Cloudflare announced its free WARP service for iPhone and Android on April 1, 2019, adding it to the company’s 1.1.1.1 mobile app. The rollout began with a waitlist and opened gradually, rather than giving every user access on launch day. Today, the app offers both free DNS protection and free WARP traffic routing; WARP+ Unlimited is a separate paid subscription.
What Cloudflare announced in 2019
Cloudflare introduced WARP as an option in its 1.1.1.1 app for iOS and Android. The app had originally brought Cloudflare’s 1.1.1.1 DNS resolver to mobile phones; WARP added a mode that routes more than DNS queries through Cloudflare’s network. In the launch announcement, Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince put it plainly: “Technically, WARP is a VPN.” Cloudflare’s April 1, 2019 announcement said access would open over time to people on a waitlist.
The announcement also reported that 1.1.1.1 usage had grown 700% month over month. That was Cloudflare’s own historical claim in 2019, not an independent measurement of WARP’s performance.
What WARP does—and how it differs from 1.1.1.1 DNS
The app’s two modes handle different amounts of traffic. DNS-only mode encrypts DNS queries sent to Cloudflare’s resolver; it does not tunnel all traffic from the phone. WARP’s Traffic and DNS mode routes device traffic through Cloudflare’s network, along with DNS queries. Cloudflare describes these distinctions in its mode documentation.
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| Option | What it routes | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1.1.1 DNS-only | DNS queries to Cloudflare’s resolver; it does not tunnel all phone traffic. | Free, according to Cloudflare’s setup documentation. |
| WARP (Traffic and DNS) | Device traffic through Cloudflare’s network, including DNS queries. | Free, according to Cloudflare’s setup documentation. |
| WARP+ Unlimited | Paid tier using a larger network that Cloudflare says may reduce latency and improve browsing speed. | Paid monthly subscription through Apple or Google; the current price is not stated in the cited documentation. See Cloudflare Support. |
What WARP does not do
WARP is not an anonymity service. Cloudflare says it does not prevent destination sites from identifying users, and it does not let users appear to be connecting from another country. It is therefore not a tool for switching streaming-region catalogs or hiding your identity from the websites you visit. Those limitations are set out in Cloudflare’s mode documentation.
How to enable WARP on Android
- Install the free 1.1.1.1: Faster Internet app from Google Play.
- Open the app and accept the terms.
- Switch to WARP and tap the connection toggle. When Android asks, approve installation of the VPN profile.
- Confirm that the app shows WARP as Connected. Cloudflare says the Android app uses WARP mode by default and lets you choose DNS encryption settings. See its Android setup instructions.
How to enable WARP on iPhone
- Install the free 1.1.1.1: Faster Internet app from Apple’s App Store.
- Open the app and accept the terms.
- Tap the WARP connection toggle and approve installation of the VPN profile when iOS prompts you.
- Check that the app shows WARP as Connected. Cloudflare’s iOS setup instructions say the app can configure 1.1.1.1 across networks, including cellular. Changing DNS manually in iOS settings applies only to the currently connected Wi-Fi network.
Phone and subscription requirements
Cloudflare’s consumer client documentation lists Android 5.0 or later and iOS 11 or later. These are the requirements stated on its client requirements page; check the current app-store listing for up-to-date compatibility. WARP+ Unlimited is optional and separate from the free WARP mode. Cloudflare describes it as a paid monthly subscription bought through the Apple App Store or Google Play, but the current price is not established here. Check the price displayed in your app store before subscribing: Cloudflare Support.
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