Key points in a minute
- On Android, per-app exclusions are set up inside the VPN client, not in the system settings.
- There are two modes: either only the selected apps go through the VPN, or everything except the selected apps does.
- For banks, the second mode is more convenient: mark your banking apps to bypass the VPN.
- Reconnect the VPN after changing the list, or the rules won’t take effect.
How it works on Android
Android lets VPN apps decide which apps to send into the tunnel. There’s no separate system menu for this: the exclusion list is stored in the VPN client itself and applied when you connect.
Clients offer two modes. In the first, only the selected apps use the VPN, and everything else goes direct. In the second, everything uses the VPN except the selected apps. For banks and Russian services, the second mode is usually more convenient.
Setting it up in Happ
Happ is the client recommended for Android in your Byte VPN account. Its per-app proxy feature is available only on Android. Menu names may differ slightly between versions, so go by what each option does.
- Open Happ’s settings and find the section for proxying individual apps (Per-App Proxy).
- Choose the bypass mode: the apps you select will work without the VPN.
- Select your banking apps, Gosuslugi (Russia’s public services portal), marketplaces, and other services that need a Russian IP address.
- Turn the VPN off and on again so the rules take effect.
Setting it up in Hiddify
If you use Hiddify, the option you need is called “Per-app proxy” and is located in the “Routing” section of the settings.
- Go to “Settings” → “Routing” → “Per-app proxy” in Hiddify.
- Choose the “Bypass” mode — the apps you select won’t be proxied.
- Turn on “Hide system apps” to make the list shorter, then select the apps you need.
- Reconnect the VPN.
Which apps to exclude
Exclude only the apps that genuinely require a Russian IP address. The more apps connect directly, the less of your traffic the VPN protects.
- Mobile banking and payment apps.
- Gosuslugi, the tax service app, and apps for other government services.
- Marketplaces, food delivery, and taxi apps that determine your city by IP address.
- Streaming services with content available only in Russia.
How to check the result
Open an excluded app and make sure you can sign in and complete transactions without errors. Then open an IP check website in your browser: if the browser isn’t excluded, it should show the VPN server’s address.
If the app still complains about the VPN, check that you selected that exact app and not one with a similar name, and that you reconnected the VPN after changing the list.
Common problems
Some apps check whether a VPN is active on the device even when their own traffic goes direct. In that case an exclusion won’t help, and you’ll have to open the app with the VPN turned off.
If the VPN stopped working in your browser after setup, check the mode. You may have the “only selected apps use the VPN” option on, and the browser isn’t on the list.
FAQ
FAQ
Where do I turn on split tunneling on Android?
In the VPN client itself, not in the system settings. In Happ, it’s the per-app proxy feature; in Hiddify, it’s “Settings” → “Routing” → “Per-app proxy” with the “Bypass” mode.
Which mode should I choose for banks?
The mode in which everything goes through the VPN except the apps you select. Select your banking apps, and they’ll work with your regular IP address.
Why didn’t the rules take effect?
Most clients apply the app list when they connect. Disconnect the VPN and connect again.
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