NordVPN Split Tunneling on Windows: How Does It Work, How to Set It Up, When Should You Use It, and Which Plan Do You Actually Need?
If you've ever connected to a VPN and suddenly couldn't access your bank's website, your office printer went offline, or your favorite local streaming service started blocking you — you've already run into the problem that split tunneling solves.
Split tunneling is one of those features that sounds technical but is actually dead simple once you understand it. And on Windows, NordVPN makes it easier than most VPNs out there. This guide walks you through exactly what it is, how to enable it step by step, real-world scenarios where it matters, and which plan to get if you're not already subscribed.
Think of your internet traffic like water flowing through pipes. Normally when you connect to a VPN, every single drop goes through the encrypted tunnel — your banking app, your gaming client, your video calls, everything. That's great for privacy, but sometimes it creates friction.
VPN split tunneling is a feature that lets you divide your internet traffic into two routes. One route goes through the encrypted VPN tunnel, so the apps and websites you access stay protected. The other route bypasses the VPN and uses your regular connection directly.
So instead of choosing between "VPN on" or "VPN off," you get granular control. You can protect your browser with VPN encryption while letting your Steam client download at full local ISP speed. You can route your work Slack through the VPN while keeping Spotify on your direct connection. You get the best of both worlds.
NordVPN apps mostly use app-based split tunneling or inverse split tunneling. The apps operating under Windows 8.1 and later use both app-based and inverse split tunneling.
NordVPN's Windows app gives you two distinct ways to configure split tunneling:
Standard mode (Bypass VPN for selected apps): You choose which apps skip the VPN tunnel. Everything else continues through NordVPN as normal. This is perfect when you have one or two apps that need your real local IP — like a banking app, a corporate intranet tool, or a gaming launcher.
Inverse mode (Only use VPN for selected apps): The logic flips. Only the apps you specifically pick will route through NordVPN. Everything else uses your regular connection. This is useful if you only want VPN protection for a specific browser or sensitive application while the rest of your traffic flows freely.
NordVPN offers split tunneling on Windows and Android apps. On Windows it's called "Split tunneling" and you can either exclude apps from the VPN or force only selected apps through it.
This is the part most people actually come here for, so let's get right into it. The process is identical on Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Step 1: Click on the gear icon in the bottom-left corner of the NordVPN app to access settings.
Step 2: Choose the "Split Tunneling" button from the settings menu.
Step 3: Turn the feature ON and choose to add apps.
Step 4: Select your wanted application and click the "Add selected" option. Note: the split tunneling selection list will show only the currently opened applications on your device.
Step 5: Alternatively, press the "Browse apps" button to search for your preferred application on your device.
That's it. Once you've added your apps, you can close settings. The changes take effect immediately — no need to reconnect or restart the VPN.
One important tip: From the Windows start menu, launch the apps that you want to enable split tunneling on — for instance, Steam or Zoom — before adding them. Back in the NordVPN app, click the Add apps button. A list will appear that shows running programs. Checkmark the boxes next to the apps you want to disable the VPN on. When you're done, click Add selected.
So if you want to add an app but don't see it in the list, just open it first, then go back to the NordVPN settings and refresh.
On Windows 7 & 8.1: Open the settings menu, head down to the Split Tunneling section, turn it ON, and then press Add apps.
The process is slightly simpler on older Windows versions — fewer steps, same result.
Setting it up is one thing. Confirming it actually works is another. Here's the quick test:
Turn on the NordVPN split tunneling option and ensure that your primary browser is disabled from the VPN tunnel, as shown in the previous steps. Visit www.dnsleaktest.com using the primary browser. If the visible IP address is your real one, then split tunneling works fine. To cross-check, enable the VPN connection for the primary browser and rerun the DNS leak test. If the IP address comes out differently, then the feature runs flawlessly.
This two-step test takes about two minutes and gives you complete confidence that traffic is routing exactly where you want it.
Knowing the feature exists is one thing — knowing when to actually use it is what separates casual VPN users from people who get real value out of their subscription.
Many banking websites and financial services use geo-verification or fraud detection that triggers when it sees a VPN IP address. Rather than turning off your entire VPN just to check your account balance, you add your banking app or browser to the split tunnel exclusion list. Your banking traffic goes out on your real IP; everything else stays protected.
Game freaks can also add game launchers like Epic Games to run with split tunneling. You can use one browser with a split tunneling feature and the other for local content browsing.
Game downloads on Steam, Epic Games, or Origin can eat your full bandwidth. When that traffic gets routed through a VPN server, you add latency and sometimes speed throttling. Excluding your game client from the VPN keeps download speeds at full ISP capacity while your browsing stays encrypted.
If you're working from home and need to print to a local office printer, access a NAS drive, or connect to a router admin panel, having a VPN active can block that traffic. Split tunneling lets you maintain VPN protection for your web browsing while keeping local network access alive.
Tools like Zoom, Teams, and Google Meet work best with low latency. Routing video call traffic through a VPN server sometimes introduces enough lag to affect call quality. Excluding your video call app from the VPN means clearer calls without sacrificing your privacy elsewhere.
When you connect to a VPN server, you'd likely be unable to access the websites and services of your own country. But we recommend you don't expose yourself — use the VPN split tunneling feature to secure your data while you surf any other site.
This is one of the most common use cases. You're connected to a foreign VPN server for privacy reasons, but you want to watch local TV or access region-locked content from your home country. Split tunneling lets you do both simultaneously.
Here's where things get limiting. NordVPN split tunneling is limited to Windows 7, 8, 10, 11, Android mobile devices, and Android TV. It is not available on macOS or iOS.
If you're on a Mac, you won't find this option in your NordVPN app. It's a genuine gap in the macOS version — one that NordVPN hasn't addressed as of writing. The Windows and Android experience remains the most fully featured for split tunneling.
A handful of issues come up regularly.
App not appearing in the list: The split tunneling menu only shows apps that are currently running. Launch the app first, then go back and add it.
DNS leak even after excluding an app: When the split tunneling feature is used, some services still appear to be affected by the VPN. This is related to the fact that although your real IP address does get routed through the excluded application, the DNS servers provided by NordVPN are still in effect, which may cause an issue. To work around this, you can configure custom DNS in NordVPN settings or use a public resolver.
App still using VPN after exclusion: If you're having problems with split tunneling on NordVPN, it could be due to a bug that causes connection failures in certain Windows apps. You can often fix things by enabling custom DNS settings and inputting a public resolver like Cloudflare DNS (1.1.1.1).
Nothing seems to work: Try removing the app from the split tunnel list and re-adding it. If that fails, restart the NordVPN app entirely and try again.
Split tunneling is available on all NordVPN plans — it's a core VPN feature, not a premium add-on. So the question is really just which plan gives you the right combination of features and price.
NordVPN pricing in 2026 starts at $3.09/month with a 2-year subscription plan, and goes up to $25.29/month if you pay monthly. You can choose between Basic, Plus, Complete, and Prime plans, available as monthly, 1-year, or 2-year subscriptions.
Here's a full breakdown:
| Plan | Monthly | 1-Year | 2-Year | Key Features | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $12.99/mo | $4.99/mo | $3.09/mo | VPN + Threat Protection + 10 devices | Get Basic |
| Plus | $15.29/mo | $5.49/mo | $3.59/mo | Basic + Threat Protection Pro + NordPass password manager | Get Plus |
| Complete | $18.69/mo | $6.99/mo | $5.39/mo | Plus + 1TB NordLocker encrypted cloud storage | Get Complete |
| Prime | $25.29/mo | $8.99/mo | $7.39/mo | Complete + NordProtect identity theft insurance (US only) | Get Prime |
Instead of $12.99–$16.59 each month, the average drops to just $4.59–$8.09 on the one-year plan — and as low as $2.99–$6.99 on the two-year plan. That saves you more than 60% compared to paying monthly.
Basic is fine if you just want the VPN feature itself. Split tunneling, kill switch, Threat Protection, and access to 9,000+ servers across 100+ countries — all included. For someone who primarily wants to control their traffic routing, this is plenty.
Plus is worth it if you find yourself also managing passwords. NordPass, included in this tier, is a genuinely solid password manager, and Threat Protection Pro adds real-time malware scanning on top of ad blocking.
Complete makes sense if you also want encrypted cloud storage for sensitive documents. The 1TB NordLocker integration is particularly useful if you're already using split tunneling to protect specific apps while sharing files between devices.
Prime is US-only and adds identity theft protection through NordProtect — useful for people who want comprehensive cyber insurance on top of VPN features.
All NordVPN plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try the service completely risk-free.
NordVPN split tunneling on Windows is genuinely one of the most practical features in any VPN app. It solves a real problem — that tension between "I want privacy" and "I need this specific thing to work normally" — without requiring you to constantly toggle the VPN on and off.
The setup takes under two minutes. The performance impact is minimal. And once you've dialed in which apps bypass the tunnel and which ones go through it, you'll wonder how you used a VPN without it.
Explore NordVPN's features risk-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you're not already subscribed, the 2-year plan is the obvious value play — and you can adjust your split tunneling setup any time after signing up.