When you close the Private Internet Access (PIA) VPN window, the app stays open in the background. Look for the lock-shaped symbol in your system or menu bar to find the tray icon.
On Windows, you should find it on the right side of your taskbar, by the clock. On macOS, it’s usually on the right side of the top menu bar. For Linux, the location depends on your desktop environment. If you don’t see the icon, it may be hidden in the overflow menu.
How to Use the PIA Tray Icon
Right-click the PIA tray icon, then click any of the following commands and settings to use them:
- Connect (Auto): Connects to your most recent VPN server or the closest available server, without opening the app.
- Disconnect: Ends the active VPN connection.
- Snooze: Pauses your VPN for 5–30 minutes, based on your selected snooze period, then reconnects automatically. Learn more about snooze here.
- Connect to dedicated IP: Routes your VPN traffic through your unique static IP address. Learn more about this feature with our Dedicated IP support page.
- Connect to region: Opens the full list of available country and city locations so you can connect to a different server.
- Settings: Opens the PIA VPN settings menu, where you can change your app theme, VPN protocol, and connection preferences. Read our support guide on advanced PIA settings for more information.
- Help: Lets you enable debug logging, send debug logs, view the changelog, open the online support portal, or visit the blog.
- Copy Public IP: Copies your VPN server IP address to your clipboard.
- Quit: Closes the PIA tray icon and disconnects the VPN.
How to Change the PIA VPN Tray Icon Appearance
You can change the tray icon style in the PIA VPN app settings.
- Right-click the tray icon and open Settings.
- Find the Tray Icon Style menu in the General settings.
- Open the menu and select your chosen icon style. Available styles include: Light, Dark, Colored, Classic, and System.
The System style adjusts automatically based on your device’s theme, while the other options use a fixed icon appearance.
Note: Some options may not be available on all operating systems.
How to Read the PIA VPN Tray Icon Status
The PIA tray icon changes based on your VPN connection status and icon style. See the list of icons and what they mean below.
Disconnected
Dark: Dark gray lock with a slash.
Light: Light gray lock with a slash.
Colored: Red lock with a slash.
Classic: Red robot with an “X.”
Connecting
Dark: Dark gray lock with a rotating arrow.
Light: White lock with a rotating arrow.
Colored: Orange lock with a rotating arrow.
Classic: Orange robot with a rotating arrow.
Connected
Dark: Dark gray lock with a green dot.
Light: White lock with a green dot.
Colored: Green lock with a green dot.
Classic: Green robot with a checkmark.