VPN basics · Plain-English answer
Split tunneling is a VPN feature that lets you choose which apps or websites go through the encrypted VPN tunnel and which use your normal internet connection directly. It is useful when one app needs your real IP address, such as a banking app, while the rest of your traffic stays protected.
Normally a VPN captures every packet your device sends. With split tunneling enabled, the VPN app applies rules before routing. Traffic from apps or destinations on your exclusion list goes straight out over your regular connection, while everything else is encrypted and sent through the VPN server.
Implementations vary. Some let you exclude specific apps, others include only chosen apps, and some work by website or IP range instead.
Common uses include letting a bank or streaming app see your real location, keeping a game on the lowest-latency route, or reaching a work system that rejects VPN addresses. A related idea is LAN access. Some VPN apps, including ROOT VPN with its Allow-LAN option, let you keep reaching printers and other local devices while the tunnel is up.
The trade-off is obvious but worth stating. Anything you exclude is not protected, and it exposes your real IP address to whatever it connects to. Keep the excluded list short and deliberate.
ROOT VPN is free to start with unlimited data, no card needed, and no activity logs.
Get ROOT VPN, free