Pixel VPN by Google going live for 7/Pro, 7a, and Fold owners on beta

With VPN by Google One shutting down starting June 20, Pixel 7, 7 Pro, 7a, and Fold owners are starting to see their intended replacement go live. 

With Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2.2 or Android 15 Beta 2.2, the required “VPN by Google One” app/service — which is now referred to as “Pixel VPN by Google” on the Play Store — is already installed. 

However, when you launched that app last week, Google returned a “Can’t use this VPN” error: “VPN by Google One isn’t available for this account.” 

Pixel 7/Pro

As of this morning, we’re now able to complete the sign-in and set-up process. This updated VPN on the Pixel 7-Fold works exactly like on the Pixel 8, 8 Pro, and 8a. There’s no longer a persistent notification, with just the VPN key appearing in the status bar. However, the Quick Settings Tile still directs to the Google One app instead of the replacement.

Officially, the company says: “This version of VPN by Google One is optimized for the best performance on Pixel and provides a fully integrated experience in your phone’s settings.”

Visiting the Play Store listing on an Android 14 QPR2 phone today returns a “isn’t compatible with this app” message that prevents you from downloading. Google previously said that a “system update on June 3, 2024” would be rolling out to those older phones. As of this afternoon, that has yet to occur.