTWARE Support
Business Location: Vancouver, Canada
Email: [email protected]
Response Time: We aim to respond within 24 hours.
Languages: English
When contacting us, please include:
- The platform you're using (iOS, Android, Windows, or macOS) and the app version
- A short description of what you were doing and what went wrong
- Any error message shown in the app
Getting Started
Ciphra VPN is available on iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS.
Install the app
- Visit the Download page and choose your platform.
- Install the app and open it.
- Tap Connect. On mobile, the system will prompt you to allow the VPN configuration the first time you connect — approve it to continue.
Free vs. Premium
Subscriptions & Billing
Buy a subscription
How you subscribe depends on the platform. Each store handles its own billing:
- iPhone and iPad (App Store): open the app, go to the subscribe screen, and choose a plan. Payment is charged to your Apple ID and the subscription is managed by Apple.
- Mac (Mac App Store): same as iOS — choose a plan in the app and pay via Apple.
- Android (Google Play): open the app, go to the subscribe screen, and choose a plan. Payment is charged to your Google account and the subscription is managed by Google Play.
- Windows (Microsoft Store version): the Microsoft Store app directs you to ciphravpn.com to purchase. Pay by card, cryptocurrency, or Telegram Stars on our website. Premium activates on your authentication token once the payment is confirmed.
- Windows (standalone download): the standalone Windows app includes in-app purchase with card (Stripe), cryptocurrency, or Telegram Stars. You can also pay on our Payment page instead.
The in-website payment flow (card / crypto / Telegram Stars) is for our Windows apps only. iOS, Mac App Store, and Android subscriptions must be purchased through Apple or Google Play — their store rules require it.
How each Windows payment method is billed:
- Card (Stripe): a recurring subscription billed monthly, quarterly, or yearly. Auto-renews at the end of each period on your card. Cancel at any time (see below).
- Cryptocurrency: a one-time payment for a fixed period. Does not auto-renew.
- Telegram Stars: a one-time payment for a fixed period, charged in Telegram's in-app Stars currency. Does not auto-renew.
Manage or cancel an Apple subscription (iOS / macOS)
- On iPhone or iPad: open the Settings app, tap your name, then Subscriptions. Select Ciphra VPN to change or cancel.
- On Mac: open the App Store, click your name in the sidebar, then Account Settings > Manage next to Subscriptions. Select Ciphra VPN to change or cancel.
- Or open this link on any Apple device: apps.apple.com/account/subscriptions.
- Cancelling stops the next renewal. You keep access until the end of the current billing period.
Manage or cancel a Google Play subscription (Android)
- Open the Google Play Store app, tap your profile icon, then Payments & subscriptions > Subscriptions. Select Ciphra VPN to change or cancel.
- Or open this link in a browser signed in to your Google account: play.google.com/store/account/subscriptions.
- Cancelling stops the next renewal. You keep access until the end of the current billing period.
Manage or cancel a Stripe card subscription (Windows)
- In the Windows app, open Settings and use the Manage Stripe subscriptions button (Microsoft Store build) or Manage Subscriptions (standalone build). This opens the Stripe customer portal where you can update your card, change plan, or cancel.
- The confirmation email from Stripe also includes a link to the same customer portal.
- You can also cancel by emailing [email protected] with the email address used at checkout.
- Cancelling stops the next renewal. You keep premium access until the end of the current billing period.
Renewals
- Apple and Google Play subscriptions renew automatically through your Apple ID or Google account unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the period ends.
- Stripe card subscriptions (Windows) renew automatically at the end of each billing period (monthly, quarterly, or yearly) until you cancel.
- Cryptocurrency and Telegram Stars purchases (Windows) do not renew automatically — they activate a fixed period and end when that period expires.
Redeem a Code
Redemption codes are only used if you've been issued one (for example, a promotional code or a code provided by support). Regular purchases do not require a code.
- Go to our Redeem page on the website.
- Enter your Authentication Token (shown in the Windows app under Settings > Change Authentication Token).
- Enter the code and confirm.
Regular card, cryptocurrency, and Telegram Stars purchases do not require a code — premium activates on your authentication token automatically once the payment is confirmed. iOS, macOS, and Android subscriptions activate automatically after purchase in the App Store or Google Play.
If a code you've been given doesn't work, please email [email protected] with the code and the context it came from.
Troubleshooting
The app won't connect
- Check that your device has a working internet connection without the VPN enabled.
- Try a different server location in the app.
- Fully close and reopen the app, then tap Connect again.
- On iOS, macOS, and Android, remove and re-add the VPN configuration: disable the VPN, then reconnect to let the app re-install it.
- Restart your device.
The connection is slow
- Try a server closer to your physical location.
- Switch between servers if one is under high load.
- On mobile networks, VPN speed can vary significantly with signal strength.
The app is stuck on "Connecting..."
- Cancel the attempt and try a different server.
- If the issue persists, uninstall and reinstall the app.
My premium status is not recognized
- Fully close the app and reopen it — the app re-checks subscription status on launch.
- For Apple subscriptions (iOS / macOS), make sure you're signed in with the same Apple ID you used to subscribe. Try initiating a purchase of the same plan again — the App Store will detect the existing subscription rather than charge you twice.
- For Google Play subscriptions (Android), make sure you're signed in with the same Google account. Open the Google Play Store and verify the subscription appears under Payments & subscriptions.
- For Windows card, crypto, or Telegram Stars purchases, premium activates on the authentication token used at checkout. Open the Windows app and confirm the authentication token shown in Settings matches the one from your purchase. Cryptocurrency payments can take a few minutes to confirm on the blockchain.
- For redemption codes, double-check the code was entered exactly as received.
- If your subscription is still not recognized, contact us with your order reference, authentication token, or Apple / Google Play receipt.
Split Tunneling
Split tunneling lets you choose which traffic goes through the Ciphra VPN tunnel and which uses your normal internet connection. Open it from Settings > Split tunneling in any Ciphra VPN app.
Open the page
- Open the Ciphra VPN app and tap Settings.
- Tap Split tunneling.
- You can change rules whether the VPN is on or off. If it's already connected, the page will say "Saved. Reconnect VPN to use these changes." — disconnect and reconnect to apply them.
Bypass your local network
Inside Local network, turn on Bypass LAN traffic to keep your printer, NAS, smart‑TV (Chromecast / AirPlay), local file shares, and other LAN devices reachable while the VPN is on. Leave it off if you want every byte — including local devices — to go through the VPN.
Pick a routing mode
- Tunnel everything (default) — every connection goes through the VPN.
- Tunnel only listed — an allow-list. Only traffic matching the rules below is sent through the VPN; everything else uses your normal internet. You must add at least one rule, otherwise nothing is tunneled (Status will read Needs rules).
- Bypass listed — the VPN is your default, but listed destinations skip it. Useful for a bank that geo-blocks foreign IPs, or a service that won't work over a VPN.
Add IP, domain, or app rules
- IP ranges — one CIDR per line. Examples:
10.0.0.0/8,192.168.1.0/24,2001:db8::/32. A single host is/32(IPv4) or/128(IPv6). - Domains — one domain per line, with an optional leading wildcard. Examples:
example.com,*.example.com. Domain rules read the TLS SNI field, so they only catch HTTPS / TLS traffic — not plain HTTP, raw TCP, or many UDP/QUIC services. Don't includehttps://, paths, or ports. - Apps (Android only) — one Android package name per line, e.g.
com.android.chrome. To find a package name, open the app's Google Play page in a browser — the URL ends in?id=com.example.app. The Apps section is hidden on iOS, Windows, and macOS because those platforms don't support per-app filtering at the VPN layer. - Lines starting with
#or;are comments and are ignored. Blank lines are ignored.
"Always block" (advanced)
Use the Always block section to drop matching traffic regardless of the routing mode. It only sees traffic that has already entered the VPN, so anything you've put on the bypass list (or anything that takes the LAN bypass) won't be filtered here. It's useful for blocking ad/tracker hosts inside the tunnel, or as a safety net while testing rules.
Saving and the status indicator
- Changes save automatically when you click out of a field, collapse a section, or leave the page — there's no separate "Save" button.
- The Status row at the top shows Off, On, Needs rules (you picked "Tunnel only listed" but added no rules), or Invalid (one of the rules can't be parsed — the message tells you which line).
- Tap Reset to defaults at the bottom to clear every field and switch back to Tunnel everything.
Quick recipes
- VPN everything but let me print at home — Mode: Tunnel everything; turn on Bypass LAN traffic.
- Only my work apps go through the VPN (Android) — Mode: Tunnel only listed; add the work app package names under Apps.
- Bypass my bank, tunnel everything else — Mode: Bypass listed; add
*.mybank.comunder Domains. - Block ads inside the tunnel — Keep mode as Tunnel everything; under Always block > Domains, list ad/tracker hostnames.
Troubleshooting
- "My rule didn't take effect." Did you reconnect the VPN after saving? Rules apply on the next connect.
- "Status says Invalid." Read the inline error. Common fixes: strip
https://and paths from domain rules; add a CIDR prefix to IP rules (10.0.0.0/8, not10.0.0.0); use the package name (com.example.app) on Android, not the app's display name. - "Status says Needs rules." You chose "Tunnel only listed" but added no rules. Either add at least one, or switch to a different mode.
- "My domain rule doesn't match a particular app." Domain rules use TLS SNI. Apps that use plain HTTP, raw TCP, or many UDP/QUIC services won't match. Add an IP-range rule for the destination instead.
- "The Apps section isn't on my iPhone / Mac / Windows." Per-app filtering is Android-only. On other platforms, target by IP range or domain.
- "Domain split tunneling is not supported on this platform." Your platform's VPN engine can't intercept TLS for SNI matching. Use IP-range rules instead.
Refunds
App Store (iOS and macOS) purchases
Apple processes refunds for in-app purchases and subscriptions made on the App Store — both iOS and Mac App Store. Request a refund directly from Apple at reportaproblem.apple.com. We cannot issue refunds for purchases billed by Apple.
Google Play (Android) purchases
Google processes refunds for subscriptions purchased through Google Play. Request a refund at play.google.com/store/account/orderhistory, or follow the instructions at support.google.com/googleplay/answer/2479637. We cannot issue refunds for purchases billed by Google.
Website purchases (Windows apps)
For Windows subscriptions purchased on ciphravpn.com, we offer a 30-day money-back guarantee on premium plans. To request a refund, email [email protected] within 30 days of purchase with your order reference.
Telegram Bot purchases
Payments made with Telegram Stars are non-refundable per Telegram's platform policy. We are unable to issue refunds for purchases made through our Telegram bot.
Account Deletion
You can request deletion of your Ciphra VPN account and associated data at any time.
- Email [email protected] from the address associated with your account, or include the Authentication Token shown in the app's Settings screen.
- We will confirm the request, permanently delete your account data, and send a confirmation email.
- Typical processing time is up to 7 business days.
Note: deleting your Ciphra VPN account does not cancel an active store-managed subscription. Cancel it separately to stop future renewals:
- Apple (iOS / macOS): apps.apple.com/account/subscriptions
- Google Play (Android): play.google.com/store/account/subscriptions
Privacy & Terms
For details on how we handle your data and the terms of using our service, see: