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Proton’s alternative routing is an automatic fallback in its Proton Mail and Proton VPN mobile and desktop apps: when an app suspects a network is censoring Proton, it tries alternate routes to reach Proton’s servers. It may help when Proton services are blocked, but it is not guaranteed to work and is not available on Proton’s websites.
What alternative routing does
Proton introduced alternative routing as an additional way for its apps to connect when a government, internet service provider, or network administrator blocks Proton services. The app detects a suspected block and automatically tries another network path. No setup is required, and Proton says the fallback is not normally used.
The feature is intended to help with access, not to guarantee it. Proton says alternative routing will not succeed in every case, and its March 12, 2020 announcement does not report a measured success rate or establish how often the system activates today.
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Alternative routing applies to Proton Mail and Proton VPN apps on mobile and desktop. It does not apply to Proton’s websites: if you are trying to sign in through a browser and the site is blocked, this app feature is not a fallback for that website.
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Proton’s official announcement, published March 12, 2020, put the distinction this way: “This feature is unfortunately not available for our websites, but it will work on all mobile and desktop apps (both Proton Mail and Proton VPN).”
What happens to your connection and privacy
An alternate route may use infrastructure operated by third parties Proton does not control; Proton names Amazon, Cloudflare, and Google as examples. Proton says those providers cannot see the data transferred because it remains encrypted in transit. It also says a provider could see your IP address and that you are trying to connect to Proton.
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For this routing system, Proton says it customized TLS and uses public-key pinning rather than relying on certificate authorities. The company explains that certificate information can help censors identify targeted services, and characterizes its encryption as equally strong. It also acknowledges a trade-off: pinning could be problematic if a Proton server were compromised. These are Proton’s descriptions in its announcement, not the findings of an independent test or audit.
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How to turn alternative routing off
Proton says users can disable the feature in the app settings. The announcement does not specify a single settings path for every app or version, so look in the settings of the Proton Mail or Proton VPN app you use. Turning it off may leave you unable to access your account on a network that blocks Proton.
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What to try if Proton is still blocked
- Check which interface you are using. The announced fallback is for mobile and desktop apps, not Proton’s websites.
- Allow the app to attempt its fallback. Alternative routing activates automatically when the app suspects censorship; there is no separate setup described in the announcement.
- Recognize that a failed attempt is possible. Proton says alternative routing may not bypass every block. The announcement provides no success-rate figure or universal workaround.
- Consider the privacy trade-off. A third-party provider involved in the route may see your IP address and attempted connection to Proton, while Proton says the transferred data remains encrypted.
- Check whether you disabled the setting. If you did, re-enabling it may restore the fallback, though the precise control can vary by app.
What the announcement does—and does not—establish
Proton’s announcement describes the feature as being in full operation after an update to its original announcement. It does not establish behavior for specific current app versions, provide independent verification of Proton’s security claims, or quantify how reliably alternative routing works. Treat it as Proton’s account of the feature rather than a guarantee that every blocked connection can be restored.
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