The most popular split-tunneling setup in reverse: instead of excluding one app from the VPN, you want only the browser tunneled — private browsing through the VPN while Slack, video calls, game clients, and cloud sync run at full speed on your regular connection. Browser VPN extensions promise this but only cover the browser's own proxy-aware traffic; a system-level rule is more reliable.
The inverted setup, step by step
- Install AppLanes and approve its network extension, then connect your VPN.
- Set AppLanes' default route to Direct — by default, apps now bypass the tunnel.
- Add a rule for your browser (Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Arc — any of them) and set its lane to VPN.
- That's it: the browser's connections enter the tunnel; everything else goes direct. Add more apps to the VPN lane whenever you like.
Keep the browser from leaking when the VPN drops
With this setup you probably care that the browser never goes out unprotected. In AppLanes settings, set VPN fallback to Block traffic: if the tunnel drops, VPN-routed apps are held back until it returns, while your direct apps keep working normally. That's per-app leak protection — more precise than a whole-system kill switch, which would take your calls and downloads down with it.
Browsers reuse open connections aggressively, so right after changing a rule, reload the page or restart the browser to see the new route take effect — the troubleshooting page explains why.
Frequently asked questions
Is a browser VPN extension the same as routing the browser through a VPN?
No. Extensions typically proxy only the browser's web traffic at the application layer and can miss WebRTC, DNS, or helper-process traffic. A system-level per-app rule routes all of the browser's connections through the actual VPN tunnel.
Can I put two browsers on different routes?
Yes — for example Chrome through the VPN for private research and Safari direct for everyday browsing. Each app gets its own lane in AppLanes.
Does this work with any VPN provider?
Yes. AppLanes routes into whatever tunnel is active — NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark, Proton, Mullvad, WireGuard or OpenVPN configs, and others.
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