How to Use Hide My Ass in 2026: Setup and First Steps

To use Hide My Ass, usually shortened to HMA, you need an active subscription and the official app for your device. Install it, activate the subscription, choose Lightning Connect, and wait for the app to show an active VPN connection. Leave the advanced settings alone until that first connection works.

HMA’s US pricing page listed a 36-month offer at $2.99 per month when checked in July 2026, billed as $107.64 up front. A 12-month option was $4.99 per month, billed as $59.88. These are promotional effective monthly prices, not monthly payments. HMA subscriptions can renew automatically, so check the total and renewal terms at checkout; if you turn renewal off later, confirm that your account shows Auto-renewal: OFF. For the current promotional pricing breakdown, see our Hide My Ass coupon and renewal price guide.

New orders bought directly from HMA or through Google Play are covered by HMA’s 30-day money-back policy. The standard subscription permits 5 simultaneous connections, while the Family tier raises that limit to 10. If you want to test HMA before committing, see what a Hide My Ass free trial actually offers.

Before you install HMA

Download HMA from its own website or your device’s official app store. Avoid third-party download portals: a VPN app receives permission to route your internet traffic, so the installer must come from a source you trust.

Have your account login or activation code ready. HMA allows installation on more devices than you can connect at once, but the standard plan stops at 5 simultaneous connections. If a new device will not connect, disconnect HMA on hardware you are no longer using before changing network settings.

Remove or fully close another VPN client for the first setup. Two VPN apps can compete for the same network route and make a straightforward connection problem harder to diagnose.

Install HMA and make your first connection

Windows

1. Download the current Windows installer from HMA.
2. Run the installer and approve the Windows permission prompt.
3. Open HMA and sign in or enter the activation code attached to your subscription.
4. Select Lightning Connect for the first connection.
5. Wait until HMA reports that the VPN is connected before opening the browser or app you want to use.
6. Disconnect from the main screen when you no longer want traffic routed through HMA.

Lightning Connect is the best baseline because HMA uses a ping test across nearby servers to select a connection. If you need a particular country, open the Location list only after the automatic connection has worked once.

Android

Install HMA from Google Play, open it, and activate your existing subscription. Approve Android’s request to create a VPN connection; HMA cannot build the tunnel without that system permission.

Start with Lightning Connect. To choose a location manually, use Server location at the bottom of the app and select a country or server. Confirm the connection state before putting the app in the background.

iPhone and iPad

Install HMA from Apple’s App Store. An App Store purchase should activate automatically. If you bought HMA elsewhere or previously paid through Apple, use the app’s Already purchased or restore option and follow the matching login path.

Approve the iOS VPN configuration request, then make one automatic connection before choosing a location or changing settings. Menu names and available controls are not identical to Android, so do not follow an Android screenshot when configuring an iPhone.

Android TV and routers

HMA has a native app for Google TV devices running Android TV OS 10 or later. Install it from Google Play on the TV, log in, and connect in the app. This is the simplest route for a compatible television.

For a TV, console, or other device without a native HMA app, a compatible router can carry the VPN connection. HMA publishes OpenVPN setup material for firmware including DD-WRT and Tomato. Router steps are model- and firmware-specific; verify compatibility and follow the matching guide instead of copying settings from a different router.

The 5 HMA settings that matter

1. Configure Kill Switch deliberately

Kill Switch blocks traffic if the VPN tunnel fails, reducing the chance that the device silently falls back to its normal connection. HMA places the control under Settings > Privacy on Windows and Mac and under Menu > Settings on Android. Its desktop apps also document an app-level option for programs you specifically want tied to the VPN.

Enable the system-wide option when traffic must stop after a disconnect. Understand the tradeoff first: if HMA is off or cannot reconnect, the working Kill Switch may be the reason the internet appears broken.

2. Leave the VPN protocol on Automatic first

HMA’s current support flow describes Automatic as the recommended protocol setting. It tries OpenVPN where possible and falls back to HMA’s Mimic protocol if OpenVPN fails. The current app also offers WireGuard, which forces a WireGuard connection.

Use Automatic for the first connection. If HMA will not connect or is unstable, try WireGuard once and retest. Available choices can differ by operating system and app version, so use the protocol menu actually shown on your device.

3. Set connection rules for networks you use

HMA’s Connection Rules control when the app connects automatically. On Windows and Mac, look under Settings > Connection; mobile apps put the rules in their settings menus. Automatic connection on unfamiliar Wi-Fi is useful if you regularly use hotels, airports, or cafes.

Review the trigger rather than enabling every rule. HMA warns that on Android, an Any Wi-Fi rule combined with Kill Switch can block internet access when the phone moves from Wi-Fi to cellular data. Test that transition before relying on it away from home.

4. Use Android split tunneling sparingly

HMA’s current Android instructions document app-level split tunneling. All apps are selected by default; untick an app to send it outside the HMA connection. That excluded traffic is not encrypted by HMA and exposes your normal location to the app or service.

Add an exception only for a trusted app that genuinely fails through the VPN. Android’s Kill Switch can also leave an excluded app without internet access, so check both controls when a split-tunneled app stops working.

5. Match the server choice to the job

Use Lightning Connect for routine browsing and public Wi-Fi. Select a country manually only when the location itself matters. If a chosen server becomes slow or fails, return to Lightning Connect or try a nearby location before changing several other settings.

Common HMA problems and practical fixes

HMA will not connect

Confirm that the device has a normal internet connection without HMA and that the subscription is active under Settings > Account. Set the protocol back to Automatic, try Lightning Connect, and then select a different server. If that fails, try WireGuard, restart HMA, and restart the device.

Change one variable at a time. If you switch the server, protocol, firewall, and Wi-Fi network together, you will not know which change fixed the problem.

The internet stops after HMA disconnects

Check Kill Switch or Android’s always-on VPN controls. Reconnect HMA first. If you no longer want traffic blocked outside the VPN, change the relevant setting in the app or operating system rather than force-closing HMA repeatedly.

An excluded Android app has no internet

Review split tunneling and Kill Switch together. HMA warns that apps excluded from the VPN can be blocked when Kill Switch is active. Put the app back inside the tunnel or change the Kill Switch choice only if that matches your intended protection.

The connection is slow

Return to Lightning Connect or choose a server closer to your real location. Then test Automatic and WireGuard separately. Distance, the local network, and server load can all matter, so do not assume that the farthest location is the best one.

HMA does not recognize your purchase

Check that you used the account tied to the order. On iOS, restore the App Store purchase if that is where you subscribed. If you received a retail or reseller code, use HMA’s activation-code path rather than the app-store restore option.

Where to go deeper

A successful connection does not settle whether HMA is the right provider for you. Read our full Hide My Ass review for the privacy record, ownership context, app limitations, and long-term value that do not belong in a setup walkthrough.

Five simultaneous connections can disappear quickly across phones, laptops, tablets, and a TV. If that limit is the real problem, compare the best VPNs for multiple devices before committing to a long HMA plan.

A sensible first-day HMA setup

Make one Lightning Connect connection, leave the protocol on Automatic, and enable automatic connection only for networks where you need it. Turn on Kill Switch after you understand how it affects offline behavior. Keep Android split tunneling off until a specific trusted app needs an exception. This setup gives you the useful safeguards without creating unnecessary failure points.

FAQ

How do I use Hide My Ass for the first time?

Install the official HMA app, activate your subscription, approve the device’s VPN permission, and choose Lightning Connect. Wait until the app reports an active VPN connection. Once that works, configure Kill Switch and connection rules one at a time.

How many devices can use HMA at once?

The standard HMA subscription supports 5 simultaneous connections. The Family tier supports 10. You can install HMA more broadly, but only the allowed number can remain connected at the same time.

Should I use HMA Automatic or WireGuard?

Start with Automatic. HMA says it uses OpenVPN where possible and falls back to Mimic if needed. Try WireGuard when Automatic will not connect or remains unstable, then compare the result without changing other settings at the same time.

Can I use HMA on a smart TV or router?

Yes, with limits. HMA has a native app for Google TV hardware running Android TV OS 10 or later. Other TVs and consoles can use a compatible router configured for HMA, but the exact OpenVPN setup depends on the router model and firmware.